9-10-2024 (BANGKOK) A sombre atmosphere enveloped the small town of Lan Sak in central Thailand on Tuesday as mourners gathered to bid a final farewell to 23 young students and teachers who perished in last week’s devastating bus fire. The tragic incident, which occurred during a school field trip, has left the nation in shock and prompted widespread calls for improved safety measures.
The cremation ceremony, held near the temple housing the school attended by the victims, drew hundreds of grieving family members, friends, and community members. A sprawling cremation site was erected, featuring multiple furnaces adorned with floral tributes, serving as a poignant reminder of the lives lost too soon.
The ill-fated journey began on 1 October when a bus carrying six teachers and 39 students from elementary and junior high school levels caught fire on a highway in Pathum Thani, just north of Bangkok. The blaze spread with alarming speed, leaving only 22 passengers able to escape the inferno.
Following extensive forensic work in Bangkok to identify the severely burned remains, the victims were returned to their hometown for traditional funeral rites that commenced last week. The cremation ceremony, held under the royal patronage of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, was attended by former army chief and prime minister Surayud Chulanont, representing the monarch.
The tragedy has ignited a fierce debate over safety standards in Thailand’s public transportation system. Authorities have taken swift action, arresting the bus driver on charges of reckless driving and detaining the owner of the bus company on suspicion of negligence causing death.
Scrutiny has fallen on transport officials following revelations that the bus had passed an inspection merely four months before the incident. Post-accident investigations uncovered that the vehicle, over 50 years old, had been retrofitted with 11 compressed natural gas (CNG) canisters, despite only having a permit for six.
Investigators believe the fire was caused by a gas leak from one of these canisters, with sparks igniting the escaping gas. The bus had been modified to run on CNG, a common cost-saving measure for commercial vehicles in Thailand.
In response to the tragedy, authorities have ordered inspections of over 13,000 CNG-powered buses within a 60-day timeframe. The Education Ministry has also suspended all school trips pending further safety reviews.
