Thai police have arrested the driver of a bus that caught fire and killed 23 people, including young students and teachers, in suburban Bangkok.
As grieving families arrived in the capital on Wednesday to help identify their loved ones, the tragedy has sparked renewed concerns about road safety in the country.
The bus, carrying six teachers and 39 elementary and junior high school students, was en route from Uthai Thani province, located about 300 kilometers (186 miles) north of Bangkok, for a school trip in Ayutthaya and Nonthaburi provinces.
The fire broke out while the bus was on a highway north of Bangkok and spread so quickly that many passengers were unable to escape.
Trairong Phiwpan, head of the police forensic department, confirmed that 23 bodies were recovered from the burned bus.
He added that recovery efforts had been delayed because the natural gas-powered vehicle remained too hot to enter for hours after the blaze.
Families of the victims were transported from Uthai Thani to Bangkok’s Police General Hospital, where they provided DNA samples to assist in the identification of their loved ones.
Kornchai Klaiklung, assistant to the Royal Thai Police chief, said the forensic team was working as swiftly as possible to identify the deceased.
The bus driver, identified as Saman Chanput, turned himself in on Tuesday evening, hours after the fire. Police charged him with reckless driving resulting in deaths and injuries, failing to assist others, and not reporting the accident.
According to Chayanont Meesati, deputy regional police chief, the driver told investigators that the bus lost balance after the front right tire was damaged, causing it to hit another vehicle and scrape against a concrete barrier.
Sparks from the impact allegedly ignited the fire. Saman said he attempted to put out the blaze with a fire extinguisher from another bus traveling with them but fled in panic when he couldn’t control the flames.
Authorities are now investigating whether the bus company followed all safety regulations. The company’s owner, Songwit Chinnaboot, told Thai PBS that the bus had passed the required biannual inspections and that the gas cylinders met safety standards.
He also expressed his intention to compensate the victims’ families.
Three students remain hospitalized, with two in serious condition. One of them, a 7-year-old girl, sustained burns to her face, and doctors are working to save her eyesight.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra expressed her condolences on the social media platform X, pledging that the government would cover medical costs and support the victims’ families.
She later visited the injured in the hospital, and during a press briefing at Government House, she became emotional and tearful. Paetongtarn, who took office in August and is the mother of two children, was visibly affected by the incident.
The tragedy has reignited public criticism over the safety of long-distance travel for children on roads known for frequent traffic accidents.
According to the World Health Organization, Thailand sees around 20,000 deaths and a million injuries from road accidents each year.
Source-BBC
