School Bus Fire Claims Multiple Lives and Injures Young Students in Rangsit

[snoop1130]

Thai School Bus Tragedy Claims Lives, Prompts Safety Overhaul

 

 

Bangkok, October 2, 2024 – A devastating bus fire near the Monument of Honor has claimed multiple lives, including students and teachers from Wat Khao Phraya School in Uthai Thani. With 23 people still missing, including 20 students and 3 teachers, the nation mourns the tragic incident that unfolded on Vibhavadi Road.

 

The blaze, which consumed a 54-year-old bus, underscores severe safety lapses, prompting immediate governmental action. The deceased teachers—Ms. Pimthong Sombat, Ms. Saranya Homkasorn, and Ms. Kanokwan Sriporn—have been lauded for their courage and dedication, drawing widespread tributes online.

 

In an urgent meeting chaired by Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, along with Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit, crucial safety measures were announced. These include comprehensive inspections of all 13,426 CNG buses within 60 days and heightened safety protocols for non-regular buses. A focus will be placed on ensuring rented buses for school trips undergo rigorous checks.

 

 

 

 

Future bus operations will see stricter regulations on vehicle age and condition, coupled with mandatory crisis response training for drivers and staff. In a bid to avert future tragedies, new legislation will enforce safety briefings, akin to those on flights, detailing emergency equipment use.

 

Compensation for victims is set at 2.4 million baht per deceased person, combining insurance payouts and government funds. Severely injured individuals will receive 700,000 baht, while those with minor injuries will get 200,000 baht. Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin reported three individuals in ICU with severe burns, who are now receiving specialized ointment from China for treatment. Mental health teams are deployed to assist affected families and communities.

 

This heart-wrenching incident has sparked a national call for improved safety measures, aiming to prevent such future tragedies and ensure the wellbeing of all passengers on Thai roads, reported The Pattaya News.

 

Photo: The Pattaya News

 

-- 2024-10-02

 

[Georgealbert]

Police Vow Legal Action at Press Update

 

 

A press conference was held at 14.00 on October 2. Police officials, led by Deputy Commissioner-General Police General Kittirat Panpet, Acting Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police, provided updates on the incident.

 

The press conference began with a moment of silence for the victims. Authorities announced that the National Police Office has established an emergency coordination centre at the Royal Project Coordination Centre to manage the incident and coordinate efforts between agencies.
 

A forensic team from the Police General Hospital has identified all 23 victims, with formal reports and death certificates being prepared. The police are arranging for the bodies to be transported to their hometowns in Uthai Thani with full escort and support.

 

The driver of the ill-fated bus was arrested on October 1, at 19:30 and is now in custody at Khu Khot Police Station. He faces multiple charges, including reckless driving causing death, injury, and failure to provide assistance at the scene.
 

The investigation revealed that the bus was equipped with 11 gas cylinders, but only 6 were legally registered. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the forensic team.

 

Authorities expressed their deepest condolences to the victims' families and requested that the public refrain from sharing images or videos of the deceased.

The Provincial Public Relations Office of Uthai Thani confirmed the final count of passengers, detailing the number of survivors and casualties by age group. 
 

This tragic event has sparked a broader investigation into potential safety violations, and police have vowed to take legal action against any individuals or companies found responsible.

Passenger Breakdown:

Kindergarten 2: 2 children, all safe
Kindergarten 3: 4 children, all safe
Grade 1: 7 children, 3 safe, 1 injured, 3 deceased
Grade 2: 7 children, all safe
Grade 3: 7 children, 1 injured, 6 deceased
Grade 4: 6 children, all deceased
Grade 8: 2 children, all deceased
Grade 9: 4 children, 1 injured, 3 deceased
Teachers: 3 safe, 3 deceased

Authorities continue to investigate the cause of the fire and have pledged to pursue justice for the victims and their families.

 

Picture from police conference.

 

-- 2024-10-02

[Watawattana]

14 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Forensic officials began preparing coffins early in the day, planning the transportation of the remains back to Uthai Thani province. On the third floor, designated as a waiting area, grieving parents and guardians arrived to provide DNA samples for identification.

Horrendous obviously.  I hope that there is decent psychological support for everyone affected by this.

[Confuscious]

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0jwqzzw986o
Twenty children dead after Thailand school bus fire

 

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/school-bus-catches-fire-thailand-with-44-people-board-2024-10-01/
School bus fire in Thailand kills at least 23

 

https://japantoday.com/category/world/school-bus-fire-in-thailand-kills-at-least-23
School bus fire in Thailand kills at least 23

 

https://www.manilastandard.net/news/314504892/field-trip-turns-tragic-in-thailand-school-bus-fire.html
Field trip turns tragic in Thailand school bus fire

 

https://www.lbcgroup.tv/news/world-news/800568/multiple-deaths-in-school-bus-fire-in-thailand/en
Multiple deaths in school bus fire in Thailand

 

https://thesun.my/world/school-bus-catches-fire-in-thailand-25-feared-dead-AE13066053

 

https://www.thestar.com/news/world/asia/thai-police-arrest-driver-and-work-to-identify-victims-of-school-bus-fire-that-killed/article_40e083e9-c9f1-5d74-999a-29d81c47298a.html
Thai police arrest driver and work to identify victims of school bus fire that killed 23

 

This is only a tiny overview of the news today.

I have a tip for the THAI GOVERNMENT:

Why don't the THAI GOVERNMENT convert the place of the accident to a SANCTUARY?
And ask "La Lita" to visit this sanctuary and write a song about it?
Dozens of tourist guaranteed.

That's what you want, or not?
Think of all that money that will be generated.

[Watawattana]

8 hours ago, Patong2021 said:

We should have a scapegoat soon enough and then it will be forgotten much as the Santika Fire tragedy was buried.

The Wiki article on Santika is hard reading.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santika_Club_fire

[Confuscious]

2 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Compensation for victims is set at 2.4 million baht per deceased person, combining insurance payouts and government funds. Severely injured individuals will receive 700,000 baht, while those with minor injuries will get 200,000 baht. Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin reported three individuals in ICU with severe burns, who are now receiving specialized ointment from China for treatment. Mental health teams are deployed to assist affected families and communities.

 

700,000 baht for a severely injured individual?
Which severly injured individual can be provided proper health care for that amount.
GET REAL THAI GOVERNMENT!!!!!
You are a disgrace to the world!!!!

 

[James9999]

2 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Thai School Bus Tragedy Claims Lives, Prompts Safety Overhaul

 

 

 

 

 

In an urgent meeting chaired by Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, along with Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit, crucial safety measures were announced. These include comprehensive inspections of all 13,426 CNG buses within 60 days and heightened safety protocols for non-regular buses. A focus will be placed on ensuring rented buses for school trips undergo rigorous checks.

Future bus operations will see stricter regulations on vehicle age and condition, coupled with mandatory crisis response training for drivers and staff. In a bid to avert future tragedies, new legislation will enforce safety briefings, akin to those on flights, detailing emergency equipment use.

 

 

 

-- 2024-10-02

 

What a shame it has taken the deaths of 23 people to force the Government to take action. Sadly I don't think we will see any noticeable difference.

[DavisH]

20 hours ago, jaizan said:

Agreed.   The bus has next to no visible impact damage.  Yet it's caught fire.

 

Passenger cars are subject to various crash test that leave the cars heavily deformed after crashing into solid barriers at 30mph.  They still must not catch fire after such tests.  
I presume the same kind of principles apply to the engineering of buses in developed countries.

I note it's a Mercedes Benz bus.  I suspect it would be some kind of aftermarket conversion to catch fire like this.  

This was an illegally modified 50+ year old bus. Catching fire is relatively easy if there was a gas leak and the bus grinded up against the guard railing causing sparks. The gas tanks looked intact from the photo I saw, but the burn larks on the bus suggested a leak from the tanks. The tanks did not appear to have exploded.