Parents Demand 1.21M Baht Compensation for Children They Didn’t Raise

[webfact]

Relatives of school bus fire victims walks beside the coffins at Wat Khao Phraya Sangkharam School, Lan Sak, Uthai Thani province, Thailand, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

 

Parents are controversially attempting to claim 1.21 million baht each in compensation after the tragic Pathum Thani bus fire, despite some not having raised the children.

 

This devastating incident on 1st October led to the deaths of 20 students and three teachers from Wat Khao Praya Sangkharam School when their bus caught fire on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road. 

 

In the wake of this harrowing incident, the Office of Attorney-General (OAG) reports challenges in compensating families, unveiling a complex web of familial claims. Some claiming compensation reportedly hadn’t been actively involved in raising the children, who were instead nurtured by grandparents or other relatives. This raises an ethical and legal dilemma about rightful claims to such tragic compensations.

 

Kosolwat Inthuchanyong, a lead figure at OAG's office for rights protection, emphasises that established processes aim to ensure justified distribution of funds to legitimate claimants. While the intention is to aid bereaved families and those injured, the complication of absent parents suddenly appearing to claim funds complicates matters.

Concurrently, the National Anti-Corruption Commission is probing potential negligence, scrutinising whether state officials erred in allowing hazardous alterations to the bus, citing illegal gas tank installation as a possible factor in the tragedy.

 

Amid the investigation, the Thailand Consumer Council advocates stricter safety protocols, proposing that buses accommodating 40 or more passengers should have insurance covering at least 30 million baht in potential compensation. This suggestion comes as part of broader efforts to enhance safety for school excursions and bolster public transport standards.

 

Additionally, to prevent scams, the Deputy Education Minister announced that the ministry will centrally manage all donations and aid distribution, offering a safer avenue for compassionate support.

 

As families grieve, these claims and investigations highlight wider social and regulatory issues, pressing a community already in mourning to seek resolutions and justice.

 

-- 2024-10-07

 

[steven100]

of course they will try .... shameless. 

[Fortunateson]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Concurrently, the National Anti-Corruption Commission is probing potential negligence, scrutinising whether state officials erred in allowing hazardous alterations to the bus, citing illegal gas tank installation as a possible factor in the tragedy.

“Potential negligence” “erred” - how about investigating bribery and other corruption?  Further “erred” is a mistake.  Certifying these buses as safe is a deliberate action, not a mistake

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Kosolwat Inthuchanyong, a lead figure at OAG's office for rights protection, emphasises that established processes aim to ensure justified distribution of funds to legitimate claimants. While the intention is to aid bereaved families and those injured, the complication of absent parents suddenly appearing to claim funds complicates matters.

Out of the woodwork they come.

[watchcat]

Just now, watchcat said:

 

 

thais are just in for the money,

[ikke1959]

Where the money is there are the people,although they don't have anything to do with it.....

[Ben Zioner]

13 minutes ago, watchcat said:

 

thais are just in for the money,

Someone has to claim the due compensation, the legal guardian of the kids IMHO. What they will do with the money is a separate issue. 

Edited October 6 by Ben Zioner

[motdaeng]

1 hour ago, steven100 said:

of course they will try .... shameless. 

 

my initial thought agrees with yours...

 

however, if this approach encourages thai people to follow the law, take responsibility, and understand that negligence has consequences, then it's worth pursuing for the potential benefits.

 

empty promises from politicians and ineffective law enforcement won't bring any changes ...

 

as i see it, the core issue will always be corruption ...

[bigt3116]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

stricter safety protocols, proposing that buses accommodating 40 or more passengers should have insurance covering at least 30 million baht in potential compensation.

 

How on earth does having additional insurance cover mean "stricter safety protocols"? 

 

All it actually means is next time, the government won't have to pay out as much.

[Asquith Production]

This whole story starting with the crash and finishing with compensation and probably who gets prosecuted boils down to corruption and money

[chiang mai]

A sad indictment that exposes the realities and priorities of life and the people here.

[Gottfrid]

This is a big problem, and it´s very good that they finally open up their eyes, about the fact soo many parents in Thailand are neglecting their children. However, this is not anything new, and they have been aware of the grand parents, aunts, sisters and other family members are bringing up the children. Especially the Thai schools, who see this fact on a daily basis.

 

Now the problem comes up, just because we are talking money, that is something which brings out the most bad in people. Here comes the money sniffing absent parents, demanding more and more as they see an opening to a better life. Not at all about their children, as money can´t replace a child, more than in a money hungry mind without shame. They just want to rake in the dough.

 

On the other side we have the authorities, that suddenly wake up and see the absent parents as a problem. Something we almost never hear about otherwise. Now it´s about money for them too, and they start to press on that being an absent parent and asking for more compensation will be a wrongful act. As right as they may be, it´s absolutely not the right time to bring such things up. Actually it´s the most bad timing ever. That shows that none of the sides, parents nor authorities have any feelings nor compassion.

 

Looking at it from another perspective: Who must be the one to claim compensation? According to Thai laws, that must be the legal guardian, which in this case will be the parents. Seen from that perspective, there are no other persons or family members that are in position to claim compensation, as they do not have the legal authority to do so. That makes me wonder why the authorities react like they do, as they must also be fully aware of such facts.

 

Looking from a moral aspect, it looks very bad that absent parent are included in the ones who make a run for claiming higher compensations. That makes it totally visible they were only in it for the money, and always saw their children as money cows they could milk later in life. A very sad fact, which has plagued Thailand for far too long time. All, comes down to a system that does not give nor protect older people, which only concentrate on submarines, fighter jets and though corruption lining their own pockets.

 

So, why is it like this? Does it have to do with that people have no shame in their bodies, and money rules it all? Of course it has, which has been a problem for long time. There are also other factors, like the keystone cops, authorities and government, who should be leading with knowledge, intelligence and understanding. Looking at the information below, it sure looks like they doesn´t have a clue. 

 

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Concurrently, the National Anti-Corruption Commission is probing potential negligence, scrutinising whether state officials erred in allowing hazardous alterations to the bus, citing illegal gas tank installation as a possible factor in the tragedy.

What? They are probing a potential negligence of state officials? This is horrendous! They know very well, that there is no thing such as negligence here. It´s money talking again, and officials as well as authorities, well aware of what´s going on, taking the bribes and overlooking the faults and dangers. Just signing off, on a paper that led to over 20 school children burnt to death in an illegally modified and on inspection approved bus.

[vinny41]

40 minutes ago, Ben Zioner said:

Someone has to claim the due compensation, the legal guardian of the kids IMHO. What they will do with the money is a separate issue. 

One of the recent cases involving the bus it was the legal guardian of the child that left her child to be raised by relatives maybe showing up once a year to see their child and was very quick to claim the 1.2 million baht compensation

[Dcheech]

Times are changing.

Families of the Kader Toy factory fire received  a paltry 100K baht initially and then were offered up to 300K baht. With that they must sign off on additional legal action. Kader Factory owners received a 500 K Baht or 20K USD fine. That for the deaths of 188 people. 

STILL 
 

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Parents are controversially attempting to claim 1.21 million baht each in compensation after the tragic Pathum Thani bus fire, despite some not having raised the children.

Can't blame the victims?! Time to blame the victims families. The powers that be will fight this turn of events tooth & nail. How dare the parents not raise the kids! 

 

[Ben Zioner]

8 minutes ago, vinny41 said:

One of the recent cases involving the bus it was the legal guardian of the child that left her child to be raised by relatives maybe showing up once a year to see their child and was very quick to claim the 1.2 million baht compensation

So? Do you know what they are going to do with the money? 

[motdaeng]

7 minutes ago, vinny41 said:

One of the recent cases involving the bus it was the legal guardian of the child that left her child to be raised by relatives maybe showing up once a year to see their child and was very quick to claim the 1.2 million baht compensation

 

this child was also a human being... does it matter who claims the money?

 

the reckless, dangerous, and criminal actions of all involved should be held accountable, not just with jail time but also with fines and compensation ...

[vinny41]

Just now, Ben Zioner said:

So? Do you know what they are going to do with the money? 

The legal guardian was shamed into returning the money which has now been given to the father and relatives who were taking care of the child they have indicated they will give a % to the legal guardian

[bigt3116]

50 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

which only concentrate on submarines

 

Thailand's armed forces have no submarines.

 

They have been looking at getting them for the last 28 years, so hardly concentrating on it.

[MalcolmB]

42 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

However, this is not anything new, and they have been aware of the grand parents, aunts, sisters and other family members are bringing up the children.

You come from a welfare nanny state and have that mindset.

 

You seem to be unaware that millions of Thais need to travel to other areas and provinces to find work to support their families. 
It is not practical to take the children as there is no family backup there while the parents work long hours and having a grandmother taking care of her family is better than nobody at all. They often take the cheapest accommodation they can find and the kids would be much better off in their home surrounded by extended relatives.

 

There is very little single parent welfare or welfare for the elderly so these parents who travel to Bangkok or wherever are supporting both the kids and their elderly parents.

 

Of course, like some parents, some grandparents are not the best at raising children and you often read about these failures in the news.  But the majority are doing an ok job, battling through life as best they can.
 

Time to get off your high horse.

 

 

[MalcolmB]

1 minute ago, bigt3116 said:

 

Thailand's armed forces have no submarines.

 

They have been looking at getting them for the last 28 years, so hardly concentrating on it.

He has a vivid imagination 

[Thingamabob]

As one famous Thai/American journalist wrote in the Bangkok Post many years ago, money is the only religion in Thailand. 

[Gottfrid]

5 minutes ago, MalcolmB said:

You come from a welfare nanny state and have that mindset.

 

You seem to be unaware that millions of Thais need to travel to other areas and provinces to find work to support their families. 
It is not practical to take the children as there is no family backup there while the parents work long hours and having a grandmother taking care of her family is better than nobody at all. They often take the cheapest accommodation they can find and the kids would be much better off in their home surrounded by extended relatives.

 

There is very little single parent welfare or welfare for the elderly so these parents who travel to Bangkok or wherever are supporting both the kids and their elderly parents.

 

Of course, like some parents, some grandparents are not the best at raising children and you often read about these failures in the news.  But the majority are doing an ok job, battling through life as best they can.
 

Time to get off your high horse.

 

 

Didn´t you put me on ignore list? I though you mentioned that. If read all, you will find that I call on the faulty government and authorities as well. Means they have to take their part in this, for things to work. However, put me back on your list now. 

[Tropicalevo]

Whether we like it or not, the parents are the legal guardians and as such, should have the cash.

If the child, living with gran, should kill someone, who would be blames.

I suggest that it would be the absent parents.

The tricky bit is when the parents are separated.

The whole thing is a difficult conundrum.

Edited October 7 by Tropicalevo

[BangkokReady]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Some claiming compensation reportedly hadn’t been actively involved in raising the children, who were instead nurtured by grandparents or other relatives. This raises an ethical and legal dilemma about rightful claims to such tragic compensations.

 

What difference does it make?  What do they think the compensation is for?  The money spent raising the children?  Just because the kids were living with the grandparents, the parents have no right to compensation?  Based on what?

 

If it's all about money, then the absent parents have lost their retirement plan, or they could have been paying the grandparents to look after the children.  If it's about emotional loss, why does that change just because they are working and don't have time to raise their children?

 

This sounds like people are simply trying to wheedle out of paying for their negligence and don't understand the reason for compensation.

[BangkokReady]

51 minutes ago, motdaeng said:

this child was also a human being... does it matter who claims the money?

 

Indeed.  Part of the reason for compensation is to punish the negligent for their crimes.  The money should, of course, go to the family of the victims.  It's not like its worked out as a direct reimbursement of money spent raising a child.

[Hummin]

1 hour ago, vinny41 said:

One of the recent cases involving the bus it was the legal guardian of the child that left her child to be raised by relatives maybe showing up once a year to see their child and was very quick to claim the 1.2 million baht compensation

So if this person sends money every month, working their butt off literally, should not claim the money for their kids that is legally theirs? Who can if not the parent who legally have the custody even parents or auntie take care on daily basis?

[CallumWK]

1 hour ago, Gottfrid said:

This is a big problem, and it´s very good that they finally open up their eyes, about the fact soo many parents in Thailand are neglecting their children. However, this is not anything new, and they have been aware of the grand parents, aunts, sisters and other family members are bringing up the children. Especially the Thai schools, who see this fact on a daily basis.

 

They are not neglecting their children, they are working for a living, some of them hundreds of km away from their home. Hence, have not the possibility to be with their children, and leave them in the care of family members.

 

It doesn't matter by which family member the child got raised, it was their child, and the child has now died because of the negligence of someone else. Of course, the parents should be compensated for their loss and grieves.

 

 

Edited October 7 by CallumWK

[Celsius]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

proposing that buses accommodating 40 or more passengers should have insurance covering at least 30 million baht in potential compensation.

 

How is this going to work if illegal gas tank is installed on the bus? insurance will pay?

 

 

[retarius]

It's a cultural thing. Parents don't like bringing up kids so foist them on grandparents, on aunts, uncles, or anyone who happens to turn up at the door. But the parents do like money. I suppose the fabulous courts will tell us which part of the culture i.e. raising kids or loving money is most important. 

[john donson]

come rich farangs, those parents just lost their whole pension investment, aka kids