17 schoolgirls dead in fire at boarding school in Chiang Rai

[wavemanwww]

Clearly this sad sad event indicates a fire alarm system was absent,external fire stairs and most likely extinghishers. Hopefully the Thai govt will start with at least enforcing basic fire laws in it's own public buildings, where school children learn (whether or not it's a public or private school). Then expand the law from there.

[slapout]

This is one of those times when the people in charge of the care, schooling, subsquently the safety of the children should have been brought to the scene during the fire and pressed into recovery of the injuried, first and then the bodies that were retrieved.

The entire staff including the cleaning people, but especially the headmaster and those who instructed the children. If those 15 year old students had spent some time outside the classroom learning about fire drills they could have helped the younger ones. Plus everyone ( even the little ones) would have been taught / exposed to the avenues to get out.

I guess a hand held bell on each floor to announce a fire or other crises never dawned on those responsible for these children. Such pathetic excuses for the type of personnel in charge, and associated with this institution should be acknowledged by the legal system and formal charges filed against them.

The PM's suggestion made just last week, about this very type of thing, hopefully will get people involved at all levels of inspection and enforcement of basic safety codes.

[american12bthai]

Awful event

Poor children. How do these things happen?

Th Guardian (UK):

"Thailand has poor health and safety standards and accidents are common across the kingdom."

You don't say!

according to thai belief, they deserved it. thats why. when bad things happen to you they stand out of the way because its your karma. Sad.

[Redline]

Tragic. The alarm went off in my building in Chiang Mai, and a student cut the wires to the alarm so he could go back to sleep.

[roamer]

More than 20 years after the worlds worst factory fire took place in Nakon Pathom where 188 people were killed and hundreds more seriously injured. Nothing changes. Still no effective fire laws, locked fire exits and no smoke detectors can be found everywhere in Thailand.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kader_Toy_Factory_fire

In the above case one person was convicted and sentenced to 10 years, allegedly for starting the blaze with a discarded cigarette, a labourer, The 14 executives on trial were cleared of all charges. Nothing Changes

[Tchooptip]

Deserves a National mourning, on the other hand if those poor girls were from hill tribes families not sure it will have the same repercussion in the news and then in the country's mind?

This morning we have not seen TV breaking news till now, if that had happened in Bangkok every channel would have reported it already.

RIP innocent little victims .

You hit the nail right on the head, THEY WERE ONLY HILL TRIBE KIDS, mai bpen rai -- move on, nothing to see or do here.

When I told my wife this morning, she said NO! She opened the TV, impossible to find anything, right now still nothing maybe to night? Once again so many little girls disappearing in this condition should be considered as a disaster on a national scale.

[american12bthai]

This is one of those times when the people in charge of the care, schooling, subsquently the safety of the children should have been

brought to the scene during the fire and pressed into recovery of the injuried, first and then the bodies that were retrieved.

The entire staff inluding the cleaning people, but especially the headmaster and those who instructed the children. If those 15 year old students had spent some time outside the classroom learning about fire drills they could have helped the younger ones. Plus everyone ( even the little ones) would have been taught / exposed to the avenues to get out.

I guess a hand held bell on each floor to announce a fire or other crises never dawned on those responlible for these children.

Such pathatic excuses for the type of personel in charge, and associated with this instituition should be acknowledged by the legal system and formal charges filed against them.

The PM's suggestion made just last week, about this very type of thing, hopefully will get people involved at all levels of inspection and enforcement of basic safety codes.

Saftey = spend money = no fancy car.

how dare you insult thais by saying that we should divert money into creating my "face" to... useless stuff like maintenance, training or upgrades... or future planning.

Thailand wants a company that has failed making a SAFE rail system... to make a rail system here in thailand. let that sink in.

"boarding school" in chaing mai for children says it all. Just like "orphanage shuts down to debt." or "falang" destroys thailands image. Great headlines like this helps the bad guys escape.

[OccamsRazor]

Deserves a National mourning, on the other hand if those poor girls were from hill tribes families not sure it will have the same repercussion in the news and then in the country's mind?

This morning we have not seen TV breaking news till now, if that had happened in Bangkok every channel would have reported it already.

RIP innocent little victims .

You hit the nail right on the head, THEY WERE ONLY HILL TRIBE KIDS, mai bpen rai -- move on, nothing to see or do here.

When I told my wife this morning, she said NO! She opened the TV, impossible to find anything, right now still nothing maybe to night?

Once again so many little girls disapearing in this condition should be considered as a disaster on a national scale.

It's on channel 7 and probably others - Channel 7 News

[OccamsRazor]

[smilingjim]

I have no interest in recriminations at this stage. All I want to know is which charitable Foundation, if any, supports them and why there appears to have been no requests for immediate help in the form of donations, temporary shelter, grief counselling etc. Can anyone enlighten me? I live in Chiang Rai and there are people here who would like to help!

[fasteddie]

How sad, R.I.P. little angels.

[skorp13]

Very sad. Wondering how out of date the dorms were regarding fire safety standards

[skorp13]

Awful event

Poor children. How do these things happen?

Th Guardian (UK):

"Thailand has poor health and safety standards and accidents are common across the kingdom."

You don't say!

according to thai belief, they deserved it. thats why. when bad things happen to you they stand out of the way because its your karma. Sad.

Yeah i'm sure that is what the grieving parents are thinking right now, that their children deserved to die. Where did you gain your knowledge of Thai people?

[amykat]

I have no interest in recriminations at this stage. All I want to know is which charitable Foundation, if any, supports them and why there appears to have been no requests for immediate help in the form of donations, temporary shelter, grief counselling etc. Can anyone enlighten me? I live in Chiang Rai and there are people here who would like to help!

If you go back to page one of this thread, post #2, there is a link to CM108, which now has the information you are looking for posted.

[nausea]

Terrible tragedy, even by Thai standards. It's hitting the international news, but with a spin. The BBC report mentions absolutely nothing about locked doors, the large number of casualties is being blamed on most girls being asleep, the small number rescued were awake, apparently. Make of that what you will.

[Skeptic7]

I pray to God for them young souls, Amen

Boggles the mind that people, especially educated people, in the 21st century yet, still buy into ancient superstitions of supremely ignorant tribes. WOW

[Sydebolle]

It's called "fire drills" and remains the responsibility of the teachers and guardians. While none of the latter laid the fire they will have to carry this burden around for the rest of their lives and it serves them right.

[kannot]

I wonder if the Thai electrics were up to the usual standards at the school when/if they hunt for a cause?

[OccamsRazor]

Chiang Rai school’s dormitory fire caused by overheated neon lamp: police

The Nation May 23, 2016 4:19 pm

Forensic science police have checked and found that the fire that killed 17 girls at the dormitory of Kiart Pitthaya School in Chiang Rai was caused by an overheated neon lamp, a senior police officer said.

Pol Maj Gen Sant Sukhawat, the commander of the Forensic Science Centre 6, said the lamp became overheated and melted and dropped into a pile clothes in the recreational room. The clothes were kept there for handing out to the poor.

The heat of the melted lamp caught fire on the clothes and spread quickly.

Nationmultimedia

-- The Nation 23 May, 2016

[cardinalblue]

Pointing fingers? Do you mean holding people accountable? It should happen in the first minute of this tragic event...

Instead we are going to get crying family member interviews monks running around and visits to amulet markets...

Everything that deflects away from blame and coming up with prevention plans...

Critical thinking and asking tough question with plausible solutions means exposing incompetence and developing headaches....

So easier to capture the emotion and distraught and then the problem goes away until the next preventable tragedy next week...

Edited May 23, 2016 by cardinalblue

[ChrisY1]

More than 20 years after the worlds worst factory fire took place in Nakon Pathom where 188 people were killed and hundreds more seriously injured. Nothing changes. Still no effective fire laws, locked fire exits and no smoke detectors can be found everywhere in Thailand.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kader_Toy_Factory_fire

In the above case one person was convicted and sentenced to 10 years, allegedly for starting the blaze with a discarded cigarette, a labourer, The 14 executives on trial were cleared of all charges. Nothing Changes

And these executives continued their lives most likely without ever thinking once about their responsibilities at the time.......

As my wife says often..(god bless her)....it's not our problem.......

[ggt]

A parent's worst possible nightmare...I share and feel your pain...so tragic... for your loss...

[Artisi]

Very sad. Wondering how out of date the dorms were regarding fire safety standards

Never complied with any standard, therefore can't be out of date.

[JAG]

I pray to God for them young souls, Amen

Boggles the mind that people, especially educated people, in the 21st century yet, still buy into ancient superstitions of supremely ignorant tribes. WOW

Off topic I suppose, but reading your post and looking at your avatar brings to mind the saying that "the greatest success of the devil is persuading people that he doesn't exist."

[Skeptic7]

My wife bless her says I worry too much, why did I need to buy fire extinguishers last week, why do I make our guard dog sleep where we can get her if there is a problem

I am also told I think too much, and have a plan to get out of our house in the event of fire, we also have a well discussed plan on how to get someone to hospital 24KMs away in the middle of the night

May god bless the families and victims of the fire

There must be well rehearsed plans in the event of an emergency

Would that be the same god that caused or let this horrific and torturous tragedy happen in the first place? And now "It" is going to "bless" the families? ? ? Would this be the same god-thing that allows thousands of children to miserably starve to death EVERY SINGLE DAY? Not to mention all the other horrible pain and suffering and disease and awful death.

Time to grow up people and let go of the imaginary friends. Time to grow up and face REALITY.

[mca]

Just awful.The most unbearable thing to hear.

Yes having a daughter in that age group this one hit me hard.

[MaxLee]

I bet that'll just be another compensation paying for a few thousand Baht to the families, and rugging this under the carpet ASAP....

Just make new ones....

[Artisi]

Chiang Rai schools dormitory fire caused by overheated neon lamp: police

The Nation May 23, 2016 4:19 pm

Forensic science police have checked and found that the fire that killed 17 girls at the dormitory of Kiart Pitthaya School in Chiang Rai was caused by an overheated neon lamp, a senior police officer said.

Pol Maj Gen Sant Sukhawat, the commander of the Forensic Science Centre 6, said the lamp became overheated and melted and dropped into a pile clothes in the recreational room. The clothes were kept there for handing out to the poor.

The heat of the melted lamp caught fire on the clothes and spread quickly.

Nationmultimedia

-- The Nation 23 May, 2016

Would be interesting to see the attempt of explaining an "overheated" neon lamp. Only in Thailand can major accident investigation be undertaken in 5 minutes including a full report and recommendations by the highly trained and experienced accident investigation dept. of the BIB.

[Skeptic7]

I pray to God for them young souls, Amen

Boggles the mind that people, especially educated people, in the 21st century yet, still buy into ancient superstitions of supremely ignorant tribes. WOW

Off topic I suppose, but reading your post and looking at your avatar brings to mind the saying that "the greatest success of the devil is persuading people that he doesn't exist."

And reading your post inspired me to come up with an original quote of my own...

"The folly of the fool is allowing oneself to be persuaded that gods do exist."

[Lupatria]

In God's care now.

Glad to see you didn't use the common phrase: "It's all God's will". In that case he would have messed up big time again because the kids deserved to be in proper human care while they were alive!

I hope for you this is not the place where you fetch your dose of wisdom on Sunday mornings:

Edited May 23, 2016 by Lupatria