A small town in central Thailand is preparing for a somber mass funeral on Thursday for 23 children and teachers who tragically lost their lives in a bus fire during a school trip.
Late into the night, residents and monks gathered at Wat Khao Phraya Sangkharam temple in Lan Sak town, Uthai Thani province, to receive the bodies of the victims. The remains had been returned from Bangkok, where family members had gone to help identify their loved ones, who were severely burned in the fire.
The school, located on the temple grounds, is typical of rural Thailand. Early Thursday morning, florists arranged a large display of white flowers in the school’s assembly hall, in front of coffins lined up with portraits of the deceased. An elderly woman, sobbing as she stood in front of a photo of a 14-year-old boy, eventually limped away in tears, clutching a black plastic bag. Relatives placed food, snacks, and beverages atop the coffins, symbolically offering nourishment and blessings for the deceased.
The funeral is set to be attended by the head of Thailand’s Privy Council, representing the royal family. King Maha Vajiralongkorn has announced a royal cremation ceremony for the victims will take place next week.
The tragedy occurred on Tuesday when a bus carrying six teachers and 39 elementary and junior high students caught fire on a highway near Bangkok. The fire spread quickly, and only 22 passengers were able to escape. On social media, parents have expressed deep concern about the safety of school trips and outrage over potential safety lapses.
Police are investigating whether negligence played a role in the fire and have filed initial charges against the driver for reckless driving and failure to assist others. The driver reported that a front tire malfunctioned, causing the bus to scrape a concrete barrier. Sparks from the friction may have ignited highly flammable gas canisters on board. The bus had 11 gas canisters, though it was only permitted to carry six.
In response, Thailand’s Department of Land Transport is conducting urgent inspections of all buses that run on natural gas. The department is also updating safety guidelines, including crisis management training for drivers and stricter inspections when vehicles are commissioned for school use.
