- Photo: The Nation/ANN
BANGKOK: Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said after learning about the tragic school-bus fire on Tuesday (Oct 1) that resulted in the deaths of several students that she has instructed the relevant deputy prime ministers to visit the site.
This includes Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul, Minister of Transport Suriya Juangroongruangkit, and Deputy Minister of Interior Sabida Thaiset, who hails from Uthai Thani, the same province as the students on the bus.
When reporters attempted to ask the prime minister about her thoughts on the situation, she did not respond and quickly walked away from the media without saying anything. It was observed that she wiped her tears with a tissue before swiftly entering Government House.
Reports indicate that before the media interview, officials had briefed the prime minister on the situation.
Upon hearing the news, Paetongtarn broke down in tears, finding the incident particularly heartbreaking, as she felt deeply saddened that children of this age could not help themselves in such a tragedy.
Paetongtarn later addressed the incident on her personal Instagram, stating:
"I am deeply aware of the bus fire incident from Uthai Thani, which was carrying students for a field trip to Bangkok and was involved in an accident on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road, resulting in casualties and injuries.
“As a mother, I extend my deepest condolences to the families of those injured and deceased.
Paetongtarn orders relevant deputy PMs to visit site of bus fire
“As the government, I have already instructed Mr Anutin, Mr Suriya, and Ms Sabida to personally visit the site. The government will cover the medical expenses and provide support to the families of the deceased."
Meanwhile, Mananya Thaiset, former deputy minister of agriculture and cooperatives of Thailand and former mayor of Uthai Thani, posted contact information to assist the parents of the affected students.
Officials have confirmed that 23 persons were killed in the tragic school bus fire.
Twenty three bodies have been identified, Trairong Phiwpan, forensic science commissioner told reporters, with an investigation on the causes underway.
Separately, the Governor Phasakorn Boonyaluck of Pathum Thani provided an update on the school bus accident involving Khao Phraya Sangkaram School from Lan Sak District, Uthai Thani Province. The bus caught fire while transporting students for a field trip in Pathum Thani.
A total of 137 students, teachers, and staff were on board. As of now, 77 people have been transported back to their hometowns using buses provided by the Ministry of Transport, while some students were picked up by their parents.
There are 20 students and 3 teachers still missing persons.
Earlier Tuesday (Oct 1) evening, all the bodies were removed from the scene and sent to the Police General Hospital for autopsy and identification. Acting National Police Chief Pol. Gen. Kitrat Phanphet has ordered the hospital to complete the identification process within three days.
As for the three students still in the ICU at PatRangsit Hospital, Phasakorn explained that two of them remain in critical condition due to smoke inhalation and burns, and they have been transferred to Thammasat University Hospital for further treatment.
The third student, whose condition is less severe, has been transferred to the Children's Hospital. Additionally, one teacher who sustained minor injuries while rescuing students has been sent back to their home province for recovery.
The Institute of Forensic Medicine at the Police General Hospital has established an identification operations centre for this tragic incident. Some of the bodies have already been sent for examination, but due to severe burns, the medical team is focusing on collecting blood, tissue, and bone samples.
These materials can retain DNA, which will be compared with samples from relatives. DNA results from blood samples will be available within one day, from tissue within three days, and from bone within seven days. Therefore, relatives providing DNA samples are requested to be direct relatives, such as parents or siblings, to expedite the identification process.
As for the examination of the evidence, it cannot be conducted yet as investigators are still collecting evidence from the scene, particularly retrieving the bodies. Once this process is complete, forensic experts will inspect the vehicle and its fuel system to determine the exact cause of the accident.
Additionally, the Ministry of Public Health has coordinated to bring in a Mental Health Crisis Assessment and Treatment Team (MCATT) to the operations center to provide psychological support and counseling to the parents and relatives following up on the situation.
Kitrat expressed his condolences regarding the tragic school bus fire. The initial cause is suspected to be a tire explosion, which generated sparks and ignited the gas cylinder on board, causing the fire to spread rapidly throughout the passenger area.
Regarding the issue of the bus doors not opening, Kitrat stated that teachers mentioned the incident happened very quickly, with some managing to escape through the emergency exit, indicating that the doors were functional. However, it’s believed the victims could not exit the bus in time. Authorities will investigate whether the fire extinguishers on the bus were used.
As for the bus driver, who initially fled the scene, he has since surrendered to the police.
The investigation will now determine whether the accident was due to driver negligence and whether proper fire safety equipment was available. If the bus lacked such equipment, it would indicate a failure to address the emergency, potentially leading to charges of negligence. Both the driver and the bus company will face legal action, he said. - The Nation/ANN
