School bus fire in Thailand claims the lives of 25, including 22 children

bangkok - A tragic incident occurred near Bangkok as a school bus carrying dozens of elementary school children caught on fire, resulting in 25 fatalities, including 22 children and 3 teachers.

A school bus carrying dozens of elementary school children caught on fire just outside the Thai capital Bangkok, resulting in a tragic incident where 22 children and 3 teachers lost their lives. Most of the casualties were young children. Authorities discovered at least ten bodies inside the bus. Only nineteen out of the 44 individuals on board managed to escape the flames, with many others still missing according to Thai Transport Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit.

Minister Suriya mentioned that the bus, a large touring car powered by gas, was highly prone to catching fire due to its fuel source. He stated that the ministry will reevaluate the use of gas in buses to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The Thai Prime Minister has instructed ministers to visit the site of the tragedy. Paetongtarn Shinawatra expressed her deepest sympathy to the families of the victims and announced that the government would cover all medical costs. The families of the victims will also receive financial compensation, a customary practice in such situations in Thailand.

The children and teachers were from a school in the Uthai Thani province and were returning from a field trip scheduled to conclude at 8:00 PM local time. A surviving janitor mentioned that a tire of the bus exploded, causing the driver to lose control. Subsequently, the bus collided with a concrete traffic barrier and quickly burst into flames.

The bus driver is currently missing, suspected to have fled the scene and turned off his phone. He is identified as Samarn, a 48-year-old individual.