Video footage showed flames engulfing the bus under an overpass, with thick black smoke rising into the sky. The driver, who reportedly attempted to put out the fire but fled, later turned himself in to police about 100 kilometers north of Bangkok.
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According to witnesses, the crash happened when a front tire burst, causing the bus to collide with a concrete barrier. The intense fire quickly consumed the vehicle, leaving many passengers trapped. The exact cause of the fire remains unknown.
Thankfully, 19 children and three teachers survived, with 16 currently receiving treatment in the hospital for injuries.
Thailand’s Transport Minister, Suriyahe Juangroongruangkit, expressed concern over the use of compressed natural gas to power the bus, calling it “extremely risky” and vowing to seek measures to prevent such vehicles from using this type of fuel.
Piyalak Thinkaew, leading the search efforts, said identifying the victims was challenging due to severe burns, noting that many of the bodies found were small children who had tried to escape to the back of the bus.
Forensic police have identified 18 bodies, while five remain unidentifiable. The children on board were students from a school serving kids aged three to 15. Thailand, with one of the highest road fatality rates globally, is now investigating the crash to understand what went wrong.
