BANGKOK, Thailand – Pol. Lt. Gen. Prachuap Wongsuk, Acting Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police, stated that someone must be held accountable for the devastating school bus fire that claimed many lives and left several others injured on October 1. The incident involved students from Wat Khao Phraya Sangkharam School in Uthai Thani province, who were returning from a field trip.
According to the initial reports, 25 out of 44 passengers remain missing. Investigations are ongoing as all relevant agencies work together to gather evidence and determine the cause of the fire. Authorities are reviewing CCTV footage along the route taken by the convoy of three buses returning to Uthai Thani, to identify if the bus in question had been involved in a collision or accident. It was reported that there was a gas leak in the bus, prompting further checks by the Department of Land Transport to determine whether the gas system had been improperly installed or modified.
If negligence is proven, legal action will be taken against the driver, who remains unaccounted for, as well as the bus operator responsible for the vehicle. Currently, authorities have yet to locate the driver of the bus.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Prachuap also mentioned that forensic teams from the Royal Thai Police Hospital will collaborate with forensic experts from Thammasat University Hospital to assist in identifying the victims. He urged bus operators to ensure that their vehicles meet safety standards to prevent such tragedies in the future.
