More than 20 people are believed to have died after a bus transporting young students and their teachers caught fire in a suburban area outside Bangkok.
Officials confirmed that the incident occurred on Tuesday during an excursion.
The bus, which was carrying a total of 44 passengers from Thailand’s Uthai Thani province, was on its way to a school trip to the historic regions of Ayutthaya and Nonthaburi when the disaster struck.
The students, who were predominantly in elementary and junior high school, had been preparing for a day of exploration and learning with their teachers.
However, the outing became a tragedy when their bus caught fire, leaving many families devastated and entire communities in mourning.
Sakchai Lalit/AP
Thailand’s media outlets reported that the fire erupted shortly after midday while the bus was traveling through Pathum Thani province, a northern suburb of the capital.
It is believed that the bodies of the passengers remained inside the bus for hours after the flames had been extinguished.
When the rescuers eventually started combing through the wreckage, they faced the grim task of identifying the victims.
According to one rescuer, the blaze may have been triggered by an exploding tire, which caused the vehicle to scrape against a road barrier.
Eyewitness accounts and videos circulating on social media depict a disturbing scene, with the entire vehicle consumed by flames and towering clouds of black smoke billowing into the sky.
Sakchai Lalit/AP
While initial reports suggested that 25 individuals were feared dead, Piyalak Thinkaew, from the local rescue organization, the Ruamkatanyu Foundation, reported the discovery of two additional survivors, bringing the number of those still unaccounted for down to 23—three teachers and 20 students.
Piyalak said that most of the bodies were located in the middle and back seats of the bus.
Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungruengkit addressed reporters at the scene, and Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra expressed her condolences via a post on the social media platform X, pledging that the government would cover medical expenses and provide compensation for the victims’ families.
The nearby PatRangsit Hospital reported that it had admitted three young girls, one of whom suffered severe burns to the face, mouth, and eye.
Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul confirmed that the investigation was ongoing, but added that officials were unable to confirm the exact number of fatalities at this stage.
This article contains additional reporting from The Associated Press
