Grief, Prayer as Thailand Holds Cremation Ceremony for 23 Bus Fire Victims

A heavy atmosphere of grief and sorrow blanketed the small town of Lan Sak in central Thailand on Tuesday as a cremation ceremony was held for 23 young students and teachers who perished in a horrific bus fire last week, The Associated Press reports.

The ceremony, held at a specially built cremation site near the temple that housed the victims’ school, saw mourners weeping and monks chanting prayers as the remains of the deceased were laid to rest.

The bus fire, which occurred on October 1 on a highway near Bangkok, claimed the lives of six teachers and 39 students from the local elementary and junior high school. Only 22 people managed to escape the blaze, which consumed the bus with terrifying speed.

Following forensic identification in Bangkok, the victims’ remains were returned to their hometown for funeral rites that began last week.

The tragedy has sparked widespread outrage and scrutiny of transportation safety protocols. It has been revealed that the bus, which was over 50 years old and had been modified to run on CNG (compressed natural gas), had passed an inspection just four months before the fire. However, investigators later discovered that the bus was fitted with 11 gas canisters despite having a permit for only six. Police believe that a loose gas tube from one of the canisters ignited, triggering the deadly blaze.

In response, authorities have ordered the inspection of all 13,000 CNG-powered buses within 60 days, while the Education Ministry has suspended all school field trips.

King Maha Vajiralongkorn, in a gesture of support, sponsored Tuesday’s cremation ceremony and sent his representative, former army chief and prime minister Surayud Chulanont, to attend.