Thailand is in a state of shock after a tragic accident three days ago claimed the lives of 20 children and three teachers when their bus burst into flames.

Source: BBC News

The incident is being considered one of the worst road accidents in the South East Asian country’s history. Investigators have discovered numerous safety lapses, leading some to describe the vehicle as a “bomb on wheels.”

As the country mourns the loss of the 23 people on board, there is widespread concern and disbelief over how such a tragedy was allowed to occur—and whether it could happen again in the future.

A video taken after the bus driver collided with a concrete barrier and came to a stop shows a horrifying scene: flames shooting up from beneath the vehicle, turning it into an inferno within minutes and leaving the passengers at the rear with no chance to escape.

Investigators revealed that the bus, which had been modified to run on compressed natural gas (CNG), legally housed six gas cylinders at the rear. Shockingly, an additional five cylinders had been illegally installed under the front of the vehicle.

During the crash, a pipe connected to one of these front cylinders broke, causing gas to leak and ignite the fire. To make matters worse, passengers appeared unable to open the rear emergency exit, although the exact reason remains unclear.

In response to the tragedy, the government ordered all 13,000 public and private CNG-powered buses to undergo inspections and temporarily suspended all long-distance school bus trips.

However, the use of CNG was just one of many changes made to the bus since its initial registration in 1970. Over the years, the bus underwent several modifications, earning it the nickname “franken-bus.” New bodywork was added multiple times, and only parts of the original chassis remained.

Originally a double-decker, the bus had been converted to a single-decker after new regulations limited the height of such vehicles due to their high risk of overturning in accidents. Despite the conversion, passengers continued to sit on what used to be the upper deck, while the lower deck was filled with gas cylinders. The tragic result has led social media users to describe the bus as nothing less than a “bomb on wheels.”

Will This Tragic Accident Finally Bring Meaningful Changes to Improve Thailand’s Alarming Road Safety Record?

Despite Thailand’s gradual adoption of bus safety regulations set by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) over the past 15 years, the implementation has been slow and inconsistent. These regulations aim to enhance bus safety, but their application in Thailand has faced numerous obstacles.

Sumet Ongkittikul, a transport specialist at the Thailand Development Research Institute, explained the delay: “The problem is that most manufacturers in Thailand cannot meet these standards yet. So, implementation has been delayed to give them time to catch up.”

Additionally, the regulations only apply to newly manufactured buses, while most buses in Thailand are old, or at least partially old. The local industry often retrofits outdated bus chassis with new bodywork, but safety standards for such modifications lag far behind those in other countries. An estimated 80% of buses connecting cities in Thailand fall into this older, adapted category.

“A new bus from a reputable manufacturer is very expensive,” Ongkittikul points out. “So, operators use old chassis and have local manufacturers build new bodywork. Because of this, these buses are considered ‘old,’ and the new regulations do not apply.”

For instance, UNECE regulation UN R118, which mandates the use of non-flammable materials for bus interiors, was officially introduced in Thailand in 2022. However, it only applies to buses made after that date or completely new buses. Older buses or those modified using old chassis are not required to comply with this regulation. Using less flammable materials could have potentially mitigated the impact of the recent bus fire.

Furthermore, even the limited regulations that did apply to the ill-fated bus were likely violated. According to police, the bus had undergone inspection in May of this year, but they suspect that the illegal addition of gas cylinders occurred after that inspection.

Shockingly, just two days after the tragic accident, the bus owner was caught attempting to remove improperly-installed gas cylinders from five other buses. The company’s license to operate buses has since been suspended, and the owner is now facing charges of causing death through negligence, with additional criminal charges under consideration.

This tragedy has highlighted the urgent need for stricter enforcement of safety standards and more comprehensive regulations for Thailand’s aging and poorly regulated bus industry.

But the lingering question remains: will this tragic accident finally trigger meaningful changes to improve Thailand’s alarming road safety record?

Thailand is currently implementing its fifth National Road Safety Master Plan, but the country has seen little improvement in road safety despite years of efforts. For a long time, Thailand has consistently ranked among the top 10 countries with the highest road fatalities per capita, and at times, it has held the second spot.

Data from the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI) reveals that over the past decade, an average of 17,914 people died in road accidents each year. In comparison, the UK, which has a similar population size, reports road fatalities that are 10 times lower.

Anyone who frequently travels on Thai roads can attest to the dangerous driving behaviors that are all too common. Speed limits are often ignored, and drivers weave recklessly through traffic, leaving little room for error. Many commercial vehicles are overloaded, poorly designed, and lack adequate lighting. Motorbike riders frequently skip wearing helmets, which is more common in Thailand than in neighboring countries.

Various factors contribute to the country’s poor road safety record. Some blame corruption within the police force for the lack of enforcement of traffic rules, while others cite cultural beliefs, like the Buddhist concept of karma, leading many to attribute road accidents to bad luck rather than dangerous driving habits.

Despite graphic posters warning against drunk driving, Thailand has not seen any sustained road safety campaigns led by the government. Some researchers suggest that this lack of action might be due to the fact that most fatalities occur among lower-income groups—motorbike riders and public bus passengers—while policymakers tend to travel in high-end vehicles with superior safety features, keeping them relatively unaffected by the everyday dangers of the country’s roads.

Despite the shocking statistics, road safety is not viewed as an urgent concern in Thailand and rarely captures public attention.

Over the years, numerous horrific accidents involving long-distance buses have occurred, but the safety standards for these vehicles remain largely unchanged from a decade ago.

In response to Tuesday’s tragic accident, Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit announced the formation of a special committee to examine all aspects of road safety. However, the announcement has been met with little enthusiasm or optimism.

If this new initiative can genuinely lead to substantial improvements and lower the annual death toll, it would break the cycle of ineffective measures that have characterized Thailand’s road safety efforts for years.

Follow us for more