Bus fire in Trat; all students evacuated safely

A fire started on a bus carrying students home from a field trip in Trat. The incident happened just before the bus reached Chumchon Wat Bor Ploy Ratrangsant School. The bus had 35 students and seven teachers on board. It was less than ten kilometers from the school when the fire broke out. The driver, Methee Phosi, acted quickly by stopping the bus and opening all the doors. This allowed everyone to exit safely. The driver mentioned that students had complained about the air being stuffy before they noticed smoke and flames at the back of the bus. He believes a short-circuit in the air-conditioning system may have caused the fire. The students were returning from a trip to Thammachat Bay in Laem Ngob district. Following a tragic incident last year in which a similar bus fire killed 23 people, including many students, the Education Ministry has stressed the importance of transport safety for school trips. Long trips for young students are now discouraged.