Officials speed up compensation for school bus fire

Education officials say they are speeding up the granting of financial aid to those affected by the school bus fire tragedy that killed 20 students and three teachers earlier this month in Pathum Thani.
The Office of the Basic Education Commission (Obec) has been closely following the progress of the relief efforts, said Acting Sub Lt Thanu Wongjinda, its secretary-general.
In addition to those who died, another 19 students and four teachers were injured when a bus carrying students from Uthai Thani on a field trip caught fire in Pathum Thani, just north of Bangkok, on Oct 1. Three students remain in hospital with severe burns.
The Obec has issued instructions to all related parties to ensure strict adherence to safety protocols for future student excursions, said Acting Sub Lt Thanu.
The Office is also seeking royal decorations for the three dead teachers, as well as a seven-step salary promotion, he said.
In addition, a plan is under way to build a football field at Wat Khao Phraya Sangkharam School in Uthai Thani, the victims’ school, to commemorate them. The project is currently in the design and budget allocation phase.
A total of 56 million baht has been allocated for compensation from various sources, including 23.5 million baht from the relief fund of the Prime Minister’s Office, and 4.7 million from the Ministry of Justice.
Other sources include 494,500 baht from Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, 11.65 million baht from Mittare Insurance, 500,000 baht from the Basic Education Fund and 15 million baht from Viriyah Insurance.
The families of each dead student received 2.4 million baht, and those of the dead teachers 2.3 million. Another 399,500 baht was given to each severely injured student; 299,500 baht to each injured student; and 10,000 baht for each injured teacher.
In addition, Acting Sub Lt Thanu said a donation of 3.7 million baht collected through a special relief fund would be distributed to those affected.
Of the figure, 600,000 baht would be given to each of the seriously injured students, 300,000 baht to an injured student, 100,000 baht to an injured teacher and 90,000 baht to each of the 23 families of the deceased, he said.
In a related development, political activist Sonthiya Sawasdee has called on the National Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate the Ministry of Transport and its Department of Land Transport, as well as the Sing Buri-based operator of the bus that caught fire, for negligence.
Police investigations have found that the 54-year-old bus had been converted to use compressed natural gas but the conversion was not up to legal standards.