Thailand fatal crash: Authorities nab driver of ill-fated school bus

Authorities in Thailand have arrested the driver of the ill-fated school bus carrying 45 students and teachers that caught fire and took the lives of 23 innocent people.

The driver, Saman Chanput, surrendered on Tuesday evening and has been charged with reckless driving causing deaths and injuries, failing to stop to help others, and failing to report the accident.

Chanput claimed he was driving normally until the bus lost balance, hit another car, and scraped a concrete highway barrier, sparking the blaze.

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According to Trairong Phiwpan, head of the police forensic department, 23 bodies were recovered from the bus. The recovery process was delayed due to the vehicle’s extreme heat, fueled by natural gas, which made it inaccessible for hours.

Families of the victims arrived in Bangkok on Wednesday to provide DNA samples for identification purposes. Kornchai Klaiklung, assistant to the Royal Thai Police chief, assured that the forensics team is working diligently to identify the victims.

Police are investigating whether the bus company adhered to safety standards. Songwit Chinnaboot, the bus company owner, maintained that the bus underwent bi-annual safety inspections and that the gas cylinders met safety requirements. He pledged to compensate the victims’ families to the best of his ability.

Three students are hospitalized, with two in serious condition. A 7-year-old girl suffered facial burns, and doctors are battling to save her eyesight.