### School Bus Fire Near Bangkok Results in Fatalities and Missing Children

A school bus transporting numerous students ignited in flames near Bangkok on Tuesday, leading to the deaths of at least 10 individuals, with 13 more unaccounted for and feared dead, as confirmed by Thai authorities. The casualties mostly include children and teenagers ranging from 6 to 16 years old. Over a dozen individuals have sustained injuries and are receiving medical treatment in various hospitals.

The bus, which was carrying around 45 students and educators from a school in Uthai Thani province, was en route to the Provincial Electricity Authority in Bangkok for a field trip when it caught fire on the highway. Preliminary investigations point to a potential tire blowout at the front of the vehicle, which may have caused the driver to lose control and crash into a barrier, leading to an instant eruption of flames.

Addressing the media at the accident scene, Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul disclosed that although the bus driver survived the crash, they fled the scene. Royal Thai Police's acting commissioner general, Kittharath Punpetch, explained that determining the precise number of fatalities remains ongoing, with some victims trapped under the seating and others difficult to identify due to severe burns.

Eyewitness accounts from survivors reveal that the fire spread rapidly inside the bus, exacerbated by malfunctioning doors that hindered escape efforts. The Transport Minister, Suriya Juangroongruangkit, who was also present at the scene, highlighted that the bus was powered by compressed natural gas—a cost-effective but highly explosive fuel when pressurized. He emphasized the need for safety measures to ban such fuel for passenger vehicles, considering the high risks involved.

In a statement, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra assured that the government would shoulder the medical costs for the injured and offer compensation to the bereaved families, expressing deep condolences.