The bodies of 20 children and three teachers have been recovered after a bus carrying school pupils crashed and caught fire just outside Bangkok.
The bus was returning to the Thai capital after a school trip to northern Thailand.
Videos from the scene showed the bus engulfed in flames, with thick black smoke rising under an overpass.
The driver, who fled the scene but later turned himself in 100km (61 miles) north of Bangkok, was initially seen trying to extinguish the fire, according to local media.
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Witnesses reported that the bus collided with a concrete barrier after a front tire burst, sparking a fast-spreading fire that trapped many onboard. The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation.
While 19 children and three teachers survived, 16 of them are currently being treated for injuries in the hospital.
Thailand’s Transport Minister, Suriyahe Juangroongruangkit, expressed concern over the bus being powered by compressed natural gas, calling it “extremely risky” and suggesting a potential ban on such fuel for passenger vehicles.
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Piyalak Thinkaew, who led the recovery efforts, said many of the bodies were severely burned, with children instinctively fleeing to the back of the bus where they were found. Of the 23 bodies recovered, forensic police identified 11 males, seven females, while five remain unidentifiable. The ages of the victims are still unclear, but the school serves children between the ages of 3 and 15.
Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul announced that a full investigation is underway, with authorities reviewing tire marks, fire traces, and CCTV footage from the scene.
Thailand, known for its poor road safety record, suffers from approximately 20,000 road fatalities annually.
