BANGKOK: Wat Pa Wiwekdhamma Khun in Phon Charoen district of Bueng Kan province was engulfed in grief on Saturday (March 1), as hundreds gathered for the cremation of victims of a devastating tour bus accident in Prachin Buri province.
The crash, which occurred on Feb 26, claimed 18 lives and left the province in mourning.
Deputy Interior Minister Songsak Thongsri presided over the main cremation ceremony for 13 victims, attended by over 3,000 mourners, including local officials and residents.
Simultaneously, four more victims were honoured in a separate funeral at Wat Pa Wiwekpathanarama in Ban Ueud, Phon Charoen subdistrict.
Another funeral is scheduled for Sunday (March 2) at Wat Ban Nong Kung Pathanarama.
To fulfil the families’ wishes for a collective farewell, a traditional long pyre was constructed using concrete blocks. Loved ones wept openly, some clinging to the coffins in anguish.
Many of the deceased were relatives, including married couples who perished together, making this one of Bueng Kan’s most heart-breaking tragedies.
Officials provided close support as the community grappled with the immense loss.
In response to the accident, calls for stricter road safety measures have intensified, with demands for enhanced regulations to prevent future tragedies.
Bueng Kan Governor Jumpot Wanchatsiri extended condolences and provided financial aid to the victims’ families.
Each bereaved family received 200,000 baht under the criminal case compensation programme, totalling 3.4 million baht distributed on March 1.
An additional 200,000 baht will be given to the family of the final victim during the March 2 ceremony, bringing the total compensation to 3.6 million baht.
The Subcommittee on Compensation in Prachin Buri approved the aid, with the Ministry of Justice’s Department of Rights and Liberties Protection expediting transfers by March 5.
Additional donations from various sources included 40,000 baht from the Bueng Kan governor, 30,000 baht from the Hug Na Bueng Kan Club and provincial government agencies, and 66,740 baht from public contributions, amounting to 136,740 baht.
The funds were allocated as follows: 6,000 baht per victim’s family, 16,740 baht to Wat Pa Wiwekdhamma Khun, 6,000 baht to Wat Wiwekpathanarama, and 3,000 baht to Wat Ban Nong Kung Pathanarama.
Veena Wannachatsiri, president of the Bueng Kan Red Cross, provided an additional 3,000 baht per victim’s family in further support. - The Nation/ANN
