Education minister orders halt to all unnecessary educational field trips
Permpoon sets conditions for future outings after tragedy that left 23 dead
Education Minister Pol General Permpoon Chidchob on Wednesday issued an urgent order to schools nationwide to halt unnecessary educational field trips after a chartered bus taking young pupils on a field trip caught fire, killing 20 students and three teachers on Tuesday.
Permpoon told a press conference that if schools needed to arrange field trips, they must separate helpless young children from the older ones.
He said teachers or parents must accompany young children on a field trip and the trip should be within the province.
The minister said he had not totally banned field trips, as sometimes such trips would be necessary for the children’s learning.
The minister added that the schools must also make sure that buses used for the trips meet all safety standards.
On Tuesday, one of three buses chartered by Wat Khao Phraya Sangharam School from Lan Sak district in Uthai Thani province caught fire on Vibhavadi Road in Lam Lukka district of Pathum Thani province. The bus’ emergency doors could not be opened. A total of 20 students and three teachers perished in the fire. The slain students included first, third, fourth, eighth and ninth graders.
Permpoon said two injured students were still under close watch of doctors while three injured teachers had been discharged.
The minister added that the Office of the Basic Education Commission would ensure that the slain teachers receive all the entitled welfare and benefits and the office would bear the funeral costs and pay an allowance for taking care of their parents.
