Collective Funeral for 23 Bus Fire Victims to Begin in Hometown

UTHAI THANI, Oct 3 (TNA) - The bodies of 23 students and teachers who tragically perished in a bus fire were returned to their hometown on Wednesday. A collective funeral service will be held on Thursday.

Following the identification of all victims from Tuesday's tragedy, a somber procession carried the bodies from the Police General Hospital to the accident site. A Buddhist ceremony was then held to invite the spirits to return to Wat Khao Phraya Sangkharam School in Uthai Thani province, where the funeral rites would take place.

As the convoy arrived at the accident site on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road, traffic was temporarily halted to allow grieving families to perform the ritual. Buddhist monks conducted the ceremony, while relatives offered incense and called out the names of their loved ones.

Meanwhile, forensic officials continued their investigation at the scene, examining tire marks on the road and measuring the distance from the initial skid marks to the point of impact.

At the school in Uthai Thani, the bodies were received by family members. Mental health professionals from the Ministry of Public Health provided counseling and support services.

The first night of the five-day funeral service is scheduled for Thursday evening, with the cremation ceremony to be held on October 8. -819 (TNA)