Thai teacher who perished in school bus fire hugged students until her final breath

Thai teacher in school bus fire hugged students until her final breath

On 1 Oct, a school bus in Bangkok, Thailand caught fire after an accident, leading to the deaths of multiple children and at least one teacher.

Kanokwan Sriphong was one of three teachers who perished in the fire.

She had reportedly hugged her students until her final breath.

She was a teacher until the very end

The heroic act was first revealed by Gun Jom Phalang, an activist based in Thailand.

According to Amarin News, Ms Kanokwan’s mother had reached out to him, seeking his help to track down her daughter.

The activist unfortunately had to inform the distraught mother of her daughter’s passing after confirming the deceased’s identity.

“Beautiful right up until the end. We found Ms Kanokwan Sriphong’s body hugging her student,” wrote Mr Gun in a post on Facebook. “She was a teacher until her final breath.”

The young woman had begun her career as an assistant teacher for first graders in July 2023.

Tragically, she had only received her diploma on 26 September, according to Khaosod. She had graduated with second class honours.

Two more teachers died in the fire

According to Matichon, two more teachers died in the school bus fire, Pimthong Sombat and Saranya Homkaesorn.

Ms Pimthong had just been recognized for her excellent teaching ability a week prior on 24 Sept. She received a silver medal for organizing educational activities for students to learn about history, civic duty, and democracy.

The final teacher was Ms Saranya, who was still a trainee teacher. She was a fourth-year student at Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University. According to a post by the university, she was a hardworking student who was only seven days away from completing her training.

Khaosod English reported that locals have begun making offerings of flowers, garlands, milk, and snacks along the footpath near the accident site on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road.

Also read: Thai authorities confirm 23 dead & 2 missing in school bus fire, driver turned himself in

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Featured image adapted from กันจอมพลัง on Facebook and Khaosod English on Facebook.