Thailand is reeling from the loss of 20 school children and three teachers who died in a horrific bus accident three days ago. The incident, one of the country’s worst road accidents, has exposed serious safety failures, raising questions about how such a tragedy could happen and whether it could happen again.

Video footage captured after the bus collided with a concrete barrier shows fire jets erupting from beneath the vehicle, turning it into an inferno within minutes. Those trapped in the rear of the bus stood no chance of escape. Investigators discovered that the bus, which had been converted to run on compressed natural gas (CNG), had five illegally installed gas cylinders and six legally installed ones, with a ruptured pipe from the front cylinders causing the fire.

The government has responded by ordering inspections of more than 13,000 public and private CNG-powered buses and suspending long-distance school trips. However, the bus first registered in 1970, had undergone several modifications over the years, turning it into what some have dubbed a “Franken-bus.”

This tragic accident underscores Thailand’s ongoing road safety issues. Despite adopting United Nations bus safety regulations over the past 15 years, enforcement has been slow, and many older buses, like the one involved in the accident, are exempt from the new rules. Modifying old bus chassis is a common practice in Thailand, where around 80% of intercity buses fall into this category.

Transport specialist Sumet Ongkittikul from the Thailand Development Research Institute explains that these older, adapted buses evade stricter regulations due to their classification as “old buses,” and local manufacturers lag behind international safety standards. Regulations requiring non-flammable materials for bus interiors were introduced in 2022 but don’t apply to older models.

Adding to the problem, the bus that caught fire had undergone an inspection in May, but authorities believe the illegal gas cylinders were installed afterwards. Two days after the accident, police caught the bus owner attempting to remove improperly installed gas canisters from five other buses. The owner has been charged with causing death through negligence and may face additional criminal charges.

Will This Tragedy Lead to Change?

Despite the shocking scale of the tragedy, it’s uncertain whether this accident will spark meaningful change. Thailand has a long history of deadly road accidents. The country has been ranked among the top 10 globally for road fatalities, with an average of over 17,000 deaths per year for a decade.

Exceeding speed limits, reckless driving, and overloaded commercial vehicles are common on Thai roads. Corruption within law enforcement and a cultural belief in karma are also cited as reasons for the country’s ongoing road safety issues. Furthermore, road safety initiatives have historically been ineffective, with many believing the focus is lacking because most fatalities occur among lower-income groups, not policymakers or the wealthy.

Although Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit has announced a special committee to investigate road safety following the accident, there has been little public optimism. If this latest tragedy does lead to real improvements, it would mark a significant departure from Thailand’s history of ineffective road safety measures.