The moment a school shuttle bus lost control and plunged into a canal after heavy rain. The entire front of the bus was crushed, but fortunately no students suffered serious injuries.
At 15:40 on 21 Jan 2026 GMT+7, Police Lieutenant Colonel Pramuan Nawalongam, investigator at Nong Suea Police Station, received a report of a school shuttle bus that had fallen into a canal, with several students injured. The incident occurred on Bang Khan Road, Nong Suea, Khlong 11, Village 1, Bueng Ba Subdistrict, Nong Suea District, Pathum Thani Province.
After receiving the report, officers rushed to the scene accompanied by traffic police from Nong Suea Police Station, Mr. Sutthiporn Siwavetphikun from Nong Suea District Office, and personnel from the Poh Teck Tung Foundation. At the scene, they found a blue six-wheeled truck, license plate 83-9106 Pathum Thani, with its front completely crushed, half submerged in the canal. A traffic signpost was broken. Earlier, local residents and foundation staff had already taken the students to Nong Suea Hospital for medical examination.
Mr. Supap Detphian, 57, the driver, said he was on his way to pick up students. He was unaware of the exact number of students that day, as many were absent. About 20 to 30 students were present. Normally, the registered number of students is about 40, all from Nong Suea School, ranging from lower to upper secondary levels.
Regarding the cause of the accident, he explained that the rain had made the road uneven with grooves. It seemed the vehicle's wheels climbed onto a groove, causing the steering wheel to jerk to the right. He tried to pull the steering wheel back to keep the vehicle in the center lane, but the wheels did not return and slid to the right. He was driving at about 30 km/h. A vehicle behind hit a signpost before the bus plunged into the canal. The students only suffered minor injuries and were all safely rescued. The incident occurred as he was driving students on the usual route toward Khlong 13 on Bang Khan Nong Suea Road.
Meanwhile, a disciplinary teacher from Nong Suea Witthayakhom School said they were verifying how many students had boarded the bus. Initially, three students were reported injured but not seriously: one cut by glass on the hand, another with a cut on the left eyebrow, and a third with bruising on the right cheek.
Ms. Chayaporn Boonmuang, 19, said she and her younger sister, Kamolchanok Boonmuang, 15, were seated at the front. The bus was not driving fast, but heavy rain made the road slippery. When the vehicle ahead braked suddenly, the driver tried to brake but couldn't stop, so he swerved into another lane. However, a vehicle came the other way, forcing him to steer off the road to avoid a collision. After the bus fell into the canal, the driver broke the window glass to help her and her sister escape.
There were about 39 students on the bus, from grades 7 to 12, both male and female. No one was seriously injured, only minor scrapes and small wounds. She suffered a cut on her left hand from broken glass; her sister had scrapes on her hand and cheek. She said the incident was a bit frightening but she kept calm. They have been riding with this driver for six years without any prior incidents.
The investigating officer used a breathalyzer on the driver, which showed no alcohol detected. Police will review CCTV footage and interview witnesses carefully to determine if there were any serious injuries and assess the extent of any government property damage. No charges have been filed against the driver at this time.