Minister suspends student field trips after fatal bus fire

Education Minister Permpoon Chidchob has called for an immediate suspension of student field trips following a devastating bus blaze tragedy on October 1. The incident has ignited a widespread social media debate over the safety of children during such activities.

Yesterday, October 2, Permpoon announced a temporary halt to study trips in state schools and urged private institutions to adopt similar measures. This decision comes in the wake of a tragic accident on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road, near the Zeer Rangsit shopping centre in Pathum Thani’s Lam Luk Ka district, which claimed the lives of 23 people.

Permpoon stressed the necessity of suspending school trips for now, although he acknowledged the educational benefits these outings provide and did not specify the duration of the suspension. He urged schools to collaborate with the Department of Land Transport to ensure the safety of vehicles used for these trips and to thoroughly assess the safety of proposed destinations.

In addition, Permpoon highlighted the need for age-appropriate supervision. He recommended that younger children be accompanied by their parents since a single teacher may not be able to adequately care for all students. He also suggested that students receive training on emergency protocols.

The minister underlined the educational importance of field trips, stating that they offer valuable learning experiences outside the classroom. He advised that, if trips must occur, they should be within the province and close to the schools whenever possible.

The horrific accident on October 1 has led to a heated debate on social media regarding the safety of field trips. While some netizens argue for the complete cancellation of such activities to prevent future tragedies, others believe these experiences are crucial for a well-rounded education. They attribute the tragic outcome to poor transport safety rather than the trips themselves.

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra also weighed in on the issue, defending the educational value of field trips, reported Bangkok Post.

“Field trips give children experience in exploring the world. The activity was not the cause [of the tragedy], and we should solve the problem at its root cause, which is the unsafe condition of the bus.

“Right now, the Ministry of Transport has to work on enforcing the rules.”