Bangkok: The Road Safety Committee is set to discuss the recent Bueng Kan bus overturn incident this Friday. "Nikorn," an advisor to the committee, has proposed increasing the insurance compensation for the deceased and injured. He noted that "Category 30 vehicles" pose high risks and are challenging to inspect. Highway 304 in Prachin Buri, where the incident occurred, has witnessed frequent accidents, recording ten incidents in one year.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Nikorn Chamnong, an Advisor to the Parliament's Road Accident Prevention and Reduction Study Committee and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Coordination, Administration, and Public Relations on Accident Prevention, held a press conference to express condolences for the Bueng Kan Municipality study bus accident. The incident involved a Category 30 non-regular passenger bus, similar to a previous accident involving a school bus fire in Uthai Thani Province. The committee has prioritized the investigation of this accident due to the recurrent nature of such incidents.
The committee has proposed policy guidelines to the Cabinet, with the Prime Minister directing relevant agencies to enforce safety measures. The Subcommittee on Infrastructure and Vehicles, led by Mr. Surachai Liangboonlertchai, former Senator, will examine the case this Friday to determine the cause of the accident, be it driver error, vehicle condition, or unsafe routes, before reporting to the full committee.
Mr. Nikorn highlighted the inherent safety issues with Category 30 buses, noting the difficulty in inspecting and controlling their speed. Accidents involving these buses, especially double-decker ones, have been on the rise. Highway 304, notorious for frequent accidents, recorded nearly ten major incidents in 2024 alone, yet safety measures remain unenforced, relying only on voluntary cooperation.
Mr. Nikorn emphasized the need for improved road safety but noted that victim compensation cannot be delayed. Discussions with Mr. Chuchat Pramulpol, Secretary-General of the Office of Insurance Commission (OIC), are underway to increase the insurance compensation from the current 10 million baht, which offers only 500,000 baht for deceased victims. He argued this amount is insufficient given the magnitude of losses, such as the 18 fatalities and numerous injuries in the recent accident.
'The insurance coverage must be expanded to reflect reality, promoting caution among operators and providing adequate support to affected families,' stated Mr. Nikorn.