Millions of people mourn the death of 23 people including 20 students and three teachers who were killed from a fire which flared on the bus they were riding in Pathum Thani in Thailand last Tuesday, October 1.
One of the victims was Kanokwan Sriphong, who was reportedly found charred while hugging her student, trying to save the child from death.
A news agency in Thailand revealed that Kanokwan had only received her degree in primary education one week ago where she finished with second-class honors.
Aside from her, two more teachers were killed in the incident: Pimthong Sombat and trainee teacher Sarinya Homkason.
The same Thai news outlet stated that Pimthong was recently awarded a silver medal for her excellence in teaching history and civic duty, while Sarinya was already nearing the end of her internship.
The bus which was carrying students and teachers of Wat Khao Phraya School in Uthai Thani was on the road for a field trip until one of its tires blew out which later on started the blaze.
In order to recognize the heroic deed of the deceased teachers, a medal of honor was presented to them posthumously by the Office of the Basic Education Commission through Education Minister Pol General Permpoon Chidchob.
The victims’ families were also offered 20,000 baht as funeral allowance.
Meanwhile, the King and Queen of Thailand granted wreaths and sponsored the funeral rites for the victims.
