PATTAYA, Thailand – Relatives of victims killed in the recent train-bus collision in Bangkok gathered on May 19 to collect documents and retrieve the bodies of their loved ones for religious ceremonies, as grief and anger continued to grow following the fatal crash. Among them was Sirilak, niece of 66-year-old Eung Manochaem, known to relatives as “Aunt Eiang,” one of the victims killed in the collision. She travelled to Makkasan Police Station to obtain official documents before proceeding to the Police General Hospital’s Institute of Forensic Medicine to claim her aunt’s body for funeral rites at a temple in Samut Prakan province.
Speaking to reporters, Sirilak questioned why similar accidents continue to happen despite past tragedies involving railway crossings. She said her family was less concerned about compensation than accountability and prevention. “How many lessons must be learned before this stops happening?” she reportedly asked, expressing frustration that authorities appeared more focused on internal procedures than discussing responsibility or support measures for victims’ families.
She also called for investigators to determine why the bus driver stopped across the railway tracks before the collision, saying the circumstances must be fully examined through the justice process.
Family members were seen crying throughout the document submission process at the forensic institute, reflecting the emotional toll the tragedy has taken on relatives still struggling to accept the loss. Authorities said additional families also arrived to collect documents for other confirmed victims, including a university student, a graphic designer, and two housekeeping staff members.
As identification procedures continue, relatives of other victims are expected to gradually collect the bodies from the Police General Hospital for funeral ceremonies in the coming days.
