Two of the three injured students admitted to Rangsit Hospital are on ventilators in the intensive care unit (ICU), with one of them at serious risk of never seeing again.
Dr. Anocha Tadum, a resident surgeon at the hospital, told the media today that three injured students were admitted for treatment of burns from the fire on the double-deck coach in which they were travelling with their classmates and teachers.
One of the patients, a 7-year-old girl, sustained burns to her face, mouth, eyes and right hand. She developed breathing difficulties and was put on a ventilator in the ICU, said the doctor, adding that she is at risk of losing her eyesight and is now under close observation. The hospital has already been in contact with her parents.
Another patient, a 9-year-old girl, also sustained severe burns, but her condition is not quite as serious. She is, however, also on ventilator. The third, a 14-year-old, sustained minor burns.
Dr. Thiranan Mitpanon, the hospital’s director, said that psychological treatment is as important as the physical treatment for the injured, because the incident will impact them deeply, adding that the hospital will provide the three patients with both medical and psychological care.
Meanwhile, Dr. Thanapong Jinwong, head of the Centre for Road Safety, wants to know whether there were fire extinguishers on board the coach and whether they had been used.
He said that the coach had one exit in the middle of the vehicle and another at the back, which was closed and was too high for the children to climb through and escape.
The tragic accident, he said, should serve a lesson for the Education Ministry, which must review the regulations for sight-seeing trips for young students and safety measures during the journey.
