PATHUM THANI — A school shuttle bus plunged into a canal in Pathum Thani province on Tuesday afternoon, leaving about 30 students with minor injuries, police said.
The accident happened at 15:40 on 21 January 2026 on Bang Khan–Nong Suea Road, Khlong 11, in Bung Ba subdistrict of Nong Suea district, according to police.
Police Lt. Col. Pramuan Nualngam, an investigator at Nong Suea police station, said officers, traffic police, district officials and rescue workers from the Poh Teck Tung Foundation rushed to the scene after reports that a school bus had fallen into a canal with multiple students injured.
Authorities found a blue six-wheel Isuzu truck, registered in Pathum Thani, with its front end badly damaged after crashing into a traffic signpost and plunging halfway into the canal. Students suffered mostly minor injuries. Some declined hospital treatment and were taken home by their parents, while two students were taken to Nong Suea Hospital.
The driver, Suphap Dechphian, 57, said he was taking students to school and estimated there were about 20 to 30 on board, fewer than the usual 40 registered passengers, as several students were absent that day. All the students were from Nong Suea schools.
He said rain had made the road slippery and uneven, causing one wheel to ride up a rut and pull the steering sharply to the right. Despite driving at about 30 kilometres per hour, he was unable to regain control. With oncoming and following traffic, the vehicle struck a traffic sign before veering into the canal. All students were helped out safely, and none were seriously injured, he said.
A school administrator from Nong Suea Wittayakhom School said initial checks found three students injured, none seriously. One suffered a cut to the hand, another had a split eyebrow, and a third had bruising on the right cheek.
Chayaporn Boonmuang, 19, said she and her younger sister, Kamonchanok Boonmuang, 15, were sitting at the front of the vehicle when the crash occurred. She said heavy rain made the road slippery and the bus ahead braked suddenly. The driver tried to stop but could not and swerved to avoid a collision, ultimately steering off the road into the canal. She said about 39 students from Year 7 to Year 12 were on board, with only minor cuts and abrasions reported. Chayaporn suffered a cut to her left hand from broken glass, while her sister had minor scrapes.
Police tested the driver with a breathalyser and found no trace of alcohol. Investigators said they would review CCTV footage and question witnesses to determine the extent of injuries and any damage to public property. No charges had been filed as of Tuesday evening.