At least 16 people, including 14 children, were injured after a car crashed through the rear wall of a childcare centre in Kanchanaburi, Thailand, on August 7.
The incident happened at about 11.45am at the Ban Nong Song Ton childcare centre, operated by the Kaeng Siao Subdistrict Administrative Organisation in Mueang district. Nearly 50 children were inside the centre at the time, having just finished lunch and preparing for their afternoon nap.
Teachers immediately moved the children away from the affected room after the vehicle smashed into the building. Twenty children escaped unharmed and were later collected by their parents, while 14 children and two adults travelling in the car were taken to Phahonpolphayuhasena Hospital for treatment.
The injured children suffered cuts to their heads and mouths as well as bruising after being struck by pieces of concrete that fell from the damaged wall. The two adults injured in the incident were relatives of the driver.
Police identified the vehicle as a black Honda Civic registered in Kanchanaburi and said it was driven by Chatchawan Panthum from Nong Khao subdistrict in Tha Muang district.
Initial investigations found that Chatchawan had been travelling at speed from Moo 6 in Kaeng Siao when the vehicle reportedly lost control while negotiating a bend. The car then crashed through the rear wall of the centre, directly behind the room where the children were resting.
The vehicle subsequently spun into a group of banana trees before coming to a stop. Chatchawan reportedly told police that he experienced a flare-up of an existing medical condition, causing him to briefly lose consciousness while driving.
Police are reviewing CCTV footage from the childcare centre as part of their investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the crash.
Kaeng Siao Subdistrict Administrative Organisation president Amphai Rithikhamrop visited the scene and helped coordinate the emergency response before reporting the incident to Mueang Kanchanaburi district chief Somboon Phaensomboon.
At about 1pm, Kanchanaburi governor Waritsatha Sanguansermsri visited the hospital with Somboon to check on the injured children and meet their families. Authorities were instructed to ensure the victims receive full medical treatment while relevant agencies investigate the crash and provide urgent assistance to affected families.
All those injured remain under medical care as police continue their investigation. Further updates are expected once authorities establish the full circumstances of the incident, Thai Rath reported.
