Dreamed of Becoming a Nurse, But Never Got the Chance: The Tragic Story of 18-Year-Old Rescue Volunteer Pai, One of Six Deaths in Fatal Accident
An 18-year-old rescue volunteer named Pai died in a six-fatality collision on a rain-slicked road in Chumphon Province on May 23, just days before starting her nursing program—a lifelong dream she pursued despite growing up in hardship.
A devastating six-fatality traffic accident occurred on May 23 along the Khao Pib-Khao Thalue Road in Sawi District, Chumphon Province, when a pickup truck hydroplaned in heavy rain, crossed the center lane, and collided head-on with another vehicle. Among the victims was two-year-old child and a 2-year-old girl, with three additional injured. One of the deceased was 18-year-old Pattawarinton Nui-tung, known as "Pai," who was just days away from starting her nursing program at Boromarajonani College of Nursing, Suratthani—a dream she had worked tirelessly to achieve despite a difficult childhood.
Pai grew up in hardship, separated from her parents at age three and raised by her aunt and grandmother. She showed exceptional dedication to her studies, driven by her passion to become a nurse and help others. She had previously interned at the local hospital and volunteered with the rescue unit since high school, earning the affection of her colleagues and supervisors. Rescue official Piyyanat Noorat shared the emotional impact of discovering that one of the bodies they extracted was Pai, noting that her commitment to helping others never wavered despite life's challenges.
Pai's personal statement for her nursing school application has circulated online, moving many readers with its heartfelt expression of purpose and determination. She wrote of being inspired to care for others after frequently visiting hospitals as a sick child and caring for her diabetic grandfather. The line that particularly resonated with people was: "Determination never betrays anyone." Her body, along with two other relatives who died in the same accident, has been placed at the temple of the rescue association for a five-day funeral ceremony, with cremation scheduled for May 28, 2569. This tragedy not only took six lives but extinguished the bright future of a young woman whose dream of serving others will never be realized.
