Family Opens Late Chat Messages of 'Tan', Train-Bus Collision Victim, Six Minutes Before the Accident

At 9:00 AM on May 20, 2025, at the Asok-Din Daeng railway crossing where the train struck the bus, the family of Teekha Teekhaoutamakorn (Tan), 33, gathered with a Buddhist monk from Wat Tri Tet Thep to conduct a soul-inviting ceremony. Relatives brought offerings including bananas, coconut jelly with pandan leaves, water, basil fried rice with egg, dumplings, and orchid flowers. Tan's father lit five incense sticks facing east according to tradition to guide his son's spirit home. The atmosphere was sorrowful as family and friends wept during the ritual.

Tan's aunt, Ms. Vachira, said the family is not yet ready to discuss compensation, still grieving the loss of their beloved nephew. She asked only that people not add more pain to Tan's parents, who have only one other son. Tan had just returned from Australia about five years ago with no intention of coming back while his parents were alive. Ms. Vachira described Tan as someone she raised from childhood, noting his kind nature, his ability to entertain everyone, his care for elderly relatives, and how he would send money to his grandmother despite living abroad.

"Today everyone is trying to heal by sharing good memories of Tan, knowing he was deeply loved by many people," Ms. Vachira said, expressing gratitude to educational institutions and friends who helped with the funeral arrangements.

Ms. Vachira also conveyed that she told Tan's parents she did not want to blame anyone for the accident, as no one intended for it to happen. She hoped it would serve as a lesson for both the bus and train drivers who survived and have the opportunity to change.

On the day of the accident, Tan had arranged to meet a foreign friend at a shopping mall at 5:00 PM. He was a multilingual person who often helped foreign friends and had planned to bring Thai and herbal medicines as gifts. When Tan didn't show up and his friend couldn't reach him, his mother called his aunt. No one expected Tan to be on bus route 206—his mother had dropped him off at Bang Sue and recommended he take the Airport Link instead. But Tan had texted in the chat: "I'll take the slowest route."

A relative who works in law enforcement checked all 32 accident victims' names but didn't find Tan. Around 11:00 PM, the family learned of his death, devastating them all. Though they try to be strong today, seeing a train still shakes them emotionally.

Ms. Vachira explained that Tan rarely took buses because his mother, a university professor, usually arranged his transportation. However, Tan was a down-to-earth person who lived simply despite earning well, and he could get along with people from all walks of life.