Heartbreaking Farewell: Relatives Welcome Home the Body of 'Aunt Tiem,' Victim of Deadly Train Crash
The body of 57-year-old Ms. Tiem Phuang Yod, a victim of a May 15 freight train and bus collision in Bangkok that killed eight people, was brought home to Sisaket Province where grieving relatives performed traditional Northeastern Thai fun
Relatives wept uncontrollably as they received the body of Aunt Tiem, a victim of the tragic train crash, back to her hometown in Prang Ku District, Sisaket Province. Her sister nearly collapsed when she saw her younger sibling being carried from the vehicle.
The horrifying accident occurred when a freight train collided with Bus Route 206 at the railway crossing near the Asok-Phetchburi intersection on Kamphaeng Phet Road 7 in Bangkok on the afternoon of May 15th. The crash killed eight people and injured many others. One of the victims was Ms. Tiem Phuang Yod, known as Aunt Tiem, age 57, from Prang Ku District, Sisaket Province.
At 7:55 PM on May 20th, 2569, Aunt Tiem's body was brought back to her birthplace at Ban Don Kratai, Samo Subdistrict, Prang Ku District, Sisaket Province. The atmosphere was filled with profound sorrow as relatives, friends, and townspeople gathered in large numbers to receive her. The moment the vehicle arrived at the house, the sound of wailing from relatives erupted immediately, with some collapsing to the ground in grief. Aunt Tiem's fifth younger sister held incense and walked forward, tearfully telling her departed sister: "You're finally home," to inform her spirit that she had returned to her birthplace.
After that, relatives and officials carefully carried Aunt Tiem's body from the vehicle amid continuous sobbing before placing it at the ceremonial area prepared inside the house. The family brought rice, fish, food, alcohol, medicine, sweets, flowers, incense, and candles to perform the spirit-calling ceremony according to Northeastern Thai tradition, inviting the deceased's spirit to enter the next realm peacefully and worry-free.
The atmosphere was filled with sorrow, particularly as "Aunt Joum," the deceased's sister, cried heartbrokenly the moment she saw her younger sister's body being removed from the vehicle. Other relatives had to support her as she was overwhelmed with grief.
After the spirit-calling ceremony, relatives performed ritual water pouring on the body, asked for forgiveness, and placed Aunt Tiem's body in a coffin before performing chanting ceremonies according to tradition, with the sound of monks' prayers intensifying the sorrowful atmosphere.
Reporters further noted that relatives plan to hold merit-making and funeral chanting for two nights, with family and townspeople continuing to pay their respects, followed by the cremation ceremony this Saturday according to tradition.
