Mother recounts desperate search after train-bus crash near Makkasan
A mother from Ubon Ratchathani traveled to Bangkok after her 25-year-old adopted daughter went missing following a train-bus collision near Makkasan that killed eight people on May 16.
BANGKOK — The adoptive mother of a missing woman broke down in tears while recounting the final moments before learning her daughter may have been involved in the deadly train-bus collision near Makkasan Airport Rail Link station that killed eight people.
The crash occurred on 16 May and left several others injured after a train collided with a bus near the railway crossing.
On 17 May, 59-year-old Wipada Jantham travelled from Ubon Ratchathani to Bangkok in search of her 25-year-old adopted daughter, known as "Rose", who has remained unreachable since the accident.
Wipada said she became alarmed after her daughter's Apple Watch repeatedly sent notifications shortly after news of the crash emerged.
"At first I was still at home in Ubon Ratchathani, but the watch kept alerting non-stop. I tried calling her dozens of times but couldn't reach her," she said.
Eventually, a rescue worker answered the phone and informed her that her daughter had been involved in an accident.
Wipada said she later checked her daughter's final social media story and saw a photo appearing to show her sitting on a bus with a bag on her lap.
"The moment a mother hears something like this, you can't sit still. I kept searching online to see which hospitals victims were sent to before deciding to fly to Bangkok immediately," she said.
Despite fearing the worst, Wipada said she was still hoping for a miracle and believed her daughter could still be alive somewhere in hospital.
She described Rose as a talented and careful young woman who graduated with second-class honours from Kasetsart University before securing a job in Bangkok after completing an internship. Rose had dreamed of saving enough money to return home and care for her family, Wipada said.
"This tragedy is cruel. I just hope my daughter was not on that bus," she said, while calling on authorities to improve safety measures at the crossing, which locals say has seen repeated accidents.
Wipada also urged the government to ensure the fatal crash becomes the last tragedy of its kind.
