Sister of "Aunt Tiam" Victim in Train-Bus Collision Weeps, Wants Her Sister's Life Back
A 57-year-old housemaid from Sisaket Province died in a train-bus collision at a Bangkok railroad crossing, leaving her sister devastated after their final video call just hours before the crash that killed eight people.
The sister of Tiam Puangyord, a 57-year-old victim from Sisaket Province who died in a train-bus collision, tearfully revealed that their last video call one hour before the accident seemed ominous. The incident occurred when a train struck Route 206 bus at the Asokaempetra-Petchburi railroad crossing in Bangkok, killing eight people and injuring several others.
Tiam had worked as a housemaid in Bangkok for over 40 years, leaving at age 15 to support her family. Her home in Krataidorn Sub-district, Prang Ku District was filled with grief as relatives and neighbors came to pay respects.
Nang Chum, 59, Tiam's second-oldest sister, said they were extremely close despite living apart, calling or video-chatting almost daily. On the day of the accident around 2 p.m., they had their last video call where Tiam joked about winning lottery money. Chum noticed something unusual about her sister's face that seemed foreboding.
"She said she'd take the bus back to her room to check lottery results. Around 3 p.m., she didn't answer my calls. Around 4 p.m., I heard a train had hit a bus, but didn't know if she was on it. When the victim list came out and I saw her name, I was shocked," Chum said.
Chum described her sister as hardworking, patient, and devoted to family. Despite years of labor, she never complained, always brought gifts when visiting during Buddhist merit-making season, and regularly made merit at temples and helped others. Chum questioned why the train operator didn't brake despite warning signals and red flags in the area.
