PHETCHABUN– A family in Lom Sak is asking for justice again after the tragic loss of “Kru Kuen,” a well-loved PE teacher, who was killed when a government van struck him and sent him over the edge of a cliff.
He died in front of his students while travelling home from a football competition in Chiang Mai in late August. Since then, the family has seen little progress in the case. The van driver has changed his statement, and the school seems to have left the family to cope on their own.
The tragedy has deeply affected the Lom Sak community. Kanong Thongkamsuk, 53, taught PE and coached football at Lomsak Wittayakom School. He was taking his students to a tournament in Chiang Mai.
On the return journey on 31 August, the team’s bus broke down on the road near Ban Khao Plueng in Den Chai district, Phrae.
With the area out of mobile coverage, Kanong tried to get help. He crossed the road searching for a phone signal. Unexpectedly, a van (registration HL 1288 Bangkok) marked with the “Department of Agricultural Extension” lost control, spun, and hit the teacher at speed.
The force threw him more than ten metres down a ravine, killing him in front of shocked students.
Recently, Chatuporn Thongkamsuk, his wife, spoke to Thai Media through tears about her disappointment. She explained that the driver denied any negligence, even though her husband was standing by the roadside, not in the traffic lane.
She feels the crash could have been avoided with proper care from the driver. She said, “If he wasn’t careless, how could my husband be hit so hard he fell into a deep ravine? I want him to admit what happened rather than avoiding responsibility.”
Chatuporn also shared her frustration with the school management. Lomsak Wittayakom School has not discussed compensation or offered any formal recognition for her husband’s service, even though he died during a school trip to represent them in a football event.
She feels this situation is no different from a soldier dying on duty. She has even heard from some school officials that they want the incident settled quickly and quietly. Progress in the case has been slow.
Police are waiting for important paperwork from the owner of the van. Without those documents, the investigation cannot move forward, leaving the family in distress.
Police at Huai Rai station confirmed they are still questioning witnesses, mainly students who were with Mr Kanong. By law, officers from child protection services join these interviews to make sure the students’ rights are respected.
They are also still waiting for official documents from the Department of Agricultural Extension to attach to the case file. These documents are needed to confirm who is responsible for the van and the accident itself.
This tragedy has left a lasting scar, not only for Mr Kanong’s family but also for the students who witnessed it. Friends and colleagues want authorities to speed up the legal process. All they ask is that the case be settled properly so Kanong’s family gets the justice and support they deserve.
