Sai mai: A mother in Sai Mai is pleading for justice for her fifth-grade son who suffered severe burns all over his body after being ordered by his teacher to "burn a wasp nest."
According to Thai News Agency, Ms. Sirikwan, 29, mother of 11-year-old Porsche, a fifth-grade student, complained via the "Sai Mai Must Survive" Facebook page about an incident that occurred on November 11th of last year at a school in Bang Bal District, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province. The English teacher instructed two students to carry a can of gasoline to light a fire to kill a wasp nest in the middle of the school. Unexpectedly, the gasoline can exploded, causing a fire that severely injured Porsche, another student, and the teacher. They suffered burns all over their bodies and their skin peeled off from their faces to their legs, but they did not receive proper medical care.
Ms. Sirikwan recounted that at the time of the incident, her son was at school. The teacher called her son to the wasp nest and instructed him to fetch a can of gasoline from inside the classroom to use to light a fire to drive the nest away. During the process, her son and another student held the gasoline cans while the teacher held a piece of wood wrapped in A4 paper to use as fuel. When the first attempt to light the fire was unsuccessful, the teacher decided to try again. With the help of another student, the teacher opened the gasoline can and added gasoline to the fire, resulting in a violent explosion. The teacher, her son Porsche, and the other student were engulfed in flames, causing serious injuries to all three.
Previously, the school provided care while Porsche was in the hospital and handled insurance payments. The school principal donated a sum of money from his personal funds, along with 4,000 baht from the mother of the teacher who had instructed him to remove the wasp nest. However, the family is now appealing to the Ministry of Education and relevant agencies to assist with Porsche's medical treatment, as he faces severe daily pain from wound treatment and surgery due to the severity of his injuries.
Porsche, the boy, recounted the events of the day, stating that he was a school volunteer and never expected any harm to befall him. Meanwhile, Ekaphop Lueangprasert, founder of the "Sai Mai Must Survive" Facebook page, stated that he will coordinate with the Ministry of Education and relevant agencies to provide assistance with the legal case and initial compensation. He will also open the opportunity for compassionate individuals to offer advice on treating the scars, particularly the facial scars, by contacting the "Sai Mai Must Survive" page.