SURIN, Thailand – A 27-year-old man was forced to ride in the luggage compartment of a night bus. Terrified, he sent his sister his phone unlock code and recorded video.
Keng boarded the bus in Samrong Thap on July 30, heading to Chon Buri. He had a ticket for a so-called supplementary bus with VIP seats. But every seat was taken – staff told him to make himself comfortable in the luggage hold under the vehicle.
You will not die
When Keng asked if he could really sit there, staff replied: “You can stay here.” He worried about the danger. Their answer: “You will not die.” That short response shook him so badly he immediately messaged his sister the unlock code for his smartphone – just in case of a crash.
You can stay here. You will not die.
said bus employees.
Cramped between luggage and diesel fumes
Inside the cramped luggage space, Keng faced piles of bags, seeping water and choking exhaust fumes. He turned on his phone camera to record the menacing scene. The footage shows the tight space, moisture seeping in and exhaust gas spreading.
Keng sent the material to a reporter the next day. It shows a person can barely fit and the environment bears down like a moving trunk – with no safety restraint at all.
Sister sounds alarm
Porn, 36, who organised the trip for her brother, first got the message with the unlock code around 9 pm – then the terrifying video. She had originally chosen a different bus company but switched because of sold-out seats.
That is no place for passengers to sit.
said Porn, the sister.
She said in a crash Keng would have had almost no chance of escaping unhurt. She demanded operators stop taking passengers beyond capacity and be honest from the start when a bus is full.
Bus company remains unknown
Which private bus company is behind the incident has not been made public. Keng’s video does not show any clear identification of the bus. No statement from those responsible has been issued.
The exact booking details and the year of the incident remain unclear – the date “July 30, 69” might refer to the Buddhist calendar (2569).