The family of a seven year old student criticised teachers at Saint Joseph Yannawa School in Bangkok after the boy drowned after a swimming class on March 25.
The boy, identified as Mon, died after he was found under water at the school’s swimming pool. His family shared the case with the Facebook page พระราม 3 ต้องรอด (Rama II must survive), saying they feared they would not receive justice. The boy’s funeral was held at Yanawa Temple from March 26 to 29.
Mon’s grandmother, 51 year old Nattaporn, told the page she went to the school at about 4pm to pick him up but could not find him. She said she and Mon’s friends began searching and later found his shoes on a rack outside the swimming pool area.
Nattaporn said one of the classmates climbed into the pool area and found Mon’s bag. She followed the child and searched the shower room and changing room but said Mon was not there.
She then contacted teachers, who told her Mon might have already left the school. Nattaporn said she did not believe this was possible because he would not have left his belongings behind. She said she began to suspect he had drowned and urged the swimming trainer to search for him in the pool.
Mon was later found under water. The trainer brought him out and performed CPR. The boy had a very weak pulse and later died in hospital.
Nattaporn said the final class on the day of the incident was swimming. She said the class ended at about 2.30pm and the pool closed at 3pm.
According to Nattaporn, teachers and the swimming trainer gave conflicting accounts of how many students attended the class. The teacher said 13 students were present, while the trainer said 15. The trainer also admitted no head count was carried out after the class ended.
The family said the school told them CCTV cameras around the swimming pool were not working. They said they refused compensation offered by the school and are seeking a thorough investigation into the cause of Mon’s death, including whether it involved recklessness by teachers.
The school later issued an official statement on the case, saying it would cooperate with the investigation and improve security measures.
The story Family seeks answers after 7 year old boy dies after swimming class as seen on Thaiger News.
