Pressure mounts on Thai authorities over Lambeth bus crash victims
Streatham MP Chuka Umunna paid tribute to the families of three South London boys who died in a bus crash in Thailand in June following their six month campaign to win Government support for efforts to improve road safety in the South Asian country.
On 27th June this year, Bruno Melling-Firth, Max Boomgaarden-Cook and Conrad Quashie died in a bus crash while on holiday in Kam Phaeng Phet Province, Thailand. The three young men, who were due to start University this year, had each worked hard to save up for the trip to Thailand. They died within four days of their arrival.
Their families have since endured a six-month campaign to find out the facts of their sons’ deaths, improve awareness of the dangers of Thai bus travel, and to influence reform to improve the safety of Thai buses and road networks. Polly Cook, Max Boomgaardan-Cook’s mother, is a constituent of Mr Umunna’s and the MP has been working with the families since the crash.
After a letter to William Hague received an inadequate response, Mr Umunna organized a meeting between the families and Jeremy Browne, the Foreign Office minister responsible for Consular activities. The meeting, which took place on the 21st December, was attended by Chuka Umunna and the mothers of the three boys; Amanda Bean, Polly Cook and Gillian Melling.
During the meeting the MP and families finally had a chance to the Minister to promise to make representations to the Thai Government on their behalf and raise their specific fears over the safety of bus companies in Thailand. The Minister also promised that foreign office officials would meet with Proffessor Pichai, a road safety expert who has been helping the campaign.
Mr Umunna said he would be working to ensure the Foreign Office properly examines the case for updateing travel advice for people going to Thailand. The MP wishes the Government to consider changing their advice on Thailand to specifically warn against bus travel. The families today urged any British citizen travelling to Thailand to use rail or air travel, and not to use the dangerous and barely regulated bus companies that operate in the country.
Commenting, Mr Umunna, MP for Streatham, said:
“I’d like to pay tribute to the families involved. I am full of admiration for the way that they have pursued this cause since the boys’ tragic deaths in June.”
“There is nothing that can bring back the gaping loss left by the boys’ deaths but if action can be taken to prevent such tragedy occurring in future it will at least be a lasting legacy to such promising young lives.”
“I will be working over the next few months to ensure the Foreign Office properly examines the case for updating travel advice for people going to Thailand and to see that awareness of the problem is raised in my constituency and elsewhere.”
“I would urge any of my constituents who are considering travelling abroad to take stay as safe as possible and would like to highlight the dangers on behalf of the families because many of my constituents will not know the dangers of bus travel in Thailand and it may be vital they find out.”
Commenting, Polly Cook, Mother of Max Boomgaardan Cook, said:
“If I could see my boys again I would tell them not to travel on the buses and to fly or take the train even though it’s slower. I want other families to know that.”
“I’m very pleased that the Foreign Office has said they will contact Professor Pichai in order to liaise about the appalling state of Thailand’s roads.”
