Udon Thani School Bee Attack: Chaos and Resilience at Ban Pa Khao School

It seemed more like a scene from a thriller movie than a typical day at school. Innocent primary school children in Udon Thani found themselves in the midst of a bee attack, a distressing incident that many will recall with a shiver. The unfortunate event unfolded on the morning of July 22, when buzzing bees besieged Ban Pa Khao School, located in Phaktop subdistrict of Nong Han district.

The small school was suddenly aflutter with chaos as emergency services, led by Police Senior Sergeant Major Charern Chantrak, raced to the scene at the stroke of 11:30 am. Children’s shrieks cut through the air as the swarm left its sting on eleven of them—nine boys and two girls—who were whisked away to Nong Han Hospital for immediate treatment.

Hours later, the young students returned to the school with stories of their encounter. Though they sported bandages and a new wariness of all things buzzing, they were in stable condition and could laugh over lunch. Yet, two students still required close medical watch due to the multiple stings that had peppered their little arms.

As the tale unraveled, the children recounted their panic as the bees infiltrated their classroom with swift vengeance, prompting a scramble out to safety. Their tormentors were disturbed by the unintentional curiosity of a janitor and teacher, who had tried to rescue an old speaker from the threat of rain, inadvertently stirring the hive hidden within its dusty recesses.

The school director, Kanjanaporn Kamphaengrat, guided reporters through the scene, where loose windows and weathered ceilings painted a picture of neglect. For seven long years, the school had petitioned the Primary Education Service Area Office 3 for repair funds, an appeal that remained unanswered, resembling a letter long lost in the mail.

Undeterred by bureaucracy’s slow pace, the school community took matters into their own hands. Community fundraisers became a bedrock of their efforts, rallying private support and even contributing from their modest pockets. Teachers themselves began to erect a perimeter fence, enhancing the school’s security—a pressing necessity underscored by an earlier intruder incident.

Despite the sting of neglect, the school soldiers on, buoyed by its community’s spirit and resilience. As they take stock of the bee episode, there’s a silver lining: a renewed determination to provide a safer environment for their tiny scholars, one fundraiser at a time.