Thai school reopens after dormitory fire killed 17 girls

A volunteer at a school in northern Thailand where 17 girls were killed in a dormitory fire last week says the school has reopened, but only about a third of the students returned because some families remain wary of safety.

Thuenjai Thanachaikan, who helps out at the school outside of Chiang Rai, said that of the 142 students enrolled, less than 50 returned to classes on Monday.

She said parents are having a difficult time deciding whether to allow their young children to return.

The May 22 fire claimed 17 lives at an all-girls dormitory at the school, which provides free housing for impoverished children who are members of hill tribe minorities.