The weather was so hot that 35 students and teachers who attended an annual Red Cross Youth ceremony outdoors at the Suphachalasai National Stadium in Pathum Wan district on Saturday fainted.
Education Minister Pol Gen Permpoon Chidchob, who also joined the event, said he has ordered the process be shortened in future out of concerns for the attendees' health.
Siripong Angkasakulkiat, spokesman for the ministry, said the 102nd edition of the event was attended by 10,000 participants including members of Red Cross Youth, both students and teachers, nationwide.
The event included a review of the vow ceremony and a parade competition in four categories, attended by students from many schools.
However, due to the heat and the event's tight schedule, 35 attendees passed out during the event. Poh Teck Tung Foundation volunteers entered the stadium to take them to hospital.
Pathum Wan police will investigate, saying the organiser had prepared ambulances prior to the incident. One teacher commented on the organiser's poor management, adding the rescue process was chaotic as the organiser did not screen for unwell attendees.
The Red Cross Youth ceremony is held on Jan 27 every year to celebrate the inauguration of the Red Cross Youth operation in Thailand in 1922.
The event at Suphachalasai National Stadium, as well as Red Cross Youth-related awards, are part of a sweries of events on Jan 26–27. The event was held concurrently with online activities on the Education Ministry platform on Jan 25–31.