A schoolgirl was killed after being struck in the stomach by a playground train swing in Thailand.

Pichayathida Somthip, 9, was standing at the back of the metal play equipment to push her friends after lessons in Udon Thani, on July 30.

But the device swung back and struck her in the tummy.

The winded girl was said to have clutched her midsection, grunting in pain before crumpling to the ground. The youngsters then called a teacher, who gave her first aid before calling an ambulance to rush her to the hospital.

Pichayathida's lips began to darken and her breathing became ragged as the vehicle raced across the road. However, she died before she could be treated.

A post-mortem examination found she had suffered a ruptured liver and severe internal bleeding.

Police Captain Saharat Tortermwattanakul of the Mueang Udon Thani Police Station led forensic officers to investigate the playground, which also housed a seesaw, a swing, a climbing wall, a sandbox, and a merry-go-round.

He said: 'We will have to check who authorised the playground's construction, what the engineer's opinion is on the safety aspects, and how it was designed. Other factors, such as how the children were playing or whether someone pushed another, are not relevant because it was an accident.

‘As for the safety rules, the school will need to coordinate with the police. We have not questioned anyone because all witnesses were children aged eight to nine who are still in shock after seeing their friend pass away.

‘Some of them are not ready to be questioned, so we must wait a while for a multidisciplinary team. The victim's relatives are also busy preparing for her funeral.

‘We speculate that it was negligence, which is not a criminal case and could be filed as a civil lawsuit in court.'

Pichayathida grandmother, Siritha Sarakong, 62, said the girl lived with her aunt because her parents were separated.

She said: 'Pichayathida loved playing on the park with her friends. We never expected this would happen. We never thought it could be dangerous for her.

'These toys should be removed and banned. They are not safe. It has taken my granddaughter's life. I hope the school will remove it now.'

Pichayathida said that the youngster dreamed of being a doctor and had already excelled in school.

She added: 'This is the greatest loss our family has ever faced, and I hope it serves as a lesson to other families across the country to never take safety for granted.'

The grandmother also urged the school to remove the playground to keep other similar incidents from happening.

A teacher said the children were waiting for their parents to pick them up when the accident occurred. She confirmed that the school will shoulder the family's funeral expenses and the life insurance compensation of 60,000 baht (1,400 GBP).

A committee has also been established to further investigate the case.

(1 GBP = 43.12 THB)