Horror bus inferno in Bangkok

[tamada]

20 students and 3 teachers burned alive.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... ers-killed

[tamada]

Watching the litany of rote government hand-wringing over this unconscionable tragedy, it's safe to assume that the companies that assemble these dangerous buses, the companies that buy them, the untrained drivers , unskilled mechanics and the authorities that are supposed to check their roadworthiness will collectively get another free pass. I believe a similar "fireball" incident during Prayuth's administration got loads of air time for action yet nothing changed.

Maybe if Mercedes-Benz took legal action against the Thai government for allowing their name to be fraudulently displayed on this highway funeral pyre, maybe that will get some action? This bus, and many similar ones with names like Scania and Volvo are locally manufactured to no acceptable safety standard and are not in any way designed or approved by the European manufacturers whose name they shamelessly emblazon their death traps with.

After all, Thailand claims to be fighting the intellectual property wars as good as the next country, but maybe they only do it for Gucci, Rolex and things like that.

[jackspratt]

Third time (at least) lucky?

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... cker-buses

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/po ... er-bus-ban

[anefarious1]

Third time (at least) lucky?

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... cker-buses

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/po ... er-bus-ban

Nope. Safety is WAY down on the list of priorities here. Safety regs = hindrance to making money. Hate to say it but Thais are more concerned with lucky lotto numbers. In fact, the wife has seen several people on social media asking about the tag number of this particular bus because... Yeah we're not in Kansas anymore!

[tamada]

At a press conference today and based on initial investigation, the police have stated that the blown tire theory has not been proven, but the blowout of a suspension airbag has been mentioned as a possibility. This could have resulted in parts of the undercarriage hitting the roadway and overheating or otherwise causing sparks. The driver, who turned himself in after initially fleeing the scene, and is being held under four separate charges, reported a loud bang but apparently did not slow down, or pull over to investigate and kept driving until he "lost control", collided with a car and then the central median.

As for the intense fire, the initial investigation has found that the original six CNG tanks had been installed and registered correctly, but an additional five tanks had been added "illegally".

In related action, the Transport Ministry has ordered that a total of 13,426 public buses, both regular and non-frequent, that use CNG fuel (as of September 30, 2024) will need to be inspected within 60 days.

[jackspratt]

In related action, the Transport Ministry has ordered that a total of 13,426 public buses, both regular and non-frequent, that use CNG fuel (as of September 30, 2024) will need to be inspected within 60 days.

Hot investment tip - buy shares in brown paper-bag manufacturers.

[tamada]

The bus owners failed to deliver their remaining five buses for inspection but authorities tracked them down to a garage in Korat where they found workers were removing the extra, illegally mounted gas tanks from those buses.

In other news, the transport minister has ordered an
investigation of the corruption that recently resulted in the
Thai subsidiary of Deere paying a $10 m settlement in the US courts for bribing several Thai government departments and the air force. The NACC are already investigating this but with so many foxes watching so many chickens, I doubt that anyone at the Department of Land Transport that inspected these buses every year will be identified. I hope this "bribery investigation" isn't a deflection for the transport ministry's own lack of oversight of the Department of Land Transport's lack of oversight of bus operators following the recent bus inferno.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... osed-by-us

[tamada]

A DLT official has been transferred from their Sing Buri office for investigation. Hopefully that's not the same as an RTP "inactive post".

https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opi ... aims-lives

[tamada]

"A shocking revelation has swept through the coach bus industry of Thailand as several anonymous companies have blown the whistle on rampant corruption within the Land Transport Department‘s vehicle inspection process. A sneaky bribe of 3,000 to 4,000 baht is all it takes to fast-track an inspection, making life suspiciously easy for some. ..."

https://thethaiger.com/news/national/co ... y-dealings

[Stantheman]

From above link

"As of now, no relevant officials have come forward to verify the information shared in the media."
Think maybe they're busy hiding all the small brown bags

[tamada]

From above link

"As of now, no relevant officials have come forward to verify the information shared in the media."
Think maybe they're busy hiding all the small brown bags

Indeed, per the inspection mandated by the Transport Minister himself the day after this happened, the operators have fundamentally been given 60-days to "Pay it forward - Thai-style".

[Fuzzy Ken]

May they rest in peace

5 Oct.24: It is said that parents have nothing more valuable than their children. As a parent, I can but experience empathy and an incomprehensible depth of sadness, for all those who so tragically lost their lives, in the bus fire in Bangkok, earlier this week.

Pointing fingers and apportioning blame, is for another day.

For now, let’s give all our children that extra hug of family warmth, to convey our love and security as we wave them off to school. Look forward to their smiles, and learn about their day when they return safely to the comfort of family life….

[pal52]

Interesting copy of a article from BBC news.
I states how the buses were cut down from double decker's and the space used to store illegal gas cylinders.
Also how the owners got round regulations by using old chassis so the new regulations did not apply to them.
It is quite frightening how these buses were allowed on the road and probably still are.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y0jm7jpx8o