26 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

You obviously know the area well. Unless your assertion that cars and scooters were parked illegally and kiosks and junk were blocking the way is just in your head and based on no facts whatsoever.

 

My original comment was that the soi was probably blocked by illegally parked cars, scooters, kiosks and junk.  Having lived in BKK for 7 years, if a firetruck cannot get to an apartment, I stand by that statement.  I'd bet money that it's probably not because the soi isn't wide enough.  Given 50:50 odds (the criteria for "probably"), I'd win the vast majority of those bets. 

 

The post you have quoted was in response to a guy who accused me of not reading the OP, where an official made a statement.  I did read the OP.  But I often find the statements by Thai officialdom less than credible, especially with translation issues thrown in.

 

But you're right.  I don't know that area.  I extrapolated the hundreds of sois I do know in BKK that are blocked by junk and illegally parked cars, and made a statement of the probability that area is, too.  Maybe it's not.  But If I were a betting man...

 

7 minutes ago, Grumpy Duck said:

I have noticed the fire station on Ladphrao Rd Soi 31 looks as if the vehicles have not been moved in years. Maybe a good idea would be for the fire departments to make periodic test runs on all streets in their area? So Sorry for the people that lost their lives. I find it hard to believe a 15 floor complex had no fire protection equipment, but at the same time water is not recommended for an electrical fire. 

I took a look at Google Map and the photo view was very old, but it appeared the alley was in fact really narrow, perhaps due the the construction. 

 

We used to make practice runs in the hard to reach areas of our township (nothing like a big city, though) to figure out which hydrants were the handiest, the best direction to approach from, where to lay hose, and what paths to avoid. 

 

But I'm afraid doing so in BKK would reveal some issues that some powerful people don't want revealed.  Like construction outside the lines.  

 

I shudder to think about pouring water on live wires, but once the rest of the building is involved (and hopefully, they cut the power- we always had a guy assigned to do that), it's no longer an electrical fire.

24 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

My original comment was that the soi was probably blocked by illegally parked cars, scooters, kiosks and junk.  Having lived in BKK for 7 years, if a firetruck cannot get to an apartment, I stand by that statement.  I'd bet money that it's probably not because the soi isn't wide enough.  Given 50:50 odds (the criteria for "probably"), I'd win the vast majority of those bets. 

 

The post you have quoted was in response to a guy who accused me of not reading the OP, where an official made a statement.  I did read the OP.  But I often find the statements by Thai officialdom less than credible, especially with translation issues thrown in.

 

But you're right.  I don't know that area.  I extrapolated the hundreds of sois I do know in BKK that are blocked by junk and illegally parked cars, and made a statement of the probability that area is, too.  Maybe it's not.  But If I were a betting man...

 

 

You could be right. But I'm not sure there is such as thing as illegal parking on the street in Thailand. I have seen a few yellow lines here and there which I'm sure the locals think are only there to make the road look pretty.

3 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

You could be right. But I'm not sure there is such as thing as illegal parking on the street in Thailand. I have seen a few yellow lines here and there which I'm sure the locals think are only there to make the road look pretty.

Legal to me seems to be a suggestion to Thais, but Laws for foreigners. When I studied for a Thai drivers license I saw that a curb painted red & white means no parking now I notice no one parks at the Choc Chai police station where there are red/white painted curbs...

3 hours ago, Grumpy Duck said:

in fact really narrow, perhaps due the the construction. 

Update:  now, due to corruption and constriction.