Myanmar workers narrowly escape death in public van fire

By Thai PBS

 

 

Fourteen Myanmar migrant workers and a Thai van driver narrowly escaped death when their vehicle caught fire after a tyre burst and ran out of the road into a ditch on Monday morning (Apr 9).

 

The incident happened at 6.00am in Wang Chao district of Tak province as a chartered public van bearing Bangkok license plate “15-8690 กทม” was taking 14 Myanmar workers, 7 men and 7 women, from Bangkok back home via Mae Sot border.

 

The workers were allowed to return homes from today by their Thai employers to celebrate the Songkran festival.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/myanmar-workers-narrowly-escape-death-public-van-fire/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2018-04-09

".... after a tyre burst."  This normally happens, when a tyre is inflated above the required limit.  At almost all times my offer at gas stations to use my pressure gauge is being rejected. Tires are filled up, until the compressor stops delivering. Twice I heard an argument, that the driver is going to take a lot of load, therefore they need the higher tire pressure. Sometimes I think, these folks are killing their selves due to plain ignorance and their "may pen rai" attitude.

Very unlucky they travelled pre Songkran would have been easy to put out.   

I guess this is just a warm up for Songkran .

Edited April 9, 20188 yr by NCC1701A

No one injured and one van less on the roads. Great news.

39 minutes ago, fxe1200 said:

".... after a tyre burst."  This normally happens, when a tyre is inflated above the required limit.  At almost all times my offer at gas stations to use my pressure gauge is being rejected. Tires are filled up, until the compressor stops delivering. Twice I heard an argument, that the driver is going to take a lot of load, therefore they need the higher tire pressure. Sometimes I think, these folks are killing their selves due to plain ignorance and their "may pen rai" attitude.

Many gas stations have a tire pressure self-service station where you can easily give in the PSI you want. A peeping tone then tells you when the wanted PSI is reached. I wouldn't rely on a gas station clerk when it's about other peoples' and my own security. 

7 hours ago, jenny2017 said:

Many gas stations have a tire pressure self-service station where you can easily give in the PSI you want. A peeping tone then tells you when the wanted PSI is reached. I wouldn't rely on a gas station clerk when it's about other peoples' and my own security. 

The one on Petkasem in Hat Yai (Khohong) is not working since month. Next door the Esso has its device just fixed. Other gas stations just have a rubber hose. But in most cases Thais do not have the two things: They do not have a pressure gauge and/or do not know the correct pressure of their tyres. And how many motorcyclists have I observed, filling their tyres up to pressure the compressor can produce. Then they wonder when they crash during braking or in the wet, with tyres hard like  a stone. Famous also in Thailand is to check the correctness of the tyre pressure with a kick to the tyre wall.

 

Edited April 9, 20188 yr by fxe1200

10 hours ago, fxe1200 said:

Famous also in Thailand is to check the correctness of the tyre pressure with a kick to the tyre wall.

I thought that procedure was reserved to when buying second hand car:)

19 hours ago, fxe1200 said:

".... after a tyre burst."  This normally happens, when a tyre is inflated above the required limit.  At almost all times my offer at gas stations to use my pressure gauge is being rejected. Tires are filled up, until the compressor stops delivering. Twice I heard an argument, that the driver is going to take a lot of load, therefore they need the higher tire pressure. Sometimes I think, these folks are killing their selves due to plain ignorance and their "may pen rai" attitude.

I would suggest that the tyres were probably on their last micron of tread, burst on hitting debris or a pot-hole in the road

I've seen so many bald tyres that were well past their use still on public transport it's frightening!!

Any shock to the tyre or running over something it would burst on impact.

32 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

I would suggest that the tyres were probably on their last micron of tread, burst on hitting debris or a pot-hole in the road

I've seen so many bald tyres that were well past their use still on public transport it's frightening!!

Any shock to the tyre or running over something it would burst on impact.

True too. BTW Germany has a 1.6mm minimum tread law , here it's the carcass.

No deaths, no injuries. Wow! Given the slaughter Myamar workers have suffered in the last month these guys and gals must have some powerful magic going for them. Whatever they're using I want a piece of it. Cos magic is what you need. Hoping for anything else - safe vehicles; skilled, rested, sober, yaba free drivers - is just plain silly.