Manhole lorry accident: BMA orders review of 371 construction sites

[snoop1130]

 

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has ordered a review of 371 construction sites after a lorry incident revealed overloading up to 61 tonnes. The BMA is considering the use of a Bridge Weight Motion system to measure vehicle weight, with results expected within two months.

 

Yesterday at the Bangkok City Hall, the Governor of Bangkok, Chadchart Sittipunt, and Deputy Governor Wisanu Subsompon provided updates on an incident where a ten-wheeled lorry transporting soil fell into an electric cable pit managed by the Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA) in Sukhumvit Soi 64/1. This incident mirrored a similar one in Ratchaprarop.

 

The investigation suggests two factors were at fault: poor construction quality and the lorry carrying excess weight. According to highway laws, a ten-wheeled lorry can legally carry 25 tonnes. However, the lorry involved in the incident was estimated to be carrying 45 tonnes, a figure awaiting police verification.

 

For safety measures, the BMA will control the weight of lorries and construction standards, such as the construction of the Purple Line electric train that is currently laying its foundation. The MEA is installing underground cables, and the BMA has a wastewater treatment plant and pipe jacking.

 

This afternoon, relevant agencies will be invited to discuss these issues, especially temporary structures and manhole covers that are not permanently closed, which have been the subject of numerous public complaints in the Rama 3 road area. As for the weight of lorries, it is the responsibility of the BMA and the police.

 

Currently, the Highway Act of 1992 stipulates that local highways are under the care of local authorities, including the BMA, which is responsible for setting the weight of lorries according to the announcement of the local road director dated March 31 last year, prohibiting the use of vehicles with a load weight or axle weight exceeding the specified limit. This also includes any vehicles that might cause damage to local roads within the jurisdiction of Bangkok.

 

Regulations and measures

 

The weight of lorries should be consistent across all localities. However, enforcement has been lax, and the BMA has never weighed lorries, as most weight stations are located on rural roads. From now on, the BMA will cooperate with police officers. Municipalities have the authority to arrest and hand over to the police for prosecution. Offenders can be sentenced to up to six months in prison or fined up to 10,000 baht.

 

Chadchart further stated that the BMA is researching the use of AI technology to inspect and measure the weight of lorries through a system called Bridge Weight Motion. From inspections of this system, it was found that the lorry involved in the incident was carrying 61 tonnes in July.

 

By Puntid Tantivangphaisal

Caption: Photo courtesy of KhaoSod

 

Full story: The Thaiger 2023-11-09

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

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[The Alien]

You always stated the laws only after the accidents while keep-on approving new constructions projects.  Never enforced laws to prevent them. 

[klauskunkel]

12 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

From now on, the BMA will cooperate with police officers.

In other words, the BMA will share in the Police's Overweight Truck Sticker Bribery Action...

[webfact]

Bangkok cracks down on corruption after road collapse accident
by Mitch Connor

 

Photo: Nutthawat Wichieanbut/Bangkok Post

 

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has called for a thorough crackdown on corruption following an incident where a section of road in Bangkok collapsed under the weight of an overloaded lorry. The lorry is suspected to have been allowed to operate due to illicit payments to officials. This incident caused two traffic accidents earlier this week on the busy Sukhumvit Road.

 

The 61 year old prime minister’s response was triggered by rumours that a green star-shaped sticker with a B printed on it, seen on the lorry’s windscreen, is a secretive symbol used by truckers. It is believed that this sticker indicates to police who have accepted bribes, to overlook any weight infringement and allow these overloaded lorries to pass without inspection.

 

The 10-wheel lorry, which was heavily laden, damaged a concrete slab covering the entrance to an underground cable trench in Phra Khanong district on Wednesday morning. This incident, which occurred near Soi Sukhumvit 64/1, was the second of its kind; a similar issue had happened on Ratchaprarop on Tuesday. Both events caused injury to other motorists, with an SUV and its driver trapped in a hole on the road surface on Tuesday.

 

To tackle the issue of illegally overloaded trucks, the Ministry of Transport, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and the Department of Highways have joined forces. The Thai PM has urged them to devise effective strategies to avert any future incidents of this nature, mitigating the impact of corruption in Bangkok.

 

Full story: The Thaiger 2023-11-10

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

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[hotchilli]

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The BMA is considering the use of a Bridge Weight Motion system to measure vehicle weight, with results expected within two months.

Which will be useless with bent police issuing get out of jail free stickers for a fee?

[freeworld]

This is not too hard, civil and structural design standards are well established for trafficked roads.

 

They should be capable of carrying a heavy construction trucks including safety factors.

 

I dont know how corruption enters the collapsed manhole cover.

 

The professional licensed civil/structural engineers and local authority overseeing the design and approval of supporting structures on public roads are ultimately responsible for before and after design and construction.

Edited November 10, 2023 by freeworld

[Grumpy one]

In NSW back in the 80's and 90's, when you registered your trucks, for an extra fee you received a permit to legally carry an extra 1500 kilograms on the front axle.

Without said permit you were endangering all other road users with your overweight truck.

Funny old world we live in.

[ChrisY1]

This took while to make the news again....so I'm guessing the important people who run trucks are now removing the stickers....

Just a look at the state countries roads, lets everyone know that many trucks are ridiculously over loaded, hugging the outside lane because the other lanes have all tracked up....but the asphalt suppliers and contractors love it!

[bradiston]

As usual a paltry fine of up to 10,000 THB, or 6 months in chokey. Some kind of joke. Why are fines in Thailand so pathetically small? Let's see. 6 months in prison or 10,000 THB fine. Hmm think I'll phone a friend. Brrr brrr, 10 secs later, yes, I'll take the fine. 10 million THB and you might get a result you idiots!

[Xonax]

The BTS yellow line in Bangkok/Samut Prakan started operation 6 months ago, but the roads underneath it still have several lanes blocked off, resulting in continued huge traffic congestions. Little or no road restoration work is going on, so when can road users expect get our roads back???

Edited November 10, 2023 by Xonax

[klauskunkel]

The cops are now busy to change the sticker design in order to mislead their investigation of themselves.