Transport Department Clarifies Fatal Bus Fire Incident to Committee: CNG Leak Confirmed

Georgealbert · October 3

In a heated meeting at the House of Representatives on October 3, the Transport Commission grilled officials from the Department of Land Transport regarding the recent fatal bus fire on a school trip. The bus, equipped with modified gas tanks, suffered a catastrophic gas leak that led to the tragedy.

Jirut Wisalchit, the Director-General of the Department of Land Transport, expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and provided a timeline of the events. Jirut stated that he had visited the scene after the fire was extinguished and had engineers inspect the vehicle.

According to Cheep Nomsean, Director of the Automotive Engineering Office, the inspection revealed that the right rear door mechanism of the bus was functional, and the bus was a single-decker with a lower compartment for luggage. No tyre explosion was found; instead, it was discovered that one of the 11 gas tanks had come loose, causing a gas leak from a connecting pipe. Furthermore, the front axle had broken, dragging against the road and sparking the fire.

The Director-General also noted that another bus with similar gas tank installations was identified and would be inspected immediately.

The Transport Department has issued five directives in response to the incident:

1. Inspect all 13,426 public and private buses using CNG within 60 days.

2. Raise the standards for non-scheduled public buses, which currently lack stringent regulations

.

3. Collaborate with the Ministry of Education and schools nationwide to ensure that all vehicles used for student and elderly transport are thoroughly inspected before each trip.

4. Introduce laws mandating that staff on buses are trained in emergency response and passenger assistance.

5. Implement regulations requiring operators to inform passengers of emergency procedures, similar to those on airlines.

During the meeting, Nakhon Sawan MP Peeradech Siriwansan and Khon Kaen MP Chatchawan Apirakmankong raised concerns about the number of gas tanks on the bus, questioning why five extra tanks had been installed beyond the original six. They also pointed out the failure of inspectors to notice these modifications during registration and vehicle checks.

Jirut confirmed that the bus had indeed been modified with five additional tanks, and the investigation would determine responsibility for the oversight. The eighth tank, which was not part of the official inspection, was found to be the one leaking gas.

Further questions were raised about the vehicle’s age, as it was first registered in 1970 and re-registered in 2018 after extensive modifications. The Commission asked whether the vehicle’s true age should be counted from its initial registration or its more recent reconfiguration.

The Department of Land Transport has suspended the operator’s license for the company involved and confirmed that the driver’s license would also be suspended pending the investigation. If found guilty, both will face severe penalties, including permanent revocation of their licenses.

The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities working to establish the full circumstances behind the incident. Police forensic teams will release additional findings, and legal action will follow based on the results.

In response to ongoing concerns, Chiang Mai MP Cheongchai Chaleerin added that CNG tanks, while difficult to ignite, could pose risks if leaks occurred, and stressed the need for thorough inspections of all similar vehicles.

Picture courtesy of Khaosod.

-- 2024-10-03

Crossy · October 3

Yeah, it wasn't going to take a rocket scientist to work out there was a CNG leak, buses, even ancient Thai ones, don't go whoosh like this one did with no leak 😞

The unauthorised modifications (which failed causing the leak) and the failure of the axle is more than somewhat worrying 😞

Tony M · October 3

I would have thought that the reasonable response, in order to focus the operators' minds, would be to take all of these large buses off the road until they have been properly checked.

richard_smith237 · October 3

3 minutes ago, Tony M said:

I would have thought that the reasonable response, in order to focus the operators' minds, would be to take all of these large buses off the road until they have been properly checked.

The reasonable response is no LNG in ANY form of public transport....

When I have e-mailed our schools before (two of them) regarding their transport policy for field trips, part of their policy is 'Diesel vehicles' i.e. no LNG / CNG vehicles because of the known safety risks compared to something as 'less volatile' as diesel.

Tony M · October 3

2 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

The reasonable response is no LNG in ANY form of public transport....

When I have e-mailed our schools before (two of them) regarding their transport policy for field trips, part of their policy is 'Diesel vehicles' i.e. no LPG / LNG vehicles because of the known safety risks compared to something as 'less volatile' as diesel.

I was kind of hoping that they wouldn't pass the checks. I agree that your response is more reasonable than mine !

Will B Good · October 3

33 minutes ago, Georgealbert said:

questioning why five extra tanks had been installed beyond the original six. They also pointed out the failure of inspectors to notice these modifications during registration and vehicle checks.

So easily missed when there's only twice as many as there should be.

Crossy · October 3

Does Thai NGV/CNG really have no (added) smell??

https://www.pttplc.com/en/Products/Ourbusinessbypttplc/Gasunit/Pttngv/Pttngv.aspx

I'm not sure I agree with point about "remarkable safety"!!

Will B Good · October 3

41 minutes ago, Georgealbert said:

the front axle had broken

Which tallies with the comments made by the driver.

Gottfrid · October 3

1 hour ago, Georgealbert said:

The Director-General also noted that another bus with similar gas tank installations was identified and would be inspected immediately.

The Transport Department has issued five directives in response to the incident:

1. Inspect all 13,426 public and private buses using CNG within 60 days.

2. Raise the standards for non-scheduled public buses, which currently lack stringent regulations

.

3. Collaborate with the Ministry of Education and schools nationwide to ensure that all vehicles used for student and elderly transport are thoroughly inspected before each trip.

4. Introduce laws mandating that staff on buses are trained in emergency response and passenger assistance.

5. Implement regulations requiring operators to inform passengers of emergency procedures, similar to those on airlines.

Yeah, it all sound soo good and that everything will be soo fine. My a** it will!

When you go on a bus today, even if VIP, I have witnessed that they tied the seatbelts under the chair, making it impossible to use them. You lift up your head, and the first thing you see is a sign stating 5 000 baht fine if not using seatbelt. It´s all just BS, as they have stupid owners and drivers that do not want to follow any rules, regulations or guidelines. To get anything to work here, they can first educate the nation in following safety standards, and the law as well as not kill each other as soon as you differ in an opinion. This had noting to do with traffic and maintenance standards or how many new laws and regulations they make. It has to do with the way of thinking and the mentality of the people, that nothing is important enough to care about..

Georgealbert · October 3

15 minutes ago, Crossy said:

Does Thai NGV/CNG really have no smell??

https://www.pttplc.com/en/Products/Ourbusinessbypttplc/Gasunit/Pttngv/Pttngv.aspx

I'm not sure I agree with point about "remarkable safety"!!

An additive is added to CNG in Thailand to make it smell.

Will B Good · October 3

4 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

Yeah, it all sound soo good and that everything will be soo fine. My a** it will!

When you go on a bus today, even if VIP, I have witnessed that they tied the seatbelts under the chair, making it impossible to use them. You lift up your head, and the first thing you see is a sign stating 5 000 baht fine if not using seatbelt. It´s all just BS, as they have stupid owners and drivers that do not want to follow any rules, regulations or guidelines. To get anything to work here, they can first educate the nation in following safety standards, and the law as well as not kill each other as soon as you differ in an opinion. This had noting to do with traffic and maintenance standards or5 how many new laws and regulations they make. It has to do with the way of thinking and the mentality of the people, that nothing is important enough to care about..

It is almost like they don't care and/or don't think.

Gottfrid · October 3

1 minute ago, Will B Good said:

It is almost like they don't care and/or don't think.

Yeah, and it´s damn hard to add 5 new laws and regulations and think that will help, when the people not follow a 1 000 laws already written and the police or authorities not enforce.

MikeandDow · October 3

1 hour ago, Crossy said:

Does Thai NGV/CNG really have no (added) smell??

https://www.pttplc.com/en/Products/Ourbusinessbypttplc/Gasunit/Pttngv/Pttngv.aspx

I'm not sure I agree with point about "remarkable safety"!!

Yes natural gas has no smell they add the smell so you know if it leaks, you can not be gassed buy natural gas you still die of course but you die from lack of oxygen it is nontoxic it is hard to ignite than coal gas

matchar · October 3

The CNG tanks are supposed to have a safety shut-off valve in case of a leak and CNG is very safe when installed correctly... unfortunately nobody follows the rules in Thailand.

Gottfrid · October 3

10 minutes ago, matchar said:

The CNG tanks are supposed to have a safety shut-off valve in case of a leak and CNG is very safe when installed correctly... unfortunately nobody follows the rules in Thailand.

Yeah, but it might have even here. It depends where the leak was.

dinsdale · October 3

2 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

1. Inspect all 13,426 public and private buses using CNG within 60 days.

2. Raise the standards for non-scheduled public buses, which currently lack stringent regulations

.

3. Collaborate with the Ministry of Education and schools nationwide to ensure that all vehicles used for student and elderly transport are thoroughly inspected before each trip.

4. Introduce laws mandating that staff on buses are trained in emergency response and passenger assistance.

5. Implement regulations requiring operators to inform passengers of emergency procedures, similar to those on airlines.

1: How? Who with? That's 223 buses per day.

2: Raise the standards? You can wrap a turd in a rose but it's still going to be a turd.

3: 500 trips happening next Tuesday (just an example) each starting at 5:00 am. All buses will need to be thoroughly inspected before the journey. How? Who's going to do it?

4: How? Who will conduct the training and who will pay for it? What defines emergency response?

5: This is a seatbelt.

Artisi · October 3

Does that mean some of the charges levelled at the driver will be dropped, or is he still the fall guy?

MarkBR · October 3

2 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

In a heated meeting at the House of Representatives on October 3, the Transport Commission grilled officials from the Department of Land Transport regarding the recent fatal bus fire on a school trip. The bus, equipped with modified gas tanks, suffered a catastrophic gas leak that led to the tragedy.

Jirut Wisalchit, the Director-General of the Department of Land Transport, expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and provided a timeline of the events. Jirut stated that he had visited the scene after the fire was extinguished and had engineers inspect the vehicle.

According to Cheep Nomsean, Director of the Automotive Engineering Office, the inspection revealed that the right rear door mechanism of the bus was functional, and the bus was a single-decker with a lower compartment for luggage. No tyre explosion was found; instead, it was discovered that one of the 11 gas tanks had come loose, causing a gas leak from a connecting pipe. Furthermore, the front axle had broken, dragging against the road and sparking the fire.

The Director-General also noted that another bus with similar gas tank installations was identified and would be inspected immediately.

The Transport Department has issued five directives in response to the incident:

1. Inspect all 13,426 public and private buses using CNG within 60 days.

2. Raise the standards for non-scheduled public buses, which currently lack stringent regulations

.

3. Collaborate with the Ministry of Education and schools nationwide to ensure that all vehicles used for student and elderly transport are thoroughly inspected before each trip.

4. Introduce laws mandating that staff on buses are trained in emergency response and passenger assistance.

5. Implement regulations requiring operators to inform passengers of emergency procedures, similar to those on airlines.

During the meeting, Nakhon Sawan MP Peeradech Siriwansan and Khon Kaen MP Chatchawan Apirakmankong raised concerns about the number of gas tanks on the bus, questioning why five extra tanks had been installed beyond the original six. They also pointed out the failure of inspectors to notice these modifications during registration and vehicle checks.

Jirut confirmed that the bus had indeed been modified with five additional tanks, and the investigation would determine responsibility for the oversight. The eighth tank, which was not part of the official inspection, was found to be the one leaking gas.

Further questions were raised about the vehicle’s age, as it was first registered in 1970 and re-registered in 2018 after extensive modifications. The Commission asked whether the vehicle’s true age should be counted from its initial registration or its more recent reconfiguration.

The Department of Land Transport has suspended the operator’s license for the company involved and confirmed that the driver’s license would also be suspended pending the investigation. If found guilty, both will face severe penalties, including permanent revocation of their licenses.

The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities working to establish the full circumstances behind the incident. Police forensic teams will release additional findings, and legal action will follow based on the results.

In response to ongoing concerns, Chiang Mai MP Cheongchai Chaleerin added that CNG tanks, while difficult to ignite, could pose risks if leaks occurred, and stressed the need for thorough inspections of all similar vehicles.

Picture courtesy of Khaosod.

-- 2024-10-03

All these wonderful new laws regulations & inspections - why did it take the death of all these children for it to happen? Will it be adequately & diligently monitored? Very unlikely.

Gobbler · October 3

Who installed and did the conversion?

No smell. I am not being Krass, but I'm angry about this.

How about the smell of 20+ children and teachers burning to death?

No one cares about child safety.

It's disgusting.

Gobbler · October 3

1 hour ago, Artisi said:

Does that mean some of the charges levelled at the driver will be dropped, or is he still the fall guy?

Wait and see. It won't be pretty.

BangkokReady · October 3

3 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

The reasonable response is no LNG in ANY form of public transport....

When I have e-mailed our schools before (two of them) regarding their transport policy for field trips, part of their policy is 'Diesel vehicles' i.e. no LNG / CNG vehicles because of the known safety risks compared to something as 'less volatile' as diesel.

I can't believe they use this stuff at all. It seems to have a reputation for causing the death of everyone inside the vehicle whenever a crash happens.

BangkokReady · October 3

3 hours ago, Crossy said:

Does Thai NGV/CNG really have no (added) smell??

I think I read somewhere that people reported a funny smell the previous day, but, "mai bpen rai"...

dinsdale · October 3

2 hours ago, MarkBR said:

All these wonderful new laws regulations & inspections - why did it take the death of all these children for it to happen? Will it be adequately & diligently monitored? Very unlikely.

Sorry but your comment has a fatal flaw and here it is...."why did it take the death of all these children for it to happen?" I understand you're sentiment but do you think anything significant will happen to change the situation? IMHO this is just more knee jerk hot air reactionary BS to fool people into thinking they're doing something.

MarkBR · October 3

4 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

Sorry but your comment has a fatal flaw and here it is...."why did it take the death of all these children for it to happen?" I understand you're sentiment but do you think anything significant will happen to change the situation? IMHO this is just more knee jerk hot air reactionary BS to fool people into thinking they're doing something.

I agree, hence the last 2 words.

kwilco · October 3

3 hours ago, matchar said:

The CNG tanks are supposed to have a safety shut-off valve in case of a leak and CNG is very safe when installed correctly... unfortunately nobody follows the rules in Thailand.

"a" safety shut-off?

THey have multiple safety sytems all over the vehicle - cut-offs, detection warnigs lights and alarms - so are we to believe that NONE of these worked.

kwilco · October 3

most of this I wrote about 10 years ago after a fatal crash then.....

"“VIP” Buses in the event of an accident are the least safe – size isn’t everything it’s what happens to the passengers that counts.

2016

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has ordered a ban on the registration of new double-decker tour buses and stricter road worthiness checks for all public transport vehicles.

The 4,800 double-decker buses and 16,000 single-deck buses with a height of more than 3.6 metres already in operation must all pass a strict tilt test on a 30 degree slope. Any that fail to pass the test must be taken out of service, Mr Arkhom said."

now as then....

Forget the tire! It’s a red herring!

Accidents will happen – they occur due to human error but most people don’t understand what human error actually is they mistakenly think it’s down to “stupidity” or “bad driving” – but theirs is the stupidity for not understanding the true nature of human error in road safety. …and that is what is happening in most of the comments on this tragedy.

What the crash reports never reveal in Thailand is an accurate picture of what went wrong – they will try to naively apportion blame and sweep the matter under the carpet ASAP.

The fact that it has laid bare one of the most critical issues in Thai road safety will be hurriedly ignored.

Road safety is a health issue and it is the responsibility of the government (successive governments in Thailand’s case), and the authorities don’t want to face this as it impinges of businesses and their economic plans of untrammelled development.

Thailand is not an oil rich country, it depends on imports for its energy – so for years it has been encouraging the use on natural gas to power vehicles. …and this comes with a range of safety responsibilities that the Thai authorities need to enforce – sadly they fall short again and again. They should have been taking precautions to help mitigate the risks associated with the high volatility of CNG, making it a safe and viable fuel alternative for buses and coaches, especially in urban settings where environmental concerns are prioritized.

So how can CNG or LNG be used safely? – This is down to the government… here is an overview of the issues that need to be addressed concerning the bus (buses) involved in this incident……

First how is CNG stored on the vehicle? – In high-pressure tanks; it is stored in tanks that are built to stringent safety standards. (reinforced steel, aluminium, or composite materials) designed to withstand high pressure and external impacts…and it looks as if the tanks on the bus retained their structural integrity. Probably imported from China or maybe Europe, they should also periodically inspected and recertified to ensure long-term safety.

All these systems are fitted with pressure relief devices to prevent explosions in the event of overpressure or fire, they release gas in a controlled manner when pressure or temperature exceeds safe limits. – but where did the fire start??

Where the tanks are placed is important on trucks it is usually outside behind the cab they can be mounted on the roof or under the chassis of a bus, they should be AWAY from passengers and in areas that are less likely to be affected in the event of a collision. Roof-mounting also helps in case of gas leaks, CNG is lighter than air and will rise and dissipate.

All vehicles are fitted with gas leak detection systems - CNG-powered buses are/should be equipped with sensors to detect even small gas leaks. Sensors are installed in key areas such as the engine compartment, fuel storage areas, and the passenger cabin and are connected to alarm systems, which in the event of a leak, the system triggers an alarm to alert the driver AND automatically shuts off the fuel supply to prevent further gas leakage. Did this happen??

In the engine compartment design CNG-powered buses are designed with enhanced ventilation to allow any leaked gas to dissipate quickly and prevent the accumulation of gas that could lead to ignition. – did this happen??

Special care should have been taken to reduce the risk of sparks in the engine compartment. Electrical components are sealed or shielded, and potential sources of sparks are minimized to reduce the likelihood of ignition in the presence of a gas leak. Did this happen or was it some shabby, thrown together back street wiring loom?

In the event of a collision or severe mechanical failure, automatic shut-off valves will stop the flow of gas from the tank to the entire vehicle - well this doesn’t seem to have happened at all!!

There will also have been a manual shut-off valves that can be operated by the driver or maintenance personnel in case of emergencies, allowing the isolation of the fuel system for added safety. Obviously they were inaccessible due to the heat.

What about the onboard fire suppression system? CNG-powered buses should be equipped with fire suppression systems that automatically activate if a fire is detected, particularly in the engine and passenger compartments. These systems are designed to help control or extinguish a fire before it spreads.

Thermal fuses are a worry as they are designed to vent gas safely if the tank becomes exposed to high heat from an external fire, reducing the risk of tank rupture. Where they part of the problem?

A universal problem in Thailand is that of driving education and training – there appears to be no comprehensive training: Drivers of CNG-powered buses should undergo specialized training to handle safety crises, such as identifying gas leaks, using emergency shut-off systems, and responding to fire alarms or other emergencies. I’d like to know if this company has a training program of any kind. Of course they cost money and you’d have to pay a “skilled” driver more money.

Obviously in this appalling case, evacuation procedures failed. Was the driver trained in proper evacuation procedures?

One of the 5 Es of road safety is “Engineering” – which covers both vehicles and the road themselves – under this category one had to include maintenance and service of the vehicle – without effective monitoring by the DLT this is a huge gap in Thai road safety. The system relies on the movement of brown envelopes rather than the mechanical health of vehicles.

CNG buses require more frequent inspections than their diesel counterparts, especially in areas like fuel storage, fuel lines, and engine compartments. Maintenance personnel need to be trained specifically to work with high-pressure gas systems. Does this happen??

There needs to be regular gas leak testing which should be mandatory to ensure that all seals, hoses, and connections are secure and functioning properly.

Tanks need to be inspected and re-certified regularly:

All CNG-powered buses are equipped with easily accessible emergency shut-down switches that allow for immediate deactivation of the fuel system in case of an accident or leak. Why did this not happen??

In extreme situations, emergency venting systems can release gas safely from the tanks to prevent pressure build up and potential explosions. – did this go wrong??

Many people have pointed to the “Merc” badge on the front of this vehicle – and that’s what it is – a badge on the front of the vehicle – almost certainly this bus was coach built of a second-hand or imported chassis – even the claim that was a Merc needs to be verified

There is virtually no vehicle construction and crash safety regulation enforced in Thailand.

Were the fuel systems on this bus crash-tested?: The entire fuel system, including the CNG tanks, lines, and connectors, should be designed to withstand impact forces from collisions. I very much doubt they would stand up to serious scrutiny.

So, what is the guarantee that they remain intact and do not rupture in accidents?

Did the areas housing CNG tanks have reinforcement with extra protection to minimize damage from external impacts during crashes?

We need to ask the coachbuilder!!

On all buses passenger awareness is crucial – in this case the adults should be informed of what to do – there should be clear signage and instructions on emergency evacuation and safety procedures need to be posted inside the coaches so that passengers are aware of what to do in case of an emergency. – were they???

It looks as if at least of the emergency exits were unavailable due to where the bus came to rest but buses are equipped with emergency exits and easy-to-use systems for passenger evacuation, on all sides – this is critical in case of a fire or gas leak so what went wrong there?

There are loads of questions as yet unanswered about this disaster but it is easy to get that sinking feeling when you realise the chances of them being comprehensively addressed and answers are incredible slim. Saving face will come first.

dinsdale · October 3

21 minutes ago, MarkBR said:

I agree, hence the last 2 words.

2 hours ago, MarkBR said:

Will it be adequately & diligently monitored? Very unlikely.

Your last two words assumes it's going to happen. As I said it's just knee jerk reaction and the 5 points of action are just ridiculous (see above post). Sounds good but that's what sound bites and knee jerk reactions are all about. I initially stated that fk all will change and I stand by that but I hope I'm wrong.

NoDisplayName · October 3

5 hours ago, Will B Good said:

So easily missed when there's only twice as many as there should be.

From what I read yesterday, the insurance carrier was notified of the CNG modification. Otherwise claims could be denied costing the transport owner money.

The DLT was NOT informed of the change, so there may not have been annual inspections. Inspections cost money, probably several thousand for a commercial vehicle.

There apparently were two modifications, installing tanks in more than one location. Six tanks first, then another five when they realized the bus had a too-limited range. Even if inspected, the workers might not be told about the secret tanks.

Splicing in more tanks, adding more lines, possibly no inspections = leaks.

connda · October 3

7 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

According to Cheep Nomsean, Director of the Automotive Engineering Office, the inspection revealed that the right rear door mechanism of the bus was functional, and the bus was a single-decker with a lower compartment for luggage. No tyre explosion was found; instead, it was discovered that one of the 11 gas tanks had come loose, causing a gas leak from a connecting pipe. Furthermore, the front axle had broken, dragging against the road and sparking the fire.

So, shouldn't you now be dragging the owners of the bus into court to show why the bus wasn't adequately maintained and inspected. Nah - throw the bus driver under the bus. He's a nobody. Sh*t does roll downhill.

connda · October 3

7 hours ago, Crossy said:

Yeah, it wasn't going to take a rocket scientist to work out there was a CNG leak, buses, even ancient Thai ones, don't go whoosh like this one did with no leak 😞

The unauthorised modifications (which failed causing the leak) and the failure of the axle is more than somewhat worrying 😞

Let's see how many brown envelops it takes to sweep this under the ~~bus~~ rug.

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