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

[Georgealbert]

 

 

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]

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]

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]

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.

 

 

 

Edited 1 hour ago by richard_smith237

[Tony M]

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 !

Edited 1 hour ago by Tony M

[Will B Good]

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]

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]

41 minutes ago, Georgealbert said:

the front axle had broken

 

 

Which tallies with the comments made by the driver.

[Gottfrid]

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..

Edited 1 hour ago by Gottfrid

[Georgealbert]

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]

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]

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]

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 

Edited 19 minutes ago by MikeandDow

[matchar]

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]

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.