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FILE - Thailand's Prime Minister-designate Paetongtarn Shinawatra, with members of Pheu Thai party talks to reporters during a press conference at Pheu Thai party headquarters in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, Aug. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn)

 

Following a tragic school bus fire in Thailand, which claimed the lives of 20 students and three teachers, comprehensive safety inspections have been mandated for all gas-fuelled passenger buses.

 

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has ordered approximately 13,426 of these buses, which run on compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), to halt operations until they pass inspections by the Department of Land Transport (DLT). These safety checks must be completed by 30th November.

 

This decisive action comes after safety breaches were uncovered in the bus involved in the catastrophic fire in Pathum Thani. In response, the Ministry of Education is collaborating with the DLT to advise schools against using gas-powered vehicles for field trips and transports until the inspection process concludes.

In addition to buses, dining cruises and passenger boats are also being subjected to rigorous safety evaluations across the nation. The Ministry of Transport, under Deputy Transport Minister Manaporn Charoensri's directive, has initiated inspections for 15,685 passenger boats, focusing on those using cooking gas, which include 108 dining cruises.

 

Inspectors will be assessing components such as structural stability, fuel and electrical systems, fire safety equipment, licensing compliance, and safety gear. Boat operators must adhere to weather updates and comply with sailing regulations to ensure passenger safety.

 

In Bangkok and its vicinity, about 100 public transport boats operate on diesel and biodiesel, with another 35 running on electric power. The Chao Phraya River hosts 52 dining cruises, which will now face heightened safety measures, including separating cooking and passenger areas, maintaining an adequate number of extinguishers in cooking zones, and restricting the number of gas cylinders onboard.

 

These proactive measures emphasize the commitment to enhance safety standards in the wake of recent accidents, aiming to prevent further tragedies on both land and water, reported Bangkok Post.

 

-- 2024-10-09

 

[Gottfrid]

This is all moving in a very good direction. However, they must make it last and continue to do regular check-ups of the vehicles. Also, they need to focus on all from gas-driven buses to big trucks with brake failures as an excuse for bad maintenance as well as down to public transport with regular fuel and diesel as well as the little boys who modify their pick-ups and motorcycles. This is bigger than just some boats and gas driven buses, but it´s good that they start somewhere as long as they continue.