Buses and Dining Cruises Under Scrutiny for Safety Checks

[webfact]

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.

[brianthainess]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

comprehensive safety inspections have been mandated for all gas-fuelled passenger buses.

So who is going to do the Inspections  Thais have no Idea what a comprehensive inspection is, All inspections should be comprehensive not just now but in the past and in the future. Who trains the Inspectors ?? 

[brianthainess]

2 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

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.

I agree with you there, go along to any testing station, and watch, they never deplete the air with engine stopped to see if audio buzzers or visual gauges work, time how long it takes to recharge, never use a jack or levers, never tap every visible nut with a small ball peen hammer, never get the driver to hold his foot on the brakes to check for leaks, never get the driver to wiggle the steering to check the ball joints, the time it has taken me to write this is longer than their 'test'. they should also have to book a time and date to arrive for testing, the whole system is pathetic, they don't have a clue on how to test correctly.

[MikeandDow]

7 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

So who is going to do the Inspections  Thais have no Idea what a comprehensive inspection is, All inspections should be comprehensive not just now but in the past and in the future. Who trains the Inspectors ?? 

This is the first step and a good one,

"comprehensive not just now but in the past" how do you do this in the Past ???

Inspectors can be trained in the relevant Inspection standards by 3rd party inspection company's like   Beuru Veritas, TUV Nord, QIMA  all have training programs

[MikeandDow]

6 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

I agree with you there, go along to any testing station, and watch, they never deplete the air with engine stopped to see if audio buzzers or visual gauges work, time how long it takes to recharge, never use a jack or levers, never tap every visible nut with a small ball peen hammer, never get the driver to hold his foot on the brakes to check for leaks, never get the driver to wiggle the steering to check the ball joints, the time it has taken me to write this is longer than their 'test'. they should also have to book a time and date to arrive for testing, the whole system is pathetic, they don't have a clue on how to test correctly.

Think you need to read the inspection Standards google is your friend,  look at the western standards you will be surprised  

[brianthainess]

2 minutes ago, MikeandDow said:

Think you need to read the inspection Standards google is your friend,  look at the western standards you will be surprised  

I have read the latest standards from google, I have the latest  PDF file,  No I won't be if you check the UK standards, I was inspecting HGV 50+ years ago, so pray tell me what you think would surprise me in a 'western' country ?

[MikeandDow]

1 minute ago, brianthainess said:

I have read the latest standards from google, I have the latest  PDF file,  No I won't be if you check the UK standards, I was inspecting HGV 50+ years ago, so pray tell me what you think would surprise me in a 'western' country ?

well how do you inspect a cng or lpg gas system on a bus truck bang it with your hammer !!

[retarius]

42 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

So who is going to do the Inspections  Thais have no Idea what a comprehensive inspection is, All inspections should be comprehensive not just now but in the past and in the future. Who trains the Inspectors ?? 

You are right, plus if a 2,3 or 4000 baht in the hand of the person pretending to do the inspection is all it takes to drive on......well?

[brianthainess]

3 minutes ago, retarius said:

You are right, plus if a 2,3 or 4000 baht in the hand of the person pretending to do the inspection is all it takes to drive on......well?

I agree.

[brianthainess]

13 minutes ago, MikeandDow said:

For your info The American standard for checking LPG CNG gas system is Just a visual Inspect only  no pressure test, vacuum test, no soapy inspection of joins   but this American Standard is not used in Thailand  the inspection standard is by the regulations for bus safety laid out by the UNECE, the UN Economic Commission for Europe, a body responsible for establishing international standards in many areas. But application of these rules have been slow and piecemeal.

There are meters that can sniff gas, you don't need soapy water. 

[MikeandDow]

3 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

There are meters that can sniff gas, you don't need soapy water. 

Yes there are meters  but i have always find there is nothing better that soapy water or snoop

[Gottfrid]

2 hours ago, brianthainess said:

I agree with you there, go along to any testing station, and watch, they never deplete the air with engine stopped to see if audio buzzers or visual gauges work, time how long it takes to recharge, never use a jack or levers, never tap every visible nut with a small ball peen hammer, never get the driver to hold his foot on the brakes to check for leaks, never get the driver to wiggle the steering to check the ball joints, the time it has taken me to write this is longer than their 'test'. they should also have to book a time and date to arrive for testing, the whole system is pathetic, they don't have a clue on how to test correctly.

Yeah, total incompetence.

[Xonax]

2 hours ago, brianthainess said:

So who is going to do the Inspections  Thais have no Idea what a comprehensive inspection is, All inspections should be comprehensive not just now but in the past and in the future. Who trains the Inspectors ?? 

 

They will probably use the same inspection centres, that inspect and approve the many smoke belching busses and trucks, that are the cause of so many pollution related deaths in Thailand each year.

[brianthainess]

Just now, Xonax said:

 

They will probably use the same inspection centres, that inspect and approve the many smoke belching busses and trucks, that are the cause of so many pollution related deaths in Thailand each year.

I agree. 

[brianthainess]

18 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

Yeah, total incompetence.

Agree. 

[hotchilli]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

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.

Are the inspectors cosher?

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, brianthainess said:

So who is going to do the Inspections  Thais have no Idea what a comprehensive inspection is, All inspections should be comprehensive not just now but in the past and in the future. Who trains the Inspectors ?? 

The bent training schools.

[CallumWK]

Just another example of window dressing after there has been such a horrific accident, and in a few weeks everything will be as usual.

 

Remember the minivan checks, the seatbelts in the public long distance buses? All forgotten already

[MikeandDow]

23 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

The bent training schools.

Normally they use 3rd Party inspection agents like SGS they have testing stations its not the company who is bent its the individuals who do the inspections who could be corrupt but need evidence rather that just accuse everybody so please present you evidence  or is this an assumption   

 

[brianthainess]

29 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

The bent training schools.

And who trains the teachers ? 

[john donson]

any follow up on how much the families will get

 

what about those magical stickers that let trucks destroy the roads by overloading but not ever checked because of sponsored stickers

[metisdead]

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[NativeBob]

Somebodies will buy new condo for their tilak and money boys. 

Sham inspections indeed!