Explosion Occurs Inside Bangkok Sewer

[george]

Explosion occurs inside Bangkok sewer

BANGKOK: -- A powerful explosion occurred inside a sewer in Bangkok's Chatuchak district early Thursday morning.

The explosion occurred inside the sewer from the mounts of Phaholyothin Soi 45, 47 and 49.

The explosion blew off covers of manholes and shattered glasses nearby buildins.

Chatuchak district director Pornlert Phanwattana said the explosion might be caused by oil discarded by a petrol station in the area into the sewer.

-- The Nation 2008-08-07

[Spee]

Explosion occurs inside Bangkok sewer

BANGKOK: -- A powerful explosion occurred inside a sewer in Bangkok's Chatuchak district early Thursday morning.

The explosion occurred inside the sewer from the mounts of Phaholyothin Soi 45, 47 and 49.

The explosion blew off covers of manholes and shattered glasses nearby buildins.

Chatuchak district director Pornlert Phanwattana said the explosion might be caused by oil discarded by a petrol station in the area into the sewer.

-- The Nation 2008-08-07

Unfortunately an all too common occurance in large cities, due to unvented gases, flammable liquids, electrical faults, and the like. I witnessed such an event once when working in Washington DC. Just happened to be looking out the window. There was a big boom, the whole building shook and the three manhole covers on the street block each blew about 10 feet in the air before crashing back to the street. Hopefully there were no people or vehicles around when the manhole covers de-orbited.

[PoorSucker]

To many brits in BKK eating baked beans.

[jamesjdaly]

The explosion blew off covers of manholes and shattered glasses nearby buildins.

The Nation

Good God!! The proficiency of 'English' in this rag really has become adburdly laughable.

Edited August 7, 2008 by jamesjdaly

[TopDogger]

To many brits in BKK eating baked beans.

Yep, everyones partly to blame..

[NotNew2You]

By any stroke of good luck did they manage to hit Pee George's limozine?

[Familyonthemove]

By any stroke of good luck did they manage to hit Pee George's limozine?

Too late .... even if a manhole cover scored a direct hit on re-entry, the global damage has been done.

What's Thai for manhole cover?

[Scott]

Oh no, George is in town and there was an explosion. I hope he doesn't decide to invade!

[zaza]

Oh no, George is in town and there was an explosion. I hope he doesn't decide to invade!

oh no not again!

[zaza]

By any stroke of good luck did they manage to hit Pee George's limozine?

which Pee George did you mean? The US president or the owner of TV forum?

[hammered]

Wonder if it is connected to Samak's little adventure in a toilet last weekend? Or considering what comes out of W's mouth when it moves......

[GaiYaang]

By any stroke of good luck did they manage to hit Pee George's limozine?

Too late .... even if a manhole cover scored a direct hit on re-entry, the global damage has been done.

What's Thai for manhole cover?

ฝาบ่อพัก or ฝาปิดท่อระบายน้ำ

[Familyonthemove]

By any stroke of good luck did they manage to hit Pee George's limozine?

Too late .... even if a manhole cover scored a direct hit on re-entry, the global damage has been done.

What's Thai for manhole cover?

ฝาบ่อพัก or ฝาปิดท่อระบายน้ำ

Excellent, thanks .... not a phrase I'll need too often, but you never know.

It's not the same as Thai for 'ladyboy' is it?

[Pushit]

The explosion blew off covers of manholes and shattered glasses nearby buildins.

The Nation

Good God!! The proficiency of 'English' in this rag really has become adburdly laughable.

What does adburdly mean?

[Naam]

The explosion blew off covers of manholes and shattered glasses nearby buildins.

The Nation

Good God!! The proficiency of 'English' in this rag really has become adburdly laughable.

What does adburdly mean?

the adjective going with "woman hole".

[mgjackson69]

By any stroke of good luck did they manage to hit Pee George's limozine?

Too late .... even if a manhole cover scored a direct hit on re-entry, the global damage has been done.

What's Thai for manhole cover?

ฝาบ่อพัก or ฝาปิดท่อระบายน้ำ

Excellent, thanks .... not a phrase I'll need too often, but you never know.

It's not the same as Thai for 'ladyboy' is it?

no...that would be "open sewer"

[Pushit]

Explosion occurs inside Bangkok sewer

BANGKOK: -- A powerful explosion occurred inside a sewer in Bangkok's Chatuchak district early Thursday morning.

The explosion occurred inside the sewer from the mounts of Phaholyothin Soi 45, 47 and 49.

The explosion blew off covers of manholes and shattered glasses nearby buildins.

Chatuchak district director Pornlert Phanwattana said the explosion might be caused by oil discarded by a petrol station in the area into the sewer.

-- The Nation 2008-08-07

Cambodian LPG powered submarine on stealth recon mission.

[george]

Update:

Explosion in sewer injures one in Bangkok

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok's Paholyothin neighbourhood was shaken by a powerful explosion inside a sewer on Thursday. One injury was reported.

The blast, which happened at 6am, caused damage in Paholyothin sois 45, 47 and 49. It blew off 37 manhole covers and shattered glass in telephone booths and nearby buildings.

Thanit Sompattanapong, 37, who was waiting for a bus to work, sustained a slight leg injury from the explosion.

"I heard a series of explosive noises and saw flames along the sewer line while shattered glass fell from nearby commercial buildings," said Thanit, a company worker.

"I was so shocked and I felt a pain in my leg. My mobile phone also made a loud noise before it burst into flames."

Chatuchak district director Pornlert Phanwattana said the area was sealed for public safety and water was sprayed into the sewer to dilute oil, reportedly discarded into the sewer by an old gas station at the mouth of Soi 49.

An initial investigation found that construction workers tore up the sewer in front of the gas station on Wednesday. It is believed they might have hit an underground tank containing benzene. The benzene could have leaked into the sewer and reacted with something, causing the spark and explosion.

Although the cause of the explosion has not been clearly identified, the city intends to file a lawsuit against the person responsible for the incident because a lot of its properties were damaged, Pornlert added.

-- The Nation 2008-08-07

[jamesjdaly]

The explosion blew off covers of manholes and shattered glasses nearby buildins.

The Nation

Good God!! The proficiency of 'English' in this rag really has become adburdly laughable.

What does adburdly mean?

Just taking the p155 out of the Nation!!

[bino]

"My mobile phone also made a loud noise before it burst into flames."

What caused the mobile phone to burst into flames???? Go figure.

[Spee]

"My mobile phone also made a loud noise before it burst into flames."

What caused the mobile phone to burst into flames???? Go figure.

Probably an exaggeration to some degree but not entirely out of the realm of possibility. With any type of explosion there can be a large amount of static charge on surrounding surfaces quickly accummulated and discharged, sort of like a smaller version of what happens during static discharge in the sky during a storm (aka lightning). It's possible this guy and his phone were subjected to something like this and his phone got zapped. If he was that close and all that happened was a cell phone crash, then he is probably a pretty lucky guy.

[cloudhopper]

"My mobile phone also made a loud noise before it burst into flames."

What caused the mobile phone to burst into flames???? Go figure.

Probably an exaggeration to some degree but not entirely out of the realm of possibility. With any type of explosion there can be a large amount of static charge on surrounding surfaces quickly accummulated and discharged, sort of like a smaller version of what happens during static discharge in the sky during a storm (aka lightning). It's possible this guy and his phone were subjected to something like this and his phone got zapped. If he was that close and all that happened was a cell phone crash, then he is probably a pretty lucky guy.

I would think beyond the pale entirely. How many mobiles have ever even malfunctioned in the vicinity of lightning strikes, much less "burst into flames"?

[Sandstone Art]

Wonder if it is connected to Samak's little adventure in a toilet last weekend? Or considering what comes out of W's mouth when it moves......

Quite likely

His favorite wet market to shop for fresh ingredients for his cooking was just less than 1 km away from JJ market.

1/2 hr in the stall can create alot of built-up GAS!

Luckily, all the reporters left after being scolded.

[Jimjim]

I would think beyond the pale entirely. How many mobiles have ever even malfunctioned in the vicinity of lightning strikes, much less "burst into flames"?

Perhaps you've never heard of it yourself but it has happened. Here is just one example. Here is another. While getting struck by lightning is a rare occurrence, some say mobile phones may increase your chances of being struck in a lightning storm. Been reports of Ipods attracting strikes as well. My brother has seen pictures of people struck by lightning while listening to ipods. At least one had burn marks down both sides of his face and down onto his chest where his headphone wires were resting against his body.

[cloudhopper]

I would think beyond the pale entirely. How many mobiles have ever even malfunctioned in the vicinity of lightning strikes, much less "burst into flames"?

Perhaps you've never heard of it yourself but it has happened. Here is just one example. Here is another. While getting struck by lightning is a rare occurrence, some say mobile phones may increase your chances of being struck in a lightning storm. Been reports of Ipods attracting strikes as well. My brother has seen pictures of people struck by lightning while listening to ipods. At least one had burn marks down both sides of his face and down onto his chest where his headphone wires were resting against his body.

And SOME say wearing jewelry can cause a lightning strike. Anyone can be STRUCK by lightning while doing anything, and anything STRUCK by lightning can explode. Both of your citations are totally irrelevant to something exploding IN THE VICINITY OF a static discharge, the phenomenon under discussion here.

[Thaddeus]

Although the cause of the explosion has not been clearly identified, the city intends to file a lawsuit against the person responsible for the incident because a lot of its properties were damaged, Pornlert added.

Better get the BIB with their special investigative powers on the case, sewercide, case closed.

[Briggsy]

Update:

Explosion in sewer injures one in Bangkok

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok's Paholyothin neighbourhood was shaken by a powerful explosion inside a sewer on Thursday. One injury was reported.

The blast, which happened at 6am, caused damage in Paholyothin sois 45, 47 and 49. It blew off 37 manhole covers and shattered glass in telephone booths and nearby buildings.

37 manhole covers!

Chatuchak district director Pornlert Phanwattana said the area was sealed for public safety and water was sprayed into the sewer to dilute oil, reportedly discarded into the sewer by an old gas station at the mouth of Soi 49.

Think you're gonna need a solvent other than water when dealing with oil.

-- The Nation 2008-08-07

[Mason45]

Update:

Explosion in sewer injures one in Bangkok

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok's Paholyothin neighbourhood was shaken by a powerful explosion inside a sewer on Thursday. One injury was reported.

The blast, which happened at 6am, caused damage in Paholyothin sois 45, 47 and 49. It blew off 37 manhole covers and shattered glass in telephone booths and nearby buildings.

37 manhole covers!

Chatuchak district director Pornlert Phanwattana said the area was sealed for public safety and water was sprayed into the sewer to dilute oil, reportedly discarded into the sewer by an old gas station at the mouth of Soi 49.

Think you're gonna need a solvent other than water when dealing with oil.

With the huge influx of Isaan people converging on the capital seeking work it may've over loaded the Bangkok sewerage system with amounts of methane gas that the system simply couldnt handle. The Isaan staple diet of culitvated weeds and effluent would be to much for even the most sophisticated sewerage system when under stress.

-- The Nation 2008-08-07

[percy2]

By any stroke of good luck did they manage to hit Pee George's limozine?

Are you allowed to say that about Admin

Cheers

[Spee]

Anyone can be STRUCK by lightning while doing anything, and anything STRUCK by lightning can explode. Both of your citations are totally irrelevant to something exploding IN THE VICINITY OF a static discharge, the phenomenon under discussion here.

Hardly irrelevant. In fact quite the opposite.

What do you think lightning is? During a storm where hot and cool air masses collide, hot air rises and cool air falls creating friction which in turn creates a build-up of static charge. In effect, the sky becomes one large capacitor with an air dielectric. Lightning is simply the release of energy during dielectric breakdown, i.e., the resistivity of the air dielectric is overcome by the potential energy of the positive and negative charges causing a release of energy in the form of current (aka lightning).

Explosions, whether nuclear, chemical or other, create the same effect. The blast moves massive amounts of air and debris creating friction and build-up of static charges. If the conditions are right, the static charges can discharge with resultant effects. EMP in a nuclear blast is fairly well known, but similar things happen with chemical b*mbs, too. There is a reason for posted warnings for turning of mobile phones and and other electronic devices in blasting areas.

Again, the poor guy is both unlucky and lucky at the same time, unlucky to be in the wrong place at the wrong time yet lucky that his injuries were relatively minor.