Drowsiness Blamed For Bangkok Gas Tanker Truck Crash

[webfact]

LPG EXPLOSION

LPG tanker may have dozed off at the wheel : police

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- From the evidence gathered from the Pattanakarn Road crash site, police now believe that the driver of a LPG tanker truck was dozing behind the wheel when his vehicle slammed into a bridge railing in Klong Tan district and exploded last week.

Pol Lt Gen Peerapong Damapong, commissioner of the Office of Forensic Science said that there were no traces of braking at the scene at all.

"Today our officers collected evidence from the burnt out vehicle and at the crash site. We have found no traces of braking on the road, leading us to assume that the driver was dozing at the wheel," he said.

The driver, identified as Anan Kaewma, fled the scene after the accident. Police are demanding that he surrenders or face an arrest warrant.

The truck, which was carrying 4,000 litres of LPG, slammed into the bridge railing in front of Pattanakarn Soi 20 on Friday at about 5.30am and exploded. The explosion seriously burnt a man and wounded two others.

Police sealed off traffic following the accident and allowed the fire to burn off the LPG as they could not close the valve. Traffic resumed around 1pm.

Pol Lt Col Krissada Kansoda of Klongtan police station said that police had initially planned to talk to the victim of the accident, Buapan Suwannasaen, today but doctors at Phetcharavej Hospital had refused permission as he is still in a sterile room.

However, the doctors believe he will be well enough to talk to police in a few days.

He added that if the driver fails to show up within a few days, the police will seek court approval to issue an arrest warrant against him.

-- The Nation 2012-03-27

[webfact]

Drowsiness Blamed for Gas Tanker Truck Crash

BANGKOK: -- The police forensic science office has ruled that the gas tanker truck accident on Patthanakan Road was caused by the driver falling asleep behind the wheel.

Chief of the Office of Forensic Science Police Lieutenant General Peerapong Damapong talked to the media about the progress on the LPG truck accident on Patthanakan Road four days ago.

According to the preliminary forensic investigation, the office believes the accident was the result of the driver falling asleep at the wheel.

The office looked at the burn marks, the condition of the gas tank and the crime scene.

The lack of any brake marks on the street indicated the driver was not in his full capacity behind the wheel.

Peerapong indicated that his agency should be able to forward its findings to the Klongtan police station in 30 days.

Lead investigator of the case, Police Lieutenant Colonel Krissada Khansoda said he will soon meet with a key witness. Buapan Suwansaeng was injured in the accident and is currently being treated at Petcharavej Hospital.

Krissada said the police still have not been able to locate the truck driver who's been identified as Anan Kaewma.

An arrest warrant will be issued for him if he failed to turn himself in to the police in two days.

-- Tan Network 2012-03-27

[slapout]

Well the time lapse for a beath test is long past, if drugs are/were involved the rabbit may have to go cold turkey for quite some time. Glad the police are so patient in awiting audience with the driver. Guess if you do not ask for the arrest warrent, you just have to wait on the wheels of justice to roll down the incline.

Investigation????? has led to an assumption of dozing at the wheel. could have been an attempted sucide, a wasp in the truck cab, stargazing, dropped his false teeth, etc Just no imagination on this one.

[ratcatcher]

BURNING ISSUE (TRUCK)

LPG EXPLOSION

LPG tanker may have dozed off at the wheel : police

I have yet to hear of a truck dozing off (maybe an ISNUZU or a HINOSLEEP) but most likely the being behind the steering wheel of this hazardous goods vehicle.

A lucky man.

[MEL1]

That's the nature of the beast of Thai investigation - there were no skid marks, so he must have been 'dozy'.

All other possibilities excluded?

It sure makes one wonder about all the other previous investigations involving farang, when this issue is so open and clear cut - accordingly..

-mel.

[noitom]

They are "waiting" for him to surrender, or they "will" issue an he arrest warrant. Preposterous system. There should be an "all points" for him. He should be a highly hunted criminal who put innocent lives at risk in the community. Why are they waiting to charge him? This is a good example of a flaw in the Thai system. How can they expect the rest of the drivers to behave any differently if the are in an accident and run?

[Payboy]

Drowsiness

Pol Lt Gen Peerapong Damapong, commissioner of the Office of Forensic Science said that there were no traces of braking at the scene at all.

How do they know if they haven't caught him yet? Could have been fully awake on yaa baa, or trying to overtake, or not paying attention, or........ Thai forensics at its best.

[moe666]

Tanker truck crashes in the states can usually be attributed to lack of sleep. The driver is up early to arrive at stations early to off load gas. The drivers doze off as they are making deliveries causing crash. This was direct from a former tanker truck driver.