Fatal Bus Fire Probe Exposes Thai Officials and Company Fraud Claims

Bus
The Department of Land Transport presented images to the House of Representatives' Transportation Committee on October 3, showing a gas pipe disconnected from the 8th gas tank at the front of the bus, while the axle broke, causing the body to drop and scrape against the road before the bus caught fire. (Khaosod Photo/Pattarayoot Phukpol)

BANGKOK — A tragic accident involving a school bus caught fire, killing 23 students and teachers from Uthai Thani Province. This heartbreaking event has shaken the nation and put pressure on the bus company and government officials, especially the Department of Land Transportation, to urgently conduct an investigation and take important preventive measures.

On October 3, Jirut Wisanjit, Director General of the Department of Land Transportation, attended a meeting in Parliament with the House Transportation Committee to present an initial investigation report on the case.

He stated that currently, the department is taking action against all parties involved in the case, including the operators, the bus owner, the driver, the engineer responsible for inspecting the gas tank and government officials.

bus investigate2
A Member of the Transport Committee questions Mr. Jirut Wisaljit, Director-General of the Department of Land Transport (second from right), about the details of the fatal bus at the Parliament on October 3, 2024. (Khaosod Photo/Pattarayoot Phukpol)

Two officials from the department of Land Transport, including the head of vehicle inspection and a vehicle inspection technician from the Singburi Provincial Transport Office, have been transferred to the department of Land Transport to ensure a smooth investigation. Should any misconduct be found, the department will impose the highest level of disciplinary action.

Advertisement

He also outlined the measures to be taken against those involved and preventive measures to ensure that such incidents do not happen again, as follows:

  1. All public buses, both scheduled and charter buses, that use CNG fuel— – a total of 13,426 buses (as of 30 September 2024) — must be inspected within 60 days.
  2. Standards for charter bus operations (Type 30) will be raised for the entire system, including operations, inspections and services.
  3. The department will coordinate with the Ministry of Education, schools across the country and the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security to ensure that schools or organizations that need to rent charter busses (Type 30) for group travel by students or the elderly have the busses inspected for safety by the provincial transportation authority before each trip.
  4. The new regulations require chartered buses to have staff on board, similar to regular public buses. These employees must be trained and complete a course on crisis management and passenger care.
  5. The new regulations require operators to provide passengers with safety information and emergency procedures, similar to airline protocols.
bus investigate3
The Department of Land Transport presented an image to the House of Representatives’ Transportation Committee on October 3, showing that the tires of the burned bus did not burst as initially understood. (Khaosod Photo/Pattarayoot Phukpol)

Mr. Cheep Nomsian, Director of the Automotive Engineering Bureau, reported that upon inspecting the vehicle’s condition, they found that the rear right door’s internal opening and closing lever was still functioning normally. The wheels had not exploded. They discovered that 5 out of 11 unauthorized gas tanks were installed in the front part of the bus where the fire originated.

The gas pipe of the 8th tank had come loose, causing a gas leak. They also found that the front axle had broken and scraped against the road, but it’s not yet concluded whether this caused sparks.

Currently, the Department of Land Transport and the Forensic Science Division are jointly analyzing and determining the true cause of the fire. The Royal Thai Police will make a further announcement on this matter.

bus investigate1
A black Mercedes-Benz, which was sideswiped by the bus just before the bus caught fire, is brought to park next to the bus wreckage for evidence examination on October 3, 2024. (Khaosod Photo/Chalatip Roongbour)

During the committee meeting, MPs Peeradej Siriwansan from Nakhon Sawan (Bhumjaithai Party) and Chatchawan Apirakmankong from Khon Kaen (People’s Party) questioned the Director-General about the bus’s gas tanks when the additional tanks had been installed.

The Director General replied that the department and the police are currently investigating this matter to determine responsibility. As for the bus operator, Shinbutra Company, Jirut noted that the company’s transport license has been suspended and the other buses have been ordered to report to the Lopburi Provincial Transport Department, which has more modern equipment for inspection than that of Singburi Province where the buses were registered.

However, the Shinbutra Company failed to send the five other buses for inspection at the Lopburi Provincial Transport Department; instead, they went directly to an auto shop in Nakhon Ratchasima Province.

bus investigate6
Transport officials in Nakhon Ratchasima province found buses that did not go for inspection in Lopburi province. The gas tanks, which are a point of suspicion in the Shinbutra Company bus fire incident, had been removed at an auto shop in Nakhon Ratchasima Province.

Officials at the Nakhon Ratchasima Provincial Transport Office, later were notified to investigate and found that there was an attempt to remove the CNG gas tanks from the buses, presumably to evade inspection. The officials then informed the police, who have seized all five tour buses for further investigation.

Earlier, MP Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn of the People’s Party criticized the Department of Land Transport during a parliamentary session in which a motion to investigate and propose improved preventive measures after the tragic bus fire was discussed.

He pointed out that the department is often accused by the public of being a “twilight zone” where substantial benefits are extorted. Some claim that the inspections merely rubber-stamp signatures without proper scrutiny.

“The bus in question had CNG gas tanks. How could the bus catch fire just because it grazed a curb? How could it pass the inspection? This raises the question of whether the inspections are genuine or just signatures being sold. It’s like we have ticking time bombs on our roads every day,” he said.

Advertisement

_______

Related articles: