BANGKOK – The Transport Minister has ordered to halt construction of the Pink Line extension for seven days after cement went through a BMW car’s rear window, slightly injuring a three-year-old child inside. Fortunately, it’s tempered glass. In addition, the child wore a cloak, similar to Elsa from Frozen, which helped shield her from broken glass.
Mr. Suriya Jungrungruangkit, Minister of Transport, revealed on March 31 that the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA), which oversees the operation of the Pink Line extension project from Si Rat Station to Muang Thong Thani Station, received an accident report from the concessionaire (Northern Bangkok Monorail Company Limited, or NBM).
It was reported that the accident occurred on March 30 at around 5:00 p.m. as concrete was being poured on the concourse floor of IMPACT Muang Thong Thani Station. While workmen were pouring concrete, the prototype side moved, causing pieces of liquid concrete to fall and break the BMW car’s rear window. As a result, one person in the backseat suffered minor injuries. Rescue volunteers then transported the injured person to the World Medical Hospital.
According to traffic police at Pak Kret Police Station in Nonthaburi Province, the affected person was a middle-aged woman driving a BMW out of the arena building on Muang Thong Thani, Chaeng Watthana Road, Bang Phut Subdistrict, after taking her two children to see the Disney On Ice Show and returning home.
She added that the cement that dropped on the back window was so strong that it broke the glass and hit directly on the daughter’s car seat. The child’s head is covered with broken glass; fortunately, she dressed as Elsa and was wearing a cloak.
Her son, sitting on the opposite side, also had his clothes covered by the broken pieces of glass, but he remained uninjured. The doctor stated that both kids were extremely fortunate that it was tempered glass.
The construction team paused work and rapidly fixed the situation. Sino-Thai Company, the project’s contractor, contacted the affected person and offered to cover all of her expenses.
Later, on March 31, the Department of Rail Transport and MRTA ordered a 7-day halt to work in the area and assigned a company to consult on the project to inspect the work process and those responsible in the area, including guidelines for preventing incidents, resolving problems, and reporting to MRTA immediately in order to consider further action.
Previously, on March 28, an incident occurred with the Yellow Line when fragments of metal equipment fell off the tracks into the road. Two cars were damaged, and the monorail line had to be shut down at all stations. The Ministry of Transportation anticipates penalties and reconsiders concessions if the incident occurs again.
