Bangkok commuter boat engine expoldes

[Nereus]

At least 60 injured as boat engine explodes

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general ... re-than-60

At least 60 people were injured on Saturday when the engine on a gas-powered Bangkok commuter boat exploded, pitching several passengers into Khlong Saen Saep.

The blast occurred at around 6.20am near the Wat Thep Leela pier near Ramkhamhaeng Soi 39 in Bang Kapi district. Khlong Saen Saep is one of the capital's busiest waterways for commuters.

Pol Col Sarayut Chunnawat, chief of Hua Mak police station, told Thai media at noon that he had been told 67 people were injured, two seriously.

Sanit Mahathavorn, acting chief of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, said an initial investigation found the explosion was caused by a gas leak at the rear of the boat, according to INN News.

........................................................................................
Photo at the link shows one hell of a gas tank!

[Nereus]

I guess that this is just more sloppy reporting. First it was reported that the operator would return the boats to run on diesel, which infers that the boats are fitted with diesel engines. In which case it is just a simple matter of switching off the electronics that control the gas. Now they are reporting that the engines have been converted to run only on CNG, which means that they are petrol engines. It is immpossible to run a compression ignition(diesel) engine on pure gas, be it CNG, LPG, or staight from a cow!

One photo shows what is quoted as being "officials venting gas" from a huge tank. How they have not managed to blow the whole sorry heap to the heavens escapes me.

Saen Saep boat operator faces suspension

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general ... -suspended

And then we have this from Einsteins brother:

Mr Chavalit admitted he was still confused about how the incident happened. "We have yet to identify the cause. We use LNG, of which the hazards are less than for diesel."

[Khundon1975]

^ JH Christ, that boat looks like a bloody floating bomb!

It was lucky that the 60 people were only injured, a tank that size going up, could have killed hundreds, who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"Mr Chavalit admitted he was still confused about how the incident happened. "We have yet to identify the cause. We use LNG, of which the hazards are less than for diesel."

I would have thought that is the wrong way round. surely, any gas under pressure, as in those tanks, was a damn site more lethal, compared to a tank full of cheap red diesel?

All to save a few Baht FFS.

I only ever went on one of those Klong boats once and I swear the driver was on drugs or drunk or both, as he drove like a lunatic!

Never again.

[Bluesky]

Thankfully the incident did not escalate to a bleve (boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion) or the outcome would have been far worse.

[VincentD]

Did a return trip once and never again. It can get quite crowded (standing room only) and you will get klong water splashed on you no matter how hard you try not to. Think I was on a diesel boat at the time but diesel has always been subsidised so am surprised that a complete engine change would have been done given that the difference between diesel and gas was not that much.
One experience chalked up... Note that Old Crutch (Roger Crutchley of the Bangkok Post) used to refer to it as Khlong Pong all those years ago.. I only ventured this last month as I was in a hurry. Never again.

That was one hell of a large gas tank, all the more reason (at least for me) to avoid the service. One has to feel for those who really need to use it; it is a viable, time -saving and cheap option.

[Nereus]

surprised that a complete engine change would have been done

The engines have not been changed, just modified to run on a combination of diesel and gas. There are hundreds, probably thousands, of trucks on the road with the same conversion. If done correctly it is just a matter of switching the electronics from dual fuel to just diesel.
But of course, "done correctly" is not something that is very common here.

[Nereus]

As I suggested:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/transpo ... nger-boats

Nationwide ban on gas passenger boats

Bangkok police on Monday took legal action against Kawin Sakaojit, owner of the company that had installed gas-powered systems for Family Transport's boats.

He was charged with recklessness causing serious injuries to others. The offence carries a jail term of up to three years and/or a fine of up to 6,000 baht.

[VincentD]

He was charged with recklessness causing serious injuries to others. The offence carries a jail term of up to three years and/or a fine of up to 6,000 baht.

Looking at the amount of the fine, the mind boggles!

[Dannie Boy]

He was charged with recklessness causing serious injuries to others. The offence carries a jail term of up to three years and/or a fine of up to 6,000 baht.

Looking at the amount of the fine, the mind boggles!

Like most fines here, it's as though the law was introduced maybe 50 years ago and the fine has remained unchanged.

[Bluesky]

He was charged with recklessness causing serious injuries to others. The offence carries a jail term of up to three years and/or a fine of up to 6,000 baht.

Looking at the amount of the fine, the mind boggles!

Like most fines here, it's as though the law was introduced maybe 50 years ago and the fine has remained unchanged.

400 baht for not carrying your license up to 6000 baht for recklessness causing grievous bodily harm. Not a great deal of value for pain suffering and disfigurement for life. Chances of incarceration?

[VincentD]

Chances of incarceration?

Probably (most likely ) nil...