A defect was identified after an incident where a wheel detached from a train on the MRT Yellow Line on Tuesday evening.
The Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) and Eastern Bangkok Monorail (EBM) have received instructions to conduct a thorough inspection of the Yellow Line monorail.
On Tuesday, around 6:30pm, a wheel from a Yellow Line train became detached and struck a taxi on Thepharak Road in Samut Prakan province. Fortunately, there were no casualties.
Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit announced at a press conference on Wednesday that EBM, the operator of the Yellow Line monorail, has been directed to provide compensation to those impacted by the incident.
MRTA and EBM are required to expedite their inspection processes and establish procedures to prevent similar incidents in the future, aiming to restore confidence among passengers and bystanders.
Deputy Transport Minister Surapong Piyachote revealed that the MRTA and EBM collaborated with Alstom, a French monorail manufacturer, for the inspection, tracing the issue back to a defect.
“The monorail has been taken to the laboratory for an in-depth inspection, which could take a while before reaching a conclusion,” he said.
He mentioned that the wheel in question had only been used for 62,000 kilometers, much less than its projected lifespan of 300,000 kilometers.
Despite EBM’s adherence to the maintenance manual, the Transport Ministry has mandated more frequent maintenance checks, according to Surapong.
Prior to their deployment, MRTA, EBM, and Alstom had conducted extensive inspections of the monorail cars to prevent similar issues.
Surapong stated that additional vehicles would be progressively introduced to the Yellow Line, exceeding the current count of five. Additionally, free rides on the Yellow Line will be offered until Friday.
“The Transport Ministry is committed to the promotion of public trains as convenient and safe travel alternatives for the public, as well as to respond to air pollution, especially PM2.5,” he said.
