The Marine Department issued the order on Sunday (Mar 6) and violators would be fined up to B10,000, Deputy Transport Minister Ormsin Chivapruck said yesterday (Mar 7).
Family Transport (2002) Co, the concessionaire of the ferry service in Khlong Saen Saep, sought permission to use diesel-gas engines when oil prices were high, he said.
Early on Saturday, the engine of one of the company’s boats exploded near Wat Thep Leela pier, injuring 67 people.
Until Saturday, the company operated 26 hybrid boats. After the incident, gas cylinders were removed from all of them to ensure public safety, he said.
Bangkok police yesterday 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 B6,000.
The 42-year-old engineer said he regretted the incident and would shut down his company which had equipped gas-power systems on auto mobiles and boats for eight years.
He had inspected the exploded boat and said the blast might have been caused by gas leakage at a joint between a gas vaporiser and a gas filter.
Read original story here.