No bribery found in Sukhumvit Road collapse incident, Bangkok police claim
A recent police investigation has concluded that there was no bribery involved in the incident of an overloaded truck causing a cover at a roadworks site on Sukhumvit Road to collapse last week. The truck’s high weight was initially suspected to be due to bribery, which allowed it to exceed the maximum load limit.
The suspicion was triggered by a star-shaped sticker with the letter B on the vehicle’s windscreen, which some believed was an indication of a bribe.
This investigation followed an earlier probe into allegations that drivers of overloaded trucks were escaping arrest due to special stickers, indicating bribes had been paid. However, the latest inquiry panel, established by the police inspector-general, found no evidence to support these claims.
The truck involved in the Sukhumvit Road collapse incident on November 8 is owned by Wuthipat Jantharinthrakorn and was driven by Sakmongkol Thasako. Wuthipat clarified that the B on the sticker represented his fleet, as his nickname is ‘Big’, and he holds a superstition regarding such matters.
Despite being charged with operating an overloaded truck and recklessness causing property damage and serious injury, both Wuthipat and Sakmongkol have refuted the allegations. The truck was carrying soil and had a gross weight of 37.45 tonnes, significantly surpassing the legal limit of 25 tonnes.
The incident occurred in an area where power lines and cabling are being moved underground. The truck’s extreme weight led to the collapse of a construction hole cover on the road. As a result, two individuals – a taxi driver and a deliveryman – sustained injuries. The taxi driver suffered cuts to his lips, while the deliveryman was thrown onto the ground, causing a head injury.
The Sukhumvit Road collapse incident has raised questions about the state of infrastructure in the city. The sudden appearance of such a large sinkhole poses a significant danger to motorists, particularly large vehicles like the ten-wheeler lorry involved in the incident. Read more about the original story HERE.
