The Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) will keep a closer watch on city bus drivers after a No.8 bus driver involved in a fatal accident on Sunday was found to be driving without a public bus licence.
A 13-year-old boy riding pillion was crushed by the bus on Lat Phrao Road on Sunday night. The motorcycle he was riding on was driven by his friend, who became involved in the accident.
The bus driver was identified as Muean Prangprasoet, 32. The BMTA found he broke the law by not being licenced to drive the privately operated bus, said BMTA acting chief Naret Bunpiam.
According to BMTA regulations, a driver who has no licence to drive public vehicles will be fined 2,000 baht and banned from driving for seven days. “We have never faced this problem before. We need to tighten our monitoring,” Mr Naret said.
Sap 888 company, Mr Muean's employer, said all of its bus drivers must have licences. Mr Muean was "in the process" of getting one, he said. The company badly needs drivers and Mr Muean was hired to drive the bus only on weekends and was in his second week of work at the time of the accident.
Mr Muean said the motorcycle was trying to overtake a van when it hit his bus. The dead boy, identified as Nopphon Namueang, was thrown into the bus lane and slid under the bus and was crushed by the vehicle. His friend Chaiyut Khonlam, 15, was injured and taken to hospital.
No.8 buses, serving commuters between Memorial Bridge and Happy Land, are notorious for their drivers' carelessness. The three private companies granted concessions to run No.8 buses are operating up to 102 buses. Mr Naret said the BMTA will call in private bus operators on April 9 to discuss bad driving.