Police investigators found no evidence of bribery in the case of the overloaded truck that caused a roadworks cover to collapse on Sukhumvit Road last week.

A police source said yesterday that an inquiry panel set up by the police inspector-general found no evidence that a windscreen sticker allowed the truck to operate without regard for load limits.

Suspicions of bribery were raised when people noticed the star-shaped sticker, with the letter B in the centre, on the windscreen of the truck involved in the accident.

This followed a previous police investigation into allegations that drivers of overloaded trucks displaying special bribe-paid stickers were not being pulled over.

The truck involved in the road collapse on Nov 8 belongs to Wuthipat Jantharinthrakorn and was driven by Sakmongkol Thasako.

Mr Wuthipat said the B on the truck's sticker showed it was part of his fleet. His nickname was "Big", and he was superstitious about such things.

The truck owner and driver both denied charges of operating an overloaded truck and recklessness, causing property damage and serious injury.

The lorry was loaded with soil, and its gross weight was 37.45 tonnes, exceeding the legal limit of 25 tonnes.

Power lines and cables are being laid underground in the area, and the covering over a construction hole in the road collapsed under the truck's weight.

Two people were injured -- a cab driver suffered a cut lip, while a deliveryman was thrown to the ground and hit his head.