The operators of the Yellow and Pink monorail systems will reinforce the guidewheels on every train to improve the systems' safety, according to their director.
The CEO of BTS Group Holdings, Surapong Laoha-unya, in his capacity as the director of Eastern Bangkok Monorail Co (EBM) and Northern Bangkok Monorail (NBM), said on Thursday the move is meant to assure the public that both monorail lines are safe both for commuters and motorists below.
He was referring to a Jan 2 incident in which a guidewheel from one of the monorail trains serving the Yellow Line fell off, hitting a taxi travelling under the tracks along Theparak Road.
Mr Surapong said EBM, as the operator of the Yellow Line, has carried out extensive checks with Alstom Thailand, which manufactured the train, and replaced all parts needed to ensure passenger safety.
To prevent such incidents from happening again, Alstom will reinforce the guidewheels with a locking mechanism that will keep the wheels in place in the event of a failure.
The locking mechanism will now be made of stainless steel to ensure durability, he said.
The locking mechanism will be tested on one train on the Yellow Line first, before it is introduced to the rest of the fleet. Initial testing will begin at the end of the month, he said.
Once the mechanism is adjudged to be safe, the NBM will follow suit and introduce the reinforced guidewheels on trains on the Pink Line, he said.
The EBM is also ramping up the frequency of safety checks along the line. The checks, Mr Surapong said, will be supervised by the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand and the Department of Rail Transport.