Recall of 376 NGV tanks

"The recall should be completed within two weeks," Norkhun Sitthipong said yesterday, in his capacity as chair of the NGV followup committee.

He said the decision was reached after a discussion with all relevant parties: the NGV tank manufacturer Fine Tech, the installationservice provider Siam Ratchathani, and PTT.

A 145litre NGV tank installed on a bus exploded at a PTT service station in Samut Prakan. The explosion injured an attendant and damaged eight vehicles.

The South Korean manufacturer said it had imported raw materials from China to make the iron NGV tanks. The company has exported 376 such tanks to Thailand, including the one that exploded last week.

Norkhun said any vehicle equipped with these NGV tanks should now go to the Siam Ratchathani garage and get a new tank installed freeofcharge.

"The numbers on the tanks to be recalled are from 545187 to 545562," he said.

Norkhun said all service sta¬tions have been informed of the recall order and they would not refill these tanks.

Pipon Boonchanta of Kasetsart University has been hired to examine the tank that exploded.

"He's an expert and he will determine the cause of the explosion," Norkhun said, adding the conclusion on the issue should come out within two weeks.

According to the Department of Energy Business, a 145litre NGV tank costs around Bt24,000. If the installation service is included, these tanks usually sell for around Bt300,000.

Deputy Energy Minister Songsak Thongsri said the Land Transport Department would soon check the quality of NGV tanks and their installation on a vehicle before allowing their tanks to be refilled with NGV or LPG.

The department has estimated that more than a million vehicles now run on NGV and LPG in Thailand.