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Phatcharee Bunyaem said the blast and fire that destroyed her sedan in May were allegedly caused by substandard equipment and installation work by Santi Charoen Karnchang garage.

She said the garage staff also failed to show up at a recent meeting brokered by a senior public prosecutor. The garage has not contacted her after she demanded Bt100,000 in compensation.

The chief of the provincial land transport office, Suchart Chumchob, said the Santi Charoen Karnchang garage had been in operation for a long time but had begun to install LPG systems without special permission.

There is only one garage in Surat Thani that is authorised to do this work, he said, but did not give its name.

Phatcharee said the garage charged her Bt19,000 for the LPG system and verbally pledged a oneyear insurance coverage. The blast occurred four months after installation.

An inspection found that the valve to the LPG tank was damaged, and that the fire had heavily damaged the car. But no scientific proof to determine whether the blast was caused by substandard installation work or equipment was available in the inspection report.