Woman dies as ride fails at Siam Park

**Marie** · 24-10-07, 12:49 PM

Chai, you meant the following?

One woman was killed and five other people were injured when two boats of the Indiana Log ride at Siam Park City collided following, causing one to fall out of its track.

Pornsri Chanthornkhanma, manager of public relations department of the amusement park, said the accident was caused by a disrupt in the power system of the park.

The power disrupt caused the water pump, which supplied water for the track of Indiana Log ride to stop.

AND NOW MY FAVORITE!

... the water stopped shortly after his boat was launched and it fell down the hill and hardly hit into the rear of the first boat.

I think it means 'it hit hard'--hehe. With that let's forget the rest!
By the way, Chai, did you lend them your English?

**Marie** · 24-10-07, 01:08 PM

I forgot to say:

Blame it on English language! It is so complicated and funny! You say it hardly hit if you mean the opposite: it did not hit hard ! *Sigh*

**Khun Don** · 25-10-07, 04:58 PM

Staff error likely cause of park death

The ongoing police investigation into the fatal accident during a thrilling ride at Siam Park has zeroed in on human error.Published on October 25, 2007

"We believe there was a co-ordination mistake among staff," Metropolitan Police Division 4 commander Maj General Pissanupong Yutathat said yesterday, "But we are gathering more evidence and the investigation is ongoing".

He declined to give any timeframe about when the investigation would be completed.

Two officials, Tossapol Nakusa and Supalak Thadthong, have already been charged with recklessness causing injury and death as they were supervising the water pump and generator for the fatal ride.

On Tuesday, a woman died and five other people sustained injuries because two boats on the Indiana Log ride collided.

According to the police investigation, a disrupted power supply caused a water pump to fail - so there was not enough water to cushion the impact of the boats plunging down from the start of the ride. However, the staff who supervised the water pump and the generator failed to inform the ride controller who released the ride as usual.

"By normal practice, if there is not enough water, the boat must not be launched from the top," Pissanupong said.

He said he had assigned a deputy commander to closely supervise the case together with officials from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA).

Under the Building Control Act, this case is also under the jurisdiction of the BMA Public Works Department.

Pissanupong said as part of the ongoing investigation, the Scientific Crime Detection Division would also look into Siam Park's working systems to determine whether any more people should be held responsible for the accident.

Meanwhile, PM's Office Minister Khunying Dhipavadee Meksawan revealed that a consumer lodged a complaint against Siam Park on October 18 this year over an Indiana Log ride.

In the complaint, the consumer suffered a broken coccyx after riding the Log on July 31.

Siam Park at first promised to pay for the medical bill but later reneged on the promise, citing the lack of a receipt.

Dhipavadee was speaking after chairing a meeting of the Consumer Protection Board. Siam Park managing director Wuthichai Luangamornrat said he did not receive any report on the July 31 case until the Office of Consumer Protection Board sent him a notice yesterday.

Board secretary-general Rassamee Visavavet said it had resolved to immediately suspend the use of the Indiana Log ride and to instruct all provincial governments to establish a committee to conduct safety checks at all amusement parks.

She said the board would also help the family of Patchadaporn Kongkarian, who was killed in Tuesday's accident, in seeking compensation from Siam Park.

There have been a number of fun-ride accidents in recent years.

According to a senior official at the BMA, two children died when a train ride caught fire at Fashion Island in 2002. Following that shocking accident, the government amended the Building Control Act, requiring that a committee check safety standards at all amusement parks be established under a ministerial regulation.

However, five years later, the Interior Ministry has yet to issue the ministerial regulation to enforce the safety checks.

In the wake of the fatal accident on Tuesday, the Khan Na Yow District Office had ordered Siam Park to provide safety-standard procedures for all the rides at its compound by November 2 - or face immediate closure.

The order was issued under the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Act.

Law-enforcement officials at the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) were also dispatched to inspect the Indiana Log ride.

The ride made headlines in 2002 when a Japanese tourist was hospitalised. In that case, Siam Park paid the medical bills even though police officers who inspected the ride had found nothing wrong with it.

Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin yesterday said Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont had instructed him to ensure that all amusement parks, including those in shopping plazas, in the capital meet safety standards.

Amornphant Nakorn Siam Park chairman Chaiwat said he had been planning to replace the Indiana Log before this accident took place. The company has operated Siam Park for decades.

"We have brought in many new rides and machines to replace the old ones," he said.

The Nation

**Chai** · 25-10-07, 08:35 PM

at Fashion Island in 2002. Following that shocking accident, the government amended the Building Control Act, requiring that a committee check safety standards at all amusement parks be established under a ministerial regulation.

However, five years later, the Interior Ministry has yet to issue the ministerial regulation to enforce the safety checks.

You see, without constantly and consistantly pushing the government to do its job, people get lazy and items like this get pushed back and thrown under "more urgent" matters until they are eventually forgotten. Out of sight--out of mind.

In the wake of the fatal accident on Tuesday, the Khan Na Yow District Office had ordered Siam Park to provide safety-standard procedures for all the rides at its compound by November 2 - or face immediate closure.

The order was issued under the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Act.

Why can't we enforce deadlines with consequences upon governments as they do to businesses.

To the Interior Ministry: "issue the ministerial regulation to enforce the safety checks by December 31st. Your department and it's employees will not receive any paid compensation for every day after December 31st that this is not done."

Simple. Do your job or don't get paid. I guarantee things will get done a lot faster under this kind of deadline.

**Khun Don** · 26-10-07, 12:45 AM

Siam Park threatened with closure
SUPOJ WANCHAROEN

Siam Park has been given 10 days to submit the safety records of its amusement rides or face closure following an accident on Tuesday which killed one rider and injured five others.

Thanita Phraewanit, assistant director of the Khan Na Yao district office, said the office has asked the fun park to submit a report on the safety of all amusement rides and machines by Nov 2.

The park will be ordered to close unless the report is handed to the authorities by the deadline.

She said the city's Public Works Office would send officials to check whether the amusement park has been granted an operating licence.

The accident happened on the Indiana Log ride, one of the park's most popular attractions.

The six victims were riding in two boats gliding down a slope when the power supply malfunctioned. Water pumps on the ride failed, leaving no water for the ride's carriages to float on. As there was no water to cushion the impact of the boats as they raced down the slope, they careered straight through the stop area and crashed, propelling one woman from her seat.

Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin has ordered officials to inspect all amusement parks in Bangkok.

However, Bangkok deputy governor Banasopit Mekvichai explained it was difficult to regulate some amusement parks, including Siam Park, because they were built before the Buildings Control Act was brought into force.

The Interior Ministry, however, is in the process of drafting legislation to control all amusement parks across the country, she said.

Police yesterday pressed charges against two staff of Siam Park in connection with the accident.

Pol Maj-Gen Pisanupong Yukthathat, chief of the Metropolitan Police division 4, said Thosapol Nak-usa and Supalak Thadthong, who were responsible for controlling the rides and electricity systems at Siam Park, have been charged with recklessness and causing death.

Chaiwat Luang-amornlert, Siam Park chairman and founder, blamed the accident on the power failure.

Siam Park has provided initial financial assistance of 20,000 baht to the family of the dead victim.

Police spokesman Pol Lt-Gen Pongsapat Pongcharoen yesterday visited 10-year-old Supattra Wong-anu, one of the injured victims, at Nopparat Ratchathani Hospital and gave her a birthday cake. Her stepmother, Pacharaporn Khongkarian, 34, died in the accident.

The park's assistant director, Noppakan Luang-amornlert, gave her a gold necklace, an amulet of the Kuan Yin goddess, a doll and a life-long membership to Siam Park.

The park also promised financial support to see her through to university.

Supattra and her family were celebrating her birthday at Siam Park when the tragedy occurred.

Bangkok Post

**Marie** · 26-10-07, 08:42 AM