Bus fire probe exposes DLT

The outcome of the investigation into the tragic bus fire last year, which claimed the lives of 20 students and three teachers, is disgraceful — but hardly surprising.

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The probe's conclusion, released by the Office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) on Tuesday, reveals the shocking, systemic corruption in the vehicle safety inspection carried out by the Department of Land Transport (DLT).

The probe accuses six individuals — officials at the DLT Sing Buri branch, owners of the bus belonging to Sing Buri-based Chinnaboot Tour, and engineers at a third-party safety audit company.

They are accused of colluding to fabricate evidence that they obtained permits to allow a substandard CNG-bus on the road.

That particular bus had 11 tanks containing compressed natural gas (CNG). Yet, only six of the 11 CNG tanks installed on the bus were registered by the DLT, while the others were not.

The NACC probe focused on whether the DLT let this vehicle on the road. The probe found that the whole CNG system on this bus had never been inspected properly.