Offering solace
Relatives of Natchaphat Somjet and her mother cry and hug each other during a bathing ceremony for Natchaphat yesterday at Wat Kaeo Fa Chula Mani in Dusit district. Natchaphat, 25, was killed on Saturday when power poles toppled by a fallen tree fell on her while she was driving her motorcycle on Bangkok’s Chidlom Road.
Police are investigating the incident on Bangkok’s Chidlom Road on Saturday in which a tree that had been weakened over time by wind and rain toppled over, bringing down power poles that crashed onto three motorcycles, killing one woman and injuring two others.
Pornchai Chalordej, superintendent of Lumpini police station, said yesterday investigators were looking into whether anyone was responsible for the incident, which happened outside the Alma Link building.
The probe has been carried out in response to an order by Pol Lt Gen Sanit Mahathavorn, Metropolitan Police Bureau commissioner.
No charge has yet been laid against anyone, Pol Col Pornchai added.
Natchaphat Somjet, 25, who was killed at the scene, was on her way to work at a bakery in a nearby department store when the power poles fell on her.
She was riding a motorcycle and stopped at traffic lights when the accident happened.
Two others were injured and received treatment at Police General Hospital following the incident.
Police declined to identify them. Three motorcycles and three cars were damaged by the tree.
Pol Col Pornchai said investigators are examining the incident to see whether the owner of the Alma Link building responsible for the tree had breached building regulations or failed to maintain it.
The building’s manager Pongsak Ruangpatikorn apologised for the incident.
He said the building’s management is willing to help anyone affected by the incident.
Meanwhile, Natchaphat’s family retrieved her body from Chulalongkorn University’s Department of Forensic Medicine for a funeral at Wat Kaeo Fa Chula Mani in Dusit district.
Representatives from the Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA) attended the funeral and gave 10,000 baht to help the victim’s family.
One of Natchaphat’s cousins said her family was distraught and urged authorities to find ways of preventing such an incident occurring again.
Theerawat Thepumnuaysuk, who assists the MEA’s governor, insisted the power poles used by the agency had met safety standards.
However, Mr Theerawat urged people who want to plant a tree to make sure it is located a safe distance from power poles to prevent such an accident happening again.
He also urged the tree’s owners to regularly trim the plant to keep it strong and stable and safeguard against the chance of it falling.
Mr Theerawat said the MEA plans to ask the owner of the building, who also owns the fallen tree, to pay compensation for a LED light that was broken when the tree fell.
Responding to the incident on Saturday, arborist Decha Boonkham said the tree fell because it had received inadequate care, resulting in the tree losing its strength and balance.