A rain-loaded protective sheet fell from an imperfect elevated road framework on a compact vehicle which was severely damaged on Rama II Road in Beat Khunthian district past due Thursday night.
Thichakorn Phothalay, 33, said the water-filled sheet pounded her car whilst she was driving on an outbound expressway lane on Rama II Road.
The effect caused a surprising thump on the roof and windscreen of the girl Ford Fiesta, but she managed to stop the car safely, Ms Thichakorn said.
While the driver could emerge unharmed, she found the large sheet crushed the top and windscreen associated with her car. The sheet was previously dangling from an incomplete structure of the raised road and most likely fell under the weight of rainwater caught inside, she mentioned.
Proprietor of the vehicle, Nitiphan Wongraksa, 38, posted dash cam video footage of the incident to social media, explaining he had lent his partner the car so she could drive back through her studies.
There were many similar sheets heavily logged with rainwater along the route, and his girlfriend was fortunate to have not really been hurt within the incident, Mr Nitiphan said.
Due to not having auto insurance, the two will have to discuss compensation from the raised roadway’s contractor.
Following the occurrence, Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob ordered the Highways Department to prepare for reparations.
The protective sheet fell in the 24. 7-kilometre-long Bang Khun Thian-Ban Phaew elevated road project of the Highways Section.
Itthiwat Krisanawanit, bridge construction director for the division, explained that protective sheets are used to cover parts of the project to prevent such drops.
To prevent a recurrence, authorities have decided to pierce holes in the protecting sheets to strain any rainwater, he said.
The Transport Ministry previously ordered the Highways Department postpone all construction along Rama II Street to review safety after a heartbreaking bridge collapse killed a couple on July 31.
The car was broken after being hit by a large amount of rain falling with a protecting sheet on Rama II Road in Bang Khun Thian district, Bangkok, on Thursday night. (Photo: Facebook page of Nitiphan Wongraksa)