Thai-Belgian flyover partly opened to traffic

BANGKOK, March 1 (TNA) - Two inbound lanes of the Thai-Belgian Bridge in Bangkok have already been opened to traffic, following a fire on February 28. Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang announced the re-opening of the Thai-Belgian Bridge partly as of noon on March 1. Wednesday's announcement of the Bangkok governor followed a thorough examination of the bridge’s structure and test of its strength with four 15-tonne trucks running on the bridge by the Office of Public Works of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and the Engineering Institute of Thailand on Tuesday night. After the test, the Bangkok governor said, two inbound lanes have been opened to traffic, while the other side of the bridge remains closed for repair, expected to take less than a month, and trucks are not allowed to use the bridge until a fresh public notice is issued. Traffic police have, in the meantime, laid out plans to adjust traffic management during rush hours to relieve heavy congestion. The cause of Tuesday's heavy fire beneath the Thai-Belgian Bridge is being probed but it is initially believed that a reckless toss of a cigarette may have caused the fire that broke out at plastic garbage bins stored under the bridge. (TNA)