Exploding fire extinguisher kills a student and injures five in Bangkok

[bust]

I wonder how often these extinguishers get checked. They are normally good for 5 years as long as they are checked every six months.

Firefighters investigate the scene of the explosion at the Bangkok school

A fire extinguisher has exploded and killed a student during a fire drill held outdoors in sweltering heat at a high school in Thailand’s capital Friday, police said.

Five other students were injured.

The carbon dioxide canister was being displayed in bright sunshine near students during the demonstration in Bangkok when it exploded and sent metal scraps into the chest of the boy who died, city police chief Thiti Saengsawang said.

The high outdoor temperature might have caused the extinguisher to explode, according to the initial police investigation. 

Temperatures in Bangkok reached as high as 36 C on Friday.

At least three people could face charges of death by negligence, police says

At least three people could face charges of death by negligence, Mr Thiti said, but he did not identify them.

Police and rescuers said five students were injured.

Education Minister Treenuch Thienthong said it was the first time in six years that the school had held a fire drill, and that it was coordinated by Bangkok's Fiire Department.

She said the department hadn’t experienced such an accident before during the many drills it has conducted at schools.

[Mekong]

6 Months is incorrect, visual inspection annually and pressure test every 5 years 

NFPA 10 Portable Fire Extinguishers

The comment about Temperature is bollox CO2 extinguishers can be stored up to 60 Degrees C

Fire Detection and Prevention systems is also part of my work / sad existence. 

[bust]

That's pretty much what I said. Here it is every 6 months

In OZ they are actually part of the annual fire certificate.

Where does that document apply to? I noted it's 10 years old.

I know here regulations change regularly .

[Mekong]

NFPA are an International Standard from the USA / Canada, very similar to IEC.

I have used NFPA exclusively in the Middle East and SE Asia.

In all NFPA contains approx 260 different publications, I have every one of them.

The reason why the one I linked to is 10 years old is because it is free, more up to date copy you have to pay for but it gives general idea and changes are minimal

Just checked Aussie Standard AS 1851 , not because I doubted you but for my own curiosity, and you are correct it is 6 monthly visual / 5 yearly pressure test, and for the record most recent issue was 2012 was 11 years old now, older than the NFPA you complained about 🤪

Cant find too much in Thailand per se, but what I have found is that ANSI, AS/NZ, IEC, ISO and NFPA are all applicable so now you have contradictions  in standards as to Test Interval for Visual Inspections but at least the Pressure Test interval is the same.

[bust]

Interestingly in most cases here they do not pressure test at 5 years they actually replace them.

Not very cost effective but if buildings don't get their certificate  then they don't their insurance cover.

[Mekong]

Not as bad as you think cost wise, a 5kg extinguisher costs approx $100 and the cost for Hydrostatic Testing and recharging is about the same in the West. 
it’s only economically feasible to Hydrostatic Test-and Recharge in countries where salaries a a lot less