Thai commuter in lucky escape

Bangkok's traffic is frightening enough already...

A Bangkok commuter had an especially harrowing journey home on Wednesday night when part of an airliner fell on top of his car.

Mongkol Uthoksiri was driving home when a 2m- (6ft-) piece of metal fell off a Cathay Pacific jet as it took off.

He said the impact gave him a terrible shock.

"I saw the plane take off and then I saw flames and debris falling but I didn't think it was going to hit my car," he told the AFP agency.

Pictures in the Bangkok Post showed the piece of metal, part of an engine unit, and the damaged car.

Mongkol Uthoksiri, a 41-year-old clerical worker, escaped unhurt.

The plane, a Boeing 777 which was on route to Mumbai, India, returned to Bangkok and landed safely.