Taiwan Railway Corp (TRC) and Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp yesterday urged passengers to carry their portable power banks with them rather than leave them in luggage following three incidents of such devices catching fire within the past year.
On Sept. 2 last year, a portable charger burst into flames in the pocket of a passenger on a TRC local train, while a power bank smoked in the bag of a passenger riding a Tze-Chiang Limited Express train on Oct. 13 last year.
A portable battery that burst into flames in a high-speed rail car on April 12 burned a passenger’s arm and left burn traces on the floor.
Photo courtesy of a reader
TRC vice chairman Jackson Liu (劉雙火) said that portable chargers are permitted on its trains, as they are not designated as dangerous goods under railway rules.
However, passengers with portable chargers should keep them nearby instead of stowing them away in a luggage area where they are not easily accessible, he said.
Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp also cautioned passengers to bring electronic devices containing lithium batteries such as portable chargers with them and use them safely.
Passengers would be liable for damages and other legal responsibilities if their batteries cause a fire, the company said.
In related news, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications on Thursday said that Taiwanese would not be affected by stricter Japanese regulations on driver’s licenses.
The Japanese government has said it would tighten rules for converting international driving permits into Japanese driver’s licenses to curb abuse by tourists.
Although addresses of temporary residences, such as hotels, are currently accepted in applications for Japanese licenses, it would now require a photocopy of a certificate of residence to prove the applicant is not a short-term traveler.
However, short-term Taiwanese travelers would not be affected, as they can use their Taiwanese driver’s license and its Japanese equivalent — which can be obtained from local driver’s license offices — to drive in Japan, the ministry said.
The number of Taiwanese applications for Japanese licenses was about 200,000 a year, ministry data showed.
People making long-term visits to Japan would have to apply for Japanese driver’s licenses, which can be obtained without taking written and road tests thanks to Taiwan-Japan reciprocal arrangements, as specified in the Road Traffic Security Rules (道路交通安全規則), the ministry said.
Foreign driver’s licenses granted by the government cannot be used in Japan, but can be used in more than 100 countries, it said, adding that the license can also be obtained from local offices.
Eight restaurants in Taiwan yesterday secured a one-star rating from the Michelin Guide Taiwan for the first time, while three one-star restaurants from last year’s edition were promoted to two stars. Forty-three restaurants were awarded one star this year, including 34 in Taipei, five in Taichung and four in Kaohsiung. Hosu (好嶼), Chuan Ya (川雅), Sushi Kajin (鮨嘉仁), aMaze (心宴), La Vie by Thomas Buhner, Yuan Yi (元一) and Frassi in Taipei and Front House (方蒔) in Kaohsiung received a one-star rating for the first time. Hosu is known for innovative Taiwanese dishes, while Chuan Ya serves Sichuan cuisine and aMaze specializes
Taitung County is to launch charter flights to Malaysia at the end of this year, after setting up flights to Vietnam and Thailand, the Taitung County Government said yesterday. The new charter flight services, provided by low-cost carrier Batik Air Malaysia, would be part of five-day tour packages for visits to Taitung County or Malaysia. The Batik Air charter flight, with about 200 seats, would take Malaysian tourists to Taitung on Dec. 30 and then at 12:35pm return to Kuala Lumpur with Taiwanese tourists. Another charter flight would bring the Taiwanese home on Jan. 3 next year, arriving at 5:30pm, before taking the
Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp. (THSRC) plans to ease strained capacity during peak hours by introducing new fare rules restricting passengers traveling without reserved seats in 2026, company Chairman Shih Che (史哲) said Wednesday. THSRC needs to tackle its capacity issue because there have been several occasions where passengers holding tickets with reserved seats did not make it onto their train in stations packed with individuals traveling without a reserved seat, Shih told reporters in a joint interview in Taipei. Non-reserved seats allow travelers maximum flexibility, but it has led to issues relating to quality of service and safety concerns, especially during
An exhibition celebrating Taiwan and Japan’s comic culture opened on Saturday in Taichung, featuring a section that explores Taiwanese reproductions of Japanese comics from when martial law limited Japanese representation. “A Century of Manga Culture: An Encounter of Taiwan and Japan’s Youth” held its Taiwan opening ceremony at Taichung’s National Taiwan Museum of Comics after an initial one-month run in Japan’s Kyoto International Manga Museum between May 24 and June 24. Much like the Kyoto exhibition, the show mainly celebrates the comic connection between Taiwan and Japan through late Taiwanese comic book