Four foreign tourists dead as van slams in to turning 10 wheel truck

[Mainhattencitizen]

11 hours ago, Cadbury said:

But the Supreme Commander said he was going to fix van road deaths by bring in a raft of new regulations which he did. What about it Prime Minister? No comment?

The Prime Minister may have brought in new regulations but as long as the Police do not enforce them they are just wasted ink on the paper they are written on.

[taipan1949]

My first trip to Thailand 30 years ago included a bus ride from a last resting place in Phuket City. The two drivers left the dusty parking lot at the same and from then it was a drag/race all the way to Patong Beach. Only you who were here 30 years ago would know what I am talking about when I tell you that the "road" over the mountain was a  tight two car dusty dirt road. When these two would be side by side they were laughing and yelling at each other. It was like a bad movie. Being a smart Marine I moved to the back of the bus and after making sure the door would open I hung on for dear life until arriving at Patong, all the while thinking I am going to have to bail out of this insanity at any time. I guess things just don't change in the land of smiles. I recently moved to the Philippines and the last leg of my trip to my home from Davao requires a van. I rent the van by myself and family for a little more money but we have a little sit down before starting our trip and I tell him I better die in the first hit in an accident because I was coming after him and I have never had a bad trip although many other vans pass us on the road.

[Deli]

Morons driving, nothing new

[4MyEgo]

12 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The van driver survived and is in hospital in a serious condition. He was named as Wirachai Reuangsri. 

No way, after that horrific crash, RIP to all, must have been travelling at some speed !

[Tarteso]

Good morning, Thailand

 

RIP

[hansnl]

12 hours ago, Cadbury said:

But the Supreme Commander said he was going to fix van road deaths by bring in a raft of new regulations which he did. What about it Prime Minister? No comment?

You want him to answer you personally?

[jenny2017]

14 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

No way, after that horrific crash, RIP to all, must have been travelling at some speed !

He is basically so injured that he couldn't make the runner? 

[YetAnother]

12 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

The carnage is unbelievable, but it continues daily !

R.I.P. to any family and friends of the bereaved.

makes one wonder whether thais have evolved to the point of handling driving skills

[neeray]

I've ridden in many of these vans but only one ride scared the daylights out of me between Surat Thani and Krabi. He took so many unnecessary chances. But I repeat, that was only one occasion. All the others drove quite responsibly.

[jenny2017]

11 hours ago, balo said:

You would think Japanese tourists could afford a private driver , or just take the VIP bus. Those van drivers are the worst , avoid at all costs. 

How much would Thai people who're going to Japan know about the means of transport there?

 

   Why would a private driver be more secure, if he/she doesn't know how to drive?

 

    And a VIP bus isn't a 100 % protection. Perhaps an NCA bus with two drivers would be an alternative, but people on a holiday usually don't know much about the possible dangers and how to prevent them. 

 

 It's a little bit different when you're living here. 

 

  

Edited November 9, 2017 by jenny2017

[David Walden]

12 hours ago, Cadbury said:

But the Supreme Commander said he was going to fix van road deaths by bring in a raft of new regulations which he did. What about it Prime Minister? No comment?

Well yes we do see on Cha-am beach road 12 year olds often in a 40 kph zone with 2 or three passengers riding past the little police station on motor bikes staring at the nice policeman playing with their smart phones and smiling back at the kids having a good time.  The the older boys they play chicken with the young mothers trying to cross the road to the beach with a tribe of kids sometimes at 80/90 KPH.  All the foot paths are taken up with food stalls or cars parked on them so people have to walk amongst the moving cars.  But this is only on Saturday and Sunday the rest of the week it is the next best thing to heaven.  Road rules in Thailand are only recommendations...TIT

Edited November 9, 2017 by David Walden

[Artisi]

52 minutes ago, buick said:

the myth that thais typically use brake failure as their first line of defense. 

Wow, seems you can learn something new everyday, and here I was after 20 years in Thailand thinking that brake failure was one of the major reasons offered for the majority of fatal  accidents, but then of course maybe the OP was being factious about brake failure, and then on the other hand some people have no sense of understand or humour. 

[sead]

12 hours ago, Cadbury said:

But the Supreme Commander said he was going to fix van road deaths by bring in a raft of new regulations which he did. What about it Prime Minister? No comment?

He didnt say when...

[Cadbury]

22 minutes ago, hansnl said:

You want him to answer you personally?

No. I am expecting Steven 100 to answer on his behalf. There is always one in a crowd and today you happen to be it.

[Cranky]

7 minutes ago, Artisi said:

Wow, seems you can learn something new everyday, and here I was after 20 years in Thailand thinking that brake failure was one of the major reasons offered for the majority of fatal  accidents, but then of course maybe the OP was being factious about brake failure, and then on the other hand some people have no sense of understand or humour. 

I think you have a typo, it's brain failure.

[David Walden]

1 minute ago, Artisi said:

Wow, seems you can learn something new everyday, and here I was after 20 years in Thailand thinking that brake failure was one of the major reasons offered for the majority of fatal  accidents, but then of course maybe the OP was being factious about brake failure, and then on the other hand some people have no sense of understand or humour. 

My experience in the insurance business was that brake failure was caused by brake neglect.  Tyre failure was mostly as a result of tyres worn down to the canvas and still doing high speed.  Strangely new tyres today are not much dearer then they were 30 years ago, no excuse for bald tyres these days.

[Artisi]

10 minutes ago, David Walden said:

Well yes we do see on Cha-am beach road 12 year olds often in a 40 kph zone with 2 or three passengers riding past the little police station on motor bikes staring at the nice policeman playing with their smart phones and smiling back at the kids having a good time.  The the older boys they play chicken with the young mothers trying to cross the road to the beach with a tribe of kids sometimes at 80/90 KPH.  All the foot paths are taken up with food stalls or cars parked on them so people have to walk amongst the moving cars.  But this is only on Saturday and Sunday the rest of the week it is the next best thing to heaven.  Road rules in Thailand are only recommendations...TIT

I don't think the road rules are recommendations - suggestions would probably be closer to the mark

[Artisi]

8 minutes ago, Cranky said:

I think you have a typo, it's brain failure.

That's the cause, not the excuse 

[whaleboneman]

I fear that road safety here will only be improved when self-driving vehicles become mandatory.

[chopin2]

1 minute ago, whaleboneman said:

I fear that road safety here will only be improved when self-driving vehicles become mandatory.

Not if they set the vehicle computer as a thai van driver..

[PerkinsCuthbert]

Tailgating - it terrifies me whenever I'm driven in Thailand. There seems to be no correlation made in the Thai mind between speed and distance.

[djayz]

12 hours ago, balo said:

You would think Japanese tourists could afford a private driver , or just take the VIP bus. Those van drivers are the worst , avoid at all costs. 

So you believe that only those who can afford a private driver are safe on the roads? Maybe you also believe that those private drivers have the real, genuine lucky charms hanging up in their vehicles, you know,  the ones which protect the passangers from everything, right? 

 

What people can or can't afford isn't the problem here. 

[Lupatria]

The moment you start your vehicle here, consider yourself on a highway to hell with all these idiot drivers, road rage, red light runners, and brake failures.

[Dustdevil]

I haven't ridden in one of those stupid minivans in Thailand since 1991. They're uncomfortable for what can be hours on end and that's not enough; the drivers think they're extras from Mad Max Fury Road.

[JimP]

Terrible and avoidable tragedy.  Why did the driver survive?  RIP to the tourists.

Edited November 9, 2017 by JimP
grammar error

[scorecard]

2 hours ago, Artisi said:

Yep, bad luck brought on by stupidity and a complete lack of meaningful training. 

 

Plus families, society, schools never ever teach analysis and / or anticipation.

 

My Thai son grew up with constant reminders / examples about anticipation / plus his education in Singapore engendered analysis and anticipation.

 

He tries to explain all of these items to his relatives, but usually gives up. 

[moe666]

11 hours ago, jwalt421 said:

And yet... the driver survived. Hopefully long enough to go to prison for vehicular manslaughter. But that's probably not a thing in the LoS. Typical...

Read the article, it was the truck driver who survived as the truck was hit in the rear

[CGW]

Everybody is blaming the van driver! probably rightfully so?

But! why was the truck doing a u-turn and becoming a hazard, was there no slip road, the way the roads are designed here in many places are an accident waiting to happen, was the van driving in the outside lane and then found a truck blocking the lane doing a u-turn? not clear at this time.

[CLW]

Where are the speed limiters and announced tougher measures for minivans and their drivers.... Sadly all just hot air. RIP to the victims.

[Cranky]

31 minutes ago, PerkinsCuthbert said:

Tailgating - it terrifies me whenever I'm driven in Thailand. There seems to be no correlation made in the Thai mind between speed and distance.

I've noticed in all of Asia there appears to be a distinct lack of 'spatial awareness', it seems to be the same walking down a busy Bangkok street as it is on the roads; pedestrian behaviour very similar to driving behaviour.  Walking face down totally engrossed in the phone, changing direction with zero notice, walking out of shop straight in to my 'right-of-way' path,  checking to see if all is clear a couple of seconds after acting.  I put it all down to sleeping 50 to a room since birth.