Three students killed, 48 people injured in school bus crash

[Russell17au]

I would say the reason why the bus was traveling in the right hand lane was because it was the safest and most comfortable to travel in because of the state of most of the roads in Thailand the left hand lane is to rough and dangerous to travel in.

My sympathy goes to the families of those killed and my best wishes to those injured and hope a quick recovery 

Edited November 16, 2017 by Russell17au
left something out

[Eloquent pilgrim]

20 minutes ago, CGW said:

I find this a very dangerous behavior here that no action or very little mention is made off. Many "hog" the outside lane, often driving very slowly, mainly because they lack the driving skills to use more than one lane! They in turn back traffic up behind them which leads to impatience................. we all know what that can lead too!

In a nutshell, many drivers here are totally incapable of "driving" a vehicle, how can anything change with these idiots on the roads?

Hogging the fast lane is often a byproduct of U-Turns, as if they didn't already present enough dangers. Every day, countless drivers will seize an opportunity to get into the fast lane to make a U-Turn as far as maybe 5 kilometres ahead, because they lack the basic skill or confidence to make the lane changing manoeuvre near the turn. 

 

There are other reasons for it as well; I have driven from Cha-am to Chiang Mai and back 4 times in the last 2 years, and there were many sections of road where the inside lane had become so littered with potholes from the tonnage of trucks, that every vehicle just sits in the fast lane. I have learned to be patient, it seems to be the only way. ??  ✌️✌️

[Airbagwill]

1 hour ago, kwak250 said:

Never claimed it was going to end all carnage but hey got to reduce the accidents if people learnt how to drive and who to give way to on roundabouts!

Don't forget the people posting on this thread years ago had much less traffic.

Probably had more horses to navigate around than cars.

I know my father was the only car owner in the road and children used run along next to it.

Different times airbagwill.

single solutions can't work on their own - and as long as people think it s "bad driving" they re not even addressing the subject correctly.

[CGW]

18 minutes ago, Eloquent pilgrim said:

Hogging the fast lane is often a byproduct of U-Turns, as if they didn't already present enough dangers. Every day, countless drivers will seize an opportunity to get into the fast lane to make a U-Turn as far as maybe 5 kilometres ahead, because they lack the basic skill or confidence to make the lane changing manoeuvre near the turn. 

 

There are other reasons for it as well; I have driven from Cha-am to Chiang Mai and back 4 times in the last 2 years, and there were many sections of road where the inside lane had become so littered with potholes from the tonnage of trucks, that every vehicle just sits in the fast lane. I have learned to be patient, it seems to be the only way. ??  ✌️✌️

Yes, good points - they do like to get in lane as soon as possible for the poorly designed U-turns don't they! & yes the inside lane is in many places torn up due to the overloaded trucks (which the Police never take action against, though sure they are taken care off!) The fact that most roads are poorly constructed is another mitigating factor - due to the money goes to ?? We wont even get into the noise pollution and the further effects of it here! again - no action!

I usually drop back and watch the shenanigans when both lanes are being hogged and keep the brakes covered!

There are so many legitimate ways the Police could make money and make the roads safer for all - not happening is it!

 

[Cranky]

1 hour ago, Tilacme said:

Don't stop your kids going on school outing and, following the bus in your farang pick up is just pathetic.  Check the school bus, driver and insurance and, let the kids go on school outings.

Worrying about your kids lives pathetic eh, nice ?   Letting them board one of these death traps is like having Hannibal Lechter as the babysitter and hoping he isn't hungry.

[Russell17au]

17 minutes ago, Cranky said:

Worrying about your kids lives pathetic eh, nice ?   Letting them board one of these death traps is like having Hannibal Lechter as the babysitter and hoping he isn't hungry.

Then don't let your children out the door, keep them safe in a cage inside the house. What a load of rubbish, you risk your children's lives everyday simply by letting them walk out the door because a simple accident can happen at anytime, anywhere.

[natway09]

The Minister of Transport has just released his "safety" programme for the holidays.

You need a better programme EVERY DAY.

Sorry Sir, You , your department have failed the nation along with the police traffic section

Bring 100 Australian & NZ police over for 10 weeks to work in mufti cars.

You will make a fortune.....  

[Russell17au]

11 minutes ago, natway09 said:

The Minister of Transport has just released his "safety" programme for the holidays.

You need a better programme EVERY DAY.

Sorry Sir, You , your department have failed the nation along with the police traffic section

Bring 100 Australian & NZ police over for 10 weeks to work in mufti cars.

You will make a fortune.....  

This just shows you lack of brain matter, because 100 extra police from Australia & NZ would not know where to start. unregistered bikes, unlicensed riders, unroadworthy vehicles and the list goes on. You would need atleast 1000

 

[wavemanwww]

10 hours ago, scorecard said:

 

My Thai son also, if there's a school trip he, or his wife, take their kid(s) in the family car and keep a good distance from the bus.

 

Plus my son and his wife refuse to allow their kids to sleep over at the school or anywhere. They pick them up at the designated 'lights out' time and bring them back early the next morning at an appropriate time.

 

A few months back they did this where the 'outing' was at an old huge run down resort. Son made a booking at a better hotel about 500metres away. When they had a good look at the run down resort they discovered there was no security staff whatever on duty, electric wires hanging everywhere, power points hanging off the walls, dirty bathrooms, which just reinforced their policy to not allow their kids to be with the school teachers etc., overnight. 

 

Also, I seem to recall that double decker buses were banned. Anybody recall the same?

 

RIP to the kids and quick recovery to those injured.

May I ask what the hell has your story got to do with subject matter. Sounds more like"Days of our lives"?:

[bruceamstutz]

I wonder how many in the bus were in their seats, with seat belts on. I would be willing to guess a big fat ZERO.....May the ones who lost their life's RIP....   

Edited November 16, 2017 by bruceamstutz

[Cranky]

35 minutes ago, Russell17au said:

Then don't let your children out the door, keep them safe in a cage inside the house. What a load of rubbish, you risk your children's lives everyday simply by letting them walk out the door because a simple accident can happen at anytime, anywhere.

You're right, I'll also buy them guns so they can defend themselves and faster motorbikes so they can escape.

[lvr181]

24 minutes ago, Russell17au said:

This just shows you lack of brain matter, because 100 extra police from Australia & NZ would not know where to start. unregistered bikes, unlicensed riders, unroadworthy vehicles and the list goes on. You would need atleast 1000

 

At least they would make a start - something that is beyond Government, RTP and other "do nothing, lacking ideas and full of excuses agencies". 

 

 

Edited November 16, 2017 by lvr181

[farcanell]

Absolutely appalling... but worse (for me).... I’m becoming so used to it that I looked at the article about fat thailand first

[Russell17au]

I think the biggest part of the problem is that nobody is game to do anything about this road problem. Remember they were bringing in a law about not being able to carry passengers in the back of pick ups that was to come into force before last Songkran but it got canned because someone said that the poor old farmer would not be able to take his family anywhere so the law was suspended until ???????????? If they were serious then they would bring these laws in and not just in Bangkok but get out into these rural areas and enforce the laws. Nothing makes me more angry than to see a mother and father on an unregistered bike wearing helmets and 2 small children with no helmets on riding like idiots on the busy roads and a policeman riding near them and doing absolutely nothing about it. You will never achieve any changes until you can change the mindset of the Thais and get them to challenge the government to change and enforce the laws, but unfortunately we will never see that happen

Edited November 16, 2017 by Russell17au
mispelling

[Russell17au]

1 hour ago, lvr181 said:

At least they would make a start - something that is beyond Government, RTP and other "hangers on". 

No, 100 would not be a start because they would have to work on their own and they would need protection from RTP and the lose of their coffee money, so you would need a much bigger force than 100.

[Here It Is]

A proper driving test, like the UK, and policing of the roads will drastically improve road safety, over time.  Got to start somewhere.  

[Russell17au]

3 minutes ago, Here It Is said:

A proper driving test, like the UK, and policing of the roads will drastically improve road safety, over time.  Got to start somewhere.  

Education is where it must start. Educate the Thais that the way they drive and disobey the road rules is wrong and dangerous and that they should respect the lives of their own family and not kill them. I think I must be dreaming if that sounds like it would work. I'll have to go back on my medication, I'm not thinking clearly

[kwak250]

2 hours ago, Airbagwill said:

single solutions can't work on their own - and as long as people think it s "bad driving" they re not even addressing the subject correctly.

But surely addressing "bad driving" is a Damn good start !

[Russell17au]

Australia

Police across the nation have joined forces for a one-day crack down on speeding drivers, in response to the statistic that three people lose their lives on Australia's roads every day.

The police are worried about 3 people losing their lives on the road each day.

This is the attitude that Thailand needs

[wgdanson]

Why was someone videoing, and zooming etc, a main road.

[jenny2017]

1 hour ago, Russell17au said:

I think the biggest part of the problem is that nobody is game to do anything about this road problem. Remember they were bringing in a law about not being able to carry passengers in the back of pick ups that was to come into force before last Songkran but it got canned because someone said that the poor old farmer would not be able to take his family anywhere so the law was suspended until ???????????? If they were serious then they would bring these laws in and not just in Bangkok but get out into these rural areas and enforce the laws. Nothing makes me more angry than to see a mother and father on an unregistered bike wearing helmets and 2 small children with no helmets on riding like idiots on the busy roads and a policeman riding near them and doing absolutely nothing about it. You will never achieve any changes until you can change the mindset of the Thais and get them to challenge the government to change and enforce the laws, but unfortunately we will never see that happen

Let me guess. You don't live here, right? Get out into these rural areas and enforce that poor people do not have a lift anymore?

 

   

[wgdanson]

3 hours ago, strawpanda said:

Scotland has the right idea: 'The Seat Belts on School Transport (Scotland) Bill was introduced in the Scottish Parliament by Gillian Martin MSP on 28 February 2017. The Bill would place a duty on every school authority to ensure that all services provided solely to transport school pupils to and from the establishments where they receive primary or secondary education use vehicles fitted with seat belts.'

 

http://www.parliament.scot/ResearchBriefingsAndFactsheets/S5/SB_17-16_Seat_Belts_on_School_Transport_Scotland_Bill.pdf

Totally correct, but I do not think seatbelts would have done much good in this crash.

[Russell17au]

2 minutes ago, jenny2017 said:

Let me guess. You don't live here, right? Get out into these rural areas and enforce that poor people do not have a lift anymore?

 

   

You should really read my post properly and you guessed wrong, I do live here and I do live in a rural village in Isaan. This was what the Thai governments excuse was for not implementing this law and so far the laws that they have implemented are in Bangkok only

[Siamesecarper]

This school is located not far from us and like all the community here in Phu Khieo our hearts really go out to those affected.  We used to travel on provincial coaches from/to Bangkok 10 years ago but wouldn't do it now. Unfortunately due to the lack of any railway network nearby and cost constraints the only way for most Thais round here to travel to Bangkok is on these coaches.  At least this coach had a GPS which is a start - come on General P get it sorted no more excuses.  RIP little one.

[wgdanson]

6 hours ago, johnarth said:

most of the answers are here in this forum, I think the major problem is their attitude to driving and the to hell with  road laws, (I do what I want why do you get in my road) where I live over 50 women on scooters are total in their own cap shell (a world of their own) a cause of many accidents of other people. high finds would be good, but because of tea money not good, confiscating verticals better, but where would the cops put all the verticals? perhaps they could send them straight to the wreckers no insurance paid that would make them sit up and take notice

Just helping..........it's VEHICLES.

 

[Rimmer]

A flame and a reply have been removed

[chickenslegs]

51 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

Why was someone videoing, and zooming etc, a main road.

Looks to me like someone was using their phone to record the video from a CCTV monitor.

[jenny2017]

15 minutes ago, Siamesecarper said:

This school is located not far from us and like all the community here in Phu Khieo our hearts really go out to those affected.  We used to travel on provincial coaches from/to Bangkok 10 years ago but wouldn't do it now. Unfortunately due to the lack of any railway network nearby and cost constraints the only way for most Thais round here to travel to Bangkok is on these coaches.  At least this coach had a GPS which is a start - come on General P get it sorted no more excuses.  RIP little one.

If you really believe that the "smart general" could sort such problems out, then please think about his occupation.

 

  Unfortunately, does the general not seem to understand much about the problems. 

 

  All the problems in LOS can only get worse as long as these guys have all say. 

[wgdanson]

1 minute ago, chickenslegs said:

Looks to me like someone was using their phone to record the video from a CCTV monitor.

But WHY? It started way before the accident.

 

[chickenslegs]

Just now, wgdanson said:

But WHY? It started way before the accident.

 

They were using their phone to record the CCTV footage of the incident that was being played back on a monitor.