Red minibus slides downhill in Chiang Mai, 2 killed

[webfact]

Red minibus slides downhill in Chiang Mai, 2 killed

By Thai PBS

 

 

A red minibus slid down from a parking lot in front of Phu Phing Ratchaniwet Palace in Tambon Suthep of Chiang Mai’s Muang district and rammed into a food stall below, killing two women and seriously wounding another, on Tuesday morning (Dec 5).

 

Yongyuth Boonlert, 45, the minibus driver, told police that he took a number of tourists from Chiang Mai town to Phu Phing Ratchaniwet Palace.  On arriving at the palace, he parked the vehicle and the passengers went off for sightseeing.

 

After the sightseeing, the passengers returned to the vehicle at about 11am. When he removed a stone which he used to block a rear wheel, the minibus, of which the engine had not been started, suddenly slid backward and moved quickly downhill, hitting a food stall about five to seven metres below.

 

Full story:  http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/red-minibus-slides-downhill-chiang-mai-2-killed/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2017-12-05

[webfact]

Tourists crushed by ‘red car’ in Chiang Mai

By Patinya Srisupamart 
The Nation

 

 

A “red car” – a modified pick-up truck for public transport also known as a Songthaew – rolled down a steep slope on the second floor of parking lot in Chiang Mai province, then fell five metres, killing two Thai tourists and seriously wounding a third on Tuesday.

 

Pol Lieutenant Patchara Tahta, of the Phuping Rajaniwet precinct, said the deceased tourists from Phang Nga were Kanokporn Tongtiram and Doungchan Pongdech, both 60. Their friend, La-eard Charoenrat, 74, was seriously wounded and was rushed to Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital.

 

Police said the three women were part of a 38-strong group tour from Phang Nga brought by to Chiang Mai by tour guide Anuwat Yoobumrung, who hired three “red cars” to transport the group from a downtown hotel to visit Wat Phra That Doi Suthep and Phuping Rajaniwet Palace.

 

At the conclusion of the visit, the three women were the first to arrive back at their pickup in the parking lot at Phuping Rajaniwet Palace. They sat in the back while the driver stood at the front summoning the other visitors to his vehicle.

 

The truck suddenly rolled backwards down a slope and fell five metres to the ground floor. Kanokporn and Doungchan fell out of the vehicle, which then crushed them resulting in their instant deaths. The truck also crashed into some souvenir shops along the way.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30333218

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-12-05

[worgeordie]

It must have been icy for it to slide downhill !,removing

the stone/a,k,a, handbrake,without in been in gear and

without the proper handbrake on,would do it,but then

it would be rolling down the hill.

RIP for those killed by the driver's stupidity,taking it

to a new level where they don't even have to be driving

to kill you.

regards worgeordie

[jenny2017]

 

The truck suddenly rolled backwards down a slope and fell five metres to the ground floor. Kanokporn and Doungchan fell out of the vehicle, which then crushed them resulting in their instant deaths. The truck also crashed into some souvenir shops along the way.

 

  What a terrible way to go. Stupidity kills. First gear, and handbrake would have prevented that. RIP. 

   

[jenny2017]

11 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

It must have been icy for it to slide downhill !,removing

the stone/a,k,a, handbrake,without in been in gear and

without the proper handbrake on,would do it,but then

it would be rolling down the hill.

RIP for those killed by the driver's stupidity,taking it

to a new level where they don't even have to be driving

to kill you.

regards worgeordie

In a country where "Airborne motorbikes" almost kill you, no surprise. ( Happened to us)

[trainman34014]

They have a terrible habit of not using their handbrakes or leaving a vehicle in gear when parked.  When i first arrived here many moons ago my wife already had a nice car she had from new two years earlier but i had to teach her to drive properly and how to use the car safely at all times.   She had been taught to drive by her Father who took her around the block twice and showed her how to cut off all the corners !

[BEVUP]

Ok it happens

But I'm amzed that the stone was actually doing anything, if it was it should of had some pressure on it

So he must of taken that of & applied the hand break maybe with the car running & it failed

[jenny2017]

2 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

They have a terrible habit of not using their handbrakes or leaving a vehicle in gear when parked.  When i first arrived here many moons ago my wife already had a nice car she had from new two years earlier but i had to teach her to drive properly and how to use the car safely at all times.   She had been taught to drive by her Father who took her around the block twice and showed her how to cut off all the corners !

There's a very plausible reason for. Especially in areas like CM with a lot of mountains, the road to Mae Hong Son, etc..brakes do get very hot and rear drum brakes, but also disc brakes could deform when  glowing hot. 

Edited December 5, 2017 by jenny2017

[overherebc]

59 minutes ago, jenny2017 said:

There's a very plausible reason for. Especially in areas like CM with a lot of mountains, the road to Mae Hong Son, etc..brakes do get very hot and rear drum brakes, but also disc brakes could deform when  glowing hot. 

Disc brake can deform?

Disc brakes are made from cast or modern equivalents with a very low C of E.

The reason they can stop working is that overheating can boil the brake fluid. Fluid is very difficult to compress but gas from overheated fluid is easy to compress and doesn't push the pads against the disc.

If discs deformed you would feel it through the pedal as juddering. Sort of like ABS systems, very fast on/off effect.

Plus they don't overheat when the vehicle is parked.

Edited December 5, 2017 by overherebc

[overherebc]

5 hours ago, jenny2017 said:

 

The truck suddenly rolled backwards down a slope and fell five metres to the ground floor. Kanokporn and Doungchan fell out of the vehicle, which then crushed them resulting in their instant deaths. The truck also crashed into some souvenir shops along the way.

 

  What a terrible way to go. Stupidity kills. First gear, and handbrake would have prevented that. RIP. 

   

Steep enough slope, no handbake and in top gear might be enough to overcome compression and let the vehicle roll.

Trying to work out, in my head, if going backwards with engine switched off and in top gear would allow it mechanically, perhaps with a well clapped out engine with very low compression in the cylinders it might.??

Edited December 5, 2017 by overherebc

[overherebc]

1 hour ago, overherebc said:

Steep enough slope, no handbake and in top gear might be enough to overcome compression and let the vehicle roll.

Trying to work out, in my head, if going backwards with engine switched off and in top gear would allow it mechanically, perhaps with a well clapped out engine with very low compression in the cylinders it might.??

Worked it out, I think, a car can roll backwards no matter what gear it's in if the slope is steep enough and the handbrake is not on. The higher the gear, ie top gear, makes it easier to overcome the cylinder compression. 

Remove the stone from behind the wheel which may be enough to help steady the truck along with the compression and the weight then quickly overcomes the first cylinder compression and inertia takes over faster and faster.

Reading again I'm also thinking people climbing in the back might add enough weight for the pick up to roll over the stone behind the wheel.

Who knows ????

Edited December 5, 2017 by overherebc

[balo]

They should have booked an UBER car . RIP. 

 

[overherebc]

7 minutes ago, balo said:

They should have booked an UBER car . RIP. 

 

Do they use bigger stones?

[BigBadGeordie]

1 hour ago, overherebc said:

Do they use bigger stones?

No but the drivers have (need) bigger "stones".

[jenny2017]

11 hours ago, overherebc said:

Disc brake can deform?

Disc brakes are made from cast or modern equivalents with a very low C of E.

The reason they can stop working is that overheating can boil the brake fluid. Fluid is very difficult to compress but gas from overheated fluid is easy to compress and doesn't push the pads against the disc.

If discs deformed you would feel it through the pedal as juddering. Sort of like ABS systems, very fast on/off effect.

Plus they don't overheat when the vehicle is parked.

Thank you for the information. I  believe that also disc brakes have brake pads that could eventually deform a disc when really hot? Anyway, it seems that many Thais who're driving the CM- Me Hong Son route aren't using their hand brakes and use a stone. 

[r136dg]

Surprised he didn't just drive off & leave the stone. Sure the moron had to beat on it pretty hard with the weight of the truck on it.

Top shelf public transport training & vehicle inspection/maintenance. 

[overherebc]

4 minutes ago, jenny2017 said:

Thank you for the information. I  believe that also disc brakes have brake pads that could eventually deform a disc when really hot? Anyway, it seems that many Thais who're driving the CM- Me Hong Son route aren't using their hand brakes and use a stone. 

Brake pads can't deform either but they can wear out.

Don't believe mechanics in garages over here, they will tell you anything to try to make you put your hand in your pocket. ??

[jenny2017]

10 hours ago, overherebc said:

Steep enough slope, no handbake and in top gear might be enough to overcome compression and let the vehicle roll.

Trying to work out, in my head, if going backwards with engine switched off and in top gear would allow it mechanically, perhaps with a well clapped out engine with very low compression in the cylinders it might.??

If the car is facing uphill, the first gear should be enough. Of course only if the compression is good enough. 

[MaxLee]

When the hand breaks failed, why is this bus even allowed to be approved for sightseeing..... 

[oldlakey]

50 minutes ago, MaxLee said:

When the hand breaks failed, why is this bus even allowed to be approved for sightseeing..... 

Its just the way it is I am afraid, and two more have paid in full

[sawadee1947]

in another thread it was about "brain diseases" in connection to a new driver's license.

So here we go: No gear, no hand brake....what a stupid driver. Take his license.....but I suppose this will not happen.

[overherebc]

2 hours ago, jenny2017 said:

Thank you for the information. I  believe that also disc brakes have brake pads that could eventually deform a disc when really hot? Anyway, it seems that many Thais who're driving the CM- Me Hong Son route aren't using their hand brakes and use a stone. 

Badly worn pads can maybe score a disc, would look like an old LP or 45 record but not deform them.

Very easy to re-face them and refit them again.

Re hand brake. That should be on whenever the vehicle stops, traffic lights junctions whatever.

If you don't do it during your test in UK it's a fail and re-take the test all over again. Especially important with a manual gearbox.

[Jonnapat]

Over the years I've found it not unusual for Thais not to use the handbrake for some idiotic reason.

Yet another stupid Thai trait that gets copied by others.

Another tick in the bad driving habit box.

Anyone surprised?

[jenny2017]

16 minutes ago, overherebc said:

Badly worn pads can maybe score a disc, would look like an old LP or 45 record but not deform them.

Very easy to re-face them and refit them again.

Re hand brake. That should be on whenever the vehicle stops, traffic lights junctions whatever.

If you don't do it during your test in UK it's a fail and re-take the test all over again. Especially important with a manual gearbox.

My brother has got a driving school and I'd love it if people here would learn a few things about important stuff like brakes.

 

I'm so fed up to think for others, and it's really annoying to slow down for others who do not know how to move a vehicle properly. 

 

 My wife made her DL on an old 4 gear Pick up and didn't know that other cars might have one or two more gears. 

 

 You can't make such stories up and everybody who lives here longer knows what I'm on about.

 

  It's always the lack of education, no matter in what subject. 

 

    

 

 

Edited December 6, 2017 by jenny2017

[overherebc]

4 minutes ago, jenny2017 said:

My brother has got a driving school and I'd love it if people here would learn a few things about important stuff like brakes.

 

I'm so fed up to think for others, and it's really annoying to slow down for others who do not know how to move a vehicle properly.

 

 My wife made her DL on an old 4 gear Pick up and didn't know that other cars might have one or two more gears. 

 

 You can't make such stories up and everybody who lives here longer knows what I'm on about.

 

  It's always the lack of education, no matter in what subject. 

 

    

 

 

A friend in Germany a good few years ago had a girlfriend who had her own merc. First time he drove the car, she'd owned it for a couple of years, her jaw dropped open when he got into 5th gear. She had been only using 4 gears same as her previous car.

[jenny2017]

8 minutes ago, Jonnapat said:

Over the years I've found it not unusual for Thais not to use the handbrake for some idiotic reason.

Yet another stupid Thai trait that gets copied by others.

Another tick in the bad driving habit box.

Anyone surprised?

Nope. Nothing, and I mean nothing at all could surprise me anymore! After I got hit twice and almost got killed sitting in my pickup, doing nothing wrong, I had to wait 14 months to get my truck completely redone twice. 

 

  It would only surprise me if Thais would all in a sudden drive like human beings with a brain, instead of Oxymorons. 

[jenny2017]

3 minutes ago, overherebc said:

A friend in Germany a good few years ago had a girlfriend who had her own merc. First time he drove the car, she'd owned it for a couple of years, her jaw dropped open when he got into 5th gear. She had been only using 4 gears same as her previous car.

I had quite a lot of classic Benz with only four gears. It's pretty difficult NOT to see the 5 gears on the stick.

 

   But well, women are the best drivers in all countries. 

[overherebc]

41 minutes ago, jenny2017 said:

I had quite a lot of classic Benz with only four gears. It's pretty difficult NOT to see the 5 gears on the stick.

 

   But well, women are the best drivers in all countries. 

Like this as well ??

This is fitted on mine and it's only got three gears.

Edited December 6, 2017 by overherebc

[electric]

2 hours ago, overherebc said:

 

Re hand brake. That should be on whenever the vehicle stops, traffic lights junctions whatever.

If you don't do it during your test in UK it's a fail and re-take the test all over

 

I'm an Aussie, so I found the above comment interesting about UK driving test requirement ie having to put the handbrake on at traffic lights. Presumably all traffic lights ?

 

What the ? Sounds pretty stupid to me. Who among us has EVER put the handbrake on when stopped at flat road traffic lights ?

 

Don't believe I've ever done it myself .... never. Even in a manual car.

 

Different story if stopped on a steepish hill and you need to do a handbrake start, which is quite difficult for novices to get right.

 

(A handbrake hill start is a requirement for Aust driver licence test to drive manual cars. If you're happy with a licence to drive only autos, the handbrake hill start is not tested.)

 

Anyway .... back to the OP. Unfortunately this driver is just another klutz graduate from the "How to Drive Well in Thailand - Driving School".

 

Brake failure ? ..... nah .... brain failure.

 

 

[farcanell]

17 hours ago, jenny2017 said:

There's a very plausible reason for. Especially in areas like CM with a lot of mountains, the road to Mae Hong Son, etc..brakes do get very hot and rear drum brakes, but also disc brakes could deform when  glowing hot. 

Lol.... sorry.... not very plausible at all, unless you mean it’s plausible because of ingrained p poor driving practices and equally p poor maintenance.

 

Given this.... disks can indeed deform.... usually because the pads have worn down, putting metal on metal, which then requires the disks to be machined flat ( made thinner).... do this a couple of times, and your disks are at minimum thickness... but this is Thailand... so do it a couple of more times ( because the pads aren’t changed soon enough), and you now have a thin disk which may deform or fracture.

 

this story is really summed up by the comment.... “when he removed a stone which he used to block a rear wheel....” ... yep... you guessed it.... death happened.

 

stones are not a manufacturers approved safety system ( now that driver knows why)