At Least 28 Passengers Killed When A Bus Was Caught On Fire

[Tarragona]

The driver was arrested but I feel it would be wrong to make him the scapegoat. He already knew there was a brake problem so he was wrong to go on. But let's face it - that's probably normal working conditions for a lot of these bus drivers, something that's not out of the ordinary. As someone has already pointed out, he would probably have lost his job if he'd refused to go on. And maybe the passengers wouldn't have thanked him at the time.

The only way this tragedy will lead to changes is if company executives do serious time. They should take responsibility for the maintenance of their vehicles and the conditions the drivers work under.

But I expect the company willl cough up 10,000 baht / victim, the driver will do heavy time and nothing will change.

Thailand is truly amazing, but I don't think even Thailand would arrest a dead person nor send him to prison:

"Rescuers found 28 dead and burnt bodies including that of the bus driver, and another died in a nearby hospital."

Bangkok Post

I was going from a radio report I heard this morning which also said he had only minor injuries. Matichon reports it's not known whether the driver escpaed or not and Thai Rath lists him among the injured.

Who knows?

[jeffrosner]

I rode the buses for a couple years on a regular basis, Every time I entered one I carried my own glass breaker and was fully prepared to use it. Thankfully I never experienced a bus accident first hand but I have seen to many to count and so many are just preventable by simple maintenance and basic safety standards. May God or gods have mercy on these poor unfortunate souls who burned alive today in this tragedy and may someone please lay down the law once and for all concerning the safety standards of public transportation in Thailand which are possibly the worst in the world by volume.

Where did you buy the glass breaker?

[paulmw]

My girlfriend returned to Jomtien this morning from Khon Kaen.

10.5 hours on the bus and when she boarded she was told that the only seat she could have was a plastic 60baht stool which they filled the centre aisle with.

Obviously not fixed to the floor and about 20 people sitting on them!

Imagine the scene when the bus brakes sharply, let alone in the event of an accident.

Some things go beyond belief!

This is normal from BKK to Yasthon Mukdahan, counted 28 standing one night leaving pickup point Saraburi for Mukdahan.

Plastic stool a luxury.

Paul

[Mid]

"Driver is to blame..."

In a 21 March 2007 phone call to Thai Army 5 TV channel, Jae Kiew (Suchinda Cherdcahi, owner of Thailand's largest passenger transport company, indicated "If the brakes were not good, or the bus was not in shape to drive, the driver should not have taken it out." The issue of responsibility by the transport company in allowing a faulty bus on the road was not raised.

the Korat Post

whilst this mentality prevails , forget any changes ...........................

[Tony Clifton]

I rode the buses for a couple years on a regular basis, Every time I entered one I carried my own glass breaker and was fully prepared to use it. Thankfully I never experienced a bus accident first hand but I have seen to many to count and so many are just preventable by simple maintenance and basic safety standards. May God or gods have mercy on these poor unfortunate souls who burned alive today in this tragedy and may someone please lay down the law once and for all concerning the safety standards of public transportation in Thailand which are possibly the worst in the world by volume.

Where did you buy the glass breaker?

Breaking the glass is one thing.

The sun screen/film, applied onto most bus windows, will still hold the hundreds of pieces together. You can expect a few layers of the stuff too. Usually applied on the outside. Ever noticed how some cars are badly smashed but the shattered windshield is still holding together?

You're still trapped.

Edited March 21, 2007 by Tony Clifton

[cdnvic]

TiT though. Are you sure it's safety glass?

[jumnien]

Terrible tragedy! And the roads are very dangerous in Thailand, no doubt! That said, most of us long-term farangs here will die from over-consumption of doughnuts, cigarettes and alcohol. Thank God, percentage wise, bus accidents will appear a bit farther down the list. While we cannot control the traffic situation in Thailand or anywhere else, we can control the doughnuts, cigarettes and alcohol. Safe eating, especially if you are in a bus!

[Tony Clifton]

TiT though. Are you sure it's safety glass?

Most likely isn't safety glass but the dark film will act like it, holding the broken glass together. The film would have to be cut from the outside As you'd be scraping away at glass from the inside.

[marshbags]

The bus was overloaded according to this morning's news. In addition to a full complement of seated passengers were 20 standing room only passengers.

This article backs up Hengs observations

From todays B.Post

General news >> Wednesday March 21, 2007 SARABURI / TRAGIC ROAD ACCIDENT

Quote:-

Fiery bus crash kills 29

Saraburi _ Twenty-nine passengers burned to death and 31 others were injured when an air-conditioned bus went up in flames on the Friendship Highway in Muak Lek district yesterday afternoon. The bus, which belonged to Sa-nguan Yan Yon Co, had about 60 passengers on board heading to Bangkok from Yasothon province.

Unquote.

Please go to the following url for the full article:-

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/21Mar2007_news02.php

Apologies if it,s already been added somewhere.

I used to catch the VIP buses from Pattaya to Udonthani and the experience was really frightening and disturbing.

They used to wait until after they had picked up the officially booked passengers then you could guarantee the attendant would bring out some thin plastic stools and not just fill the aisle with additional unauthorised ones.

Both ways by the way.

On top of this there would be standing ones also, all of us packed up like a can of sardines.

I did on several occasions have to physically push them away from my seating area along with elbows and top parts of bodies leaning over my space in front of me.

( The various odours coming from some of them was unbearable )

I did complain to officials but just got a blank look and the usual grin they are good at giving you along with the complimentary shrug.

You could physically feel the bus swaying about and it was a miracle I / we survived.

Thank god i can now fly and not have to go through this anymore, i feel for those that have no choice.

By the way it was on CH.3 at 11.45 aprox. this morning also and there was an additional VIP bus crash reported on.

They were carrying passengers out of the bus that was leaning on it,s side but you couldn,t see any indications of fatalities or fire.

What goes on is criminal and we and more importantly The Authorities are well aware of these repeated incidents day after day but fail to seriously address the situation.

Teaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa money so the choosen few can use other modes of safer transport

Not least of course because Puyai do not have to use them so it doesn,t effect them personally.

My thoughts are with the victims and the heartache it has caused them all.

Just because it is " T.I.T. " doesn,t mean we don,t have to be concerned and caring.

I,m sure we all are as this thread demonstrates, i personally get very upset every time these accidents occur.

marshbags

Edited March 21, 2007 by marshbags

[sbk]

Are there no police checkpoints for these buses? I have taken VIP govt buses in the past (from Surat Thani) and have always had at least one stop in the middle of the night at a police checkpoint where the police got on the bus to check out the passengers.

[taxexile]

check out the passengers.

they should be checking the driver for alcohol / stimulants and the emergengcy door , tyres and braking system and any safety certificates that should be required by law and acting on what they find , rather than checking the passengers for smuggled garlic and cigarettes.

[Thai-Spy]

Are there no police checkpoints for these buses? I have taken VIP govt buses in the past (from Surat Thani) and have always had at least one stop in the middle of the night at a police checkpoint where the police got on the bus to check out the passengers.

That's about all the police will dare to do; check for illegals or other wanted persons on the coaches or visit the carnage after an accident. They will generally not interfere in any other way given the links between the bus company owners and certain influential persons.

[sbk]

check out the passengers.

they should be checking the driver for alcohol / stimulants and the emergengcy door , tyres and braking system and any safety certificates that should be required by law and acting on what they find , rather than checking the passengers for smuggled garlic and cigarettes.

I always thought they were checking for overcrowding as well as thieves.

[cdnvic]

Can almost guarantee those extra passengers are not on the books either.

[marshbags]

Can almost guarantee those extra passengers are not on the books either.

Spot on and definitely guaranteed.

I have never witnessed any random stoppages or searches from anyone.

The attendants usually know when it is safe to take extras on board.

Especially at night and i,ve seen the passing of, what ever ???? between authorities and it doesn,t take a rocket scientist to work out the why,s and wherefors.

You can see it at various bus intersections, in my reference " Korat " / Nakorn Ratchasima as in this O.P.

As for reporting this, we all know the outcome of such actions ?????????????? including rejection as an undesirable regarding your guesting in Thailand.

Police Authorities..Immigration = Same.....Same

Cross them at your peril. IMHO

marshbags

P.S.

The most frightening one i did was Maesarang Changmai and back.

The side views are breathtaking and

Edited March 21, 2007 by marshbags

[kuma]

I rode the buses for a couple years on a regular basis, Every time I entered one I carried my own glass breaker and was fully prepared to use it. Thankfully I never experienced a bus accident first hand but I have seen to many to count and so many are just preventable by simple maintenance and basic safety standards. May God or gods have mercy on these poor unfortunate souls who burned alive today in this tragedy and may someone please lay down the law once and for all concerning the safety standards of public transportation in Thailand which are possibly the worst in the world by volume.

Where did you buy the glass breaker?

surfed "emergency escape tool" in automotive, as a start - may be some available locally.

http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&search...tool&page=1

[paulmw]

The bus was overloaded according to this morning's news. In addition to a full complement of seated passengers were 20 standing room only passengers.

This article backs up Hengs observations

From todays B.Post

General news >> Wednesday March 21, 2007 SARABURI / TRAGIC ROAD ACCIDENT

Quote:-

Fiery bus crash kills 29

Saraburi _ Twenty-nine passengers burned to death and 31 others were injured when an air-conditioned bus went up in flames on the Friendship Highway in Muak Lek district yesterday afternoon. The bus, which belonged to Sa-nguan Yan Yon Co, had about 60 passengers on board heading to Bangkok from Yasothon province.

Unquote.

Please go to the following url for the full article:-

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/21Mar2007_news02.php

Apologies if it,s already been added somewhere.

I used to catch the VIP buses from Pattaya to Udonthani and the experience was really frightening and disturbing.

They used to wait until after they had picked up the officially booked passengers then you could guarantee the attendant would bring out some thin plastic stools and not just fill the aisle with additional unauthorised ones.

Both ways by the way.

On top of this there would be standing ones also, all of us packed up like a can of sardines.

I did on several occasions have to physically push them away from my seating area along with elbows and top parts of bodies leaning over my space in front of me.

( The various odours coming from some of them was unbearable )

I did complain to officials but just got a blank look and the usual grin they are good at giving you along with the complimentary shrug.

You could physically feel the bus swaying about and it was a miracle I / we survived.

Thank god i can now fly and not have to go through this anymore, i feel for those that have no choice.

By the way it was on CH.3 at 11.45 aprox. this morning also and there was an additional VIP bus crash reported on.

They were carrying passengers out of the bus that was leaning on it,s side but you couldn,t see any indications of fatalities or fire.

What goes on is criminal and we and more importantly The Authorities are well aware of these repeated incidents day after day but fail to seriously address the situation.

Teaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa money so the choosen few can use other modes of safer transport

Not least of course because Puyai do not have to use them so it doesn,t effect them personally.

My thoughts are with the victims and the heartache it has caused them all.

Just because it is " T.I.T. " doesn,t mean we don,t have to be concerned and caring.

I,m sure we all are as this thread demonstrates, i personally get very upset every time these accidents occur.

marshbags

[saraburi _ Twenty-nine passengers burned to death and 31 others were injured when an air-conditioned bus went up in flames on the Friendship Highway in Muak Lek district yesterday afternoon. The bus, which belonged to Sa-nguan Yan Yon Co, had about 60 passengers on board heading to Bangkok from Yasothon province. ]

This part of the A2 has always had a record of accidents the run down from Muak Lek to Siam city cement,

changed my trousers a few times myself.

Paul

[paulmw]

The bus was overloaded according to this morning's news. In addition to a full complement of seated passengers were 20 standing room only passengers.

This article backs up Hengs observations

From todays B.Post

General news >> Wednesday March 21, 2007 SARABURI / TRAGIC ROAD ACCIDENT

Quote:-

Fiery bus crash kills 29

Saraburi _ Twenty-nine passengers burned to death and 31 others were injured when an air-conditioned bus went up in flames on the Friendship Highway in Muak Lek district yesterday afternoon. The bus, which belonged to Sa-nguan Yan Yon Co, had about 60 passengers on board heading to Bangkok from Yasothon province.

Unquote.

Please go to the following url for the full article:-

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/21Mar2007_news02.php

Apologies if it,s already been added somewhere.

I used to catch the VIP buses from Pattaya to Udonthani and the experience was really frightening and disturbing.

They used to wait until after they had picked up the officially booked passengers then you could guarantee the attendant would bring out some thin plastic stools and not just fill the aisle with additional unauthorised ones.

Both ways by the way.

On top of this there would be standing ones also, all of us packed up like a can of sardines.

I did on several occasions have to physically push them away from my seating area along with elbows and top parts of bodies leaning over my space in front of me.

( The various odours coming from some of them was unbearable )

I did complain to officials but just got a blank look and the usual grin they are good at giving you along with the complimentary shrug.

You could physically feel the bus swaying about and it was a miracle I / we survived.

Thank god i can now fly and not have to go through this anymore, i feel for those that have no choice.

By the way it was on CH.3 at 11.45 aprox. this morning also and there was an additional VIP bus crash reported on.

They were carrying passengers out of the bus that was leaning on it,s side but you couldn,t see any indications of fatalities or fire.

What goes on is criminal and we and more importantly The Authorities are well aware of these repeated incidents day after day but fail to seriously address the situation.

Teaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa money so the choosen few can use other modes of safer transport

Not least of course because Puyai do not have to use them so it doesn,t effect them personally.

My thoughts are with the victims and the heartache it has caused them all.

Just because it is " T.I.T. " doesn,t mean we don,t have to be concerned and caring.

I,m sure we all are as this thread demonstrates, i personally get very upset every time these accidents occur.

marshbags

[saraburi _ Twenty-nine passengers burned to death and 31 others were injured when an air-conditioned bus went up in flames on the Friendship Highway in Muak Lek district yesterday afternoon. The bus, which belonged to Sa-nguan Yan Yon Co, had about 60 passengers on board heading to Bangkok from Yasothon province. ]

This part of the A2 has always had a record of accidents the run down from Muak Lek to Siam city cement,

changed my trousers a few times myself.

Paul

Just seen the bus photo.

These jokers are the worst for overloading on the Yasthon & Mukdahan routes & the worst Buses.

Went twice with them never again.

Told them they may beable to treat Thaia like cattle but not Me 9 usual shrug of the shouldersThey don't give a toss.

paul

[Mid]

"Driver is to blame..."

In a 21 March 2007 phone call to Thai Army 5 TV channel, Jae Kiew (Suchinda Cherdcahi, owner of Thailand's largest passenger transport company, indicated "If the brakes were not good, or the bus was not in shape to drive, the driver should not have taken it out." The issue of responsibility by the transport company in allowing a faulty bus on the road was not raised.

the Korat Post

whilst this mentality prevails , forget any changes ...........................

happy to prove myself wrong ...................

Fiery bus company parked for a week

(BangkokPost.com)

The Transport Company Wednesday temporarily suspended the operation of the bus company whose bus went up in flames and killed 29 passengers on Tuesday in Muak Lek district.

that'll learn 'em

[markokang]

The bus was overloaded according to this morning's news. In addition to a full complement of seated passengers were 20 standing room only passengers.

This article backs up Hengs observations

From todays B.Post

General news >> Wednesday March 21, 2007 SARABURI / TRAGIC ROAD ACCIDENT

Quote:-

Fiery bus crash kills 29

Saraburi _ Twenty-nine passengers burned to death and 31 others were injured when an air-conditioned bus went up in flames on the Friendship Highway in Muak Lek district yesterday afternoon. The bus, which belonged to Sa-nguan Yan Yon Co, had about 60 passengers on board heading to Bangkok from Yasothon province.

Unquote.

Please go to the following url for the full article:-

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/21Mar2007_news02.php

Apologies if it,s already been added somewhere.

I used to catch the VIP buses from Pattaya to Udonthani and the experience was really frightening and disturbing.

They used to wait until after they had picked up the officially booked passengers then you could guarantee the attendant would bring out some thin plastic stools and not just fill the aisle with additional unauthorised ones.

Both ways by the way.

On top of this there would be standing ones also, all of us packed up like a can of sardines.

I did on several occasions have to physically push them away from my seating area along with elbows and top parts of bodies leaning over my space in front of me.

( The various odours coming from some of them was unbearable )

I did complain to officials but just got a blank look and the usual grin they are good at giving you along with the complimentary shrug.

You could physically feel the bus swaying about and it was a miracle I / we survived.

Thank god i can now fly and not have to go through this anymore, i feel for those that have no choice.

By the way it was on CH.3 at 11.45 aprox. this morning also and there was an additional VIP bus crash reported on.

They were carrying passengers out of the bus that was leaning on it,s side but you couldn,t see any indications of fatalities or fire.

What goes on is criminal and we and more importantly The Authorities are well aware of these repeated incidents day after day but fail to seriously address the situation.

Teaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa money so the choosen few can use other modes of safer transport

Not least of course because Puyai do not have to use them so it doesn,t effect them personally.

My thoughts are with the victims and the heartache it has caused them all.

Just because it is " T.I.T. " doesn,t mean we don,t have to be concerned and caring.

I,m sure we all are as this thread demonstrates, i personally get very upset every time these accidents occur.

marshbags

Me too! because more often than not I am the one to go and clean up or help, I love helping but tired of the same old thing! Reckless, irresponsible, uncaring, and untrained Bus and truck drivers! Driving in general is poor across all vehicles in Thailand but particularly these people as they are in charge of more lethal weapons (and people) than a motorcycle rider!

I wish (Pray) that things change but as you all know, its gonna be a slow process! It needs Government, police and public education and initiative to change peoples thinking. You can guarantee a Thai will never complain when a bus driver is driving recklessly! Back home we could pobably have him arrested and everyone on the bus would come forward as witnesses. To date in the last 6 years I cant remember anyone (other than victims) accusing or offering themselves as witnesses in Thailand. Many understandable reasons for that such as corrupt and/or incompetent police and I have heard of and experienced cases of people who have stopped to help being accused of being invloved or causing the accident! Amazing Thailand! Its amazing how nasty people can be sometimes and how money hungry!

Makes me sad:(

[CymruAmByth]

Once again, here is an issue that maybe a little word of intervention from HRH would resolve?

RIP to all those concerned in this terrible, and possibly (probably) avoidable accident.

[TukTukDriver]

I took a new Mercedes bus from the airport to Pattaya recently. When we arrived at our destination they could not open the door that seperates the passengers from the driver and also allows exit to the bus. It took them awhile to even open the emergency exit and then we still had a long jump to get down. Old or new, they are all kinda scary.

[thaigene2]

until the owners of the bus companies , and those who run other public services in this country develop a sense of responsibility for their customers and staff , then poorly maintained vehicles and poorly trained , poorly paid and overworked drivers and minimal maintenance and minimal standards will be the order of the day.

add to the mix poorly enforced and ambiguous regulations , no punishment for offenders and the general selfishness and lack of any moral standards that pervades almost every business enterprise in this country and it is not too hard to see why these accidents occur.

its a typical third world thing , and sadly thailand has not taken the chances given to it to move its people or its governance forward over the past 20 years , for the benefit of its people and especially its children.

the country is morally bankrupt , and in dire need of a big shakeup.

it cant be far away , thailand is in for a very bumpy ride i believe ,

And let's not forget the people themselves who should know better than to travel standing room only on moving transport. Buses, song taews, klong boats, all the same. Being in hurry or not wanting to wait for the next bus or boat is no excuse either.

Ah yes Heng...

I note you are one of those posters who does your best to always shift blame away from the elites and onto the unwashed masses. Taxexile is right - what goes around comes around - eventually. Will you be running down the street with people chasing you one day? For your sake mate, I hope not.

Edited March 21, 2007 by thaigene2

[thaigene2]

Thai drivers make up their own laws because they know there's no danger of getting pulled over, period. No paranoia whatsoever of seeing a police cruiser with flashing lights in the rear view mirror.

Expressway, elevated highway, motorway, tollways, 4 lane wide highways, 2 airports, Siam Paragon, Emporium, Mercedes and BMWs everywhere but still, no homogenous and coordinated ambulance system, no patrol cars or motorcycles pulling cars over.

Welcome to a developing country.

If you expect those things to be like in the west, than maybe you would be better off there. Realistically seen, if you compare Thailand with similar countries in the region, these problems you mentioned are better than in most.

Ambulance may not be "homogenous" (in many western countries they are not either), but they definitively are coordinated, with areas of responsibility, radios, etc.

You're as bad as Heng - another apologist for the 'way things are' but with a twist.

however I don't suggest you are one of those US 'Nam Vets' glad to be here 40 years after fightin the commies in SE Asia? 'Stupid unwashed thais burned themselves ta death by gum?' Where my bottle of JD? But seriously, hey - where's that guy the Post keeps quoting in Letters to the Editor as Col or Sgt Smith etc...retired.. in the latest right-wing rant? (a psudonym I know..) but where do these guys come from...(by gum). Must be a TV member...show yurself ponytail!

[Heng]

until the owners of the bus companies , and those who run other public services in this country develop a sense of responsibility for their customers and staff , then poorly maintained vehicles and poorly trained , poorly paid and overworked drivers and minimal maintenance and minimal standards will be the order of the day.

add to the mix poorly enforced and ambiguous regulations , no punishment for offenders and the general selfishness and lack of any moral standards that pervades almost every business enterprise in this country and it is not too hard to see why these accidents occur.

its a typical third world thing , and sadly thailand has not taken the chances given to it to move its people or its governance forward over the past 20 years , for the benefit of its people and especially its children.

the country is morally bankrupt , and in dire need of a big shakeup.

it cant be far away , thailand is in for a very bumpy ride i believe ,

And let's not forget the people themselves who should know better than to travel standing room only on moving transport. Buses, song taews, klong boats, all the same. Being in hurry or not wanting to wait for the next bus or boat is no excuse either.

Ah yes Heng...

I note you are one of those posters who does your best to always shift blame away from the elites and onto the unwashed masses. Taxexile is right - what goes around comes around - eventually. Will you be running down the street with people chasing you one day? For your sake mate, I hope not.

Ah yes Thaigene2, and you are....?

Not shifting blame away from anyone. Just not repeating what's already been said. But if you don't mind hearing it again, sure... the Department of Transport, the bus company, the driver, and yes, the passengers are all to blame. I'd actually not like to 'som nam nar' the dead... so really it's a comment on generally dangerous behavior on the part of a lot of living folks who ALL have the choice, no matter how unwashed they happen to be, to apply a little common sense and patience and NOT crowd onto buses, song taews, boats, the BTS, etc.

No need for anyone to chase me down the street. I'm always more than happy to sign autographs.

[petedk]

Pol Col Nisakorn Boontanont, Muak Lek district police chief, said passengers who survived the accident reported having seen flames streaming from the rear of the bus.

The passengers had alerted the driver to the fire, but he had not stopped the bus to allow them to get off, Pol Col Nisakorn said.

Some of the passengers had decided to jump out of the bus while it was still moving.

The driver eventually lost control of the vehicle which skidded off the highway and was engulfed in flames.

Passengers said the bus had a brake problem earlier when it was in Pak Chong district in Nakhon Ratchasima. The driver stopped there to get the problem fixed.

But when the bus was in Saraburi a wheel caught fire and the blaze spread to the engine. The brakes then failed to work.

It seems that maybe, just maybe, this tragedey could have been avoided. Why on earth didn't the driver stop when asked to? What goes through the minds of these people?

[Ga-gai]

It seems that maybe, just maybe, this tragedey could have been avoided. Why on earth didn't the driver stop when asked to? What goes through the minds of these people?

Maybe he were afraid of arriving late, resulting in losing his pay or even losing his work. I beleive there are very tough rules put on both busdrivers and truckdrivers. They have to deliver on time, or else...

And whom is to blame? Well, the driver should have stopped of course. But in the end, it is problably the employer and the bad working conditions that is the source of wreckless bus/truck driving. It is far to easy to narrow it down and just put all the blame on the driver.

Edited March 21, 2007 by Ga-gai

[thaigene2]

Ah yes Thaigene2, and you are....?

..someone always looking for a good debate my friend.

.....it's a comment on generally dangerous behavior on the part of a lot of living folks who ALL have the choice, no matter how unwashed they happen to be, to apply a little common sense and patience and NOT crowd onto buses, song taews, boats, the BTS, etc.

Agreed..but inter-provincial buses like this one don't usually have people standing in the aisles...right? Did you see references to people standing around?

No need for anyone to chase me down the street. I'm always more than happy to sign autographs.

Nice one..

[thaigene2]

Pol Col Nisakorn Boontanont, Muak Lek district police chief, said passengers who survived the accident reported having seen flames streaming from the rear of the bus.

The passengers had alerted the driver to the fire, but he had not stopped the bus to allow them to get off, Pol Col Nisakorn said.

Some of the passengers had decided to jump out of the bus while it was still moving.

The driver eventually lost control of the vehicle which skidded off the highway and was engulfed in flames.

Passengers said the bus had a brake problem earlier when it was in Pak Chong district in Nakhon Ratchasima. The driver stopped there to get the problem fixed.

But when the bus was in Saraburi a wheel caught fire and the blaze spread to the engine. The brakes then failed to work.

It seems that maybe, just maybe, this tragedey could have been avoided. Why on earth didn't the driver stop when asked to? What goes through the minds of these people?

Oh -- okay -- am I the ONLY ONE who wonders ..... Gee let's see...the bus driver hears people shouting 'fire'! - he looks in his rear view mirror (you know around the teddy bears and all the other sanuk junk admittedly) and sees FLAMES SHOOTING UP THE F++KING AISLE and decides to DRIVE ON??

You guys really have lived here too long haven't ya?

Coup supporters too?

[Ga-gai]

You guys really have lived here too long haven't ya?

Coup supporters too?

Well, I agree that the busdriver got the fully responsibility for the incident as it happened. He should have stopped sooner than ASAP.

But why do a driver choose to drive on when the bus clearly got problems, instead of reporting to the office that the bus is unrelieble and needs a replacement? His job is only to drive the bus and take it from A to B. Probably because there isn't room for either time or understanding from the management. If the engine can start, the bus is ready to go! If the driver doesn't do so, he probably lose his day payment or maybe even his work. What else would make I driver to risk his life? In my country, the bus would be put aside even for a faulty windscreen viper on a clear summers day. If the driver doesn't do that, he could be held responsible for neglect regarding safety.

But in this country, a driver will be held responsible for the companies loss of income if he doesn't take the vehicle from A to B as he was told to do. No matter what. A broken engine, is the only understanding he would get.

To much corruption, to few rules, no safety thinking among companies and management (which costs money), to few of everything...!

And the coup? Good to get rid of a corrupt leader. Bad we still don't know the outcome of this yet.

What can we do about it? -Nothing! Just bide our time and see what happens next!

If you don't like it, you should probably go back to where you came from.

The reason we can stay and live here, is just because they let us.

You have no rights to stay here. You only got the priviledge.

It is not our country, and that's the way it is.

Love it or drop it!

The more you complain about the Thais, the less the reason for them to have you here will be.

Just a simple fact...

Edited March 21, 2007 by Ga-gai