Five tourists dead, 8 injured as minivan slams into back of broken down truck

 

Image: Daily News

 

Five tourists on their way from the south to Khao Khor in Petchabun in Thailand's north east have died after a minivan slammed into the back of a broken down ten wheel truck. 

 

The truck was positioned in the right hand lane and was about to be towed by a six wheel truck that was positioned in front of it. 

 

Daily News reported that there was no cone, not even a branch, to warn traffic coming up behind that the truck had broken down. 

 

There were also no signs of braking on the road surface. 

 

The minivan slammed into the back of the truck killing four tourists at the scene. Another died at Nong Phai hospital later. 

 

Eight people were injured. Two of these were found under the six wheeler - one was the driver of that vehicle who was fixing the towing arm at the time of the impact. 

 

The accident happened at the Ban Noi PTT gas station in Nong Phai district on the Saraburi to Lomsak Road (Route 21).

 

Pol Capt Sarote Maneerit of the Na Chaliang police is investigating.

 

Source: Daily News

 

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If the driver had been paying the attention driving for a living demands, he would have seen the lorry cones or no cones and avoided this tragedy. Simply another case of people driving transport vehicles as a job, when they are not fit for the task. They should be taking a bus to work, not driving one.

To me, impossible to comprehend how any driver, "professional or not", could not figure out that a truck was at a standstill and just drive right into it.

 

(Yes, I know TIT)

No time of accident reported in the article, if it happened in the

daytime completely avoidable, if it happened at night,less so.

 

regards Worgeordie

17 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

Daily News reported that there was no cone, not even a branch

Oh yes, the ubiquitous tree branch safety sign. I especially recommend the glow in the dark ones with the flashing warning leaves. What is wrong with making trucks carry a warning triangle...........rhetorical question, no answer needed.....

R.I.P. to more victims of the senseless daily carnage here.

5 minutes ago, neeray said:

To me, impossible to comprehend how any driver, "professional or not", could not figure out that a truck was at a standstill and just drive right into it.

 

(Yes, I know TIT)

My thoughts exactly. Yet crashing into stationary vehicles, particularly very large ones such as this truck seems to be a common occurrence here. 

I'm not always happy with the high air fares flying my family north for holidays, but reading these news articles puts everything into perspective.

17 minutes ago, neeray said:

impossible to comprehend

We don't have the details of course, but I have seen many a lunatic van driver tailgating the vehicle in front then pull out to overtake assuming the right hand lane would be clear, when a split second later finds out it isn't. Not right of course, but comprehensible on these roads.

I think many tourists in Thailand don't know about the "death  roads" and certainly the white vans , Russian roulette when travelling  

No doubt driving to fast had no time to use his brakes either according to the report

There seems to be no thought process here in Bangkok or on  the roads motor ways ect when driving especially motor bikes 

1 hour ago, neeray said:

To me, impossible to comprehend how any driver, "professional or not", could not figure out that a truck was at a standstill and just drive right into it.

 

(Yes, I know TIT)

surfing facebook

Notice how all the travel books, websites and YouTube travel channels avoid the most dangerous issues here. These are death traps that should be avoided at all costs.

Most dangerous 7 days are over, so nobody cares anymore. i was driving on HW7 last week and almost rammed into the truck parked on the right lane. Cones were right behind the truck. They were cleaning the shoulder

2 hours ago, worgeordie said:

No time of accident reported in the article, if it happened in the

daytime completely avoidable, if it happened at night,less so.

 

regards Worgeordie

It happened to me when I was driving overnight. I couldn't see the truck, no light or fire.
I just avoided the accident, but I admit that I was lucky.

I love to ride fast, but I do slow down at night. I've seen way too many broken-down trucks in the middle of the road late at night, impossible to see, especially after a curve. 

 

I've seen 20-year-old bus drivers who took our students on a tour where I could see that they had no clue about their vehicles. 

 

 I assume that the accident happened at night, so why were there no warning lights? The answer is as smooth and scary at the same time.

 

  Truck, vans and other four-wheeled vehicles do not need to carry some emergency equipment, and there's only one party to blame, and that's the government.

 

  I'm from a country where I have to stop when I see an accident, and I have to help injured victims and I did so on many occasions. 

Even when my wife always tells me not to stop, I do try my best if there's an accident. 

 

If you have a look at the education in this country you'll easily understand why such things happen. The "Mai Phen Rai attitude" and believing in reincarnation and lost faces doesn't help either. 

 

But I do understand that the wannabe soldiers in this country would never understand what changes are needed to stop the deadly accidents that happen daily.

 

 Asking a fortune teller what to do can hardly save lives. 

 

  

3 hours ago, worgeordie said:

No time of accident reported in the article, if it happened in the

daytime completely avoidable, if it happened at night,less so.

 

regards Worgeordie

From the Thai language report and the pictures it was in broad daylight (afternoon).

 

The Thai report mentions: no "tree branch put on the road". 3rd world! ????

Securing a danger zone is not necessary in this country. Some leaves on the floor will do

Thai report also says "parked" on the right lane!!!

Waiting for disaster.

3 hours ago, worgeordie said:

No time of accident reported in the article, if it happened in the

daytime completely avoidable, if it happened at night,less so.

Thairath says that the emergency call came at 9:25 (AM).

So absolutely in broad daylight.

Right lane as mentioned.

Screenshot from a news video:

 

17 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

From the Thai language report and the pictures it was in broad daylight (afternoon).

 

The Thai report mentions: no "tree branch put on the road". 3rd world! ????

One word only. Unbelievable. 

the mall shooting was horrible especially with the young boy being killed but where is the outrage here?

 

 

51 minutes ago, Mitkof Island said:

Notice how all the travel books, websites and YouTube travel channels avoid the most dangerous issues here. These are death traps that should be avoided at all costs.

Maybe the ones you read, but I remember reading about the Vabs 25 years ago, and even experiencing them. I hate them. Last recourse.

Yet more innocent people reached their final destination earlier than expected in slaughter land????Rip

Another risk factor is that too many of the paid drivers have either second jobs, or simply don't say no when offered back to back assignments.  An improperly rested driver can become an accidental kamikaze in the blink of an eye or a nod of a sleepy head.

Are the powers that be just so incredibly brain dead and moronic?that they cannot see the need to make it

compulsory for every vehicle to at the very least carry a warning triangle and safety lights and in the case of trucks or buses a few of each and some flourescent jackets cones etc.

 

Routine vehicle stops should require proof of having all safety warning equipment with huge fines for offenders.

 

Just dont get how dumb they are.. a country with such appalling road safety and they cant do the basics to try and solve this and save the lives of their own people.

 

The standard safety equipment package could even be given free to every vehicle owner.

 

The resources manpower devoted to overstayers is staggering ..........yet the minister for road safety, if their is one does what exactly?

 

I guess the dead tourists are Thais. No information about the nationality or that they are foreigners.

3 hours ago, neeray said:

To me, impossible to comprehend how any driver, "professional or not", could not figure out that a truck was at a standstill and just drive right into it.

 

(Yes, I know TIT)

"micro sleep' is a popular explanation nowadays, compared to brake failure...

4 hours ago, Dmaxdan said:

My thoughts exactly. Yet crashing into stationary vehicles, particularly very large ones such as this truck seems to be a common occurrence here. 

 

the drivers are already "brain dead" just a matter of time til their bodies follow suite

4 hours ago, rooster59 said:

not even a branch,

The  height of 21st century technology ..Thailand stone age 4?