Sad Start To Songkran When Pickup Loaded With 23 People Crashes

[glassdude007]

what does this have too do with songkran???

i did not read the whole thread???

were they going to the songkran festivities?

it starts on the 15th dont it???????

very sad story we should all be careful...IMHO

[sriracha john]

what does this have too do with songkran???

i did not read the whole thread???

Seven killed in pickup crash

returning to the Northeast for the Thai New Year

Sadly continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/b...s.php?id=117855

to take 25 workers from Bangkok to Ban Kantharom in Si Sa Ket's Khukhan district to celebrate Songkran.

- The Nation

[chownah]

Seven killed in pick-up accident

Seven people, including two elderly women and a child, were killed and 18 others injured when a pickup truck taking workers from Bangkok to Si Sa Ket, overturned after a front tyre burst in Surin's Prasat district, police said Tuesday.

Police rushed to the 20th kilometre of Chokchai-Dech Udom road at 9.30am to find the wrecked truck and the dead and injured passengers scattered everywhere.

Five people were killed instantly, including two unidentified women in their 60s and a boy aged between 2 and 4 years. The injured were rushed to Surin and Prasat hospitals and two were later pronounced dead.

Police found the pickup truck - modified to carry more passengers - was hired to take 25 workers from Bangkok to Ban Kantharom in Si Sa Ket's Khukhan district to celebrate Songkran.

Police suspected the tyre burst because the truck was overloaded They arrested Boonsuay Sura, 30, for reckless driving and manslaughter.

- The Nation

They arrested the guy for reckless driving and manslaughter.....why didn't they arrest him for being overloaded and having too many people in the vehicle? Could it be that driving a pickup with 25 people is not illegal and being overloaded on a pickup licensed with a passenger vehicle license is not illegal?

[kmart]

Is there some law that says you can't put 23 people in a pickup?...in Thailand?

Maybe "Darwin's Law?" Other than that, I seriously doubt it.

(oh, and nice to be back!)

[Neeranam]

A pickup with 23 people should never make it from Bangkok to Surin. How many police watched them go by along the way I wonder?

There is no law against it, is there?

I know many farang, who never take there kids in the pick-up without a seatbelt, but during songran get in the back of one themselves with their kids and drive through the town acting like total idiots.

During Songkran stay at home if you have kids, and you value their lives.

It's become a farce.

[sriracha john]

Is there some law that says you can't put 23 people in a pickup?...in Thailand?

Maybe "Darwin's Law?" Other than that, I seriously doubt it.

(oh, and nice to be back!)

The principle of inertia from Sir Issac Newton's Laws of Motion from 1687, are three physical laws which provide relationships between the forces acting on a body and the motion of the body, definitely come into play.

(and oh, it's nice to see you back, kmart)

[Crow Boy]

Gotta check those tires for nails as well, half a nail or screw pushed too far into your tire where you haven't noticed can ruin your day right quick.

Checked tires that aren't over age, overloaded (as mentioned), and haven't reached their wear bars usually don't just burst. I have mine changed every 30-40k km and also have my driver do visual checks regularly (in addition to checking myself). Treat your car like a well maintained airplane and you got much better odds of getting from A to B.

Well , you could also use common sense.............23 people on a pick up........ .......the driver would go direct in jail in many other countries, for sure.

In countries such as Australia you can't have ANYONE in the back of a pickup. The RSPCA is still pushes to make it illegal to have unrestrained dogs in the back of pickups because so many are badly injured/killed by falling out. I took a 4WD to visit my wifes village up in the mountains and there was an antique mazda friendly with a broken axle on the road in front of us. I had 8 in the back of mine and they wanted to load the at least 20 out of the broken vehicle into mine as well - crazy

CB

[sriracha john]

28 in the back of a pickup...

like a sold-out rock concert,

Standing

Room

Only

[Crow Boy]

Police suspected the tyre burst because the truck was overloaded They arrested Boonsuay Sura, 30, for reckless driving and manslaughter.

- The Nation

Would be so much easier to ticket them for overloading before someone died.

There is also an onus of responsibility on the passengers not just the driver. They all (excluding the children) made the decision to board a vehicle that was obviously overladen. I used to see it every month on Samuii as revellers head of to Kho Phan Ngan for the full moon parties in speedboats. Sometimes they had only a couple of inches freeboard and still people would want to squeeze in.

CB

[lingling]

Is there some law that says you can't put 23 people in a pickup?...in Thailand?

The tabien rot always state max no of pax for all vehicles. Usually 7 for normal passenger cars with 5 seats.

[sriracha john]

What's worse than an occurence wherein 7 people die from a bus crash accident? Having TWO occurences wherein 7 people die in each of TWO sepearate bus crash accidents.

and on the same day...

SONGKRAN ROAD TOLL

Two crashes involving buses leave 14 dead

Two separate accidents involving inter-provincial buses killed 14 people early yesterday, an ominous sign two days ahead of the Songkran holiday period which annually claims hundreds of road victims. The accidents occurred in Prachin Buri and Nakhon Si Thammarat after midnight. Seven passengers were killed in each accident. The Prachin Buri crash { http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=115565 } also injured 31 passengers, but could have been even more tragic as the bus, loaded with 50 passengers, nearly fell off a cliff between Khao Yai and Thap Lan national parks. The seven dead included a monk, a young girl and a foreigner identified as Alan Thomas O'Connor. The driver was trying to pass an 18-wheeled truck when the accident occurred, said Transport Co acting managing director Wutichart Kalayanamit. The Nakhon Sri Thammarat accident involved a collision between a bus and a pick-up truck, police said. The seven dead and one injured in the crash were all travelling in the pick-up. Police reported the accident occurred when the pick-up truck drove without warning onto the highway from a secondary road and rammed into the Bangkok-to-Hat Yai bus.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/11Apr2007_news07.php

[taxexile]

the pick-up truck drove without warning onto the highway from a secondary road and rammed into the Bangkok-to-Hat Yai bus.

how many dozen times a day do we all see cars and bikes zooming into the main road from a side road without even a glance from the driver to see if the way is clear. they drive around in a bubble of delusion and self importance.

the lack of awareness of so many of the drivers here is very difficult to understand.

[cdnvic]

Sometimes they had only a couple of inches freeboard and still people would want to squeeze in.

CB

To quote a Windows security guru I read often, "There's no patch for stupidity"

[meemiathai]

It'd be even easier (on the part of the dead to still be breathing) to not overload the pickup in the first place. Ticketing (while it should be done)these folks doesn't actually lessen the vehicle's load or # of passengers.

Or even easier for them to walk to Isaan?

[meemiathai]

It'd be even easier (on the part of the dead to still be breathing) to not overload the pickup in the first place. Ticketing (while it should be done)these folks doesn't actually lessen the vehicle's load or # of passengers.

I was assuming that after the ticket is written they don't just let them go on their way with 20+ people in the truck still. But I probably assume too much.

That would result in bottlenecks of laborers, migrant workers, and anyone else who overload their trucks, to be fair, roadside scratching their heads on how to get home all along major highways at police checkpoints. True, regularly enforced ticketing would be great.... and IMO the fines (or bribes) should be heavier as well. None of this 100-400 Baht child's play. Push them up to 10,000-40,000 Baht and you'll see an increase in compliance and increase in the # of police more than happy to regularly cite folks as well.

You really do think these people have this money?

[Barney_the_Dinosaur]

The Police were out in force in BKK on sunday - shaking down taxis whose passengers weren't wearing seat belts - and writing tickets.

The Police need to make their money too for the hols, and its easier to accomplish that by ticketing taxi passengers than going after oveloaded Izuzu trucks

[Maizefarmer]

No one mentioned the speed. It was also overloaded.

Why is anyone surprised it that it burst?

Do you think the driver put more air in the tires to compensate for the load?

Fly an airplane with too much weight and you'll find out why we call WEIGHT and BALANCE.

JR

Agree in princible, but 23 Thai's weighing on average 50Kg is 1.15 tonnes, most modern pickups can carry upto 1 tonne with no real problem, the issue I think is more balance (aft CofG), driving too fast and probably in an old beat up pickup with worn out tyres..........

All the same, not a good start to the holiday period, and fear much more of the same to come. RIP

... you forgot something: 23 Thais PLUS 23 x baggage - and I assure you, it's one of the 3 occassions these guys head up North/North East each year - so there'll have been half a ton of luggage on the beat up old truck (as well as the 23 passengers).

But yes - an absolute tradgedy.

[richard10365]

Seven killed in pickup crash

A pickup truck overloaded with 23 passengers returning to the Northeast for the Thai New Year overturned Tuesday after a front tyre burst, killing seven people and injuring another 16, police said. Songkran will be held from April 13 to 17. The pickup, packed with labourers heading back to Sisaket province from Bankgok for an early start to the Songkran revelries, burst a tyre in Surin province in the Northeast. The driver lost control of the vehicle which crashed and overturned.

Sadly continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/b...s.php?id=117855

Is it just me or does Northeast Thailand seem more ignorant of safety than other parts of Thailand?

[Heng]

It'd be even easier (on the part of the dead to still be breathing) to not overload the pickup in the first place. Ticketing (while it should be done)these folks doesn't actually lessen the vehicle's load or # of passengers.

Or even easier for them to walk to Isaan?

Certainly easier than it would be for them now (given that they are no longer alive).

[Heng]

It'd be even easier (on the part of the dead to still be breathing) to not overload the pickup in the first place. Ticketing (while it should be done)these folks doesn't actually lessen the vehicle's load or # of passengers.

I was assuming that after the ticket is written they don't just let them go on their way with 20+ people in the truck still. But I probably assume too much.

That would result in bottlenecks of laborers, migrant workers, and anyone else who overload their trucks, to be fair, roadside scratching their heads on how to get home all along major highways at police checkpoints. True, regularly enforced ticketing would be great.... and IMO the fines (or bribes) should be heavier as well. None of this 100-400 Baht child's play. Push them up to 10,000-40,000 Baht and you'll see an increase in compliance and increase in the # of police more than happy to regularly cite folks as well.

You really do think these people have this money?

Fines -especially those where lives are at stake- shouldn't be affordable. That's what 'in 'theory' should make them a deterrent.

[Thaddeus]

Will these deaths be included in the official statistics for Songkran or left out as they did not occur between the 13th and 17th ....... no, don't answer that, stupid bloody question.

[Maigo6]

Is it just me or does Northeast Thailand seem more ignorant of safety than other parts of Thailand?

I'm sure it's just you.

[sriracha john]

Will these deaths be included in the official statistics for Songkran or left out as they did not occur between the 13th and 17th ....... no, don't answer that, stupid bloody question.

Unofficial Songkran toll on this thread:

Pickup = 7

Bus = 7

Pickup = 7

I'm seeing a pattern developing....

[meemiathai]

May I ask people here questions?

Is it actually going to work if police actually set up road blocks on those main roads and make every person off their pickups?

Is it actually going to work if thailand indeed make laws prohibiting anyone sitting in the back of pickups and strictly enforce it?

[sriracha john]

Will these deaths be included in the official statistics for Songkran or left out as they did not occur between the 13th and 17th ....... no, don't answer that, stupid bloody question.

Unofficial Songkran toll on this thread:

Pickup = 7

Bus = 7

Pickup = 7

I'm seeing a pattern developing....

I see the OFFICIAL Songkran Death Toll started yesterday:

Surin has 2 deaths and 16 injuries on the first day of the “Seven Dangerous Days”

The first day of the “Seven Dangerous Days” during this year’s Songkran Festival in Surin Province has 2 deaths and 16 injuries. The Governor of Surin instructs officials to closely monitor all accident-prone spots on roads.

Surin Governor Poonsak Pranutnorapan disclosed that the two deaths are Saichon Sodachan, 36, who was drunk-driving, and Daorung Srila-ong, 34, whose motorcycle was hit by a pick-up truck.

The first day of the “Seven Dangerous Days” started yesterday (April, 11th) and ten accidents occurred. The 16 injuries include 9 men and seven women. More than a thousand checkpoints have been put up across the province.

About 10,000 vehicles have been inspected by officials and a thousand people have faced legal charges. Most of them did not carry a driving license when inspected.

The governor also requested all drivers to drive cautiously and be generous to other commuters to prevent road accidents.

- ThaiNews

[Felt 35]

Is it actually going to work if police actually set up road blocks on those main roads and make every person off their pickups?

Is it actually going to work if thailand indeed make laws prohibiting anyone sitting in the back of pickups and strictly enforce it?

My opinion: NO

[Sunderland]

http://www.matichon.co.th/breaking-news/br...20070410-113957

วันนี้ (10 เม.ย.) สำหรับรายชื่อผู้เสียชีวิตจากเหตุรถทัวร์ สายหนองคาย-ระยอง ตกเหว 7 ราย ได้แก่ 1.พระสุนทร สิริวรรณโณ อายุ 50 ปี วัดจุฬามุณี 2. นายยุทธพงษ์ ทาลี อายุ 21 ปี 3. น.ส.รำเพย อรรควาล อายุ 30 ปี 4. น.ส.พรนรินทร์ ศรีอรัญ อายุ 23 ปี 5. Mr.Alan Thomas O. Connor อายุ 60 ปีไม่ทราบสัญชาติ 6 ด.ญ.ไม่ทราบชื่อ อายุระหว่าง 13 – 15 ปี และ หญิงไทยไม่ทราบชื่อ อายุระหว่าง 20 – 25 ปี ได้นำศพส่งชันสูตรพลิกศพอีกครั้งที่ โรงพยาบาลนาดี อ.นาดี จ.ปราจีนบุรี เพื่อรอญาติติดต่อ

The Thai news version of the Rayong bound bus accident mentions that 2 young women aged 13-15 and 20-25 were killed in the accident but their names are unknown. Confirms the difficulties they would have had in matching corpses in the aftermath of the tsunami. Would be no surprise if people are killed in accidents here, but next of kin never find out and assume they went missing in other circumstances. Further reason for everyone to carry some form of ID on them at all times, particularly when travelling.

[kmart]

Will these deaths be included in the official statistics for Songkran or left out as they did not occur between the 13th and 17th ....... no, don't answer that, stupid bloody question.

Unofficial Songkran toll on this thread:

Pickup = 7

Bus = 7

Pickup = 7

I'm seeing a pattern developing....

I'm seeing auspicious lottery ticket numbers. But thats just me...

[Mid]

nothing auspicious about the number of death .

[kmart]

nothing auspicious about the number of death .

Despite the tinkering with stats, the carnage gets worse every year. Seems to be a bumper harvest this year already. Next month's 911 Magazine will have some cracking pics, I bet!