Man Dies As Bus Crashes Into 20 Vehicles

[george]

Man dies as bus crashes into 20 vehicles

BANGKOK: -- An air-conditioned city bus crashed into 20 vehicles at a downtown Bangkok stoplight yesterday morning, killing one man and injuring several others.

A No 72 Euro II bus on the Klong Toei-Thewet route reportedly developed a brake problem and slammed into seven cars, seven taxis, three pickup trucks, two passenger vans and a six-wheel truck waiting for a red light at the Sri Ayutthaya-Rama V junction at 5.45am.

Somboon Prasert, 57, a van passenger, was killed while 11 other passengers were rushed to nearby hospitals.

Eight patients were allowed to go home, but three remained under close medical attention.

Bus driver Somkid Chusripat, 48, who told police that he was driving at high speed when the brakes failed, was charged with manslaughter and property damage, said Major Akkachai Srirahong from Dusit police station.

An investigation was opened to determine the cause of the accident - malfunctioning brakes or reckless driving, which is punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

Pinet Puapatanakul, director of the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority, which operates the metropolitan bus system, said the agency was sorry for what happened and would provide financial aid to the victims as necessary, on top of insurance payouts.

He said the BMTA carried out coach inspections on a daily basis, but an accident happened, and he had already ordered mechanics to rush check-ups of all BMTA buses.

Suwana Suwanjutha, director-general of the Justice Ministry's rights and liberties protection department, said the injured and the family of the deceased passenger could file for compensation with the Criminal Court, because the accident involved recklessness. Department officials would meet with the victims to take up their cases, she said.

The collision came just two weeks after an inter-provincial bus caught fire and plummeted down a mountain road in the central province of Saraburi when its brakes failed, burning 29 people to death and injuring dozens.

That catastrophe revived the long-standing issue of old buses that are kept in circulation despite the dangers they pose to passengers.

--The nation 2007-04-05

[Scott]

It's not so much about the age of the vehicles, but the maintenance. So many things are just poorly maintained. Where I work, they never clean the air conditioners or maintain them, they just let them go until they break down and then call the repair folks!

And of course all fingers point at the poor driver, who may or may not be guilty. He is told to hurry, make as many trips as he can, and works too hard. I wonder what would happen if they charged someone a ways up the food chain.

[Jai Dee]

Rescuers extricate passengers from a van that was among 20 vehicles involved in the accident on Sri Ayutthaya Road in downtown Bangkok yesterday morning.

Source: The Nation - 5 April 2007

[Mid]

untill folks accept that they ARE responsible for their own actions ,

look to see these type of reports increasing ....................

like beating your head against a brickwall , feels good when you stop .

[Jai Dee]

Road Safety Center raising safety standard of public transports

The Road Safety Center has set the measures to control the safety of public transportation.

Mr. Anucha Mokkawes (อนุชา โมกขะเวส), the Director-General of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, says road accidents involving passenger buses have occurred more frequently, causing loss of lives and properties. In addition, the confidence of commuters on public transportation would be reduced.

Mr. Anucha says Songkran is approaching and more people will be using more public transport services. Therefore, the Traffic Engineering Subcommittee of the Road Safety Center has determined the measures to tighten the safety of public transportation in the short-term, middle-term and long-term. The center will coordinate the Department of Land Transport and the Provincial Land Transport Offices in strictly inspecting the vehicles, the safety equipments, as well as the drivers. The measures will be implemented before Songkran arrives, and licenses will be given to public transport operators after rigorous tests and vehicle inspections.

As for the middle-term and long-term measures, the Road Safety Center will set the operation time of public transportation, and the standard of services and safety will be improved. Drivers will have to undergo trainings before receiving their licenses. Penalties on violators will also be more rigorous.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 05 April 2007

[Tony Clifton]

Bus driver Somkid Chusripat, 48, who told police that he was driving at high speed

[Scott]

I am not very familiar with that road so "driving at high speed" doesn't mean much. Is there a speed limit? It may not be an admission to speeding.

I don't want to get into a spitting contest about culpability nor do I want to defend a driver that is unsafe. I hope they fix the problems--whether they are human, mechanical or both.

[shotover]

From looking at the photo of the bus, wonder how much painting the windows with advertising blocks the drivers' vision, and leads to possible accidents.

The real terror of Bkk streets are the small green buses which race other buses for customers. Never cross an intersection expecting one of these to slow down or give any way to you.

[madjbs]

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Edited April 6, 2007 by madjbs