20 killed after train collides with bus in Thailand

[Ventenio]

This could happen EVERY HOUR and I wouldn't be surprised.  

 

I've become numb to the death.   Numb to the idiocrasy.   Oh, don't worry, it won't change.

 

so get your RIP's ready.   They aren't helping except some keyboard person thinking an RIP is the solution  

[welshguy]

R.I.P.

 

I recently retired (in the U.K.) as a train driver.......thankfully, here ,,incidents such as these are rare.

 

 

When I stay in Thailand, I have a house over the darkside in Pattaya..........its absolutely madness there, when crossing the railway track, on Soi Khaotalo, motorbikes literally going under the barriers, seconds before the train passes.

 

A train, (especially a freight train) cant just "stopinstantly!" or steer out of the way.....many, many, many Thais seem to think they are indestructible though.

 

Barriers or no, the bus driver must have seen the railway track?!  Apart from the train metres away?!! Its the same at the Sukhumvitt road Junction..........Buses, lorries, cars will literally bomb through a red light..Im not talking about "amber gamblers" or the like, I mean the lights go to red..........maybe 20-40 seconds later...they still hammer it down Sukhumvit, regardless of any traffic coming out of Khaotalo...........(I assume its the same at every junction)...amazingly sad.

Edited October 11, 2020 by welshguy
spelling

[rott]

24 minutes ago, OnTheRun said:

That would appear to be a different accident. The picture in this story shows a passenger train, that is a freight train.

I did not know a passenger train went through there on a Sunday. 

[teacherclaire]

53 minutes ago, transam said:

*Perhaps the coach was heavily laden on worn out suspension and so low to the ground....?

Such a bus has to drive very slowly over a railway even with a good suspension and it doesn't look like he's sitting on something. God, he almost made it. 

 

 

[Airbagwill]

59 minutes ago, KhunKenAP said:

On the Thai news they claimed the following:

 

* No crossing barrier, but lights were flashing. Driver could not hear the train whistle. Probably had the music cranked up.

 

* Apparently the bus got caught on its undercarriage as the track was not level. If this is true the rail company also bears responsibility.

 

Hopefully they do a fully investigation and take corrective actions not just on this crossing, but all across Thailand.

there never is a full investigation - some police chief will make an unsupported segment in order for the matter to be closed. No lessons learned, blame irrationally apportioned and the danger continues.

[Airbagwill]

3 minutes ago, transam said:

Really.....What are you doing here then...?

I can't believe you think "if-you-don't-like-it-go-home" cliche is an argument!

It is on a par with the usual paucity of logic from the Transam stable, though.

[outsider]

 

When one crosses a road, one looks right, left and right again before crossing, no? You don't walk onto the road blindly, especially when cars and motorcycles are zipping along. What I don't understand is, how and why drivers in Thailand think going over an open train crossing is any different. How hard is it to stop, look, listen and go? Furthermore, Thai trains don't travel that fast - one can certainly see a train coming and there is ample time to stop and let the train pass before proceeding. Really, really bloody beggars belief, this one.

 

 

[vandeventer]

They need to tell us more about the driver of the bus! Maybe he had a heart attack or was drinking or was talking on his phone. We really don't know what happen! So Sad, may god bless all that have died and comfort their families of the dead.

[THEN]

R.I.P.

 

Windy.com shows a low visibility area in Chachoengsao at 8.00 am this morning.

Visibility up to only 800m.

Not trying to defend the bus driver, but the train could have come out of the fog/low visibility area and the bus driver didn't care or respect the signals.

 

[JensenZ]

1 hour ago, KhunKenAP said:

On the Thai news they claimed the following:

 

* No crossing barrier, but lights were flashing. Driver could not hear the train whistle. Probably had the music cranked up.

 

* Apparently the bus got caught on its undercarriage as the track was not level. If this is true the rail company also bears responsibility.

 

Hopefully they do a fully investigation and take corrective actions not just on this crossing, but all across Thailand.

If the track was the cause and the bus got stuck on it, then the rail company bears total responsibility, not some of it.

[DeepSea]

1 hour ago, KhunKenAP said:

* Apparently the bus got caught on its undercarriage as the track was not level. oss Thailand.

 

Sounds suspiciously like the 'failed brakes' defense... Crossing lights or no lights, barriers or no barriers, in Thailand, i take the time to pause, and look both ways before i cross rail tracks, no matter how much of a hurry I'm in, and i would recommend this to any and all.

[mike787]

....and here we go again....

[PEE TEE]

Very sad RIP. Even if the lights were not flashing i would think its normal to look both ways in  any case 

[chang1]

20 minutes ago, JensenZ said:

If the track was the cause and the bus got stuck on it, then the rail company bears total responsibility, not some of it.

The video showed no such problem. I agree with DeapSea - just an excuse to shift the blame. Same as failed brakes = overheated brakes due to driver error.

Edited October 11, 2020 by chang1

[ebean001]

about 500 a year are killed by train in USA. probably safer in Thailand.

[Rimmer]

Troll post and replies removed

[JusticeGB]

Drivers drive for more than one company so that they can drive more hours than they should. They listen to music on headphones so can't hear any external warning notices. Many traffic signals are obscured by trees or signs. The roads are appalling as is the standard of driving. This is just another typical day of accidents unfortunately involving lots of people. 

[Chongalulu]

12 minutes ago, ebean001 said:

about 500 a year are killed by train in USA. probably safer in Thailand.

Statistics not your strong point ?

[DavisH]

1 hour ago, khunPer said:

There is a Youtube video of the accident, probably from a CCTV surveillance camera, in which it seems like there are warning lights, but I cannot see on the video if they were signalling...

 

 

I once asked my wife about Thais not stopping at a roundabout that even had a stop sign on it. She just said "they don't know" ????

[British Bulldog]

Geeesh ... takes a while for the freight train to slow down eh ?

[LomSak27]

Just now, ebean001 said:

about 500 a year are killed by train in USA. probably safer in Thailand.

 

Like clockwork the Whataboutery defense. This is a tragedy, wait at least a day before you try to spin, deflect or obfuscate, all in the name of face.   

[chang1]

1 minute ago, JusticeGB said:

Drivers drive for more than one company so that they can drive more hours than they should. They listen to music on headphones so can't hear any external warning notices. Many traffic signals are obscured by trees or signs. The roads are appalling as is the standard of driving. This is just another typical day of accidents unfortunately involving lots of people. 

Nothing will change until the people realise that fate and luck don't exist and that the government they vote for can do something to reduce the death toll. Education and the media need sorting out but why would any government do that - turkeys would not vote for Christmas. 

[decca60]

I am not a specialist but 60 people on board sounds like overloaded bus and not everybody having a seat...... I don't even think about seatbelts....

utter madness.....

[Airbagwill]

6 minutes ago, decca60 said:

I am not a specialist but 60 people

QED

[Didhe]

How sad.   The initial impact didn’t seem overly fatal.   The bus gets hit and lurches sideways.   But then it rolled over.      Looking at the photos and video, it appears when the bus rolled over, the train/containers then peeled the top off the bus passenger cabin and that’s where all the death occurred.   Tragic!

[transam]

15 minutes ago, British Bulldog said:

Geeesh ... takes a while for the freight train to slow down eh ?

Yes it does....

[SpanishExpat]

Most Thais never learn to drive proactive. Sad that this fact led to such a tragedy. One moron driver = 20 passengers die. 
 

That’s why I avoid to take buses and minivans in Thailand at all costs. Unattatentive, careless and overtired drivers. 

 

 

[jollyhangmon]

 

18 minutes ago, British Bulldog said:

Geeesh ... takes a while for the freight train to slow down eh ?

 

Quote:  " ... Trains have the right-of-way because they cannot quickly stop for a motorist at crossings or for trespassers on the tracks. The average freight train, traveling at 55 MPH, takes anywhere from 1 to 1½ miles to stop. Traveling at the same speed, the average automobile can stop in only 200 feet.  ... "

 

https://www.in.gov/indot/2609.htm

 

[SupermarineS6B]

Terrible news....... RIP poor souls.....

[Almer]

2 hours ago, colinneil said:

Why does that matter?

UK unsecured crossings, have a sign saying.... Stop.... look... listen, clearly the bus driver did none of that.

It sounds like the under belly of the bus grounded