Pedestrian mown down by bus on Bangkok zebra crossing - driver charged as the carnage continues

[webfact]

Picture: Daily News

 

Thai media continued to report on the carnage on the Thai roads with the death in Bangkok of a woman out shopping.

 

Supha Kennakham, 49, was found dead by Chana Songkhram police in a pool of blood on a zebra crossing under the wheels of the #82 bus.

 

She was still clutching her vegetables and dinner in her left hand. 

 

Bus driver Manas Saranrom, 47, said he was driving from Sanam Luang to Phrapradaeng. 

 

He'd been going along Sumeru Road and at the Banglamphu interesection turned right and hit the lady on the crossing, reported Daily News.

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

Thai Rath reported he was charged with negligent driving causing death, not obeying traffic signals and not stopping at a zebra crossing.

 

Another 20 were added to the dead at the scene stats on Saturday, reported Daily News- a quiet day as it was a weekend and the police don't bother to report the death toll until Monday or Tuesday.

 

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They said that 491 had died so far this month. ASEAN NOW counted 504.

 

Since the start of the year 2,929 have been killed at the scene that compares with 3,121 in the same period last year. 

 

The figure is much higher when deaths on the way to and at hospitals are added. 

 

Thailand is supposed to be obeying zebra crossing rules since a doctor was mown down by a policeman on a Ducati last month. 

 

Whether the death of an 'ordinary' resident will have as much impact remains to be seen. 

 

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[shady86]

Speeding, running on rightmost lanes, picking/dropping passengers on the middle of roads and now mowing pedestrian crossing zebras. Bangkok bus drivers do have wonderful achievements in their decorated CVs. 

[worgeordie]

The carnage is never going to stop, I don't know what

it's going to take to change the way many Thai's drive.

 

Maybe have tougher driving tests ,where learners have

to test in real road conditions , not on simple test tracks

at testing stations , that's a long term view ,

regards Worgeordie

 

[thonglorjimmy]

"Thailand is supposed to be obeying zebra crossing rules since a doctor was mown down by a policeman on a Ducati last month."

 

So this wasn't always a requirement then, albeit hardly ever complied with?

[lujanit]

6 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

Maybe have tougher driving tests ,where learners have

to test in real road conditions , not on simple test tracks

at testing stations , that's a long term view ,

regards Worgeordie

 

A sensible idea.  Unless enforcement is present not even your idea will help.  Implementing this won't stop the number of people who can't be bothered to get a license.

[KhunLA]

Y'all need to stop being so negative.  Things are getting better, it's a work in progress ????

 

"Since the start of the year 2,929 have been killed at the scene that compares with 3,121 in the same period last year. "

[cardinalblue]

Thai drivers do not give right of way to pedestrians or bicyclists anywhere on the road….

 

the fault lies with their incredibly poor DMV’s  educational and training…

 

their system is just a rubber stamp of passing people to drive w/o conviction…

 

a worthless institution responsible for death and maim every day on the roads…

[Mywayboy]

5 hours ago, shady86 said:

Speeding, running on rightmost lanes, picking/dropping passengers on the middle of roads and now mowing pedestrian crossing zebras. Bangkok bus drivers do have wonderful achievements in their decorated CVs. 

Colour blind doesnt know what a black & white Zebra is.

RIP POOR LADY 

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Thai Rath reported he was charged with negligent driving causing death, not obeying traffic signals and not stopping at a zebra crossing.

Manslaughter... 20 years mandatory, no excuses anymore.

[sawadee1947]

5 hours ago, worgeordie said:

The carnage is never going to stop, I don't know what

it's going to take to change the way many Thai's drive.

 

Maybe have tougher driving tests ,where learners have

to test in real road conditions , not on simple test tracks

at testing stations , that's a long term view ,

regards Worgeordie

 

You have to start from the bottom. Teach in kindergarten, then in schools........then you might be successful, might be......

[RichardColeman]

Think they should abandon publishing the figures as Road Deaths. I think PUBLIC GENOCIDE would be a better wording

[Bangkok Barry]

43 minutes ago, sawadee1947 said:

You have to start from the bottom. Teach in kindergarten, then in schools........then you might be successful, might be......

And they could show graphic videos on the tv news every night, and include such deaths happening in the nightly 'dramas' alongside the screaming women. But I doubt even that will make a difference. Thais never think anything will happen to them so they don't care.

 

There cannot be a single family in this country which doesn't have experience of death or serious injury on the road. My own family here know of four, including two deaths. And in the seven years that I've lived up-country there have been nearly 20 accidents within 500 metres on a long straight road past my house involving death, amputations, long-term coma, and lorries, cars and pickups in the roadside ditch. Even a car that flew through the top of a tree. Many Thais do not have the mental capacity to drive. They are not wired for it.

[bradiston]

One problem I've encountered personally. Because most controlled cross roads have a left turn allowed on red, AND a pedestrian crossing on all 3 or 4 sides of the road right by the lights, it's easy to swing left, right into the path of a pedestrian actually crossing. Their light will be green to cross, but the driver can't see that. I think it's why in the UK the left lane is never allowed to make a left until the lights are green. Putting the crossings so close to the lights is simply a potential death trap for pedestrians. They need to move the crossings a good 50m away from the lights.

[swm59nj]

And it will continue and unfortunately probably never end.  Because of no enforcement and small fines. 
And the mentality and lack of concern of most of the drivers 

[Peterphuket]

1 hour ago, sawadee1947 said:

You have to start from the bottom. Teach in kindergarten, then in schools........then you might be successful, might be......

And second, or maybe on the first place: There is also such a thing as mentality change.

[sawadee1947]

1 hour ago, Bangkok Barry said:

And they could show graphic videos on the tv news every night, and include such deaths happening in the nightly 'dramas' alongside the screaming women. But I doubt even that will make a difference. Thais never think anything will happen to them so they don't care.

 

There cannot be a single family in this country which doesn't have experience of death or serious injury on the road. My own family here know of four, including two deaths. And in the seven years that I've lived up-country there have been nearly 20 accidents within 500 metres on a long straight road past my house involving death, amputations, long-term coma, and lorries, cars and pickups in the roadside ditch. Even a car that flew through the top of a tree. Many Thais do not have the mental capacity to drive. They are not wired for it.

A matter of culture? 

[steve187]

8 hours ago, worgeordie said:

The carnage is never going to stop, I don't know what

it's going to take to change the way many Thai's drive.

 

Maybe have tougher driving tests ,where learners have

to test in real road conditions , not on simple test tracks

at testing stations , that's a long term view ,

regards Worgeordie

 

its as simple as enforcement, enforcement and more enforcement, when has anyone seen a police officer stop someone other than at a road check point

[scorecard]

8 hours ago, shady86 said:

Speeding, running on rightmost lanes, picking/dropping passengers on the middle of roads and now mowing pedestrian crossing zebras. Bangkok bus drivers do have wonderful achievements in their decorated CVs. 

Not acceptable, but given the lack of education, ongoing education and publicity about road rules I'd be inclined to believe the bus driver if he said 'I don't kow what these white lines on the road mean?'

 

Further not very wise to have a pedestrian crossing so close to a corner.

[EricTh]

This morning I even saw somebody jaywalking (not on zebra crossing) and expect the cars to stop for him in the middle of the road.

 

Sometimes, it is the stupidity of pedestrians that caused deaths

Edited March 14, 2022 by EricTh

[steven100]

poor lady ...... the #82 to Phrapradaeng got her. 

Road rules don't matter here because most don't even know them anyway .....   you've just gotta see how they use indicators .......

 

idiots.

[RayOday]

I have written about this issue too many times. All I will say here is that the Thai police are second degree murders. Ineffective, useless, bling bling wearing, kick up collecting, selfie taking failures. Education, licensing, road engineering is useless without on road enforcement backed by measured programs. This is not slander, it is fact. Countries with billionaire cops are corrupt, self aggrandizing, and ineffectual. That they care so much about selfies and medals are a statement to their uselessness. I have been in Surin on and off for the past 3 months. I cannot drive more than a half hour without seeing at least 10 drivers  driving on the wrong side of divided highway 24 which connects Korat and Ubon. I see useless checkpoints to collect revenue but ZERO in road enforcement. "Stupid is what stupid does" Forest Gump. The RTP look like  corrupt North Korean generals. Prove me wrong 

[Bangkok Barry]

1 hour ago, sawadee1947 said:

A matter of culture? 

A matter of being discouraged to think and reason, so yes. They simply cannot fathom that if they do A then B might happen. Totally beyond them.

[blackshadow]

4 hours ago, Mywayboy said:

Colour blind doesnt know what a black & white Zebra is.

RIP POOR LADY 

some are blue and white !!!

[NanLaew]

25 minutes ago, RayOday said:

The RTP look like  corrupt North Korean generals. Prove me wrong 

Nope. The RTP have wings whereas the NK blokes don't.

[dirtybirty]

10 hours ago, worgeordie said:

The carnage is never going to stop, I don't know what

it's going to take to change the way many Thai's drive.

 

Maybe have tougher driving tests ,where learners have

to test in real road conditions , not on simple test tracks

at testing stations , that's a long term view ,

regards Worgeordie

 

maybe a proper police force inforcing the law for all . ha ha rtp a joke the only mafia in thailand 

[bristolgeoff]

Don,t know  what the driver  was doing at the time,not watching the road is one. bkk traffic in the daytime is slow anyway and speed is not the issue I think.What was the lady trying to do beat the bus to get to the other side.All you can say is RIP to the lady now

[RobU]

10 hours ago, worgeordie said:

The carnage is never going to stop, I don't know what

it's going to take to change the way many Thai's drive.

 

Maybe have tougher driving tests ,where learners have

to test in real road conditions , not on simple test tracks

at testing stations , that's a long term view ,

regards Worgeordie

 

You are correct WG But other long term draconian measures are also needed to change attitudes. There is an attitude amongst many people of "I have passed my exam, but now I will drive like it is in the real world". people who already have their licences wouldn't be affected by new driving tests, and newly passed drivers would just conform to the majority attitude already on the roads (Peer pressure). Very severe sentences and high fines including confiscation of vehicles for the smallest infraction. Screw human rights for the guilty party Death by dangerous driving punishable as if it was murder. Make it expensive and socially costly to the culprits, even if they come off worse (ie motobike riders not looking or giving way getting injured), currently the fines and penalties are laughable. If the owner will not state who was driving or pretends an offending vehicle was stolen then "like in the UK" the owner becomes culpable. I include stupid pedestrians Jay walking or trying to beat the traffic.

Edited March 14, 2022 by RobU

[rovinman]

10 hours ago, worgeordie said:

The carnage is never going to stop, I don't know what

it's going to take to change the way many Thai's drive.

Use the BSM and Highway Code of England.

Call it the Bangkok School of Motoring.

But make this a COMPULSORY test that a driver MUST pass in order to drive on the road.

Not forgetting of course the Written Test which they also must pass  !

But will the Boys in Brown be taught the same rules  ?

.................?

[scorecard]

1 hour ago, NanLaew said:

Nope. The RTP have wings whereas the NK blokes don't.

But they do have rockets and missiles.

[Stupooey]

Sorry to be a fly in the ointment, but I actually believe that the standard of driving in Thailand is quite high, certainly compared to some other countries I have experienced - India, for example, plus others in East Europe and North Africa. The high fatality rate is down almost entirely to motorbike riders, who believe that the rules of the road don't apply to them and suffer the consequences: having functioning rear lights would also help. I base my assertion mainly on having commuted one hour each way for five years through Northern Bangkok, in which time the number of accidents I saw could be counted on the fingers of one hand. Dangerous driving appeared to be the preserve of bus drivers (so I'm not surprised that the protagonist in this instance was a bus driver) or, more particularly, minibus drivers, most of whom shouldn't have been allowed on the road, with the honourable exception of the one time I was lucky enough to have a female driver. I would also add that there does seem to be a great variation in driving standards in different parts of the country; my experiences of driving through Isaan have shown that tailgating seems to be a way of life there, whereas where I live now (rural Phetchaburi)  it is almost unheard of.

Edited March 14, 2022 by Stupooey