Thailand Road Carnage: Motorcycle couple dead on Bangkok bridge - second fatality in same spot in 2 weeks

[webfact]

Picture: Thai Rath

 

Thai Rath reported that a young couple died after their motorcycle hit the back of a truck-trailer on the Bhumibol 1 bridge in Bangkok heading for Suksawat Road.

 

Dead at the scene last night at 9.30 pm were Pratunam convenience store worker Pongsathorn, a Bangkokian, and his girlfriend Thawanrat from Chiang Rai. Both were just 21. They were on their way home.

 

They both had broken necks and other injuries.

 

A completely destroyed Yamaha N-Max was found at the scene.

 

The truck carrying a container from Klong Toei port to Mahachai was stopped 300 meters away. Its driver Arkhom, 34, said he thought something hit him in the rear but didn't stop immediately as he was going up the incline and feared sliding back.

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

He stopped on the brow of the bridge.

 

Police are studying CCTV to understand what happened.

 

Bunchuay, 45, a security man on the bridge said he was informed of what happened by the driver of a pick-up.

 

He said it was an accident blackspot with a death in the same place just two weeks ago.

 

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[Celsius]

The motorbikes are not allowed on that bridge, yet I see many ignoring the law all the time.

[Will B Good]

2 minutes ago, Celsius said:

The motorbikes are not allowed on that bridge, yet I see many ignoring the law all the time.

Now that does surprise me.

[KannikaP]

17 minutes ago, webfact said:

but didn't stop immediately as he was going up the incline and feared sliding back.

Brakes no good then.

[KannikaP]

18 minutes ago, webfact said:

A completely destroyed Yamaha N-Max was found at the scene.

Together with a couple of phones no doubt.

[KannikaP]

19 minutes ago, webfact said:

He said it was an accident blackspot with a death in the same place just two weeks ago.

Then ban ALL traffic from that part of the highway.

[markclover]

Riding at double the speed limit and while being wasted is usually the cause.

[Eloquent pilgrim]

10 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

Together with a couple of phones no doubt.

Very compassionate and empathetic comment … RIP kids, much too young to leave us.

[Liverpool Lou]

5 minutes ago, markclover said:

Riding at double the speed limit and while being wasted is usually the cause.

That is usually the sort of remark that get's posted here on AN with no evidence in this case.

[KannikaP]

17 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

That is usually the sort of remark that get's posted here on AN with no evidence in this case.

OK, riding on a highway where bikes are banned.

[Liverpool Lou]

9 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

27 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

That is usually the sort of remark that get's posted here on AN with no evidence in this case.

OK, riding on a highway where bikes are banned.

Highway?  It happened on a road bridge, didn't it, not a highway?

[KannikaP]

6 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Highway?  It happened on a road bridge, didn't it, not a highway?

Sorry, was just quoting Celsius from earlier.

 

[Lemsta69]

35 minutes ago, Eloquent pilgrim said:

Very compassionate and empathetic comment … RIP kids, much too young to leave us.

It was the rider's choice to drive in a dangerous manner. One doesn't ride into the back of semis if one is paying attention.

[mancub]

19 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Highway?  It happened on a road bridge, didn't it, not a highway?

It's a dual carriageway major road. not a country lane. 

[Liverpool Lou]

39 minutes ago, mancub said:

59 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Highway?  It happened on a road bridge, didn't it, not a highway?

It's a dual carriageway major road. not a country lane. 

That's what I thought, it's not a highway (that's a tollway in Thailand)

[Eloquent pilgrim]

2 hours ago, Lemsta69 said:

It was the rider's choice to drive in a dangerous manner. One doesn't ride into the back of semis if one is paying attention.

Why have you posted this as a reply to me rather than as a stand alone comment ?

 

It has nothing whatsoever to do with either my comment, or the comment I was replying to ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Mad mick]

RIP 

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, Celsius said:

The motorbikes are not allowed on that bridge, yet I see many ignoring the law all the time.

At their peril.

[Burma Bill]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

 

 

5 hours ago, webfact said:

but didn't stop immediately as he was going up the incline and feared sliding back.

Interesting - surely he could have braked and then later restarted with a "hill start".  I note hillstarts are not included in Thai driving tests like they are in the UK. 

[Eaglekott]

8 minutes ago, Burma Bill said:

 

Interesting - surely he could have braked and then later restarted with a "hill start".  I note hillstarts are not included in Thai driving tests like they are in the UK. 

He might not have enough traction to make a hill start depending on load of the truck and % climb at the bridge and how many axels that have a driving force. He might have to reverse back down flat surface and gain speed before the climb start again. He stopped on top of the bridge and didn't run away. That is good enough for me.

[kennw]

5 hours ago, KannikaP said:

Then ban ALL traffic from that part of the highway.

Please use your common sense, motorbikes are banned from using this bridge for safety reasons as this accident shows. Just as they are banned from the center section of the Bang Na Trad road, but many do. The sign indicates B1000 fine for the offence. Of course IF bike riders would follow road rules, such as staying in the center of a lane at the speed limit instead of weaving in and out of traffic causing danger to themselves and other road users maybe the ban could be lifted.  

[RichardColeman]

So, the truck was moving when the bike hit it ? RIP to the girlfriend - in this life you had an idiot for a boyfriend !

[KannikaP]

5 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

That's what I thought, it's not a highway (that's a tollway in Thailand)

Not all highways are tollway or toll roads. Most highways are FREE to drive on.

[OttoPollmann]

1 hour ago, Eaglekott said:

He might not have enough traction to make a hill start depending on load of the truck and % climb at the bridge and how many axels that have a driving force. He might have to reverse back down flat surface and gain speed before the climb start again. He stopped on top of the bridge and didn't run away. That is good enough for me.

This shouldn't be an excuse at all.

By this logic, he also don't need to stop if the traffic in front of him comes to a hold and just plough through it? 

If he is unable to make a hill start, then he is either overloaded or has worn tires. The later is the standard with most of the lorries. 

[KannikaP]

7 hours ago, Eloquent pilgrim said:

Very compassionate and empathetic comment … RIP kids, much too young to leave us.

And if they had been looking where they were going, they would still be with us.

[AustinRacing]

I rode passed the accident scene, soon after it had occurred. The emergency services had not arrived yet. Blood on the ground, it was a horrific site. Didn’t see any helmets. One was on its back on the road, the other still attached to the bike. 
Motorbikes are not banned from riding on this bridge or bridges in bkk unless they’re on a motorway. 

[scottiejohn]

1 hour ago, AustinRacing said:

I rode passed the accident scene, soon after it had occurred. The emergency services had not arrived yet.

As there were no emergency services on scene did you not think to stop and help rather than just "I rode passed the accident scene"?

 

[stoner]

9 hours ago, Eloquent pilgrim said:

Very compassionate and empathetic comment … RIP kids, much too young to leave us.

at what point does society here recognize the elephant in the room in regards to all aspects of thai driving ? 

 

how do we continue to have compassion for something that never changes. i came to thailand first in 2003....... and absolutely 0 has changed in regards to their habits and driving in general.

 

my compassion for this ended a long time ago as they seem to not give a toss. 

[Enoon]

10 hours ago, KannikaP said:

Sorry, was just quoting Celsius from earlier.

 

You shouldn't be saying sorry.

 

MCs are indeed banned from the that part of the "highway" that crosses the river, on a bridge.

 

https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/highway

 

In the UK the Act of Parliament that deals with all aspects of the management and operation of the road network is "The Highways Act"

 

I apologise for not being around earlier to forestall the tiresome "conversation" into which you were dragged.

 

You have my sincere sympathy.

 

 

.

[Enoon]

2 hours ago, stoner said:

at what point does society here recognize the elephant in the room in regards to all aspects of thai driving ? 

 

how do we continue to have compassion for something that never changes. i came to thailand first in 2003....... and absolutely 0 has changed in regards to their habits and driving in general.

 

my compassion for this ended a long time ago as they seem to not give a toss. 

Think of Thai society as a "family"........that is how it has been characterised, in Thailand, over and over, ad infinitum.

 

And so it is.......a dysfunctional one.

 

The "parenting" consisted of a mix of not giving a **** about the children and leaving them completely unsupervised and unsupported, harassing them, subjugating, threatening and bullying them, and filling their heads full of archaic personality worship, nonsense and superstition.

 

The road thing is just part of the big (badly painted by numbers, chaotic)...... picture.

 

Intense "therapy" is the only thing that can come close to fixing it.

 

It almost certainly requires much more severe "treatment".