THIRTY-NINE French tourists travelling in a tour bus to a restaurant in Kanchanaburi for lunch today (Dec. 1) narrowly escaped after the large vehicle’s rear engine caught fire with the driver unaware of the looming disaster and only stopped upon being alerted by a passing motorist, Naewna newspaper said.

 

A 11.30 a.m. just as the tour bus was going down hill and about 300 metres away from a well-known restaurant in Sai Yok district of this eastern province where the tourists were to have lunch, the driver of a sedan who saw the engine ablaze zoomed to overtake and shouted to the big vehicle’s driver of the danger they faced.

 

 

The tour bus driver quickly parked to have a look and upon seeing the engine on fire called out to the tour guide to get the tourists out, and fortunately they all did so without anyone getting injured.

 

Sai Yok District Chief Mr. Neramit Luengomfah and  Pol. Col. Phuchong Narong-in, Sai Yok police station superintendent, quickly sent fire engines to put out the fire while Mr. Kwanchai Thirasin, an official at Kanchanaburi Rescue Foundation, brought a chemical fire extinguisher and together it took 10 minutes to put it out. However they had to continue spraying water to ensure the fire did not reignite.

 

by TNR Staff

 

Full story: THAI NEWSROOM 2023-12-02

 

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2 hours ago, webfact said:

The tour bus driver quickly parked to have a look and upon seeing the engine on fire called out to the tour guide to get the tourists out, and fortunately they all did so without anyone getting injured.

Best laid plans.

I would like to know a bit more about the case. 🌲

Sacre Bleu! On the positive side, along with no-one being injured, is that they could walk the rest of the distance to the restaurant.

Told the van driver bearing problem dangerous, fell asleep, the van was on fire, everyone got out then woke me up. Stupid foreigner doing this since 71, before vans. 

So glad to hear they escaped, these buses.. large and small.. on fire, in a ditch, head on collisions, etc.  So dangerous 

I see an awful lot of large luggage (in the full article) being taken along considering this was just a tour to a "well-known restaurant". Perhaps the tourists were anticipating various contingencies. Welcome to Thailand. Be prepared.

3 hours ago, webfact said:

an official at Kanchanaburi Rescue Foundation, brought a chemical fire extinguisher

 

I thought that a fire extinguisher is standard equipment on big tour buses ... but , wait , not ' thai ' standard .

Welcome to some exciting ride in the country of ' adventures ' ...

4 hours ago, webfact said:

an official at Kanchanaburi Rescue Foundation, brought a chemical fire extinguisher and together it took 10 minutes to put it out.

So no on board extinguisher, safe and trusted Thailand.

39 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Sacre Bleu! On the positive side, along with no-one being injured, is that they could walk the rest of the distance to the restaurant.

Some had a lot of heavy baggage for what seems to have been a day trip.

"EVs.....EVs? We dohn need no steenking EVs, we got diesel."

New TAT campaign to reach 50 million visitors in 2024: 'Adventure Tours of Thailand. Anything can happen! Come prepared!'

 

Chinese pouring in to escape Communist conformity ...

2 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Sacre Bleu! On the positive side, along with no-one being injured, is that they could walk the rest of the distance to the restaurant.

Where they were served Crepes Suzette flambé. Luckily they all saw the funny side…

Must have been quite a funny sight, a bus full of happy tourists oblivious of the flames pouring out of the back as it charged downhill.

1 hour ago, mfd101 said:

New TAT campaign to reach 50 million visitors in 2024: 'Adventure Tours of Thailand. Anything can happen! Come prepared!'

A new trend in tourism preparedness.... Bring your own Fire Extinguisher!

I'm sorry but this does not sound like a narrow escape to me.  They stopped the bus out and everyone got out without any injuries.  I assume they left through the front door.  

Was it the newest addition of the Tourism Authority of Thailand called "Barbequeue on the move"? Asking for a friend - Bonne chance, mes amis de la France"

 

 

39 orders of French Toast narrowly avoided.

52 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

Must have been quite a funny sight, a bus full of happy tourists oblivious of the flames pouring out of the back as it charged downhill.

 

Quite similar to Concorde in that they were probably doing the same speed. 

25 minutes ago, JeffersLos said:

 

Quite similar to Concorde in that they were probably doing the same speed. 

Nobody got out alive in Concorde, so....not funny

"savage" Thai driver saves the lives of 39 French tourists.     Farang on 

3 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

Nobody got out alive in Concorde, so....not funny

 

Your face is funny. 

4 hours ago, neeray said:

I see an awful lot of large luggage (in the full article) being taken along considering this was just a tour to a "well-known restaurant". Perhaps the tourists were anticipating various contingencies. Welcome to Thailand. Be prepared.

They were prepared for the inevitable "brake failure" so packed for a possible hospital stay.

No sign of an overheated engine, smoke, a foul odor? Nothing? 

So its safe to say commercial vehicles operating on the roads are not required by Thai law to have basic safety equipment that includes fire extinguishers for just such an emergency. 

 

Yet another example why I do not use such modes of transport. 

They were probably just going to see some statue and a temple.  The bus exploding is far more exciting.

Instead of holding their silly parades "to ensure tourist safety", the Thai police farce should step up their efforts to check the roadworthiness of busses and etc.

19 hours ago, chiman said:

So glad to hear they escaped, these buses.. large and small.. on fire, in a ditch, head on collisions, etc.  So dangerous 

No alarms to alert the driver, this could have been a disaster, especially if the lpg went up with all on board, very lucky the motorist was able to stop the bus. 

Road transport safety authority should be kicked in the butt, shows a bad flaw in vehicle testing and safety. 

 

A Magical Mystery Tour - Phet Phet 

17 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

No sign of an overheated engine, smoke, a foul odor? Nothing? 

They were all on their 4th or 5th packet of ciggies of the day.