Nearly 40 Thai, Foreign Tourists Injured As Pattaya-Bound Bus Hit Trailer-Truck

[kwilco]

1 hour ago, digger70 said:

Grow Up, Don't be ridicules if you can't see a truck in front of you  no matter what the weather is you shouldn't be on the road .

What the RTP fail to achieve in the event of an RTI ....

Analysing the scene of a collision is a crucial part of any investigation inot a road incident , and it needs to be done in a very systematic way.

 

The initial scene assessment needs to be carried out quickly and thoroughly – in most cases in Thailand it is totally haphazard – this is typically seen as traffic is allowed to pass close or even through the scene.

There is a acronym mnemonic for this - “METHANE” : It stands for 

Make the scene safe, 

Establish the facts, 

Treat the injured, 

Hazards and risks, 

Access and egress, 

Notification and Evidence preservation. (this is crucial for finding out what really happened.)

 

Officers are trained to prioritize actions like securing the scene, checking for injuries, and identifying potential hazards. Then the work of sorting out the events can take place.

 

Once the immediate situation is stabilized, a more detailed examination begins. This involves:

Physical evidence: E.g.  skid marks, debris, vehicle damage, and any other physical traces that can offer clues about the collision's dynamics.

 

Scene measurements are taken and mapped out The scene is meticulously measured and documented Specialized equipment like “total stations” are to create accurate scale diagrams. These are a combination of an electronic distance meter, which uses an infra-red light to measure distance, and a theodolite, or electronic transit. Never seen one used in Thailand.

 

Witness statements: Statements from anyone who witnessed the collision are useful for understanding the sequence of events. They need to be taken very carefully taking into account  - Eyewitnesses can be very compelling, but rather than recording experiences flawlessly, memory is susceptible to a plethora of errors and biases.

We all make errors in remembering specific details and can even remember whole events that did not actually happen.  There is plenty of documented evidence of how most eye witnesses are ultimately unreliable suffering from such things a false biases, false memories and misinformation. (e,g, judging speed)

 

Then vehicles involved are inspected for mechanical issues, damage patterns, and potential digital data like airbag control module readings. Tachographs if fitted

 

In more major or complicated collisions, the digital specialists are called in

e.g Forensic Collision Investigators (FCIs): For serious collisions, FCIs have further specialized training and equipment to conduct in-depth scene examinations and reconstructions. They can use techniques like 3D scanning/modelling of the scene for more detailed analysis. They can also extract and interpret data from vehicle electronic control units (e.g. - ECUs).

Then there is accident reconstruction software which will recreate or simulate the collision based on gathered evidence to understand its dynamics.

 

After all this has been done the reporting and analysis is carried out. The findings are documented in a comprehensive report that includes:

 

Scene diagrams and photographs.

Witness statements and interview summaries.

Vehicle examination reports.

Any specialist analysis results.

Conclusions and recommendations based on the evidence.

 

 

UK has the one of the lowest road death rates in the world, Thailand one of the highest – a significant fact in this is the lamentable lack of data taken from RTIs.

Things you never see in Thailand - scene preservation is paramount yet the Thai police fail to close off accident scenes or even the road.

. The scene is secured to prevent contamination or alteration of evidence.

Apart from occasional drug/alcohol of drivers  testing potential criminal aspects are left unchecked.

Most of the investigation is left to under-trained local police not a specific accident investigation unit.

 

I’ve never seen any advanced technology used in  role in scene analysis. Tools like drones and 3D scanning enhancing data collection and reconstruction capabilities.

 

What do you get in Thailand? A statement to the press in an impossibly short space of time that sums up the incident in a series of clichés that appear to be designed to make the whole thing go away ASAP. Nothing is learn, roads are left damaged with oil and cargoes seeping into the nearby environment and water table and blame is apportioned regardless of what actually happened.

 

Even worse are the comments by totally uninformed amateurs who every time a crash is reported on EL forums see fit to chime in with the same old rubbish largely based on anecdotal observations, racist and stereotypical generalisations of “all Thais are bad drivers and deserve what they get” –“expats re all superior and superb drivers”

Who needs to grow up???

[Crimbath]

13 hours ago, JoseThailand said:

I take this bus on a regular basis. I think people got injured because they were not buckled up. But I'm not sure if the seatbelts on this bus are even functional. I usually don't buckle up either, but now I think I have to start doing that, if at all possible.

I have taken this bus trip numerous times and I have always found that the seatbelts were in working order. 

[rabas]

12 hours ago, roo860 said:

It says the truck was carrying oil which spilled onto the carriageway. That would make driving conditions more 'interesting ' 

Oil? Difficult driving?

 

Some may remember the LNG truck that sped off a highway exit onto New Phetchaburi Road, turned over blocking all lanes of evening rush-hour traffic, cracked, and poured LNG down the road under 100+ cars and seeped in to buildings for 10 minutes before it detonated. Explosions and fires burned for 24 hrs through 51 shop-houses destroying 67 cars and killing 88 people making it one of Thailand's deadliest man-made disasters (except the dynamite truck).  

 

Why? The gas tank was not secured to the truck.

 

The next morning my girlfriend, reading That Rat with a huge front page picture of a torso shaped black cinder on a white sheet, said "Lets go to the hospital and look at the dead burnt bodies!" 

 

That's when it really sank in that Thai do not think about death as we do, if at all.

 

Thailand Dynamite Truck Explosion.  LA Times.

 

Warning read  first:  Authorities said some police officers were believed among the dead and that other victims may have been passengers on a bus that was in the area at the time of the blast. (but they would never know for sure).

 

[kwilco]

12 hours ago, roo860 said:

It says the truck was carrying oil which spilled onto the carriageway. That would make driving conditions more 'interesting ' 

oil on the road requires the whole area to be resurfaced. failure to do this will result in deterioration of the surface as well as traction qualities

One also need to take measures to curb environmental damage as it can get into local water and water supplies.

 

Edited February 6 by kwilco

[paulikens]

Just now, kwilco said:

It takes 2 to tailgate.

What you re saying anecdotal based on personal assumption it is the misinformation effect. 

Sorry my bad. Thai drivers are brilliant drivers and Thailand having the one of the highest deaths on the roads in the world is just pure bad luck.     

[paulikens]

Just now, kwilco said:

It takes 2 to tailgate.

What you re saying anecdotal based on personal assumption it is the misinformation effect. 

 

  

Edited February 6 by paulikens

[roo860]

2 hours ago, kwilco said:

oil on the road requires the whole area to be resurfaced. failure to do this will result in deterioration of the surface as well as traction qualities

One also need to take measures to curb environmental damage as it can get into local water and water supplies.

 

Absolutely, I used to work in the road markings industry, we had machines called Hydro Blasters, high pressure water and suction for removing road markings, and spillages from the highway,  doubt very much they will have them here, as for the carriageway being re surfaced here, very slim chance. Hence my comment about the driving. The environmental damage, they won't give it a thought IMO.

Edited February 6 by roo860

[kwilco]

2 hours ago, paulikens said:

Sorry my bad. Thai drivers are brilliant drivers and Thailand having the one of the highest deaths on the roads in the world is just pure bad luck.     

Sadly you don't even begin to understand th basics of road safety and just resort to racist generalisations. I expect you think the earth is flat because you can see it is?

Edited February 6 by kwilco

[kwilco]

7 minutes ago, roo860 said:

Absolutely, I used to work in the road markings industry, we had machines called Hydro Blasters, high pressure water and suction for removing road markings, and spillages from the highway,  doubt very much they will have them here, as for the carriageway being re surfaced here, very slim chance. Hence my comment about the driving. The environmental damage, they won't give it a thought IMO.

You will also know that road markings are tested for friction properties - never seen one here - the lines themselves are a danger - especially to motorcycles. people look at th wide new roads here and have no idea how far they fall behind international safety standards.

[blueCloud888]

16 hours ago, ezzra said:

Wait until you get few Confused emojis for your post and maybe a  laughteror two as well...

Sorry, you got my laugher...

[Lopburikid]

22 hours ago, brianthainess said:

At High speed is irrelevant, the bus crashed INTO the Truck. 

High-speed Meaning HE MADE NO ATTEMPT TO BRAKE> Sleeping!

[Almer]

On 2/6/2024 at 8:08 AM, BKKBike09 said:

 

Or Version 2:

 

At the interview... 

Q] turn the key, does it start ?

A] Huh? 

Q] Don't worry, you can learn on the job.
you got the job, start today.

Version 3

 

Welcome, you got the job.

[digger70]

16 hours ago, kwilco said:

cognitive dissonance - you are not in a position to make any of those comments...

THe fact you are basing your comments on the media press release and your own prejudices just shows how naive people are. - you're not even a witness - they are notoriously unreliable.

Stop shooting of your beak, If you red my first post  you would've red that I said : 

If it's True what the Truck Driver said . Do you Understand That, Yes?

[kwilco]

3 hours ago, digger70 said:

Stop shooting of your beak, If you red my first post  you would've red that I said : 

If it's True what the Truck Driver said . Do you Understand That, Yes?

You think that in any way is an argument to my post? The fact is your post is an example of how people totally misread an incident even if what the driver said was true...if you READ my post you'd  understand why either way your post is not tenable.  Just because you don't like it doesn't give you tge right to ask me to stop.

This is a discussion about an accident and my point is that many on this thread including yourself seem to have no idea how to assess an RTI even  yor conckusion that "If that's true than the bus driver must go to jail for being an idiot driver"  This just indicates how little you seem to understand about this topic.

[Photoguy21]

On 2/6/2024 at 3:09 AM, flyingtlger said:

With so many accidents occurring every day in Thailand, unfortunately its become all too common.

I'm getting desensitized to it all...... 

Could be the new thing in gambling (if it was allowed). Guess what vehicle will crash. Get the right answer and win a proze.

[kwilco]

6 hours ago, Lopburikid said:

High-speed Meaning HE MADE NO ATTEMPT TO BRAKE> Sleeping!

So you witnessed this?

[Balance]

On 2/6/2024 at 3:09 AM, flyingtlger said:

With so many accidents occurring every day in Thailand, unfortunately its become all too common.

I'm getting desensitized to it all...... 

How in the hell do you run into the back of a 22-wheel tractor-trailer rig?  Oh, I forgot, TIT; answer:

1. Fell asleep;

2. Watching something else on the opposite side of the road;

3. Texting on cell phone;

4. Having a fight with wife on the phone;

5. On drugs.

 

I remember also reading an article years ago about another similar pile-up.  The driver lived and later told police that he was told by the company owner that he would be fired if he did not take the run, and this was after he had just finished a several-hour trip.

 

The bottom line is that there are no regulations, no REAL investigations, and no punishment for violations.  What is not understood is that social media will finish the demise of the Thai economy.

 

 

[kiwikeith]

On 2/6/2024 at 12:54 PM, NorthernRyland said:

 

 

Speeding and tailgating? 2024 and Thailand still doesn't understand why this is dangerous and allows it everyday. More to come soon.

 

 

Could this mean the bus was beginning to overtake, and the truck drifted over to me right, as they often drift when you're overtaking them. 

[JensenZ]

On 2/6/2024 at 8:00 PM, Crimbath said:

I have taken this bus trip numerous times and I have always found that the seatbelts were in working order. 

I've never used the seatbelts on this coach line. I'll be taking the bus from Bangkok to Pattaya later today and will check if the seatbelts are in working order. I use this bus line several times a year - it will be interesting to see if any procedures have changed since the crash this week.

 

I'm in my hotel room freaking out and praying I won't die today on this treacherous bus route. I was going to take a taxi but my wife wants to take the bus. I'm willing to take the risk.

[JensenZ]

On 2/6/2024 at 3:09 AM, flyingtlger said:

With so many accidents occurring every day in Thailand, unfortunately its become all too common.

I'm getting desensitized to it all...... 

Statistically, the road carnage in Thailand seems high, but you know the saying "There are lies, damned lies, and statistics".

 

For statistics to be meaningful, there needs to be a detailed analysis considering all factors...

 

I read that north of 90% of Thai people use motorcycles, which leads to questions:

 

What percentage of reported accidents, injuries, and fatalities involve motorcycles? What percentage of accidents involve public transport? What percentage involve motor vehicles?

 

Considering how many motorcycles are on the road, there wouldn't be many countries that could compete other than some other Asian countries like Vietnam and Indonesia. Comparisons with Western nations are irrelevant.

 

Having ridden motorcycles around Pattaya for nearly 20 years as my sole form of transport, it has always surprised me how few accidents I have witnessed firsthand. I would expect a lot more considering how many motorcycles are using the roads, and the number has increased a lot since I first came here. I rode 11 km today in peak traffic in Bangkok on a bike taxi without a helmet and felt quite safe. I think overall, the riders are more skilled than we give them credit for. 

 

 

[Rampant Rabbit]

On 2/6/2024 at 7:32 AM, stix40 said:

Always in a hurry

Cannot wait 

Always some one  up your arse 

Overtaking on the left

Overtaking on the hill

Overtaking on the bend 

Looking at Facebook

Looking at a movie 

Cannot see out of the windscreen because it's 90 % tinted

Cannot see out of the windscreen because of budah structures or luang  por figures

Cannot stop because because there is 6 ton in a 1 ton pickup 

Cannot stop because the breaks don't work

Cannot steer properly because the front wheels are not touching the ground due to weight distribution

 

Please feel free to add to the list 😜

 

 

when confronted on their awful behaviour (and they know it) pull out a  machete.

[Rampant Rabbit]

35 minutes ago, JensenZ said:

Statistically, the road carnage in Thailand seems high, but you know the saying "There are lies, damned lies, and statistics".

 

For statistics to be meaningful, there needs to be a detailed analysis considering all factors...

 

I read that north of 90% of Thai people use motorcycles, which leads to questions:

 

What percentage of reported accidents, injuries, and fatalities involve motorcycles? What percentage of accidents involve public transport? What percentage involve motor vehicles?

 

Considering how many motorcycles are on the road, there wouldn't be many countries that could compete other than some other Asian countries like Vietnam and Indonesia. Comparisons with Western nations are irrelevant.

 

Having ridden motorcycles around Pattaya for nearly 20 years as my sole form of transport, it has always surprised me how few accidents I have witnessed firsthand. I would expect a lot more considering how many motorcycles are using the roads, and the number has increased a lot since I first came here. I rode 11 km today in peak traffic in Bangkok on a bike taxi without a helmet and felt quite safe. I think overall, the riders are more skilled than we give them credit for. 

 

 

I on the other  hand have seen a  badly mangled vehicle on almost every single  drive dow to Hua  Hin from Bangkok and Im  up and  down monthly, car upside  down lorries  upside  down, cars in ditches etc etc.......very rare to see that in the UK, compound it with almost total lack of seatbelt wearing and theres the answer. Having said that.....I wouldnt change a thing as I hate the UK's  ridiculous over nannified road safty/fundraising speed  camera infested  laws.

[Rampant Rabbit]

On 2/6/2024 at 3:48 PM, Liverpool Lou said:

Retaliation, what a stupid way for you to conduct yourself on the road whilst still complaining about Thai drivers' standards.

Id  call it  education

[digger70]

22 hours ago, kwilco said:

discussion about an accident

Not a discussion, it's about the truck driver what he said if what  he said is True or Not .  

If it's True what the Truck Driver said  than I stick to my previous reply.

Stop your Nonsense  and stick to the Fact what I was talking about. 

I wasn't talking the bus driver only the truck driver.

 

[Liverpool Lou]

5 hours ago, Rampant Rabbit said:

On 2/6/2024 at 3:48 PM, Liverpool Lou said:

Retaliation, what a stupid way for you to conduct yourself on the road whilst still complaining about Thai drivers' standards.

Id  call it  education

I'd call it a stupid, retaliatory move.

[josephbloggs]

On 2/6/2024 at 8:19 PM, rabas said:

 

 

The next morning my girlfriend, reading That Rat with a huge front page picture of a torso shaped black cinder on a white sheet, said "Lets go to the hospital and look at the dead burnt bodies!" 

 

That's when it really sank in that Thai do not think about death as we do, if at all.

 

 

No, I think it's just your girlfriend that is weird. 

[Mr Meeseeks]

On 2/6/2024 at 6:35 AM, JoseThailand said:

I take this bus on a regular basis. I think people got injured because they were not buckled up. But I'm not sure if the seatbelts on this bus are even functional. I usually don't buckle up either, but now I think I have to start doing that, if at all possible.

 

These buses are built in very rudimentary facilities from local 'designs'.

 

Channel 4 in the UK did an exposé on them many years ago after three English lads were killed in a similar crash.

 

The investigation showed that the bus frames were all hand built, and a lot of wood and other soft material was used for structural components.

 

Absolutely no crash testing on these things at all. Total deathtraps. 

[Mr Meeseeks]

On 2/6/2024 at 10:53 PM, roo860 said:

as for the carriageway being re surfaced here, very slim chance.

 

They are resurfacing the Highway 7 right now. 

 

Loads of resurfacing roadworks all the way from Bangkok to Pattaya in both directions.

[JoseThailand]

9 minutes ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

These buses are built in very rudimentary facilities from local 'designs'.

 

The buses used by the company involved all have a Mercedes label on them

[kwilco]

1 hour ago, digger70 said:

Not a discussion, it's about the truck driver what he said if what  he said is True or Not .  

If it's True what the Truck Driver said  than I stick to my previous reply.

Stop your Nonsense  and stick to the Fact what I was talking about. 

I wasn't talking the bus driver only the truck driver.

 

The more you post the more you reveal you lack of understanding of the issues.

You fixate upon things about which you know nothing. You are making uneducated guesses and drawing inferences that are just risible

Edited February 8 by kwilco