Deadly Bus Fire Tragedy Highlights Safety Failures on Thai Roads

[webfact]

 

A tragic bus fire on October 1, which claimed the lives of 20 children and three adults, has once again underscored the severe road safety issues in Thailand.

 

As one of the world's most dangerous countries for road travel, Thailand faces ongoing challenges in ensuring vehicle safety, particularly for school buses transporting young passengers.

 

Incident Overview

The incident involved a bus carrying 44 passengers, mostly primary school students, on a field trip from Uthai Thani to Ayutthaya and Nonthaburi. As the bus reached the outskirts of Bangkok, it caught fire, trapping many passengers inside.

 

Despite rescue efforts, 23 lives were lost, and three others suffered severe injuries. This tragedy echoes a similar incident in 2018, when a bus fire claimed the lives of 20 Myanmar migrant workers. These recurring accidents have prompted questions about Thailand's road safety regulations and their enforcement.

 

The State of Bus Safety in Thailand

Thailand has long been criticized for its lax enforcement of safety standards, particularly for public transportation vehicles. Sumet Ongkittikul, Research Director for Transportation and Logistics Policy at the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI), highlighted that only 5% of the country’s 10,000 non-regular buses meet fire safety standards implemented in 2022. These standards mandate the use of non-flammable materials, but they apply only to new or recently overhauled buses, leaving older vehicles exempt.

According to Sumet, retrofitting older buses with fire-retardant materials is costly, leading many bus operators to resist these updates. He suggested that the Thai government could follow international examples by providing subsidies or low-interest loans to facilitate fleet upgrades. Doing so would help prevent fires from spreading quickly, giving passengers more time to evacuate.

 

Inspection Loopholes and Accountability

The October 1 tragedy also revealed critical flaws in Thailand’s vehicle inspection process. The bus in question, registered over 50 years ago, was found to have undergone unsafe modifications, including an excess number of compressed natural gas (CNG) cylinders.

 

An inspection revealed that a leaking cylinder was a major factor in the blaze. The driver, who initially fled, later admitted to reckless driving and modifying the vehicle beyond its capacity.

 

Thailand’s Transport Ministry mandates biannual safety inspections for buses, but poor quality and lax enforcement remain persistent issues. Dr. Thanapong Jinwong, manager of the Center for Road Safety, called for an independent regulatory body to ensure accountability and implement safety standards effectively.

 

Government Response

Following the incident, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra held an emergency meeting to address the country’s ongoing road safety crisis. The Transport Ministry ordered inspections of all 13,425 CNG-powered buses within 60 days and announced plans to update safety regulations for non-regular service buses. Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit also proposed new regulations requiring bus operators to inform passengers about safety features and emergency procedures.

 

The Education Ministry has taken immediate steps by suspending all school trips until bus safety inspections are completed. Additionally, the Transport Ministry has urged schools to ensure that buses used for field trips are checked by qualified inspectors.

 

The Need for Systematic Reform

Despite repeated promises to improve road safety, Thailand’s progress has been slow. According to Thanapong, the government has established multiple committees on road safety over the years, yet few have produced lasting change. He recommended that an independent organization be formed, staffed with experts who can enforce road safety standards and hold relevant agencies accountable.

 

Observers point out that fatalities resulting from the October 1 tragedy emphasize the need for better emergency preparedness. Many parents are now hesitant to allow their children to participate in field trips due to safety concerns.

 

Conclusion

Thailand's poor road safety record, with an average of 17,914 fatalities each year, underscores the urgent need for comprehensive reform. While government agencies have pledged to improve safety standards, experts stress that only a systematic and enforced approach can prevent future tragedies. As families mourn the lives lost in this latest disaster, calls for greater accountability and stronger safety measures grow louder, reported Thai PBS.

 

Picture courtesy: Thai Rath

 

-- 2024-10-08

 

[SAFETY FIRST]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

has once again underscored the severe road safety issues in Thailand

You can start with retraining your police force.

 

Cops turning a blind eye to violations is giving the wrong impression to road users. 

 

Minor violations like overloading, at times I see riding 4 on a motorcycle without helmets. 

 

Many times I see cops riding their white Nmax and PCX ignoring other riders breaking the law. 

 

 

Edited 8 hours ago by SAFETY FIRST

[ozz1]

Once again tragedy occurs and do not forget that the vehicle inspectors were just as complicit as the driver and the bus company but unfortunately corruption will get in the way again and nothing will be done these little children will be forgotten so sad rip

[2baht]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

has once again underscored the severe road safety issues in Thailand.

Is it not underscored with the daily road carnage? Let's see how they fumble their way through this new disgraceful debacle!!!  

[BangkokReady]

Thai society would need to fundamentally change it's attitude towards accountability for anything like this to improve.

 

Thai people simply don't like to hold people/be held accountable for any wrong doing.  The standard is to not criticise anyone or point out wrong doing, quite the opposite in fact.

 

Until the culture of "not wanting to upset anyone in case something bad happens to you" changes, these things will keep happening.

[MikeandDow]

16 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

Thai society would need to fundamentally change it's attitude towards accountability for anything like this to improve.

 

Thai people simply don't like to hold people/be held accountable for any wrong doing.  The standard is to not criticise anyone or point out wrong doing, quite the opposite in fact.

 

Until the culture of "not wanting to upset anyone in case something bad happens to you" changes, these things will keep happening.

I believe you mean a Culture war

 

[Artisi]

3 minutes ago, MikeandDow said:

I believe you mean a Culture war

 

More like taking responsibity for your own actions and not blaming karma or some other mumby jumbo face-saving cop-out for your stupidity

[MikeandDow]

Just now, Artisi said:

More like taking responsibity for your own actions and not blaming karma or some other mumby jumbo face-saving cop-out for your stupidity

Will never happen, Culture needs to change

[Artisi]

3 minutes ago, MikeandDow said:

Will never happen, Culture needs to change

Some of the culture. 

[lordgrinz]

Thailand needs a professional police force that actually enforces the laws, I've noticed over the last 8 years, especially after the pandemic, that the drivers are getting much worse. One thing that's getting scary is the doubling down of stupid, I have had people almost create accidents while they are breaking the road laws/rules and then getting into an argument because they feel they are right (road rage). I don't even think Thai's understand that they do indeed have road rules/laws on the books, and they seem to be completely ignorant of what those laws are, I mean, did they ever read them?! Nothing scares me more than an entire society of ignorant drivers.

Edited 3 hours ago by lordgrinz

[brianthainess]

The pope has sent his condolences, why did his god allow this awful thing to happen in the first place. 

[La fa]

new committee, new law, what for ?

its a culture issue, no law enforcement, no accountability everyday i see countless motorbikers without helmet, countless cars and bus smoking so dark that you cant see the road, countless crazy drivers passing red light or passing continous line and endangering  other road users ,  and all of this in plain sight if front of policemen, 

 

[brianthainess]

5 hours ago, ozz1 said:

Once again tragedy occurs and do not forget that the vehicle inspectors were just as complicit as the driver and the bus company but unfortunately corruption will get in the way again and nothing will be done these little children will be forgotten so sad rip

How do you know the driver was complicit was it him that paid to get the bus passed knowing so many gas tanks were illigal ? 

[brianthainess]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand's poor road safety record, with an average of 17,914 fatalities each year, underscores the urgent need for comprehensive reform.

And from what we are led to understand that is only the ones that die at the scean, not those that die in hospital, that could be days, weeks, or months after, or left in a coma for years. I'd add at least 20% to that figure. Only Thai driving instructors/schools/testers allowed, only Thai vehicle inspectors and only Thai mechanics allowed. But Thais know best, we can't have foreigners doing those jobs that they 'think' they know how to do.

[john donson]

road safety, you mean thai driving true red lights and not stopping for zebra, as an easy starter? or drunk driving and bribing the cops?

 

remember the apple ad that had to be pulled? with the old bus and everybody saying this was TH 30 years ago, while having a 54 year old bus illegally transformed into a riding bomb

Edited 1 hour ago by john donson

[hotchilli]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

A tragic bus fire on October 1, which claimed the lives of 20 children and three adults, has once again underscored the severe road safety issues in Thailand.

I've highlighted the important word.

Nothing will change and again will be in the news soon.

[Cereal]

50 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

How do you know the driver was complicit was it him that paid to get the bus passed knowing so many gas tanks were illigal ? 

The bus driver was complicit either through woeful or willful ignorance. He ran away ffs!

[NorthernRyland]

I don't think Thai people fundamentally even understand the value of road safety. They've been driving for decades and still can't figure out what a safe speed limit is and even how to enforce it. In my area we have cars doing 90km/hour in front of a university where girls are riding without helmets and trying to dodge speeding cars while doing U-turns. This is a totally reasonable situation in their minds.

 

If they haven't learned these ABC's of driving in decades I see no reason that they will ever change their attitude.

[brianthainess]

Just now, Cereal said:

The bus driver was complicit either through woeful or willful ignorance. He ran away ffs!

Not before he tried to fight the fire and open the doors, I can't imagine hearing the screams he must have heard from inside, I pity him having to live with that for the rest of his life, he should be given counseling.

[Will B Good]

4 minutes ago, Cereal said:

The bus driver was complicit either through woeful or willful ignorance. He ran away ffs!

 

 

Not jumping to his defence......but would the driver know about improperly retrofitted gas tanks or leaking gas tanks?

 

Initially he did run to get a fire extinguisher to try to put out the blaze....... before realising the enormity and horror of the situation....and then ran away.

[Artisi]

23 minutes ago, Cereal said:

The bus driver was complicit either through woeful or willful ignorance. He ran away ffs!

he ran away for good reason - it seems you are completely ignorant of Thai culture as hanging around could have cost him his own life. 

[PETERTHEEATER]

The report says the driver has admitted to:......reckless driving and modifying the bus beyond its capacity.......

 

He is admitting to being the person responsible for fitting an additional five gas cylinders?

 

This makes no sense and needs explanation when apportioning blame.