Tourist Van Accident in Prachuap Khiri Khan: 8 Injured, 1 Dead

[Georgealbert]

 

 

A van carrying domestic tourists back from a vacation suffered a tyre blowout, spinning out of control and crashing into a roadside tree. The incident left eight people seriously injured and claimed one life.

 

On October 19, at around 18:00 the Sawang Methittham Foundation Rescue Centre in Sam Roi Yot received a report of a serious crash involving a van on Phetkasem Road, heading southbound at kilometer markers 250-251 in the Sala Lai subdistrict of Sam Roi Yot, Prachuap Khiri Khan province. The van had a tyre blowout, causing the driver to veer off the road and strike a large tree. Rescue teams and local police rushed to the scene.

 

 

Upon arrival, responders found the van overturned in a roadside ditch next to a large tree. Several passengers were trapped inside, with some in severe pain, requiring urgent rescue efforts. Emergency personnel provided first aid and transported the injured to Sam Roi Yot Hospital. Due to the van’s position on its side, rescuers had to carefully extract the passengers through the rear door, even cutting seats to free them, taking over half an hour to complete the operation.

 

The van was carrying a total of 11 people, including the driver. Eight of the passengers, mostly women aged between 60 and 70, sustained serious injuries, including head injuries, broken arms and legs. Unfortunately, after being rushed to the hospital, one woman succumbed to her injuries. The driver and a male passenger seated behind him were unharmed.

 

A witness described the accident, stating that they heard what sounded like a tyre bursting before the van lost control, skidding off the road and slamming into a large tree with a loud crash. The van overturned as a result, prompting the witness to call for emergency services.

 

The van driver, Mr. Nit, explained that he was returning with 10 tourists from Nakhon Phanom, where they had attended a boat festival. They were en route to Songkhla with plans to stop overnight in Prachuap Khiri Khan. Just before the incident, the rear tyre blew out, causing him to lose control and spin into the ditch, where the rear of the vehicle struck the tree, flipping the van on its side.

 

Authorities are continuing to investigate the circumstances of the incident.

 

Pictures from emergency responders.

-- 2024-10-20

 

[watchcat]

2 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

Authorities are continuing to investigate the circumstances of the incident.

 

High speed?

[newbee2022]

22 hours ago, watchcat said:

 

High speed?

Worn out tyres?

[hotchilli]

22 hours ago, watchcat said:

 

High speed?

A tyre blow-out...

[watchcat]

46 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

Worn out tyres?

 

9 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

A tyre blow-out...

 

Yes, but at a slover speed, the driver could have managed to keep the vehicle on the road.

[hotchilli]

2 minutes ago, watchcat said:

 

 

Yes, but at a slover speed, the driver could have managed to keep the vehicle on the road.

Phetkassem road is a major highway where speeds are usually higher than rural roads, 

Driving slower on a major road has it's own perils.

[watchcat]

24 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Phetkassem road is a major highway where speeds are usually higher than rural roads, 

Driving slower on a major road has it's own perils.

 

Well, I have bad tyres and I'am well aware of it, so I'm speeding along at 60-65 km/h on the highways.

 

[newbee2022]

1 hour ago, watchcat said:

 

 

Yes, but at a slover speed, the driver could have managed to keep the vehicle on the road.

That's true. Happened to me on a highway in early years. No problem .....if you don't brake.

[steven100]

A rear tyre blowout will not cause a vehicle to swerve uncontrollably across the road,  either the driver was speeding and grabbed the wheel forcing the vehicle to veer left sharply.

It more likely the driver hit the brakes and that's when he lost control at speed. 

 

Rear tyre blowouts are not accident attributes in normal driving circumstances. 

 

 

 

Edited October 21 by steven100

[hotchilli]

56 minutes ago, watchcat said:

 

Well, I have bad tyres and I'am well aware of it, so I'm speeding along at 60-65 km/h on the highways.

 

Who said anything about bad tyres?

Maybe he had a natural puncture by running over some debris?

[steven100]

can anyone see what this license plate is  ......

 

24_5     ?       2495    ?

 

 

 

Edited October 21 by steven100

[HK MacPhooey]

39 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Who said anything about bad tyres?

Maybe he had a natural puncture by running over some debris?

First ‘apologist’ of the day😃 either way, the driver should have checked his tire condition before starting out the journey, be driving at safe speed conducive to local conditions traffic/weather/wildlife etc and be prepared to take avoiding/defensive action at any time. A totally avoidable accident from what is reported🤨

[Grusa]

Nakhon Phanom to Songkhla is a very long way for one driver, even with an overnight stop! Could fatigue be a factor?

[harryviking]

I am on Thai roads all the time, and every time I see a Van, they are speeding! Also worn tires is normal actually....what could ever go wrong!   🙄

[richard_smith237]

3 hours ago, steven100 said:

A rear tyre blowout will not cause a vehicle to swerve uncontrollably across the road,  either the driver was speeding and grabbed the wheel forcing the vehicle to veer left sharply.

It more likely the driver hit the brakes and that's when he lost control at speed. 

 

Rear tyre blowouts are not accident attributes in normal driving circumstances. 

 

 

Agreed... I had a rear left blowout at about 100kmh....    no issues, just brought the car to a gentle stop, then changed the wheel.

 

I suspect I'd caught a slow puncture and didn't notice, 3+ hours into a long journey when the blowout happened, sidewall gave out and the tyre was hot - which led me to suspect that I'd been driving an under-inflated tyre for some time and didn't notice.

 

The worst part was having to change the tyre on the side of the road in the middle of the Thai heat...

exhausting... 

 

 

 

 

[Liverpool Lou]

On 10/20/2024 at 7:40 AM, watchcat said:

 

High speed?

Normal, legal speed for that road?

[richard_smith237]

1) Speeding tourist van spins off the road

2) Tour bus rolls down a ravine

3) Truck with brake failure takes out a motorcycle

4) Sports car takes out a motorcyclist

5) Tour Boat / speed boat over turns in rough weather

6) Boat loses engine and capsizes in river

7) Heavy truck (cement truck / container truck) tips over squashing car & occupants

8) Crane collapses

9) Something heavy (concrete) falls from a construction site (i.e. overpass on Rama II road)

10) Wealthy Person in expensive car, drunk and kills someone 

11) Car falls out of multi-story car park

12) Pit-bull attacks (mauls / kills) child / owner / delivery guy

13) One neighbour shoots another over childish dispute. 

 

 

These are all situations that occur in Thailand with a degree of repeatability they almost become predictable. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Liverpool Lou]

6 hours ago, newbee2022 said:

On 10/20/2024 at 7:40 AM, watchcat said:

 

High speed?

Worn out tyres?

Road debris damaging good tyres?

[Liverpool Lou]

5 hours ago, watchcat said:

Yes, but at a slover speed, the driver could have managed to keep the vehicle on the road.

Could he?  How fast was he driving?

[Liverpool Lou]

5 hours ago, watchcat said:

 

Well, I have bad tyres and I'am well aware of it, so I'm speeding along at 60-65 km/h on the highways.

 

Who, exactly, "had bald tyres"?  

[petermik]

11 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Normal, legal speed for that road?

90 kms/hour......

[Liverpool Lou]

4 hours ago, newbee2022 said:

No problem .....if you don't brake.

And what would be the normal reaction to a burst tyre, particularly if there are a lot of passengers to take care of?  Most people would want to stop the vehicle, wouldn't they?   And, on a busy road there may not be the option to not have to slow the vehicle down.

[Liverpool Lou]

3 hours ago, HK MacPhooey said:

First ‘apologist’ of the day😃 either way, the driver should have checked his tire condition before starting out the journey, be driving at safe speed conducive to local conditions traffic/weather/wildlife etc and be prepared to take avoiding/defensive action at any time

Where was it reported that he hadn't checked his tyres?

Where was it reported that he wasn't driving at a safe speed?

Where was it reported that he wasn't prepared to take avoiding/defensive action at any time?

[Liverpool Lou]

2 hours ago, Grusa said:

Nakhon Phanom to Songkhla is a very long way for one driver, even with an overnight stop! Could fatigue be a factor?

Yes, very likely that he was so tired that a tyre burst.

[Liverpool Lou]

36 minutes ago, harryviking said:

Also worn tires is normal actually....

Really?  Evidence for that?  How many van tyres have you checked so closely?

[Liverpool Lou]

9 minutes ago, petermik said:

21 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Normal, legal speed for that road?

90 kms/hour......

At what speed was the van travelling? 

[Ralf001]

5 hours ago, watchcat said:

 

Well, I have bad tyres and I'am well aware of it, so I'm speeding along at 60-65 km/h on the highways.

 

 

Hopefully the police arrest you, you are a danger to other road users.

[Liverpool Lou]

Why, with no evidence at all to do so, are so many here immediately blaming the driver? 

[Dmaxdan]

6 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Where was it reported that he hadn't checked his tyres?

Where was it reported that he wasn't driving at a safe speed?

Where was it reported that he wasn't prepared to take avoiding/defensive action at any time?

It doesn't need to be reported. It's just par for the course here. 

 

Just now, Liverpool Lou said:

Why, with no evidence at all to do so, are so many here immediately blaming the driver? 

Actually I'm blaming the vehicle because a bad workman always blames his tools...

[petermik]

24 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Normal, legal speed for that road?

 

12 minutes ago, petermik said:

90 kms/hour......

 

2 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

At what speed was the van travelling? 

You have all the answers....you tell us.....you asked what is the legal speed for that road my reply was 90 kms/hour....this I know for a fact as I travel up and down it every month.....