Swedes And Britons In Thai Bus Crash

[Kathe]

Been here in LOS for 18 years, been on a bus once only, 18 years ago.

After such a long time in Thailand I am sorry to see your experiences are so limited.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I used to live half of my entirely life in Thailand and now another half of my entirely life in Europe. I'm still scaring taking a bus or a long trip with the bus in Thailand too, even I am a thai. As I was a kid, I took a trip to Samui Island with a big ship, my mom warned me to take care and didnt feel like to let me go, you can see, we are all scaring of the accident that could happen anytime, any place.

My brother in law has been driving his car for more than 40 years and with full drunk many time, also, but I have never seen he got any accident. But I am avoid to go with him during he has over limited alcohol.

Here in Europe, I saw every single days car accidents , especially during peak time, many deaths.

Thailand with over 65 millions inhabitants with small statistic death accident against where I am living here.

Last but not least..I am still scaring walking across the big streets in BKK, or using wild public bus, trying to pay more for a decent airbus ;-) and using more train than coach.

Funny but real, yesterday in the local newspaper here. A woman forgot to use hand break and ran into the house just to get something, left a baby in the car, and the car was moving down by itself, she saw at a last moment and thought of only her daughter in the car and tried to stop that big machine ..oppss..a car and felt down and the car rolled over her ....sad story....only if she would have let the car rolled by itself to the wall.....she would have still alive.

It can happen ...anywhere.....anytime.....not only in LOS alone.

[Gazza]

I once saw posters in Kalasin bus station warning of the effects of using Yaa Baa.

They showed photos of various bus accidents, buses that had their entire side ripped open or the front and back ends crumpled up in a mangled mess.

Not exactly something you would want to see during a rest stop at a bus station on an overnight trip.

Thereafter, I used to book an aisle seat in the middle. It was comfier anyway because I wasn't sitting above the shocks and it was akin to sitting at the pivotal point on a see-saw.

[meadish_sweetball]

Been here in LOS for 18 years, been on a bus once only, 18 years ago.

After such a long time in Thailand I am sorry to see your experiences are so limited.

I used to live half of my entirely life in Thailand and now another half of my entirely life in Europe. I'm still scaring taking a bus or a long trip with the bus in Thailand too, even I am a thai. As I was a kid, I took a trip to Samui Island with a big ship, my mom warned me to take care and didnt feel like to let me go, you can see, we are all scaring of the accident that could happen anytime, any place.

My brother in law has been driving his car for more than 40 years and with full drunk many time, also, but I have never seen he got any accident. But I am avoid to go with him during he has over limited alcohol.

Here in Europe, I saw every single days car accidents , especially during peak time, many deaths.

Thailand with over 65 millions inhabitants with small statistic death accident against where I am living here.

Last but not least..I am still scaring walking across the big streets in BKK, or using wild public bus, trying to pay more for a decent airbus ;-) and using more train than coach.

Funny but real, yesterday in the local newspaper here. A woman forgot to use hand break and ran into the house just to get something, left a baby in the car, and the car was moving down by itself, she saw at a last moment and thought of only her daughter in the car and tried to stop that big machine ..oppss..a car and felt down and the car rolled over her ....sad story....only if she would have let the car rolled by itself to the wall.....she would have still alive.

It can happen ...anywhere.....anytime.....not only in LOS alone.

Thailand ranks as number six in the world in the category how many people die in road accidents. 36 people per day die in the Thai traffic.

As far as I know no country in Europe ranks higher.

Your argument is not very strong - if we are content with saying "it happens everywhere" and do not try to look at how we can improve the situation, millions of people will keep on dying for no good reason.

One good start for Thailand would be to actually demand that people study traffic rules and learn about safe driving before they are allowed to drive - there should be organized courses with skill and knowledge tests. The second measure is to impose heavy penalties for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs - revoking the driving license for a period of time is one such penalty that has proved itself efficient in other countries.

Measures of this kind would not solve everything of course, but they would definitely reduce the number of traffic deaths.

http://www.techrescue.org/modules.php?name...article&sid=349

[mfindlay]

Been here in LOS for 18 years, been on a bus once only, 18 years ago. I would rather WALK from BKK to anywhere, than take a Thai bus. [snip]

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Fair enough if you've got a reliable car and driver. For those of us who have to rely on public transport there's not really any very feasible alternative to the buses (trains are too slow and too infrequent). Given the way that many taxi drivers behave on the expressways, I wouldn't fancy taking one of them.

As it is, my wife and I have been using the Ekamai-Pattaya bus route regularly for the last four years. In all that time, although there have been a few hair-raising moments we've only ever been in one accident - a pickup pulled out of a side road without looking, and the bus driver didn't stand a chance of avoiding him (though he braked pretty hard). Made a nasty mess of the pickup, but all that happened to us was that the windscreen was broken and there was a dent in the front of the bodywork.

Moral: if you're going to travel by road, you might as well be in as large a vehicle as possible.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have travelled many many times up an down highway 2. To and from Khon Kaen and on up to Nong Khai. The number of buses that I have seen on their roofs having rolled off the highway into the fields below. At around Ban Phai there is a very large bus grave yard.

The issue is not the fact that pickup driver has pulled onto the highway. It is simply the fact that the buses drive too fast and the drivers don't have long enough to rest, so they pop pills or drink caffeine drinks to stay awake.

I have had too many near squeeks and white knuckle rides with Thai drivers that I will only drive myself or fly. Getting to the other end of the journey is more important than getting there by ambulance or in a box. I'm sorry if this sounds very high and mighty but with such a high accident rate on the roads I feel it is the only way.

Before you ask yes I know it is the most expencive option, but what value do you put on your life and loved ones?

[Kathe]

Been here in LOS for 18 years, been on a bus once only, 18 years ago.

After such a long time in Thailand I am sorry to see your experiences are so limited.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I used to live half of my entirely life in Thailand and now another half of my entirely life in Europe. I'm still scaring taking a bus or a long trip with the bus in Thailand too, even I am a thai. As I was a kid, I took a trip to Samui Island with a big ship, my mom warned me to take care and didnt feel like to let me go, you can see, we are all scaring of the accident that could happen anytime, any place.

My brother in law has been driving his car for more than 40 years and with full drunk many time, also, but I have never seen he got any accident. But I am avoid to go with him during he has over limited alcohol.

Here in Europe, I saw every single days car accidents , especially during peak time, many deaths.

Thailand with over 65 millions inhabitants with small statistic death accident against where I am living here.

Last but not least..I am still scaring walking across the big streets in BKK, or using wild public bus, trying to pay more for a decent airbus ;-) and using more train than coach.

Funny but real, yesterday in the local newspaper here. A woman forgot to use hand break and ran into the house just to get something, left a baby in the car, and the car was moving down by itself, she saw at a last moment and thought of only her daughter in the car and tried to stop that big machine ..oppss..a car and felt down and the car rolled over her ....sad story....only if she would have let the car rolled by itself to the wall.....she would have still alive.

It can happen ...anywhere.....anytime.....not only in LOS alone.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thailand ranks as number six in the world in the category how many people die in road accidents. 36 people per day die in the Thai traffic.

As far as I know no country in Europe ranks higher.

Your argument is not very strong - if we are content with saying "it happens everywhere" and do not try to look at how we can improve the situation, millions of people will keep on dying for no good reason.

One good start for Thailand would be to actually demand that people study traffic rules and learn about safe driving before they are allowed to drive - there should be organized courses with skill and knowledge tests. The second measure is to impose heavy penalties for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs - revoking the driving license for a period of time is one such penalty that has proved itself efficient in other countries.

Measures of this kind would not solve everything of course, but they would definitely reduce the number of traffic deaths.

http://www.techrescue.org/modules.php?name...article&sid=349

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I am agree with your argument. That's everybody should keep the traffic rules and safe driving in order to declease the accident.

As I sent my point of view, my point was accident could happen anywhere, coz it sounds from other chatters like..Thailand has the worst driver and it always happen in Thailand.

And from the point of my brother in law, I know well that is his bad habbit and we all anti and doing against his habbit by not getting in his car ...as soon as he drinks. That was strange for a thai when we didnt want to get in his car after a party, and took a taxi instead.

Many thai drivers ..especially bus driver, truck or Song Taew drivers, they mostly know only how to make a car drive...that is very dangerous too, they are all working hard and has little rest and takes pills to keep active, that is the big problem and causes accident. I know well, and we all wishing that The Thai Traffic Dept should pay more attention to improving ppl who wants to have driving license and should pass the life guard exam and keeps the traffic rules.

We are still in developing....only how long should we all waiting, that is another story. I am sure everybody who's driving on the road, they want to drive safty.

So as I came to Thailand last time, I saw the Propaganda * Dont drink and drive*

that is the good step for us to do. People who has responsibility shall follow that motto, and people who is lazy and love to do against everything shall not do. The better way is to take the driving license away for a long time and the highest fine would be very helpful, in this step for Thai land of Sabai Sabai...

[Felt 35]

I Drove with own car, from Phuket to Rayong and return (2100Km), ten days ago, and was very sceptic before the trip because my experience with traffic in Thailand is limited to Phuket.

But friends have over the years told me that the traffic situation is much better as soon you are out of Phuket.

They were absolutely right and it was a pleasure to drive on roads, which in my opinion were as good as many places in Europe and generally people was very polite and correct in their behave on the roads. I did not see one accident on that trip.

Today, Wednesday 22. December, I have already observed two accidents here in Phuket before noon.

I don’t know why, but begin to think it must have something to with people’s general education!!

[RDN]

I Drove with own car, from Phuket to Rayong and return (2100Km), ...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Brave man - I've done Phuket to Bangkok a few times, now I prefer to fly.

But friends have over the years told me that the traffic situation is much better as soon you are out of Phuket..

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, it's amazing how I can start to relax once over the Sarasin bridge. Just yesterday, on the way to the airport, there was a 40 minute traffic jam on Thepkasatri Road - the 3 lane road to the airport. An aircon minibus and motorcycle had collided. Don't know if anyone badly hurt, but the minibus had a lot of damage to its side - looked as if it had done a U-turn into the path of the bike.

They were absolutely right and it was a pleasure to drive....I don’t know why, but begin to think it must have something to with people’s general education!! 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The majority don't have any consideration whatsoever for any other road users. I couldn't believe what I saw the other day - a car coming out of a market trying to turn right onto a main road, another car waiting to turn right into the market and nobody from the other direction stopping to let the car out. and these cars were travelling at about 5 kph because the gap left between the car coming out and the car waiting to get in was tiny. Even a huge lorry squeezed its way through the gap rather than stop for 15 seconds and let the traffic clear. Unbelievably stupid and inconsiderate. Sorry to go on, but I cannot describe how selfish drivers in Phuket are.

And coming back from the airport yesterday, I was overtaken - as usual - by two minibuses in convoy who were using the bike lane because all the other traffic was waiting to overtake a slow lorry going at about 50 kph. So they overtake on the left, then push out into the main lane, then overtake the lorry on the right.

[rudezs]

have done a heap of longhaul bus travel in thailand, but not anymore. not after being in this one. the good news is, i think everyone is okay

[oljoe]

C'mon, the trains aren't so bad; I rate them as second-best in Asia after Japan. I've been all over Thailand by train, never a problem. I even use them when going from Krung Thep to Pattaya.. How many Pattaya fans know that such a line exists? Yeah it takes an hour more than the bus but you DO arrive without your nerves shot!