Taiwanese Tourist Killed, 14 Others Injured In Bus Accident

[sbk]

1 Taiwanese tourist killed, 14 others injured in bus accident

Nakhon Pathom - One Taiwanese tourist was killed and 14 others injured their chartered bus overturned here late Friday night.

Police said the accident happened at 11:30 pm on Phetkasem Road in Muang district.Police said the bus was returning from Kanchanaburi, heading to Bangkok.

The bus lost control and overturned apparently because the road was slippery following a rainfall.

The bus driver, Chumpol Amomsin, 50, was also injured severely. Ten Taiwanese tourists were sent to the Sanam Chan Hospital and four others to the Nakhon Pathom Provincial Hospital.

The Nation

[dumball]

There are very few buses that can drive themselves , never heard of one coming to thailand though , why do so many 'Buses ' in Thailand loose control of themselves ?

[Merangue]

If the road is slippery the normal thing tod o would be to slow down. That way if an accident happens it does not kill anyone.

[yadetout]

Driving on a weekly basis on this Phetkasem Road from Ratchaburi to KTM, I can only sadly confirm buses are flying there, and dangerously.

[Ga-gai]

"The bus lost control and overturned"...?

Agree with SBK! Do Thailand have self driving buses?

Anyway... My condolences to the Taiwanese tourist.

[HorseDoctor]

JUst a few weeks ago a bus's tire exploded and shredded out the floor and two school girls were killed , bet just about anything it had bald tires and so did this bus too.

Listen up tourists.

CAVEAT EMPTOR

Thailand has no regard for safety, it simply isn't important, something about being anxious to move on to the next, reportedly better life is my guess- anyway you are on your own here.

DO not assume that anything is safe - planes ,trains autos, busses... sidewalks, electrical wiring/panels , hygiene in hospitals..Training of doctors....Etc., Etc., Etc...

Nothing is up to western standards no matter what the Thai Tourist Council tells you.

[dumball]

Horsedoctor , you beat me to the punch this morning , I was about to ask members who have spent a lot of time in Thailand " Have you ever looked at the tyres on some buses , most types of vehicles actualy ?" Far too many are worn down practically to the fibre casing , Diesel oil both leaks and is sprayed into the atmosphere by maladjusted fuel systems as evidenced by the clouds of black smoke that eminates from the exhausts of far too many vehicles , including some up to date SUVs . Much of this finishes up on the driven portion of the road/highway ( Besides in your lungs ) , with just a sprinkling of rain , you get a condition somewhat akin to ice , couple this with poor tyres and a not so competant driver , accident waiting to happen .

[Maigo6]

Thailand has no regard for safety, it simply isn't important, something about being anxious to move on to the next, reportedly better life is my guess- anyway you are on your own here.

DO not assume that anything is safe - planes ,trains autos, busses... sidewalks, electrical wiring/panels , hygiene in hospitals..Training of doctors....Etc., Etc., Etc...

Nothing is up to western standards no matter what the Thai Tourist Council tells you.

So in the west, Planes never crash, Trains never derail, Autos are meticulously maintained and driven by perfect drivers, Bus's are never involved in accidents, sidewalks are never cracked, Electrical fires are unheard of, The Hygiene in Hospitals is 100%, and the Best trained Doctors are Westerners etc etc etc.....

I have to wonder why over 40,000 People die in the USA alone every year due to RTA's, Electrical fires are also common, Trains do Crash , Planes do crash, there are potholes and cracked pavements, the UK had a terrible time in it's hospitals with poor hygiene and many doctors are of Asian descent in many places.

HorseDoctor, how wrong can you be ?

Remember when you stated that you had been to many poor countries and had never witnessed a Family on a motorcyle before ? I shot you down in flames on that point, you never did challenge it cos you know your statement was totally wrong,

You just do nothing but bash Thailand at every opportunity, yet in Thailand you remain, ( well, you claim to be here, who knows ), I find many of your posts to be rather amusing, totally without merit, but amusing nevertheless.

[dumball]

I agree with most of your last post maigo , I think the reference to Western Standards was her/his downfall TIT , speak as you find not as you hear .

[apetley]

Thailand has no regard for safety, it simply isn't important, something about being anxious to move on to the next, reportedly better life is my guess- anyway you are on your own here.

DO not assume that anything is safe - planes ,trains autos, busses... sidewalks, electrical wiring/panels , hygiene in hospitals..Training of doctors....Etc., Etc., Etc...

Nothing is up to western standards no matter what the Thai Tourist Council tells you.

So in the west, Planes never crash, Trains never derail, Autos are meticulously maintained and driven by perfect drivers, Bus's are never involved in accidents, sidewalks are never cracked, Electrical fires are unheard of, The Hygiene in Hospitals is 100%, and the Best trained Doctors are Westerners etc etc etc.....

I have to wonder why over 40,000 People die in the USA alone every year due to RTA's, Electrical fires are also common, Trains do Crash , Planes do crash, there are potholes and cracked pavements, the UK had a terrible time in it's hospitals with poor hygiene and many doctors are of Asian descent in many places.

HorseDoctor, how wrong can you be ?

Remember when you stated that you had been to many poor countries and had never witnessed a Family on a motorcyle before ? I shot you down in flames on that point, you never did challenge it cos you know your statement was totally wrong,

You just do nothing but bash Thailand at every opportunity, yet in Thailand you remain, ( well, you claim to be here, who knows ), I find many of your posts to be rather amusing, totally without merit, but amusing nevertheless.

I agree with you that the US has a pretty terrible RTA record but that 40k deaths is from a population of about 305 million. Thailands approx 26k deaths per year comes from a population of about 65 million a truly horrifying statistic.

[neverdie]

You wait, watch and see how many die between today 28/12/08 & the 5/1/09....its staggering.

[jasreeve17]

Horsedoctor - correct.

Maigo6 - usual nonsense...

Thailand safety standards, especially roads, are very very low (indeed, I'd suggest they're non-existent). Thais have a perception of safety that is totally 'third world'. To suggest otherwise is just stupid.

I NEVER travel by minivans.

[Maigo6]

Horsedoctor - correct.

Maigo6 - usual nonsense...

Thailand safety standards, especially roads, are very very low (indeed, I'd suggest they're non-existent). Thais have a perception of safety that is totally 'third world'. To suggest otherwise is just stupid.

I NEVER travel by minivans.

Neither do I, I drive myself around thousands of Kms in Thailand in my own car, how about you ?

I've been doing this since 1990, how about you ?

Usual nonsense ?....lol. You ain't got a clue

[Maigo6]

You wait, watch and see how many die between today 28/12/08 & the 5/1/09....its staggering.

Yep, like Songkran the roads heading North and North East will be very busy, if you're driving like I will be tomorrow ( 600 Kms ) take extra care.

[Maigo6]

600 Kms completed, I didn't see one accident in either direction on the way to Pattaya, but I did get bumped in the rear by some doddery old Farang on a Honda Wave who had no idea how to ride, then after he had bumped me, guess what he did..........

Yep, he fled the scene.

Typical.

[dumball]

Come on Maigo , tell the truth , you were brake testing

[brahmburgers]

I'll have to side with dems dat say Thais are as loose as gooses on highway safety.

In my small city of Chiang Rai, I estimated (last year) that around 10,000 vehicles go through red lights every hour between 6 am and 9 pm - 7 days a week. My estimate is now higher (12,000/hour). I don't know exactly why, but it seems as though Thais have been getting increasingly reckless in their driving lately.

I have never, I repeat never, seen anyone in my town pulled over by a cop for going through a red light - and I've been driving all around this region for 10 years. Probably more accident causing than that, is cutting corners too tight. For that, and a long list of other serious driving violations, I've never seen anyone reprimanded by cops.

So, if you like going through red lights, driving on the wrong side of the road, cutting blind corners at speed, or breaking any other moving violations - come to Chiang Rai. I promise, you'll never get pulled over and ticketed by a cop. If the hwy cops do anything at all, they hang out near universities, and pull over the prettiest girls on motorbikes (under pretense of helmet law, or license validation) - and the cops probably find it's a great opp for getting girls' phone numbers.

Edited December 30, 2008 by brahmburgers

[ballpoint]

Horsedoctor - correct.

Maigo6 - usual nonsense...

Thailand safety standards, especially roads, are very very low (indeed, I'd suggest they're non-existent). Thais have a perception of safety that is totally 'third world'. To suggest otherwise is just stupid.

I NEVER travel by minivans.

Neither do I, I drive myself around thousands of Kms in Thailand in my own car, how about you ?

I've been doing this since 1990, how about you ?

Usual nonsense ?....lol. You ain't got a clue

I've been driving and motorcycling - big bikes, not scooters - around Thailand for the past 20 years with only a couple of minor bumps. I prefer to drive myself, it's one less idiot to worry about. To suggest that the roads in Thailand are as safe as the west is pushing things a bit far. Driving habits are very poor, most stemming from selfish behaviour - running red lights, queuing across red lights, pulling out in front of oncoming traffic, hogging the fast lane, overtaking on blind corners and expecting oncoming traffic to get out of the way, driving in whatever lane is fastest and then cutting across the road to make a turn, the list goes on. Sure, these things can happen in the west, but the big difference is that they are not tolerated by the police, and perhaps more importantly, by other road users. In the west you're soon told by your fellow motorists if you're being an idiot on the road. I'm not advocating road rage, but a bit more anger from the poor guy in the toyota who's been cut off by the idiot in the bus/truck/benz could make an improvement. Then again, he could get shot. I think it will be a long time before things change, if ever, but there's no reason to pretend that everything's alright.

[Maigo6]

but there's no reason to pretend that everything's alright.

Pretend that things are alright ?

Things are not ' Alright ' anywhere on the planet, try driving in India, Pakistan, Vietnam, Indonesia, Italy, France, South America etc etc etc things can get pretty hairy anywhere, unless you are aware of the locals driving habits.

To single Thais out as the worlds worst drivers is insane, and shows a total lack of knowledge and experience.

Worldwide figures issued by WHO :

1.2m people killed each year

50m people injured each year

500 children killed each day

85% of casualties in low and middle-income countries

Road deaths to double by 2020 in these countries

These are facts of life, and all the costant bitching and whining won't change a thing !

If you can't hack living in a developing nation, then why stay and be so unhappy.

Start up a protest with banners and march around by your local traffic lights and educate the drivers into your way of thinking.

Why can't you people be more like ME !!

I didn't come here to Thailand to live in a developing nation, I came here to exploit all the good things that I can't get in my own country and I wan't everything else to change to suit ME !!!!!!!!!!

I did however see an accident in Pattaya last night, some Farang who was pizzed out of his head had fallen off his small motorcycle, the local Thai motorcycle taxi drivers helped him back up to his feet, twisted his handle bars back into shape and sent him on his way !

I guess they should have called the police and had the old boy arrested, imprisoned and deported instead.

Edited December 31, 2008 by Maigo6

[ballpoint]

but there's no reason to pretend that everything's alright.

Pretend that things are alright ?

Things are not ' Alright ' anywhere on the planet, try driving in India, Pakistan, Vietnam, Indonesia, Italy, France, South America etc etc etc things can get pretty hairy anywhere, unless you are aware of the locals driving habits.

To single Thais out as the worlds worst drivers is insane, and shows a total lack of knowledge and experience.

Worldwide figures issued by WHO :

1.2m people killed each year

50m people injured each year

500 children killed each day

85% of casualties in low and middle-income countries

Road deaths to double by 2020 in these countries

These are facts of life, and all the costant bitching and whining won't change a thing !

If you can't hack living in a developing nation, then why stay and be so unhappy.

Start up a protest with banners and march around by your local traffic lights and educate the drivers into your way of thinking.

Why can't you people be more like ME !!

I didn't come here to Thailand to live in a developing nation, I came here to exploit all the good things that I can't get in my own country and I wan't everything else to change to suit ME !!!!!!!!!!

I did however see an accident in Pattaya last night, some Farang who was pizzed out of his head had fallen off his small motorcycle, the local Thai motorcycle taxi drivers helped him back up to his feet, twisted his handle bars back into shape and sent him on his way !

I guess they should have called the police and had the old boy arrested, imprisoned and deported instead.

Firstly, no one has said Thais are the worlds worst drivers, I said they get away with things that wouldn't be tolerated in the west. It's the times they don't get away with them that are the sad part, like when a drugged up sip lor driver runs head on into a car, or a spoilt brat drives his mercedes into a crowd of people at a bus stop.

And secondly, dam_n right they should have stopped the drunk farang from getting back on his bike. You may find it funny, but you wouldn't be laughing if he had caused a car to swerve into a child to avoid him - as happened near my village a couple of months back, or even if he was your son/father/brother and he killed himself. Glorifying drunken, childish and selfish behaviour on the road is pathetic and using the weak "it's not as bad as India" aplology is even more so.

Edited December 31, 2008 by ballpoint

[Maigo6]

but there's no reason to pretend that everything's alright.

Pretend that things are alright ?

Things are not ' Alright ' anywhere on the planet, try driving in India, Pakistan, Vietnam, Indonesia, Italy, France, South America etc etc etc things can get pretty hairy anywhere, unless you are aware of the locals driving habits.

To single Thais out as the worlds worst drivers is insane, and shows a total lack of knowledge and experience.

Worldwide figures issued by WHO :

1.2m people killed each year

50m people injured each year

500 children killed each day

85% of casualties in low and middle-income countries

Road deaths to double by 2020 in these countries

These are facts of life, and all the costant bitching and whining won't change a thing !

If you can't hack living in a developing nation, then why stay and be so unhappy.

Start up a protest with banners and march around by your local traffic lights and educate the drivers into your way of thinking.

Why can't you people be more like ME !!

I didn't come here to Thailand to live in a developing nation, I came here to exploit all the good things that I can't get in my own country and I wan't everything else to change to suit ME !!!!!!!!!!

I did however see an accident in Pattaya last night, some Farang who was pizzed out of his head had fallen off his small motorcycle, the local Thai motorcycle taxi drivers helped him back up to his feet, twisted his handle bars back into shape and sent him on his way !

I guess they should have called the police and had the old boy arrested, imprisoned and deported instead.

Firstly, no one has said Thais are the worlds worst drivers, I said they get away with things that wouldn't be tolerated in the west. It's the times they don't get away with them that are the sad part, like when a drugged up sip lor driver runs head on into a car, or a spoilt brat drives his mercedes into a crowd of people at a bus stop.

And secondly, dam_n right they should have stopped the drunk farang from getting back on his bike. You may find it funny, but you wouldn't be laughing if he had caused a car to swerve into a child to avoid him - as happened near my village a couple of months back, or even if he was your son/father/brother and he killed himself. Glorifying drunken, childish and selfish behaviour on the road is pathetic and using the weak "it's not as bad as India" aplology is even more so.

So now you have resorted to insults, that's even more pathetic.

[brahmburgers]

roll with it guys.

All of us who have driven in Thailand - have had times when we think, "daggonne, what was that idiot thinking!" ...in regard to some nutzoid who caused or almost caused a collision.

Each of us can just as easily take one side of the argument or the other:

On the one hand, we can justify saying; 'Thai drivers are generally selfish and reckless.'

On the other hand, we can justify saying, all drivers are somewhat that way, and that some country's drivers may be worse that Thai drivers.

...depending on which side of the argument one chooses to kindle at any given moment - and whether you've just experienced a close shave with a someone driving recklessly.

[Maigo6]

OK, so I never got hit by any car or motorcycle on my 600Km trip on Yesterday until some old Farang on a Honda wave bumped into the back my my car then took off, so as far as I'm concerned, old Farangs on Motorcycles in Pattaya are the worst riders in Thailand, or even on the planet.

[brahmburgers]

OK, so I never got hit by any car or motorcycle on my 600Km trip on Yesterday until some old Farang on a Honda wave bumped into the back my my car then took off, so as far as I'm concerned, old Farangs on Motorcycles in Pattaya are the worst riders in Thailand, or even on the planet.

Maigo, try a fruit salad with plain yogurt. ....mellow out, dude.

[jasreeve17]

Horsedoctor - correct.

Maigo6 - usual nonsense...

Thailand safety standards, especially roads, are very very low (indeed, I'd suggest they're non-existent). Thais have a perception of safety that is totally 'third world'. To suggest otherwise is just stupid.

I NEVER travel by minivans.

Neither do I, I drive myself around thousands of Kms in Thailand in my own car, how about you ?

I've been doing this since 1990, how about you ?

Usual nonsense ?....lol. You ain't got a clue

Your own car, wow, you are a big man. Well done.

Having lived for a year, or longer in UK, Spain, Australia, NZ, Korea, Mongolia and Thailand (many years longer), and driven in all of these countries, and had my eyes open, I can tell you that the safety standards on the roads here are much lower than any of these places and are indeed very very low by any standards. Why you would pretend otherwise is beyond my comprehension.

In places like Turkey, Romania and Egypt I've come across equally as unsafe driving habits, but, hard as it is to believe, the policing on their roads was very much better - a big help, obviously.

Good indicators are; the driving test (or lack of it), the road safety policing (or lack of it), the vehicle maintenance laws (or lack of them), the policing of said laws (or lack of it), the court system when you break the law (pure corruption of it), the list could go on and on.

But, if you believe that Thai roads are safe compared to places like the US, it must be right then, regardless of any facts to the contrary...

Maigo6 -

[samsara]

can only assume youre a forum windup artist, maigo. if not, if youre representing your true opinions on here, then youre clueless.