17 Killed, 30 Injured In Bus Accident In Krabi

[nycjoe]

My heart goes out to the families of the departed and the injured and I wish the injured a speedy recovery.

Be aware of what is going on around you at all times. Drive defensively, we take driving for granted and talk on cell phones, eat, and are not mindful when we drive. It is a conveyance to transport us from point A to point B safely, not a competitive sport as some would have it. many people get frustrated and take their emotional unease to the steering wheel, they think that the person who passed them was dissing them and get into a pissing match. I have an invisible startrek phaser, I point it at the offender and he disappears within 5 minutes. They disappear into another galaxy.

[toptuan]

Why so little fore thought to the consequences of one's actions? I guess it's the Thai way. I see it in so many endeavors and areas by the Thai folk.

The "risk factor" computer chip is missing...

[bjderb]

The one & only time i took the bus from Morchit to chiang rai,6 hrs into the journey the relief driver appeared from the back of the bus, he stopped to speak to my girl friend, his breath reeked of whisky,since then i have always flown, i least you can`t smell the pilots breath.

[dseawarrior]

Sad very sad.

I made a bus trip to Mai Sai last week. Across the isle sat two cute Thai ladies. They giggled at me as I put

on my seat belt. I just smiled. I looked around and NO one had a seat belt on.

I know seat belts are not going to save everyone but I wonder how many had their belt on during this deadly crash and how many it MIGHT have saved if they would have been buckled up?

I completely agree...

The Thai people need an intensive and repeated public education campaign regarding the use of seat belts and helmets (for motorcycles)... Remember his majesty speaking about measures to prevent hearing loss and deafness in the Thai public?

Even though Thai law requires seatbelt and helmet compliance for safety, the average Thai person routinely ignores safety and prevention... And we know how effective the boys in brown are at this kind of law enforcement... ;-)

Please, educate your friends and family about this, too! Be the model of intelligent behavior and teach friends and family about the physics of "sudden stops" in vehicle collisions...

Thais often laugh and say "mai ben rai" -- but I believe many of these deaths and injuries could have been prevented...

"Sai kem-kat duay krab!"

Wear your seatbelt too, krab!

[bjderb]

The one & only time,i took the bus from Morchit to Chiang Rai,after about 7 hrs. the relief driver appeared from the back of the bus he stopped to speak to my girl friend, his breath reeked of whisky the next 7 hrs were a nitemare,since then i have always flo

[ScubaBuddha]

I see these convoys of coaches quite often. They are often being driven like racing cars with little regard for their own or anyone elses safety.

Is there any point at all in offering condolences in this forum? I very much doubt that anyone involved in the accident reads this.

Does it really matter that they're not read, people are voicing their thoughts thats all.

No, it does not "matter" in the sense that it does not cause any harm to anybody. It does, however, convey an impression that the person who purports to extend condolences which will never reach their target is perhaps ignorant concerning his or her own language. Nothing unusual about that for TV, though.

In another fred, someone offered condolences to fans of David Carradine. I can't express how much it means to be consoled in my moment of grief by someone on an anonymous forum.

Is it the same people that get into these childish arguments about condolences every time we have a post involving dealths, or is it different people each time? Geesh.

[ScubaBuddha]

what a sad way to go... may they rest in peace.

How about the nation proof reading though???

"Police said the drive of the bus, which overturned, might doze off, causing the accident"

At least it didn't say, "the bus lost control" this time.

Interestingly, the Gazette has corrected the poor writing/translation. And the "field trip" turned into a "study tour."

Friday, June 5, 2009

17 killed, 30 injured in Krabi bus accident

PHUKET CITY: A chartered bus taking officials of the Samut Prakan Provincial Administrative Organization on a study tour overturned in Krabi this morning, killing 17 and injuring 30 passengers.

The accident occurred at 6:30 am on the Phanom-Khao Tor Road in Krabi’s Plai Phraya district.

Twelve passengers died at the scene; five more died at hospitals.

Thirty other passengers were injured and rushed to Krabi Hospital and district hospitals nearby.

In total, about 400 passengers were traveling in 12 buses.

They left Samut Prakan Thursday evening.

Police said the driver of the bus, which overturned, might have dozed off. – The Nation

http://www.phuketgazette.net/news/index.as...5&display=1

[nigelandjan]

Terrible waste of life, but unfortunately not so surprising, some of those bus drivers are the craziest drivers I have ever seen and not just buses. I once visited Koh Chiang and and we rode in a song touw (not sure about spelling) and the driver scared the hel_l out of me. Overtaking when he clearly couldn't see the road ahead for bends. My wife and I hired a small motornike (I didn't ride one of these for about 20 years) but I felt alot safer on this than on their public transport.

R.I.P. and condolencies to all those connected.

It would scare the hel_l out of me going to Koh Chaing on a bus ,, I prefer the relative saftey of a sea going vessel .

[OzMick]

On a bus trip from Sukhothai to BKK, watched the driver through his aisle mirror as he started nodding off. Gave the hostie the word, and she smacked him across the back of the head, and had the relief take over next stop. If you have to get on one of these death traps, doesn't hurt to keep en eye on things yourself.

[BigSnake]

Condolences to Family and friends, sorry for your lost. Driver flee scene no doubt, power that be need to go after him and the company, if(?) at fault

[BigSnake]

Terrible waste of life, but unfortunately not so surprising, some of those bus drivers are the craziest drivers I have ever seen and not just buses. I once visited Koh Chiang and and we rode in a song touw (not sure about spelling) and the driver scared the hel_l out of me. Overtaking when he clearly couldn't see the road ahead for bends. My wife and I hired a small motornike (I didn't ride one of these for about 20 years) but I felt alot safer on this than on their public transport.

R.I.P. and condolencies to all those connected.

It would scare the hel_l out of me going to Koh Chaing on a bus ,, I prefer the relative saftey of a sea going vessel .

Beware of the Safety of these Sea Vessel my friend. On a recent short trip at least 90 onboard not one life raft, that I could see, asked a crew member>respond>Mia Pen Rai yeah right until cap side and someone die. These folks just out to make the all mighty Baht and go drinking, safety>just a byword.

[djc45]

17 killed, 30 injured in bus accident in Krabi

KRABI: -- A chartered bus taking officials of the Samut Prakan Provincial Administrative Organization for field trips overturned here Friday morning, killing 17 and injuring 30 passengers.

The accident occurred at 6:30 am on the Phanom-Khao Tor Road in Ban Bang Hoi village in Tambon Khao Tor of Krabi's Prayphaya district.

Twelve passengers of the bus died at the scene and five more died at hospitals.

Thirty other passengers were injured and rushed to the Krabin and district hospitals nearby.

About 400 officials were travelling in 12 buses. They left Samut Prakan Thursday evening.

Police said the drive of the bus, which overturned, might doze off, causing the accident.

-- The Nation 05/06/09

Who is to blame for this sad day?

The driver?

The bus company?

the people who hired the transport?

the design of the bus?

the road worthy fitness of the bus?

other drivers who don’t know how to drive?

Its all to easy to say this is to blame or that’s to blame and at the end of the day they are all to blame and it wont bring back those who died

To change all this will cost, who will pay ?

who

in a country where you see kids around 6-7 years old driving motorbikes without a care in the world and the police don’t take steps to stop them thais that spend 1million bht on a new car and don’t know how to drive I don’t think we will see a quick fix for this for many years

what needs to happen first is to ban everyone from driving till they can pass a proper driving test

anyone think that will happen?

Rest in peace for those who die every day on the roads here and I feel for the injured and relatives

I just hope some good will come of this sad sad day

[djc45]

Who is to blame for this sad day?

The driver?

The bus company?

the people who hired the transport?

the design of the bus?

the road worthy fitness of the bus?

other drivers who don’t know how to drive?

Its all to easy to say this is to blame or that’s to blame and at the end of the day they are all to blame and it wont bring back those who died

To change all this will cost, who will pay ?

who

in a country where you see kids around 6-7 years old driving motorbikes without a care in the world and the police don’t take steps to stop them thais that spend 1million bht on a new car and don’t know how to drive I don’t think we will see a quick fix for this for many years

what needs to happen first is to ban everyone from driving till they can pass a proper driving test

anyone think that will happen?

Rest in peace for those who die every day on the roads here and I feel for the injured and relatives

I just hope some good will come of this sad sad day

[khundon]

How sad for all those lives lost and for their families.

Coaches the World over are death traps when the crash and turn over, the ones in Thailand are even worse with the poor skills of the drivers and the other maniacs on the road.

RIP.

[Goshawk]

Police said the drive of the bus, which overturned, might doze off, causing the accident.

experienced similar myself once..

on an overnight double decker bus/coach from Chiang Mai to Bangkok, i was getting really nervous after a full 5 hours of non stop driving went by with the same driver. To cement my fears i and some other Thai passengers, after the bus started seriously drifting all over the highway, actually went down (i was upstairs) to speak with the driver..

He looked totally exhausted.. this was in the wee small hours. We asked him to stop the bus on the road for a while and take a rest, but he said he was ok and we carried on..

i know these guys are under pressure with time schedules from their bosses and what not, but 5+ hours before we actually stopped in a 'service station' was just crazy.

i'll never use a long distance bus here ever again..

[john b good]

Condolences to all involved....

Sure like to know what charter bus company was handling this trip??

Sure like to know how often the Samut Prakan local government sends "400 officials" on field trips to Krabi...

Thai taxpayer dollars, hard at work.

One might hope that because this is a Thai caper, some regulatory good might come from it. But, I'm afraid, that might be being a bit too optimistic.

"some regulatory good might come from it"

Not a hope in hel_l of anything changing!! There have been many bus accidents in the past some with more fatalities "has anything changed, no way Jose" It never has and never will.

And regarding 400 going off on a tax payer jaunt TIT

[micky44]

Now that a large number of people have died, maybe the authorities will look into the design of coaches and buses that is permitted in Thailand

Sure they will - in your dreams.

Death such as this are not accidents or the result of poor design but one of incompetance on the part of the company and the drivers. Sort out the initial problem of drivers and company expectations first and then good design will go a long way in helping to save lives in the case of a "real" accident.

i agree absolutely nothing wrong with the design of theses coaches, its the total lack of any driver hours regulations, IE tachographs. oh and the fact they drink m150 to keep awake all the time.

[ralphlsasser]

what a sad way to go... may they rest in peace.

How about the nation proof reading though???

"Police said the drive of the bus, which overturned, might doze off, causing the accident"

Typical. All accidents are avoidable.

[meelousee]

The one & only time,i took the bus from Morchit to Chiang Rai,after about 7 hrs. the relief driver appeared from the back of the bus he stopped to speak to my girl friend, his breath reeked of whisky the next 7 hrs were a nitemare,since then i have always flo

I see cops stop folks for not wearing their seat belt all the time.

On the 15th and 30th of every month

[Tony Clifton]

And yet another one to maintain the steady deadly statistics.

[Buang]

Our thoughts and prays go out to the families of this tragedy.

[wackysleet]

i agree absolutely nothing wrong with the design of theses coaches, its the total lack of any driver hours regulations, IE tachographs. oh and the fact they drink m150 to keep awake all the time.

Perhaps if these buses/coaches had a speed limiter fitted it may help but unless the principal causes are tackled first there will be no respite from these needless accidents, but in my opinion the authorities have a lot to answer for as they should have brought in effective legislation, but then who would enforce it, the BIB,yeh right.

[chillagoe]

17 killed, 30 injured in bus accident in Krabi

KRABI: -- A chartered bus taking officials of the Samut Prakan Provincial Administrative Organization for field trips overturned here Friday morning, killing 17 and injuring 30 passengers.

The accident occurred at 6:30 am on the Phanom-Khao Tor Road in Ban Bang Hoi village in Tambon Khao Tor of Krabi's Prayphaya district.

Twelve passengers of the bus died at the scene and five more died at hospitals.

Thirty other passengers were injured and rushed to the Krabin and district hospitals nearby.

About 400 officials were travelling in 12 buses. They left Samut Prakan Thursday evening.

Police said the drive of the bus, which overturned, might doze off, causing the accident.

-- The Nation 05/06/09

[chillagoe]

sorry to hear time limits on drivers need to be bought in also log books

[Robroy]

I've been on two buses in that part of the world in recent times in which the driver literally fell asleep at the wheel.

In one (a minibus from a hotel to the airport at Phuket) we took turns digging him in the ribs every time he slumped forward.

The other was a big bus...

[Oldfield]

I see these coach tours all the time. sometimes just one or two, sometimes up to 7 or 8, and they are always flying along, running red lights etc.

They are an accident waiting to happen.

condolences to the families and friends.

[HakimKlunker]

Honestly: I do not see the point in this article. Each day there are accidents somewhere and people get killed. Sorry of course for the victims, but also sorry for the thousands of others dead, too and never mentioned in what ever forum.

[TAWP]

Most accidents not reported are of fewer people per accident. All larger accidents are reported, as a rule of thumb.

[wackysleet]

Honestly: I do not see the point in this article. Each day there are accidents somewhere and people get killed. Sorry of course for the victims, but also sorry for the thousands of others dead, too and never mentioned in what ever forum.

When there is an accident and deaths of this magnitude and publicised so much in the media of course it's going to generate discussion and people do hear about others and discuss those too, the point in question here is should there be enforced legislation and the answer, most certainly yes.

[seri thai]

I see these convoys of coaches quite often. They are often being driven like racing cars with little regard for their own or anyone elses safety.

Is there any point at all in offering condolences in this forum? I very much doubt that anyone involved in the accident reads this.

Would that be the ones with the 150km/h police escorts?