Public Bus Accidents Caused By Careless Drivers On The Rise In Thailand

[jackr]

Tachographs on buses and trucks would be an easy way to monitor vehicle speed and driver time behind the wheel.

That followed by obligatory public hangings for perps going 1kph over the limit.

[Seanextra]

:jap:GPS Systems are now the main way transport vehicles are monitored and also a great aid in keeping track of many things not jjust the speed given the relative cheap instalation cost of these devices over complex dated tachograph would be the answer but the driver is the concern here monitoring speed is one thing but reckless driving doesnt show up on most forms of vehicle monitors unfortunatly it usually shows up only in the statistics which is why we are conversing on this subject now.

[Tokay]

Just add bus driving to the long list of things they are unable to do correctly.

[contemplating]

We came back from Phuket to BKK some years ago. Of course the pace was fast, but as we neared Bkk, there was a really hard thunder storm. We made it alright, but traffic on the other side of the road didnt do so well. There must have been 10 rear end collisions in about a 20 km stretch. No one slowed down, right up the ass of the next vehicle. Even with all the wrecks on the road, they still didnt slow down at all. Our bus didnt slow either, just luck that we made it.

Sure, the companies are pushing their employees, but as pointed out, they love their beer and whiskey, then some red bull to stay awake or something stronger. Someone mentioned "welding". of the coaches, as any welder can tell you, there is no welding in Thailand. It is only sticking things together, super glue could do a better job. You cannot weld without a mask, that is basic: sun glasses or no glasses doesnt work! You should see the yards where they take the wrecked buses, waiting for new life, putty and paint. When a vehicle that is "fixed" like this gets in an accident, there is nothing to protect the passengers.

The traffic laws seem to be in place, its just that they are not enforced, and no one even knows what the laws are, probably not even the police.

Hard to know where to start!

[thaikahuna]

Is that a joke ??????????????? Bus drivers are totally nuts ,they often race with other buses ,they dont give a dam_n about public safety or car drivers. They very often let the people go down or up in the middle of the road.

If you really want to have professional bus drivers, SEND THEM TO LEARN HOW TO DRIVE AND HOW TO BEHAVE AND RESPECT OTHERS..

Everyday on my way to the office I can see those crazy bus drivers behaved like maniacs. Very often I had to put my car on the side to avoid collision with buses. Those guys are DAGNEROUS and I still dont know why the government is doing nothing specially after those accidents reports.

If they were in the US for example, most of the busses and most all of the drivers would be pulled off the road for DOT violations. Most of the busses look as if they had not seen the inside of the maintenance barn in months if not years. The mechanical condition alone would be enough to pull it from service. I refer to only the appearances..inoperative lights and turn signals. Since in the US all drivers must complete a pre-shift safety check of all lights and signals, this would be a terminal offense. If held to those standards, Bangkok would be without a bus service...save the vans.

I further venture to say that most Thai drivers could NOT pass a driving exam in most western countries.

[random]

unbelievable

Not really.... They have no consideration for the lives of the people on the bus nor for the people driving on the road! i see at least one a week! some are worst than others!

I saw two driving to Bangkok from Khon Kaen last week!

Larry

sorry mate, i was being sarcastic, we don't really have a sarcasm smiley

[thaikahuna]

All the bus drivers race each other to get to the stops first to get the fares.

The solution to this is to sort out public transport employee wages and stop them competing, not asking the drivers to slow down...

That is complete nonsense you have written. I used to have to catch a bus from Phrom Phong to Bang Na intersection to get a minivan to work. The problem is getting a bus to stop as they can't be bothered pulling into the inside lanes. If they were so concerned about fares they would be cutting up traffic to pick you up.

Try to make statements based on some semblance of fact please.

I drive Sukhumvit daily. I see the busses cut traffic off to pull over all the time.

[ronthailand]

Just thinking about riding a provincial bus since my 'latest' near death experience gives me the hibejeebes....what a nightmare it was riding from Bangkok to Issan. I kid you not the driver shortly after departing the outer limits of Bangkok, put the pedal to the metal. In another hour, nearing the hilly area that starts as Issan the driver continually butted up against any and all traffic that was in the right lane with us at speeds that would have been impossible to avoid an accident of horrendous proportion had he or the other driver in front lost a half second of total concentration.

I still till this day visualize the impact, the pushing of the truck in front off to an angle and therefore causing our bus to skid sideways and eventually rolling over and over and over into who knows what. One thing for sure....the loss of life would have be staggering.

IF ANYONE OF YOU happens to know of someone in authority that could possibly get enacted this suggestion I have, YOU could possibly save MANY LIVES.

My suggestion would be to have a clearly stated sign on every bus (in Thai and English) that reads as having:

(1) a designated identification number (maybe Vehicle Tag) of THE BUS

(2) the emergency 24/7/365 phone number of the company that owns the bus

(3) the highway police EMERGENCY phone number (AND A MESSAGE THAT ALERTS PASSENGERS TO CALL AND REPORT ANY RECKLESS DRIVING...including speeding.

Thanks in advance for any help you or the moderators of this serious discussion can provide.

[exalll]

This (the original report) is the kind of report that drives me up the wall, and which happens so often here that it can't be just poor journalism.

The number of accidents has increased ... from what ? Were there 185 accidents over the same period last year (in which case the "increase" is certainly not statistically significant), or were there 17 accidents over the same period last year, in which case there has been an 11-fold increase?

Same thing with Songkran accident reporting - the newspapers diligently record progress towards some target, but never mention year-on-year comparisons.

[markokang]

I was witness to an accident with a bus and a motorcycle. The bus was definitely wrong but I was very surprised when at the police station we all had to wait for the manager of the bus company who chatted with the police who finally told the young girl she was at fault at which point I intervened and said it definitely wasn't her fault and I suggested to the girl to take it to court at which point the police said they would prosecute the girl for reckless driving. She said she didn't want a problem and it was left up to the insurance guy who meekly said ok and signed the documents accepting his clients liability. Draw your own conclusions as to why it happened this way. $

[visions]

a week ago I caught up to a local bus (not a tour bus) just as we were leaving a small town. He obviously was flat out accelerating ......There was so much black desiel pouring out the back enveloping the whole road and making riding my m/bike very unpleasant breathing in the fumes.<BR>To get fresh air, I passed the bus, at about 100kph, but he kept accelerating, and not wishing to be subject to the fumes again I kept accelerating to stay ahead. At 140kph and a red light coming up and where I was to turn right, I backed off and let him past.<BR>He never slowed and went thru the red light doing that 140kph!! Luckily there were no other traffic going thru the green phase....God help any cars or bikes that may have been in his way as no way was he ever stopping.

[bangkokbruce]

Adding seat belts in a bus won't help, most thai's rarely put their seat belts on in a car. I observed bus drivers downing bottles and bottles of red bull and popping yaba pills just to stay awake so I couldnt wait to obtain a car so I wouldnt have to worry but I do feel sorry for those that have to take them everyday. I've been coming here since 1973 and to me its getting worse, good luck getting anything to change in the LOS. Stupid and stubborn, plain and simple.

[featography]

unbelievable

When you have been here long enough, not only will it become believable to you, but you will as the rest of us consider first, are they down playing the stats?

[featography]

Is that a joke ??????????????? Bus drivers are totally nuts ,they often race with other buses ,they dont give a dam_n about public safety or car drivers. They very often let the people go down or up in the middle of the road.

If you really want to have professional bus drivers, SEND THEM TO LEARN HOW TO DRIVE AND HOW TO BEHAVE AND RESPECT OTHERS..

Everyday on my way to the office I can see those crazy bus drivers behaved like maniacs. Very often I had to put my car on the side to avoid collision with buses. Those guys are DAGNEROUS and I still dont know why the government is doing nothing specially after those accidents reports.

May I make a suggestion? I presume you live in Bkk, which I do not. I do see some stupid maneuvers occasionally when I do come to town. When I took my wife to US for a vacation, one of the souviners she asked for was a video camera. The price was better than in Thailand, and it has turned out to be one of the best investments Ive ever made. While driving, especially in Bkk, she records traffic. 6 times we have been pulled over by BIB and accused of doing illegal maneuvers. She displays the camera, smiles, and says "If you think so, give us a ticket. We will go to police station now" 6 times it has been dropped, no 400 baht out of my pocket, no ticket, no trouble. My suggestion is record these bus antics and send to the powers that be. A picture is worth 1000 words

[featography]

Is that a joke ??????????????? Bus drivers are totally nuts ,they often race with other buses ,they dont give a dam_n about public safety or car drivers. They very often let the people go down or up in the middle of the road.

If you really want to have professional bus drivers, SEND THEM TO LEARN HOW TO DRIVE AND HOW TO BEHAVE AND RESPECT OTHERS..

Everyday on my way to the office I can see those crazy bus drivers behaved like maniacs. Very often I had to put my car on the side to avoid collision with buses. Those guys are DAGNEROUS and I still dont know why the government is doing nothing specially after those accidents reports.

LOL first make sure they have a drivers license, then after weeding all the drivers out that do not, then put the ones who do have a license, and aren't drunk or doped up, through a training period to see if they can even remember what the road rules are.

I truly think this is a impossible task to take on, but maybe the Department of Motor Vehicles in Bangkok can achieve this major endeavorer. :jap:

And in that endeavor, do random regular drug testing, any driver found with any chemical in their vascular system, terminated, and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

[lee68]

Wet roads don't cause accidents. Knob heads driving like maniacs do.

exactly

I've been driving cars and bikes here for 15 yrs and it just gets worse all the time,cant even put into words some of the stupid totally reckless driving i see here everyday.minibus drivers are even worse than the bus drivers.

[fiercesnake]

Is that a joke ??????????????? Bus drivers are totally nuts ,they often race with other buses ,they dont give a dam_n about public safety or car drivers. They very often let the people go down or up in the middle of the road.

If you really want to have professional bus drivers, SEND THEM TO LEARN HOW TO DRIVE AND HOW TO BEHAVE AND RESPECT OTHERS..

Everyday on my way to the office I can see those crazy bus drivers behaved like maniacs. Very often I had to put my car on the side to avoid collision with buses. Those guys are DAGNEROUS and I still dont know why the government is doing nothing specially after those accidents reports.

Absolutely SPOT ON! God these bus drivers are total lunatics! Send them to school to learn how to drive safe-really. Police need to enforce bus lane rules. Actually the rules here are quite reasonable, it's just that they don't enforce the most important safety rules and are too interested in picking on hapless poor lo-so motorbike drivers on nonsense rules. Hence the bikes know that if they going to be hit up for nonsense then why bother even trying to do the right thing. Safety is NOT part of the curriculum here in anything!

Seriously EDUCATION, EDUCATION, EDUCATION! Political slogan, yeah I know, but really they so NEED it here:passifier:

[atyclb]

Maybe make it mandatory that all bus drivers have a valid drivers license.

precisely, they will purchase valid licenses

[Rhys]

Could possibly one reason be that many just don't know what a rule of the road could be...

[pinar]

Easy..............Make speed limiters mandatory on every bus to limit the top speed to 80 kph. Random and frequent tests on drivers for alcohol and drugs, same as athletes. Plainclothes inspectors to travel on buses and monitor standards of driving. Anyone weaving through the traffic to be sent for retraining.

Easy. You could sort this out in a week.

hmm who drive the buses after that week ?

[Rudyruns]

All the bus drivers race each other to get to the stops first to get the fares.

The solution to this is to sort out public transport employee wages and stop them competing, not asking the drivers to slow down...

I agree 100%,but do you think they're smart enough to figure that out? I got off many buses in Bkk because of their crazy,stupid and lack of consideration for the passengers. I complained many times, but no one ever answers back about complaints. So it's not going to get better until the government steps in (hel.l freezers over)before that happens.

[tomyummer]

So I'm thinking of starting a new racing event, The Thai North to South 24. A mix between Formula One, a demolition derby, and the 24-hour Le Mans. The objective is to get from Chang Mai to Phuket as fast as you can, whether on paved road, or not, with a bus load of people, without sleep, and avoiding getting caught after any accidents by not stopping. Winner gets a year supply of their choice: Red Bull, M150, or Carabao Daeng.

The only problem is....where can I find qualified drivers?!

Edited September 27, 2010 by tomyummer

[Rudyruns]

Something to keep in mind...most bus drivers think they own the road????

And sometimes we are at their mercy???

I will never drive my car in Bkk...too many crazy drivers.

[elshaheen]

Good. I hope those who oversee the bus drivers do their job instead of playing lip service to the public.

The other day, some western guy tried to get on a Blue and White bus number 115 in my neighborhood. The driver stopped and one lady go on and he attempted to get on, grabbed the rail to pull himself in. At that moment, the driver took off, knocking the man down. The man almost had his legs ran over by the bus.

Another inncodent out near The Mall Namiwang. Red bus 164 slammed on his breaks to make a sudden stop. A young couple being stupid as well sped under the back end of the bus. The real end tore off the cars hood, took the male drivers head completely off. Kids found the head in the bushes and proceeded to play football with it.

These bus drivers are simply careless and they don't care. Though, with the low pay they get, well screw the public if they get killed by a reckless driver.

[wlcart]

A Green bus once suddenly slammed on its breaks in the second lane to let some passengers out. I was on my motorcycle behind them, I had a choice between the two pedestrians or the back of the bus.

For some stupid reason I selected to hit the back of the bus. I hit the bus, fell to the ground, and the bus driver came out, looked at the back of his bus, decided the damage was not too bad, and drove off, leaving me on the ground in a cloud of black smoke.

Every man for himself!

[capricciocap1]

Bangkok transportation is really sick. Believe it or not!! Going to work is nightmare, not because of work, because of transportation. I miss Singapore a lot whenever trying to get to work in mornings.

[newermonkey]

What the hel_l do they expect when no proper training is given!? In the UK for instance where bus accidents are VERY rare bus drivers have to take a lenthy PSV (Pasenger Service Vehicle) course of about 4 weeks and have to take very tough tests. (My guess is that NO Thai on this planet could ever pass the UK PSV test)

The arrogant Thais always get back what they create.

[vicco]

So what? Tell me something I do not already know, and do not see each and every day I drive into traffic, and play a game of death and damage with these morons.

Any amount of reporting on traffic related behavior, regarding these adolescent-minded people, will be absolute redundancy, and worthless to boot.

Driving is one of those rare human behaviors that demonstrate the brain activity (or lack thereof) in the individual craniums of those who operate any vehicle on these roads and sidewalks.

Collectively, I see absolute chaos, utter stupidity and inhuman greed. That pretty much says it all. The chief violaters are the dam_n motorbike drivers (ages 6 through "ready for the display case").

Drive safe!

These photos clearly show a high degree of safety awareness amongst Thais. In the first picture the driver is wearing a helmet and is well shielded from harm by an 8 year old in front an a couple of younger ones behind. In the second picture the passenger is wearing a helmet while the driver has a large 'air bag" and several other protective devises in front of him. I feel sure that these safety measures are under discussion in many western countries and I would expect somewhere like Sweden to implement something similar in the near future.

[Robby nz]

Mostly travel in buses here in TL.

have been all around Issan and central TL and a fair way down south as well as doing a lot of time around BKK and have never been in a bus that has ever had any kind of an accident, not even a scratch.

Only had one scary ride and that was on the road to Ranong with a real loony behind the wheel.

But then I've only been here 5 years.

Suspect the drivers in BKK have to drive as they do or they would never get where they are going.

Waiting for others to give way and being curtious would mean they never moved at all.

Find it difficult to see why anyone in their right mind would want to drive their own car in BKK.

There is no need as there are buses, sky train and underground as well as an oversupply of taxis and if you feel suacidal you could get on a motorcy taxi.

All of the above are cheap compared to the cost of owning and running a car.

Then you have the hassle of trying to find some place to park it.

Add to that you have time to look around you from a bus without the concentration of driving.

[ignis]

Monday afternoon was the best [Nothing to do with speeding ]

Was in a little Village, coming out on to the San Noi Rd, I was turning left as was the big old bus in front of me....

Lady with child flagged a Taxi which stopped just passed the turning, The bus back bumper hit the back off side bumper and pushed out the off side rear wing of the new [red plates] Taxi.. The bus continued a few meters and pulled in the rear + bumper of bus hitting the front wing of a parked pickup. 2 different accidents in max of 10 meters..