Speeding Van Falls Off Bangkok Expressway, Killing At Least Eight

[george]

A van falls off expressway, killing at least eight

The victims were four women, two men, one boy and one girl.

BANGKOK: -- A packed traffic transport van on Sunday plunged from an expressway onto Rama VI road before bursting into flames, killing at least eight.

The speedy van swerved and hit an expressway wall near Rama VI exit before plunging onto the road near Samsen School at about 5pm.

The van then burst into flames, police said, killing at the scene seven passengers. The dead were four women, two men, one boy and one girl.

Police believed there were altogether 11 passengers on board.

Police extinguished the blaze and rescue workers used equipment to cut the van to retrieve the injured passengers.

The wounded passengers were rushed to Ramathibodi and Wachira Hospitals.

Police sealed off the area to facilitate the rescue works. Motorists were told to avoid the road.

-- The Nation 2010-10-31

[random]

I used to use this expressway all the time when I lived out that way, when the traffic is not too busy a lot of these van use it as a speedway, in fact the use it as a speedway when it is busy along with most other vehicles on it.

Also Chatuchak bus terminal is out that way, also many vans come on from victory monument.

One think is for sure, it must be horrific, poor people.

I am assuming where the report says speedy van they mean speeding van.

[spiderleghead]

the position of the van looks like it missed the lane, it was just after the junction to take the rama 6 road exit ramp.

RIP

[george]

RT @tulsathit: Police say the speeding van plunged at the spot where the out-bound Chaengwattana expressway branches out into Rama 6 exit. Police, from initial info, presume the van must have been chartered (not operating as mini-bus).

[bulmercke]

I used to use this expressway all the time when I lived out that way, when the traffic is not too busy a lot of these van use it as a speedway, in fact the use it as a speedway when it is busy along with most other vehicles on it.

Also Chatuchak bus terminal is out that way, also many vans come on from victory monument.

One think is for sure, it must be horrific, poor people.

I am assuming where the report says speedy van they mean speeding van.

Terrible. When the emergency teams have to resort to cutting machinery to free people then it's always bad.

[Scott]

My condolences to the victims. I hope the injured make a speedy and complete recovery.

[george]

Update:

The van had a sticker "Panjanawit School. Samut Prakarn". This led to assumption that it was school van chartered 4 weekend outing. /The Nation

[Para]

What a sad waste of life.......

R.I.P.

[crazyawm]

OMG... RIP

[maswov]

That really sucks. I wish they would crack down on the poor driving habits here.

[Brewsta]

Visiting friends in BKK only a few weeks ago, I was terrified of the whole driving experience, despite having lived up here in ChiangMai since 2000 and having over 20 years prior experience driving for a living in the UK.

My sincere condolences to all the victims and their families during this tragic time.

Brewsta

Edited October 31, 2010 by Brewsta

[koto]

That really sucks. I wish they would crack down on the poor driving habits here.

random drug and alcohol test.

[bbradsby]

Sad indeed.

In my driving experiences in BKK, I've watched these minivans (and camry drivers it seems) being driven as if in an F1 race, with very dangerous maneuvers to gain little or no real progress in BKK's usual rolling gridlock. I can only guess its a machismo on Redbull thing, but no matter, they're senselessly endangering lives.

But before anyone assumes I'm Thai bashing, I see the same thing pretty much in every country & continent I've been in/on. Maybe these macho idiots are dumb enough to believe the car advertising telling them how safe & manly they are in their air-bagged, steel-caged splendour machines.

Solution: all minivans driven for hire should have their steering wheel airbag replaced with a fixed steel spike so the driver's the first to suffer for their idiotic risk taking. And random roadside drug testing for commercial license holders. Meth is evidently a big problem here. [off soapbox]

[gemini81]

Sad indeed.

In my driving experiences in BKK, I've watched these minivans (and camry drivers it seems) being driven as if in an F1 race, with very dangerous maneuvers to gain little or no real progress in BKK's usual rolling gridlock. I can only guess its a machismo on Redbull thing, but no matter, they're senselessly endangering lives.

But before anyone assumes I'm Thai bashing, I see the same thing pretty much in every country & continent I've been in/on. Maybe these macho idiots are dumb enough to believe the car advertising telling them how safe & manly they are in their air-bagged, steel-caged splendour machines.

Solution: all minivans driven for hire should have their steering wheel airbag replaced with a fixed steel spike so the driver's the first to suffer for their idiotic risk taking. And random roadside drug testing for commercial license holders. Meth is evidently a big problem here. [off soapbox]

Interesting proposal. You're right,bad drivers everywhere. But over the years, I noticed the "rot dtoo" van drivers in Thailand are by far among the worse...always on the edge of your seat. I know they're cheap..but I'll stick to my family car...and when they wanna go around, I just let 'em! Not worth the risk just to pay 20 baht for the ride.

Quite a populated area to be moving along at the speed of light.

[Just1Voice]

A terrible waste of life, and condolences to the families. But in reality, with the way Thai drive, I'm surprised things like this don't happen more often.

[bprinceuk]

Tragic loss of life

R.I.P

[onnut]

I am shocked! but at the same time I am shocked that I am shocked because I have lived here long enough and driven here long enough to know what goes on on the roads. this is a very sad story for the passangers. RIP to you all.

The roads and driving will improve, but not in our lifetime I am afraid so just let them go past you and hold back. it is sad though, especially when it involves children.

[scania]

RIP

[craigt3365]

I see these school vans speeding down Sukhumvit here in Pattaya all the time. Crazy drivers, swerving from fast lane to slow lane just to get a few cars ahead. Very sad. RIP.

[Gers1873]

That really sucks. I wish they would crack down on the poor driving habits here.

random drug and alcohol test.

I worry less about drugs and alcohol and more about the twenty bottles of Red Bull so often a ubiquitous part of any Thai bus journey.

[Just1Voice]

It's not just BKK. A little while back, here in Chiang Mai, I saw a school van, loaded with kids, pull out in a NO PASSING ZONE, and try to pass 4 other cars. Fortunately they were able to squeeze in before the oncoming traffic plowed into them.

Edited October 31, 2010 by Just1Voice

[Richb2004v2]

The blame lays between the driver of the van, the schools and the parents. Between them they should have the sense to put a stop to the dangerous driving of these idiots that drive the children in these death traps. I see it every day, and not only the vans from cheap schools. Obviously absolutely nothing will change and all Thais involved will scratch their heads and try to work out what went wrong. There is of course the chance it wasn't the drivers fault.

[Moebius87]

Terrible accident and very sad for the families of the victims. My sincere condolences for their loss, with one exception... the driver. It is tragic to see innocent lives lost because of one man's irresponsibility.

I drive on this expressway every week day and encounter a lot of terrible drivers, not just those high speed morons, but also those uncertain about what it is they are supposed to be doing or where they are going. These van drivers are a different breed of bad driver. The emergency shoulder is an entire car lane wide, then there is the retaining wall and the reinforced railing which is about a meter high all told. You would have to be deliberately stupid to get up enough speed to get a van over all that.

I hate to say it, but there should be a way to get all these arrogant, ignorant and reckless drivers out from behind the wheel and under them.

[Neonben]

A real shame but what do you expect when the safety barrier is 3 foot high and sloped, the idea is to keep the vehicle on the road not see how big a jump you can get.

AN IMBECILE IS CLEARLY INCHARGE OF ROAD SAFETY.

[Insight]

I think we were on the same section of express way moments after this happened. Slow traffic, lots of smoke from underneath and plenty of sirens

RIP the victims.

[dannyh2000uk]

tragic , the constant speedy tailgating always gets me on the expressways.

But this really is horrific

RIP

[blackthorn2005]

Very, very sad, especially when children are involved. I fear for my life sometimes on the visa run from Patong to Ranong, especially if it is raining, the drivers slow down for nothing.

R. I. P.

[hopeful]

Yes WHY oh WHY does this Happen, Maybe driver to fast, Maybe Blow out on tyre or other , Let us not judge. R.I.P.to the victims. Hope those injured can give some idea what happen

[Jirapa]

I used to use this expressway all the time when I lived out that way, when the traffic is not too busy a lot of these van use it as a speedway, in fact the use it as a speedway when it is busy along with most other vehicles on it.

Also Chatuchak bus terminal is out that way, also many vans come on from victory monument.

One think is for sure, it must be horrific, poor people.

I am assuming where the report says speedy van they mean speeding van.

The speed limit on the express way is 80km/ph so they must have been speeding. Everyone drives at 100-140km/ph on that road as I was doing 115km when I got stopped and was asked to pay 1000B fine which ended up being 300B tea money.

[Seanextra]

Yep, the longer i live here the more i seem to want a crack down on drivers and vehicles by the BIB ! I would never have thought i would want to see the hard core road rule enforcement like the western countries more geared to increase collection of money than actually controlling behaviour of motorists.

I was looking forward to driving and riding around Thailand without stressing about points loss and fines but now i seem to think its very much needed here and it seems to be public transport vehicles are the worst.

Seriously they need to really start some form of licencing education and more enforcement of road rules!

I thought id never see the day that i wanted to see More Policing !