Speeding Van Falls Off Bangkok Expressway, Killing At Least Eight

[draftvader]

I had a very strange question asked of me by one of my more intelligent (and he is a very bright man) Thai friends. He has travelled abroad on a number of occasions and speaks highly of these trips (just setting the scene so that you understand he is not from the norm). He asked me if the English driving test was as hard as the Thai test. He was astounded when I laughed and asked him if he knew what it entailed. Suffice to say he thought our test sounded far too tough.

I find it comical (if I gave it more thought I would just hide in my apartment and never leave) when I am riding my bike up Ratchadaphisek and I look left to see one of their driving test centres (looks more like a small, rather crap, go-kart track) and then I look back at these people driving 2.5 ton trucks at 100+km/h all around me. I must say that it certainly helps me to focus on not day-dreaming whilst riding my motorbike through Bangkok!!!

[george]

UPDATE:

Driver of van faces serious charges, police say

By The Nation

Published on November 2, 2010

Police are checking video footage from closed-circuit cameras on a Bangkok expressway in a bid to determine the cause of Sunday's horror van crash, which killed nine passengers.

The driver of the van, who had 16 passengers on board, looks set to face a raft of charges, including reckless driving causing death, police said yesterday.

The gas-fuelled van plunged off the expressway near the Rama VI exit at about 5pm and burst into flames.

The accident claimed nine lives. Two survivors are in a critical condition in Ramathibodi and Chulalongkorn Hospitals, while six more - all said to be seriously hurt - are being treated in several other hospitals.

"Initial evidence suggests no other vehicles were involved," Pol Lt Colonel Pada Akranithi said yesterday, in his capacity as an investigator at the National Police Office's Traffic Division.

Weerayut Pansombat, the 27-year-old son of the van driver, said he was told a female passenger shouted out during the trip that she smelled gas.

"My dad looked back," Weerayut said. "By the time he refocused his attention on the steering wheel, the van was close to a fork in the road. He must have tried to apply the brakes but it was too late."

Weerayut's father, Wiroj Pansombat, survived and is in an intensive-care unit with fractured ribs and bleeding in his lungs. Weerayut had not been able to talk to his father by press time but said he had received details from others.

Pol Lt Colonel Watit Ittakul, another investigator from the Police Division, said Wiroj could face up to four charges: reckless driving causing deaths, illegally using a private van for public transport, flouting the limit on the number of passengers, and driving for public transport without a proper licence.

"Such a van can carry 12 passengers at most, but at the time of the accident up to 17 people were on board," Watit said.

Pada said most survivors of the horror smash were still in a serious condition, so police would wait for them to recover before interviewing them.

Ramathibodi Hospital director Than Supattaraphan said a boy aged five named Pongsakorn Kuna and a 41-year-old man named Weerapong Wongwai were in a critical condition.

Pongsakorn had suffered burns to two thirds of his body surface and was now on a respirator and under close medical supervision.

Weerapong also suffered burns to more than half his body. He was sent to Chulalongkorn Hospital for further treatment because of limited beds in the Burns Unit at Ramathibodi.

The boy Pongsakorn is one of five patients being treated at Ramathibodi.

Two other survivors from the crash were sent to Rajavithi and Phra Mongkutklao hospitals.

Than said hospital staff had received little information so far from patients on how to the accident took place.

"The children have said they were about to return to their home provinces with their parents because the new semester was to start. They had been in Bangkok during the school break," Than said.

-- The Nation 2010-11-01

[Balls]

I think a lot of people are missing the point here, When will this end?

People, any people, Thai or Falang just want to get from point A to point B SAFELY!

So many drivers think "It is a matter of getting the passengers there as quickly as possible!"

But, then again, if the traffic police are not there, where are they? In six years, I've never seen a speeding vehicle being "pulled over" for a violation.

Are there that many donut shops in Thailand?

[contemplating]

Lots of very bad experiences posted here, but I have had a good experience!! Last month, I took the Bell bus from Pattaya to the airport. I have never in 25 years in Thailand, had such a nice ride!!! The driver never speeded, never any fast moves, and even knew where the worst bumps were on the overpasses, and slowed down for them. Now I know there is at least one good driver in Thailand. Oh yeah, and only 200baht! I would defiantly recommend them.

One poster asked about people siting on top of vehicles. I have never seen anyone sitting on top of the vehicle, but on top of the load, they are there all the time. When anything happens, they all fly off like rockets. Also see pick-ups with furniture being moved and with a little kid, trying to hold up a huge cupboard, it will work as long as nothing happens, but if it does, he will fly off along with the cupboard.

Another point was made here, about the ratio of accidents here, compared to other countries. Well, if an accident happens in the west, there might be 5 people killed, but in Thailand, there might be 20 people killed. Everything is overloaded. I took my family out one time, rented two vans, but only one came, so we had 21 people on board. No body complained, they all thought it was sanuk! No end of tragic stories in Thailand.

[rubl]

begin removed ...

Weerayut Pansombat, the 27-year-old son of the van driver, said he was told a female passenger shouted out during the trip that she smelled gas.

"My dad looked back," Weerayut said. "By the time he refocused his attention on the steering wheel, the van was close to a fork in the road. He must have tried to apply the brakes but it was too late."

... end removed

???

I think the driver is responsable whatever some passenger does, tells or shouts. The suggestion that a female passenger caused the driver to loose concentration and be a bit late in reaction doesn't hold much value. To me (i.e my personal opinion) it sound like trying to deflect guilt.

[Spoonman]

Police are checking video footage from closed-circuit cameras on a Bangkok expressway in a bid to determine the cause of Sunday's horror van crash, which killed nine passengers.

Here's the CCTV footage of the accident.

www.matichon.co.th

[bristolgeoff]

what was the cause really.hope the survivers are getting better quickly

[SergeiY]

Several years back my car was in for repairs, and I needed to do a quick trip to Pattaya, so I went to a small bus operator who's office i'd noticed many times before, opposite the side of the Indra Regent hotel (Bkk).

The bus picked up tourists from all over the area until totally full then departed for Pattaya, and within a few minutes it was obvious that the driver was a total maniac, driving at times over 150 Km per hour and even at that speed weaving in and out of the traffic and throwing the passengers from side to side. And talking and laughing on his mobile all of the time.

Everybody was terrified, and especially two parents who had two small children with them. Many of the passengers screamed at the driver, in English, to slow down and to stop, and I did the same in Thai. He just refused to listen. Within a very short time we were at Chonburi City, the driver stopped at a service station so that he could go to the toilet.

I noticed another empty minibus quite near so I quickly asked the driver if he was available to take the whole group to Pattaya and very quickly explained why. He agreed and offered a very low price, and said 'get into my van very quickly so that I can go before the other driver sees us'. All the other passengers quickly agreed, there was a very fast transfer and we had a pleasant and sensible speed trip the rest of the way.

The next day I went back to the depot in Bkk, discovered that the Thai owner spoke perfect english, I explained what had happened the previous day. He was concerned and apologised, then used his phone. A few minutes later the driver appeared, so did two thugs. They proceeded to beat him up, and they did it well.

I'm not condoning violenece, but the driver did deserve some form of punishment. Later the same day one of the tourists called me and said the minibus owner had called all the pick up hotels in Bkk and tried to get details of the destination hotels in Pattya for all the passengers. The owner had spoken to those he could contact and apologized and offered to bring them back to Bangkok free and with a different driver.

Lovely story Scorecard. We need more of that boss.

Don't believe every story you can read here on TV.

[random]

Police are checking video footage from closed-circuit cameras on a Bangkok expressway in a bid to determine the cause of Sunday's horror van crash, which killed nine passengers.

Here's the CCTV footage of the accident.

www.matichon.co.th

Staggered pictures but it appears way too fast for the exit, was he actually taking that exit based on the story from his son or did he just choose to turn round while driving fast and not even look where his van was heading, do you have to turn round to be able to smell gas?

However you want to dress this up though the driver is clearly to blame, there was no blow out, no engine failure, just a clown that thinks he can drive fast while not looking at the road and now because of his stupidity people have died. ( I say not looking at the road based on his son saying he turned round when a passenger said they smelled gas and when he looked back at the road it was too late)

[tomyummer]

Police are checking video footage from closed-circuit cameras on a Bangkok expressway in a bid to determine the cause of Sunday's horror van crash, which killed nine passengers.

Here's the CCTV footage of the accident.

www.matichon.co.th

Thanks for the link. That's way to scary. With the clock on the video, that driver was driving way, way , WAY too fast. How the hel_l does he think he can brake carrying a load of 16 or so passengers?!

I've driven past that exit and if anyone has seen it, the start of the exit has a painted yellow and black joint that is in itself a ramp. And the guy didn't even hit it and still went airborne.

[thailand49]

Sure the driver is the blame but as I noted what is the point of having rules if they aren't obey by NONE ENFORCMENT OF THE LAWS ALREADY ON THE BOOKS! The system is in place but it seems it more for of a show than anything! No matter where you might come from it is only human nature that at some point we are going to break the rule! I can't speak for any country except the U.S. but to answer the questions yes we do need rules and just think for a minute in Thailand what the results would be if there were NONE at all? As for stats for accidents in Thailand vs. American it is a none comparision since U.S. has stats broken down to the populations with the number of vehicles to what age group are having the most accidents and the type of accidents are happening! Using stats from Thailand vs American would not be fair. But one things is for sure in my opinion for the size of this country and the number of cars and driver they certainly could do better to set a example!

I have been driving for 42 years, certified to drive a tracker traiter along with haz-mat and passenger endorsements and have a instructor certification for the public road with another certification to toll,park and train aircraft towing by the FAA. In those years never had an accident until I started living in Thailand! Was stop by police at a intersection while sitting there the guy behind me bump my back 20,000 in damages he didn't have insurance! Not to go on and go! Thai's can drive fast but lack the skills to do anything else behind the wheel! Westerner see driving as a privilege Thai's see it as a right! The moment they are taught how to ride a motorscooter they advance to a car and some to buses and trucks they bring along the bad habits. No one ever told them that a car is a weapon! Thai's have this saying Mai pen rai ( like saying relax ) but when they get behind a motor they become monsters in killing machines like they have somewhere to go? Speed like hel_l just to have to wait at the next light that last 120 seconds! DRIVING IS GETTING THE BIG PICTURE! FOR THE THAI'S THEY JUST DON'T GET IT AND NEITHER DOES THE COPS OR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ENTRUSTED TO ENFORCE THE LAW!

[onnut]

Several years back my car was in for repairs, and I needed to do a quick trip to Pattaya, so I went to a small bus operator who's office i'd noticed many times before, opposite the side of the Indra Regent hotel (Bkk).

The bus picked up tourists from all over the area until totally full then departed for Pattaya, and within a few minutes it was obvious that the driver was a total maniac, driving at times over 150 Km per hour and even at that speed weaving in and out of the traffic and throwing the passengers from side to side. And talking and laughing on his mobile all of the time.

Everybody was terrified, and especially two parents who had two small children with them. Many of the passengers screamed at the driver, in English, to slow down and to stop, and I did the same in Thai. He just refused to listen. Within a very short time we were at Chonburi City, the driver stopped at a service station so that he could go to the toilet.

I noticed another empty minibus quite near so I quickly asked the driver if he was available to take the whole group to Pattaya and very quickly explained why. He agreed and offered a very low price, and said 'get into my van very quickly so that I can go before the other driver sees us'. All the other passengers quickly agreed, there was a very fast transfer and we had a pleasant and sensible speed trip the rest of the way.

The next day I went back to the depot in Bkk, discovered that the Thai owner spoke perfect english, I explained what had happened the previous day. He was concerned and apologised, then used his phone. A few minutes later the driver appeared, so did two thugs. They proceeded to beat him up, and they did it well.

I'm not condoning violenece, but the driver did deserve some form of punishment. Later the same day one of the tourists called me and said the minibus owner had called all the pick up hotels in Bkk and tried to get details of the destination hotels in Pattya for all the passengers. The owner had spoken to those he could contact and apologized and offered to bring them back to Bangkok free and with a different driver.

I really like that story, I refuse to travel on busses or mini busses in Thailand after one experiance I had in my first 2 months here. if you didnt do what you did you may of all been dead now because of that idiot. well done. I find it funny how the owner punished him also.

[onnut]

Police are checking video footage from closed-circuit cameras on a Bangkok expressway in a bid to determine the cause of Sunday's horror van crash, which killed nine passengers.

Here's the CCTV footage of the accident.

www.matichon.co.th

Thanks for the link. That's way to scary. With the clock on the video, that driver was driving way, way , WAY too fast. How the hel_l does he think he can brake carrying a load of 16 or so passengers?!

I've driven past that exit and if anyone has seen it, the start of the exit has a painted yellow and black joint that is in itself a ramp. And the guy didn't even hit it and still went airborne.

Very scary, thats fuc_ked. shocking. I hope the driver pulls through and gets done in big time. Prison for life, they should make an example of him, but I bet they dont.

[def2708]

i got only 200 bahts for driving 100 in khon kaen and i m farang

speed limit is 90 in thailand...the cop said..what a joke(not speaking of speedway which is 120)

just to say this wasn t tea money..they kept my driving license and i had to pay the fine by post to the police station so they could send me back my license...

postage fee of 50 bahts...what a joke

was still happy ,it wasn t tea money...

The whole problem of speeding, reckless driving stems from the culture of "lack of responsibility". Road safety begin from infancy upwards with four children to a motorcycle and 18/20 children on the rear ot the pick-up used for school transport. Plus of course that does not count the ones sitting on the roof. Who is responsible for this "teaching"?

Bye-the-bye; Have you ever seen any police checking speed on BKK expressways?

Yes! I got 1000 baht fine for doing 110kmh, but I was just going with the traffic flow. Problem is, I am a farang ...

[mickyboy]

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]

i agree let alone minivans coaches are just as bad come back from koh chang on the upper deck thought i was going to be sea sick the way it was swerving about on the motorway very frightening

[Neonben]

Yeah but in India and Thailand they tend to believe more in reincarnation than road safety, in the west we have bad driving but we know it's not worth risking your life, in developing nations they just think oh maybe thats what god wanted. IDIOTS.

It is sad but how often it happens throughout Thailand that it doesn't get reported?<BR><BR>I think most of you miss the point except for the part that eight people lost their life! Why shouldn't they speed? Why shouldn't they drink and drive? Do some research on how Thai's get their driver license! As a Thai, what is a flashing red light? what is a flashing yellow light? What is a soiid white line? What is a solid yellow line? Ever see a four way stop at a intersection? What is the speed limit? Should you tailgate? Should you slow down when it rains? The driver is at fault but if you want to blame someone start at the top and that is the government of Thailand transportation Department. Why follow the rules if there is no enforcement?<BR><BR>The system killed these people and will kill again? I read something like out of 1,000 deaths 800 comes from motorbikes? Thai's can't drive! bottom line, take can smile and go straight but anything else they don't have a clue? Now that is Thai bashing!

Thai drivers aren't that bad despite very little training. Try Morocco and India as driving here is pretty stress free even in Bangkok. Driving in Paris is much worse as I lived there for 8 years and at times wondered why I even bothered having a car as it had a dent in every panel usually as a result of parking it on the street at night and it getting hit by careless drivers.

[RaoulDuke]

I was thinking of this story while taking the minibus to the Phuket Airport today. I am just really grateful that their are no raised expressways in Phuket. This idiot was going wide open throttle around blind corners on small residential alleys, it was full throttle or slamming the brakes, for 2 complete circuits around Patong, before they finally picked everyone up. I have to wonder how many people get ran over by these guys every year. It is clearly a bad case of boy-racer-itis.They want to zip around like an F1 car...but they are driving a van, not exactly made for high speed maneuvering, and who knows what kind of shady maintenance these things get. I don't think drugs or alcohol is the problem, it may just be that this is the only chance they get to drive a vehicle, so they never get past that teenager mentality of wanting to race around, for the thrill and the rush. And I am sure they are given plenty of incentive to get the job done as soon as possible, kind of like when Domino's had the '30 minute or its free' guarantee, and all the delivery drivers were dying in accidents.

Unfortunately, when people drive like this, they usually need some kind of wake up call to make them realize how reckless it is. I know slowed down quite a bit after spinning out one day in the middle of a busy road after taking a curve way too fast. Even though there was a mechanical problem with my car that caused the accident, and I avoided any major damage or collisions, I still decided it wasn't worth it to drive like an idiot anymore. Of course, the fear of another traffic ticket was also a big motivator, they get expensive after awhile, especially when it affects your insurance. Unfortunately, when they are driving a van full of people all day long, there is a good chance that wake up call will cost someone their life, rather than just something minor that knocks some sense into them, especially when there is no chance of being punished. I agree that there are bad drivers everywhere, but no one could get away with all the crap they pull in any western country, especially in a public transport vehicle. The police need to do their job, or nothing will change.

A sad story, but something I am sure happens quite a bit around here, even if in less dramatic fashion.

Edited November 3, 2010 by RaoulDuke

[Youngmac]

In the same line of this thread I was recently on a minivan between Sattahip and Bangkok. The driver on the way to Bangkok was a total speed freak. The van was hitting the bumps in the road and leaving the ground as many times when we came back down the van was twisting on the road surface. No matter the driver kept accelerating.

On my return trip things got even WORSE as the driver in this case was not a formula 1 driver but rather Rip Van Winkle! There were 2 instances on the Elevated highway when he blacked out and when he regained consciousness he hit the breaks so hard we nearly stopped in the middle of the highway. Along with this there were 6 times he nearly hit another car at 140 kmh and missed by less than a foot. He was told by a woman travelling with a baby to slow down and take care and he simply turned and laughed and said "I do this every day" Finally a few Navy folks told him to stop and take a break and wake up and he stopped in Chonburi and did. (Thank you young Navy guys!!) After his short break he got a phone call and it sounded like he was being told to take care by his answers.

I got out as soon as I could but my question is this: Who controls this? Does anyone? Can anyone control these drivers? The man in Question made it to Sattahip only to turn around drive BACK to Bangkok. How can this be allowed? How many people have to die before someone does something?

I am NOT new to Thailand but this is too much even for all the years I have been here. pictures of the co. van attached