Bangkok Expressway Crash: Driver Of Van Faces Serious Charges

[webfact]

EXPRESSWAY CRASH

Driver of van faces serious charges : police

By The Nation

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 2010-11-02

Related topic:

Speeding Van Falls Off Bangkok Expressway, Killing At Least Eight

[arkom]

I read on BP that the maximum he faces is 10 years in prison.

When I read that I couldn't beleive it, thats just a slap on the wrist for what he did!

Very sad.

Edited November 2, 2010 by arkom

[ilyelol]

the CCTV was posted in th e other thread

If you look at it he was going at least 30-40km/h faster than the cars behind him.

People never drive under 100-120km/h on that road when there's so little traffic.

thats 160km/h.. while not looking ahead.

[Renbe]

the CCTV was posted in th e other thread

If you look at it he was going at least 30-40km/h faster than the cars behind him.

People never drive under 100-120km/h on that road when there's so little traffic.

thats 160km/h.. while not looking ahead.

Traffic is a mass murderer all over the world. estimates vary, but world wide at least 140 PEOPLE PER HOUR

are killed in traffic x 24 hours x 365 days = 1.226.400 deaths per year...

Worldwide it was estimated in 2004 that 1.2 million people were killed (2.2% of all deaths) and 50 million more were injured in motor vehicle collisions

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffic_collision

The people killed in this horrific crash were but a mere drop in a vast ocean.....

[oldskooldi]

And what the police say about overloading the van with passengers... i mean, it's an everyday sight... these people sometimes modify their seats to accomodate more and more people. What really pisses me off is that they will still forget about it after the media fever and van drivers will overload vans again etc... hate the thai way of putting a bandaid on it and forgetting about it.

[Artisi]

Say what you like, complain and theorise, just remember TIT and what ever you think doesn't count for diddle squat - why - cause no one cares except those involved and to any others it's just a case of mai pen rai.

[trogers]

And what the police say about overloading the van with passengers... i mean, it's an everyday sight... these people sometimes modify their seats to accomodate more and more people. What really pisses me off is that they will still forget about it after the media fever and van drivers will overload vans again etc... hate the thai way of putting a bandaid on it and forgetting about it.

and how many occasions do you see a policeman riding his motorbike with his wife and 2 kids...overloading and without helmets?

[Tanaka]

the CCTV was posted in th e other thread

If you look at it he was going at least 30-40km/h faster than the cars behind him.

People never drive under 100-120km/h on that road when there's so little traffic.

thats 160km/h.. while not looking ahead.

Traffic is a mass murderer all over the world. estimates vary, but world wide at least 140 PEOPLE PER HOUR

are killed in traffic x 24 hours x 365 days = 1.226.400 deaths per year...

Worldwide it was estimated in 2004 that 1.2 million people were killed (2.2% of all deaths) and 50 million more were injured in motor vehicle collisions

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffic_collision

The people killed in this horrific crash were but a mere drop in a vast ocean.....

And your point is?

[aussiebebe]

And what the police say about overloading the van with passengers... i mean, it's an everyday sight... these people sometimes modify their seats to accomodate more and more people. What really pisses me off is that they will still forget about it after the media fever and van drivers will overload vans again etc... hate the thai way of putting a bandaid on it and forgetting about it.

I agree, our thoughts should be with the victims families who are surely devastated. I saw the video on youtube and it struck a chord with me as I only recently took a van to work for the first time in a few years. To say I was scared would have been an understatement, the driver treated the van like a go-kart and I was in disbelief that a van was capable of such speeds.

Someone wrote to the Bangkok Post suggesting speed-limiters be fitted and the police could get a cut of a spot-fine if one wasn't fitted to a van they inspected; how about that? a spot check for vans instead of just motor bikes all the time? I agree it'll be forgotten about, but there's a deeper question at stake; the duality of Thai culture - on one hand apathy and on the other this irrational corruption only tempered by disorganisation and short-sightedness.Imagine if Thailand got organized enough to get speed-trap cameras, fines mailed to offenders and a points system where you lost your licence if you were caught too much. If they could just look longer term they could elevate corruption to a whole other level.

[South]

And what the police say about overloading the van with passengers... i mean, it's an everyday sight... these people sometimes modify their seats to accomodate more and more people. What really pisses me off is that they will still forget about it after the media fever and van drivers will overload vans again etc... hate the thai way of putting a bandaid on it and forgetting about it.

I agree, our thoughts should be with the victims families who are surely devastated. I saw the video on youtube and it struck a chord with me as I only recently took a van to work for the first time in a few years. To say I was scared would have been an understatement, the driver treated the van like a go-kart and I was in disbelief that a van was capable of such speeds.

Someone wrote to the Bangkok Post suggesting speed-limiters be fitted and the police could get a cut of a spot-fine if one wasn't fitted to a van they inspected; how about that? a spot check for vans instead of just motor bikes all the time? I agree it'll be forgotten about, but there's a deeper question at stake; the duality of Thai culture - on one hand apathy and on the other this irrational corruption only tempered by disorganisation and short-sightedness.Imagine if Thailand got organized enough to get speed-trap cameras, fines mailed to offenders and a points system where you lost your licence if you were caught too much. If they could just look longer term they could elevate corruption to a whole other level.

A sad event indeed, all too familiar here though. Overloading etc just to make a few extra Baht. However, it is not only in Thailand where these sorts of incidents happen - what about the double decker express coach leaving Heathrow airport a while ago - not overloaded, but overturned on what are meant to be some of the safest roads on the planet, speed limits/tachographs/fully covered by CCTV etc. This is nothing to do whatsoever with corruption or the nations involved. It's all down to the drivers and nobody else, not the countries where the incident happens. Speed limiters will do what exactly? Slow vehicles down, limit their maximum speed yes, but, they won't / can't change the actions of the person in control. I'm sure you've seen drivers doing 30kph who are a total danger to other road users and drivers doing 130kph+ who are not dangerous to others. A time and place. As I was told a long long time ago, a road vehicle is an extremely deadly instrument .... in the wrong hands.

(Disclaimer: No one has been found guilty as of yet .... just stating my own thoughts.)

Edited November 2, 2010 by South

[t36ony]

It's so sad and tragic way to lose your life. I have been on these vans and been scared out of my wits only to look around and see the Thai people sleeping or talking on their telephones. As much as the guys driving these vans are speeding, why does no one ever say 'excuse me could you slow down a bit'?

P.S How does the driver's son know so much even though none of injured have been spoken to and are in too serious a condition to speak????

[asiawatcher]

And what the police say about overloading the van with passengers... i mean, it's an everyday sight... these people sometimes modify their seats to accomodate more and more people. What really pisses me off is that they will still forget about it after the media fever and van drivers will overload vans again etc... hate the thai way of putting a bandaid on it and forgetting about it.

Yes and the Police never enforce the law, always jump up after the fact.

[sirchai]

It's so sad and tragic way to lose your life. I have been on these vans and been scared out of my wits only to look around and see the Thai people sleeping or talking on their telephones. As much as the guys driving these vans are speeding, why does no one ever say 'excuse me could you slow down a bit'?

P.S How does the driver's son know so much even though none of injured have been spoken to and are in too serious a condition to speak????

For whatever reason the van exploded and many people had to die, many to suffer, it doesn't really matter how many accidents occur around the world.

The driver's son is just trying to protect his father, I guess.

Once on a trip from Chiang Mai to Pai we were a few times so closed to death that I won't sit in a speeding van again. I prefer to drive my car and slow down instead of speeding.

My wife had to make me understand to pass by any accident, no matter how many injured are crying for help.

I stopped once, and they wanted to use my car to bring some victims into a hospital. I refused and a rescue car came by to bring two badly injured women into the hospital, but the cops were later looking for my car.

Driving around to look for somebody who wanted to help? My condolences to the families of the deceased, I hope the injured will have a fully recovery. How sad, can't find the right words now......:jap:

[kuffki]

And what the police say about overloading the van with passengers... i mean, it's an everyday sight... these people sometimes modify their seats to accomodate more and more people. What really pisses me off is that they will still forget about it after the media fever and van drivers will overload vans again etc... hate the thai way of putting a bandaid on it and forgetting about it.

and how many occasions do you see a policeman riding his motorbike with his wife and 2 kids...overloading and without helmets?

You forgot to mention that this same "rider" is also driving on the wrong side of the road, talking on the phone and waiving at all his mates(BIB)

[Fookhaht]

And what the police say about overloading the van with passengers... i mean, it's an everyday sight... these people sometimes modify their seats to accomodate more and more people. What really pisses me off is that they will still forget about it after the media fever and van drivers will overload vans again etc... hate the thai way of putting a bandaid on it and forgetting about it.

Yes and the Police never enforce the law, always jump up after the fact.

So true. The overloaded vans are less than half the story. Just take a look at 75% of the 2nd class buses that arrive at Morchit Station (NE Bus Terminal) from Isaan: All overloaded to the gills, with people packed in the aisles and stairwells. One student tells me of fainting in the aisle, but staying upright until the rest of the journey because the bodies were packed so tightly. One such bus caught on fire and crashed a few years ago between Yasothon and Bangkok, killing half the people, mostly because they couldn't scramble over the crowds in the aisles to escape a burning bus. Tragic.

[scorecard]

It's so sad and tragic way to lose your life. I have been on these vans and been scared out of my wits only to look around and see the Thai people sleeping or talking on their telephones. As much as the guys driving these vans are speeding, why does no one ever say 'excuse me could you slow down a bit'?

P.S How does the driver's son know so much even though none of injured have been spoken to and are in too serious a condition to speak????

Somehow the job of van driver seems to attract people of a certin mentality and behavior.

There is of course no requirement for a pecific type of licence and many of the van owners couldn't care less.

I have been in a van twice when Thai passengers asked the driver to slow down, on both occasions the driver deliberately drove faster and on one occasion strongly abused the woman passenger.

My adult son sometimes takes a van service with his wife and young daughter. They have a policy to get out quickly if the driver is driving dangerously. A soon as they approach the next town my son tells the driver to stop, they get out and look for some other form of transport.

In the last twelve months or so, my son has done the same thing twice with meter taxis, told the driver to stop and got out. I do the same.

There are in fact two agencies who should be fixing all of this:

- The Land Transport Department (one of the most corrupt ministries), and

- The police (the most corrupt agency in the country).

Unfortunately there is no sight of any action on vans and in fact many other aspects of travelling safety.

[SweatiePie]

........ I stopped once, and they wanted to use my car to bring some victims into a hospital. I refused ......

Why did you stop but refuse to help?