Udon Thani dentist

[SantiSuk]

I have been driving in Thailand for 10 years now and in all that time I have NEVER been stuck behind a slow minivan.......Thai drivers do not care about the safety of their passengers and they are amongst the worst drivers in the world ........... OK Westerners speed BUT we look and think ahead always thinking and ready to brake

Agree with the lack of forward vision implied comment. It amuses me how they drive in the near-side (kerbside) lane at speed and only think about what is coming behind in the outside lane and might prevent them from overtaking when they are 30 feet from impact with the car in front of them - result screeching brakes.

Not the worst drivers in the world though. Try Turkey, try Iran. Far too much machismo in many nations' drivers, more so than Thailand.

[sirchai]

may all RIP...

Hope they'll rest in peace. Living in the lower north-east for a longer period of time has changed my style of driving to be honest.

Everybody's doing what they'd like to do, turning right without a signal, red lights are not seen. I'm also driving much different than I was used to, to avoid accidents.And would I drive like I did, sure there'd be accidents.

Sorry, my point being is that people here don't get enough money to drive people around, bad service at their vans, bad mechanics, bad roads and much more.

Nobody's checking them how long they're driving, so time for a change. I've been in vans speeding through the Isan, where my heart almost stood still. Buffaloes, cows, Kubotas, motorcycles and big holes in the roads made it to a scary experience.

I'll never sit in a van, where the driver's speeding. Had my lesson on the way to Mae Hong Son, where a guy almost killed us. A good friend of mine was almost killed, 6 years ago and still suffering serious problems.

Be aware when a van's coming on your side, that you've got to get away, they don't really use their brain. Sorry, lots haven't got one. RIP.:jap:

[laurentbkk]

Those vans drivers are crazy , in that case I am sure he was driving too fast as usual and didnt have time to see the truck in the front. And that story will not change mentality where people think they are protected from accident by all those religious things in their cars or vans.

Will it change anything in the future ? of course not , there are just little rules and laws in this country for drivers , send those drivers to school and learn how to drive properly , when you bring passengers its the minimum they could do for safety.

Thailand has one of the highest rates in dead or injured in car accidents in the world. It seems that it doesnt bother the politics as nothing ever changed except a few alcohol test done in the middle of Bangkok , apparently nothing is really done upcountry.

See the facts during New year and soon during Songkran.

What happened to this 16 years old driver who cause a terrible accident on the toll way ??? seems the story is already 6 feet under.

[anterian]

Most trucks hurtle along at high speed, to hit one up the rear with sufficient force to crumple your own vehicle takes some doing. Compulsory tachographs on all commercial vehicles would help a lot in accident analysis. Also as they are expensive they would reduce the number of unlicensed cowboys.

[sandgroper2]

The thais arnt the only fools here, everybody has tried and found the minivan driver guilty, with no evidence whatsoever, nuff said.

[sirchai]

how many more people have to fall out of vans and off tollways amongst other things until they finally put in and use fricking seat belts????

A good question indeed.....You should see the Saengtaews here in the lower Isan, driving students to school. Kids sitting on the roof, Pick Up trucks loaded up to seven meters, that you might think it's an English double decker...

But as a student wrote in a test; We need seat belts and helmets for the police to avoid a fine. :jap:

[harvestmoon86]

Should I be worried about the minivans between Victory Monument and Cha-am? I take them regularly but I am usually zoning out and not watching the road/driver. This is unsettling.

[Deeral]

As ever this has proved to be an opportunity for idiots who know nothing of the circumstances, reporting or in fact even driving in Thailand, to air their prejudices.

There is NEVER only one person to blame in a road incident - blame if you really need it can be apportioned by percentage.

It occurs to me that it was dark when this accident took place.

Can we then suggest that the minivan ran into the back of a stationary or slow moving truck that had inadequate lighting on the rear?

Could we also be sure that the oncoming vehicle didn't have illegal extra bright headlamps or "fog" lams and so also contributed to the accident?

what if the truck had broken down and the road had no hard shoulder for it to move out of the way of traffic behind?

We can be sure that the police etc are inadequately trained to properly investigate what actually happened or the causes or the lessons to be learned.Lets face it, it's far easier for them to beat or scare a confession out of the driver and call the matter closed.

Wecan also 99% sure that seat belts weren't worn and were probablyeither improperly fitted or not at all.

Edited February 21, 2011 by Deeral

[atyclb]

Brake when vision is lost, not when vision is regained and the obstacle detected...

That would require at least one functional brain cell.

[laurentbkk]

The thais arnt the only fools here, everybody has tried and found the minivan driver guilty, with no evidence whatsoever, nuff said.

Totally true , but after a long time in this country I have seen and observed those mini vans ..I drive in Thailand for nearly 20 years and often avoid accidents involving ....mini vans, some might be ok but the majority are nuts.

[CaliforniaJohn]

He was the only one with a seat belt. He only closed his eyes for a moment, At 120 or 130k thats all you need. These box's break open on impact. Why does anyone use them??????? What's your life worth???

Amazing only the passengers get hurt and die. The driver that caused the whole mess, with his reckless driving, walks away without a scratch. He does regret the accident though???

[Nisa]

What a waste.

And already it appears the whole seatbelt initiative is forgotten as not one mention of who, if any, were wearing seat belts.

Driving too closely is a problem everywhere but it seems Thais in general have never been taught the 2-second rule or the dangerous of driving to close but worse it seems the majority of the mini bus drivers are the worst offenders.

[techboy]

Dirty black truck with NO taillights, van shielded with pitch black window films (maybe some peepholes), overworked driver, maybe stimulated by drugs. Just guessing. But this is the reality I have experienced on my frequent trips between BKK and Krabi. And this is well tolerated by the police. I have no idea what those checkpoints are good for. Even the most obvious junk cars can pass.

Checkpoints are to check your wallet. They need coffee and donuts.

I have been riding the busses and vans in this country for 12-years and never seen the police steal from anyone at a checkpoint inspection. FYI the inspections are to check traveller ID's because interprovince travel is restricted for the native population. Your post is pure ignorant speculation. Typical.

[atyclb]

Should I be worried about the minivans between Victory Monument and Cha-am? I take them regularly but I am usually zoning out and not watching the road/driver. This is unsettling.

The times I have taken those vans to cha am I wish I could have been sleeping. Nerve racking to be aware of the driving. High speed tailgating, lane changes, overloading, seat belts etc etc scares the crap out of me

Police should routinely stop speeders and erratic drivers as the fear of imposed bribes will reduce the poor driving.

[Nisa]

interprovince travel is restricted for the native population.

Really?

[appropriate]

Police have taken him into custody and say they will charge him with causing death and injury by negligent driving.

Has that hi-so 16 yr old been charged with anything yet? The who killed 9 people.

[Imkah]

I must admit I don't often agree with you sorrow lot's of condecending notions on how this country should be run. But on traffic and the culture of driving here I fully agree: If the laws are lacking, it is the Governments duty to implement them, and now! And then wait and hope to survive another generation or three for them being enforced. Where are the emoticons in uniform, by the way? - A necessity in most threads these days

[Dukeleto]

may all RIP...

Probably due to him wearing his seatbelt which is probably the same reason why some of the other passengers survived. Buckle up! No exceptions!

[Macmundi]

Now I know. Everytime they say 'tourists', it includes EVERYONE. Every kind of traveler foreign or domestic, inbound or outbound. A thai traveler back from a Europe tour is also a 'tourist'. The tourism revenue does not necessarily mean it is money coming 'into' the country.

May the dead rest in peace.

[Nisa]

Should I be worried about the minivans between Victory Monument and Cha-am? I take them regularly but I am usually zoning out and not watching the road/driver. This is unsettling.

YES!!!!

The big buses are much safer but if you choose to ride in a minibus make sure it has seat belts.

The big buses are also more comfortable and probably a bit cheaper but you need to go to the Thonburi station and the big bus will probably take 3.5 hours as opposed to 2.5 hours by minibus.

Edited February 21, 2011 by Nisa

[pedro01]

As ever this has proved to be an opportunity for idiots who know nothing of the circumstances, reporting or in fact even driving in Thailand, to air their prejudices.

There is NEVER only one person to blame in a road incident - blame if you really need it can be apportioned by percentage.

A bit of a contradiction there. You accuse people of being idiots and then come out with an idiotic statement.

A bus drove into my car on New Years Eve. The car was stopped at a set of red traffic lights when the bus drove into our car & a number of other cars at full speed.

There WAS only one person to blame in that road accident - the bus driver.

[Richie1971]

Absolutely tragic - RIP

Used the minivans from HH to BKK a few times - the main reason I bought a car -

[Dakhar]

Dirty black truck with NO taillights, van shielded with pitch black window films (maybe some peepholes), overworked driver, maybe stimulated by drugs. Just guessing. But this is the reality I have experienced on my frequent trips between BKK and Krabi. And this is well tolerated by the police. I have no idea what those checkpoints are good for. Even the most obvious junk cars can pass.

Checkpoints are to check your wallet. They need coffee and donuts.

I have been riding the busses and vans in this country for 12-years and never seen the police steal from anyone at a checkpoint inspection. FYI the inspections are to check traveller ID's because interprovince travel is restricted for the native population. Your post is pure ignorant speculation. Typical.

I have seen the claimed event, and I have been here for 6 long years. I guess I am "lucky" or just more observant???

[onnut]

Better to be 10 minutes late than 30 years early!

[Colabamumbai]

Only in Thailand. You are safer in Afghanistan or Pakistan.

[Pib]

At the speeds most of these small passenger vans drive "while also tailgating," I'm surprised we don't hear about many more accidents. In my part of western Bangkok I see minor fender benders to major accidents involving these types of passengers vans on Kanchanaphisek Outerring Road (#9) all the time. But since these accidents I've seen don't appear to have caused any deaths, it just don't make the news. When I'm driving I pay extra attention to these type of vans with the blue lettered tags since I know they are trying to get to where ever they are going as fast as they can and the van drivers think they are such great/professional drivers, especially the afternoon school vans. Faster, faster, closer, closer....switch lanes back and forth...get there quick! Oh yea, and if there are any passenger seat belts, those belts pretty much go unused...you can blame both the driver and passengers for that state of mind....and blame the government for only requiring people in the front seat to wear seat/shoulder belts...no requirement for the 10 plus passengers to buckle-up...have no fear, we'll be OK as we have a kilo of amulets hanging around our neck to give us good luck and protect us...have no fear.

[SantiSuk]

Should I be worried about the minivans between Victory Monument and Cha-am? I take them regularly but I am usually zoning out and not watching the road/driver. This is unsettling.

Have done from Hua Hin to Victory a couple of years ago. Minivan driver drove so well - quite fast but well-controlled, vision, stopping space, some road courtesy etc. - that I tipped him 100 baht and told him he was the best and safest bus driver I had seen in Thailand. He was astonished.

[exbelg]

time for seatbelts, also on minivans ?

[travelmann]

same same no change , next!!!

[travelmann]

time for seatbelts, also on minivans ?

Wasate of time, driver traing and no seatbelts would do far more to help.

Oh and "being responsible"

Edited February 21, 2011 by travelmann