Nine Killed, 65 Injured In Thai Highway Accident

[xtr3mx7]

Most of the drivers here don't park appropriately on the left side when taking up passengers etc. I saw that many times.

I've also noticed that drivers here don't often look at the side mirror before taking over forcing the car at the back to break brusquely...

Anyhow, sad news... RIP

[hardy1943]

Won't the police find out who the driver was? After all, it was a big truck (10 wheels). Or is it that in Thailand, the truck owner does not keep track of who is driving his truck?

Funnily enough I know a director of a haulage company in Thailand and he reckons they tell their drivers to flee the scene of accidents so they can get their story straight and limit damage from criminal and civil lawsuits.

Fleeing the scene seems to be all too common in Thailand especially in the case of fatalities. That's those cultural flaws hampering progress again folks.

Easy! They should add a hit and run law to double his punishment like they have in most western countries or is this asking to much here where a free for all and do what ever you want on the road exist?

[arthurwait]

Won't the police find out who the driver was? After all, it was a big truck (10 wheels). Or is it that in Thailand, the truck owner does not keep track of who is driving his truck?

Most likely pissed and will be able to pass a breathliser test when caught.

Second option, illegal immigrant/illegal worker/illegal driver.

[sirchai]

Won't the police find out who the driver was? After all, it was a big truck (10 wheels). Or is it that in Thailand, the truck owner does not keep track of who is driving his truck?

:jap:'This is a good warning against stopping to look at accidents,'

RIP. Maybe somebody just wanted to make a test drive and nobody knows who this person was?

Sad news in the LOS...................

[rexnong]

Only 2 days ago I had a car drive into me and then they got out switched drivers and drove off while I was trying to wave them to stop , this happened right next to a police seat area with 2 of the finest bib and when I ran to him they said to me to go to the main police station even though I could still see him driving off

All I had was a scuffed wheel and arch and it still pi&@ed me off even today

There really needs to be something done with the way the driving is done here most of these drivers shouldn't be in control of a bicycle , I just got a 5 year driving licence for sitting in a room for an hour watching a Thai language safety video?

Rip these accidents can mostly be avoided

[creck]

Clearly, the HGV driver was ‘over’ taking on the inside.

Clearly, going too fast.

Fled the scene – yes, he feared he would be lynched! It is another sign of lawlessness.

Looking at accidents – a human failing all over the world. In the ‘west’ we don’t actually stop!

[SantiSuk]

Wake up Thailand, for fxxxs sake.

[anterian]

As Thais are very light fingered if I hired someone to drive a truck of mine I would want to know who his is, wehere he lived, his citizen number, and also a garantor for his character. Otherwise he could just take off with my truck.

The truck I assume has a license/number plate, so the owner can be traced, and the owner should be able to finger the driver.

Or am I simply being naive?

[canuckamuck]

One day police might actually charge someone for a moving violation when they see it happen. Of course there might be a blizzard tomorrow in Bangkok too. You never know.

[atyclb]

Anyone fleeing the scene after an accident (regardless of who is to blame)should automatically receive a prison sentence. Knowing that, I imagine most would hang about.

Not sure if an issue in thailand, but in cambodia ambulance crews may carry weapons/ and/or be escorted by armed staff or military. One expat EMT is highly armed when he goes out at night in his medical rescue vehicle. People at scenes of accidents can/do riot and take revenge even on injured people.

[atyclb]

One day police might actually charge someone for a moving violation when they see it happen. Of course there might be a blizzard tomorrow in Bangkok too. You never know.

Police should stop moving violations, even just to exert a big bribe. This would discourage driving dangerously and encourage police to stop them. Why do they only seem to stop slow vehicles at intersections and lights to look for small bribes?

[Sturbuc]

'This is a good warning against stopping to look at accidents,' Samut Sakorn Police Lieutenant Colonel Chaiyaphat Charoenwai told Thai TV.

More like a good warning to wear SEAT BELTS.

You're so clever. Maybe YOUR seatbelt might help YOU if another car will crash into you from behind. I don't think so.

But all these crazy people who want to watch the scene should be punished! It's dangerous in many ways. And it might cause some more accidents as other drivers do not expect anybody stopping on the right lane just for have a look at something.

[sundaram444]

What a tragedy .Seven people killed and two more on-lookers.

The Songkran hasn't started , yet. Hope this festival season is a

safe one for all. I have seen these huge trucks speeding even on

country roads. But , there is no control by authorities.

[mitrapaap]

'This is a good warning against stopping to look at accidents,' Samut Sakorn Police Lieutenant Colonel Chaiyaphat Charoenwai told Thai TV.

More like a good warning to wear SEAT BELTS.

The driver fled the scene, police said.

Do they ever do anything different?

Aah... SEAT BELTS would have helped them avaiod being hit from behind by a speeding motorist?

I'm missing something here.

You missed that the report did not say who got killed: the two in the car that stopped and watched or the two that were in the speeding car and crashed into the watchers. In the second case, seat belts eventually could have helped.

[mitrapaap]

'This is a good warning against stopping to look at accidents,' Samut Sakorn Police Lieutenant Colonel Chaiyaphat Charoenwai told Thai TV.

More like a good warning to wear SEAT BELTS.

You're so clever. Maybe YOUR seatbelt might help YOU if another car will crash into you from behind. I don't think so.

But all these crazy people who want to watch the scene should be punished! It's dangerous in many ways. And it might cause some more accidents as other drivers do not expect anybody stopping on the right lane just for have a look at something.

Who told you the watchers got killed and not those who crashed into the stopped car from behind? Think about it: If you sit in your standing still car and another car crashes into it from behind - who gets most likely killed (assuming none of both cars had the seat belt on)? Most likely the car that crashs into the other. Ergo, seat belts might have helped.

[metisdead]

Some posts with derogatory comments of Thais have been removed as well as replies.

[FrankieDimes]

When I arrived in Thailand and purchase a pickup my thai acquaintances adviced me, that if I was involved in an accident, and I was at fault it is best not to stop. You have a much better chance of having things settled more fairly, after you obtained a lawyer, an interpreter, and family/ friends when you contact the police. Four days after receiving my new Vigo, I am driving down a quiet road, I signal to turn left into the parking lot of a coffee shop. This woman on a motor bike is riding on the wrong side of the street, comes out from around a car parked on the road ahead of me just zips in front of the drive entrance to the coffee shop and continues down the road in the wrong direction. I hit my brakes to avoid hitting her and a guy on a motor bike crashes into my back bumper.

I get out of my truck and the woman who caused this accident is looking back at me and she picks up speed to escape. There is some sort of security guy in the parking lot of the coffe shop and he is pointing a finger at me saying something in Thai. My friend tells me he is saying it is my fault. I point to the woman on the motorbike who he obviously saw is escaping. The guy who hit me in the back, his eyes are glazed over and he is obviously under the influence of something.

My friend tells me, she saw him talking on his cell phone through the mirror when he hit the back of my truck. My friend tells the security guard this in Thai, the motor bike driver even admits he's at fault, but the security guy/parking lot attendant is still trying to say I am at fault. I told him to shut the hell up in an unfriendly tone and he reaches down to his belt with one nervous hand and tries to un-snap a can of pepper-spray that is on his belt loop in a leather holder. I immediately stepped into his personal space so he was be at arms length. He then stopped fumbling with the pepper-spray. Violence is not my thing, but I was gladly take an ass whooping by others in preventing him from spraying me and I guess he figured that out.

Any way, there was just a very small dent in my bumper where the motor bike's basket hit me. The motorbike guy asked my friend not to call the police, he would pay for the damage. It was just a small dent and the guy looked like he was penniliess although he had money for drugs. I just got in my truck and drove off. Brand new vehicle hit on the fourth day. I can just imagine if I was at fault!!

[iks77]

'This is a good warning against stopping to look at accidents,' Samut Sakorn Police Lieutenant Colonel Chaiyaphat Charoenwai told Thai TV.

More like a good warning to wear SEAT BELTS.

The driver fled the scene, police said.

Do they ever do anything different?

Aah... SEAT BELTS would have helped them avaiod being hit from behind by a speeding motorist?

I'm missing something here.

Yes, because your brain will not be splashed over the windshield but you are pulled back in your seats when you have the belts on...

[Phatcharanan]

Anyone fleeing the scene after an accident (regardless of who is to blame)should automatically receive a prison sentence. Knowing that, I imagine most would hang about.

In Thailand?

If a driver hung around after wiping out workers on a bus.......he would probably be lynched.

[dunkin2012]

'This is a good warning against stopping to look at accidents,' Samut Sakorn Police Lieutenant Colonel Chaiyaphat Charoenwai said.'

Is he for real saying this....? I in fact piss off this guy for saying .....

2 more people died...

So together 9 got killed ..... Humm...

Edited April 4, 2011 by dunkin2012

[Oberkommando]

So he was overtaking on the inside? A common and dangerous practice in Thailand, especially with speeding cars getting impatient with cars "only" doing 120kph.

And perfectly legal here too.

[brownknees]

I live near the junction of #36 to Rayong and sukhumvit and a regular occurance is for trucks with containers to overturn on the bend !Containers are not chained down so they slide across lanes etc and cars hit them etc!!

[lucjoker]

If the wagon was trying to overtake and hit the bus/van that was picking people up, was this van on the left, meaning the wagon was undertaking?

the bus stopped on the fast lane of the highway !Wich is perfectly normal here !(busses only drive on the fast track remember?)

The workers cross the tree lanes of the opposite highway and jump on the waiting bus , it's the most short and quick thing,so it's done.

The 10 wheeler (also on this "fast"lane) did not see the bus standing still in front of him !

Offcourse not ! It was 50 meters ahead ....who looks that far in the distance? Nobodys nose is that long ?...........................

The truck driver smashed into the bus ...but .....protected by a "tattoo" ....could run away unharmed and became invisible !

Oh....i love these everyday-happenings !

[featography]

Horrible news. I'm actually working near that area today, but haven't heard anything about it until now.

I drove by the scene a couple of hours ago. The entire roof of the lory was ripped off with impact, and laying under the bridge. One of the other lory drivers came into the shop and mentioned the lory was full of Burmese migrant workers.

[boggle]

When I arrived in Thailand and purchase a pickup my thai acquaintances adviced me, that if I was involved in an accident, and I was at fault it is best not to stop. You have a much better chance of having things settled more fairly, after you obtained a lawyer, an interpreter, and family/ friends when you contact the police. Four days after receiving my new Vigo, I am driving down a quiet road, I signal to turn left into the parking lot of a coffee shop. This woman on a motor bike is riding on the wrong side of the street, comes out from around a car parked on the road ahead of me just zips in front of the drive entrance to the coffee shop and continues down the road in the wrong direction. I hit my brakes to avoid hitting her and a guy on a motor bike crashes into my back bumper.

I get out of my truck and the woman who caused this accident is looking back at me and she picks up speed to escape. There is some sort of security guy in the parking lot of the coffe shop and he is pointing a finger at me saying something in Thai. My friend tells me he is saying it is my fault. I point to the woman on the motorbike who he obviously saw is escaping. The guy who hit me in the back, his eyes are glazed over and he is obviously under the influence of something.

My friend tells me, she saw him talking on his cell phone through the mirror when he hit the back of my truck. My friend tells the security guard this in Thai, the motor bike driver even admits he's at fault, but the security guy/parking lot attendant is still trying to say I am at fault. I told him to shut the hell up in an unfriendly tone and he reaches down to his belt with one nervous hand and tries to un-snap a can of pepper-spray that is on his belt loop in a leather holder. I immediately stepped into his personal space so he was be at arms length. He then stopped fumbling with the pepper-spray. Violence is not my thing, but I was gladly take an ass whooping by others in preventing him from spraying me and I guess he figured that out.

Any way, there was just a very small dent in my bumper where the motor bike's basket hit me. The motorbike guy asked my friend not to call the police, he would pay for the damage. It was just a small dent and the guy looked like he was penniliess although he had money for drugs. I just got in my truck and drove off. Brand new vehicle hit on the fourth day. I can just imagine if I was at fault!!

You are a fault just be the fact that you were there. TIT. I know sometimes it is quite difficult but try not to get in a physical confrontation with a Thai.

I have seens this happen more than once and Thais just appear as magic and would enjoy giving a loud mouth heathen a good lesson in Thai negotiation/politeness.

[samuiman]

Wake up Thailand, for fxxxs sake.

My sentiments exactly.

RIP.

Edited April 4, 2011 by samuiman

[tigermonkey]

Please tell me what are your sources. The Thai Visa story has been changed from the article quoted . What is your souce for these changes ?

The original story makes no mention of a "bus" only of a lorry whuch was hit. Presumably the workers were being picked up in the lorry.

Also, where do you get the information that they were "factory workers" ? The original article says that they are "migrant workers "

That is a substantially different story.

Oh, and please Brits, if you must use your native jargon, explain it for the rest of us, who were not similarly blessed/cursed with a an English upbringing . I now know after research that an HGV vehicle is actually an LGV vehicle -- thank you!

[TimeBandit2]

"Can happen anywhere?"

Is that some kind of justification for the accident?

Are you preparing for the "Thais are bad drivers" stories or something?

Well, it didn't happen anywhere, it happen on Rama II road in Samut Prakan. As most accidents are preventable, this one probably was as well.

Some of the poor decisions made by parties involved are likely common to others, don't you think? It's called inductive reasoning

Edited April 4, 2011 by sbk
flame removed-mind your manners

[creck]

Please tell me what are your sources. The Thai Visa story has been changed from the article quoted . What is your souce for these changes ?

The original story makes no mention of a "bus" only of a lorry whuch was hit. Presumably the workers were being picked up in the lorry.

Also, where do you get the information that they were "factory workers" ? The original article says that they are "migrant workers "

That is a substantially different story.

Oh, and please Brits, if you must use your native jargon, explain it for the rest of us, who were not similarly blessed/cursed with a an English upbringing . I now know after research that an HGV vehicle is actually an LGV vehicle -- thank you!

what's an LGV?

[asiawatcher]

Ten wheel truck drivers are amongst the worst in Thailand - particularly those driving without cargo. They have a lot of torque and try to intimidate smaller vehicles with their size. BIB should ensure that they do not drive in any lane except the leftmost - overtaking should be only in designated sections of the highway.

Left lane - Heavy Vehicle lane, as been suggested time and time again and given the notification it deserves. But the issue apart from driver education is the sheer stupidity of U Turns in multi lane high speed highways (duh), non governed trucks and buses over 6 ton (smaller ones are self governed), and back up checks as already mentioned such as tachographs, log books and in case the point is not clear, repeating - driver education.

Most of these drivers are only second generation, once removed from the farm (or jungle) guys, still bearing scrape marks on their knuckles. With the ineffectual police force and highway patrols doing nothing more than scamming funds, it is impossible to blame low educated individuals (truck users), when the 'system' has not evolved as yet. Put any vehicles in the hands of users, not professional drivers (there is a vast difference) and what more can you expect? It is happening, will continue to happen and there will be no changes.

A good start would be to govern the vehicles to maximum of 100kms/hr at factory, and that would be a whole new process but only if heavy vehicles can be educated to the first rule of the road - KEEP LEFT.