Pattaya Bus Crash On Bang Na Trat Kills Two And Injures 27

[Emster23]

I have done that trip too many times to count. Once I had a bus that had seat belts. Just once.

Only time there was an accident was when I foolishly went back to Jomtien during Songkran. Some drunk Thai driver ran his pickup into our bus. Wasn't a big deal because the expressway was going maybe 10 kph tops.

If one were worried you could take the alternative bus that is listed as Jomtien at the Ekamai station. It is the sloooow route, adds maybe an hour. Most collisions would be of lower speed, due to back roads and stopping at every local hamlet.

[cdnvic]

One post was removed as formatting made it unreadable.

[sirchai]

Yes there is.Given the thousands upon thousands of ROUTE bus movements a day in Thailand, the safety record is pretty da*n good,What is a problem is in the charter bus industry, too many cowboys drive.

This is not a tour bus, it is a regular scheduled bus from Ekamai bus station to Pattaya. There are too many bus crashes in Thailand although it is not as bad as it used to be. I can remember a time when every Songkran, when driving to Surin, you passed 3 or 4 bus crashes where the bus ended in the ditch.

This crash occured on Bangna Trad Road and reminds me of a similar crash I witnessed on this road back in 1997. I was travelling to Pattaya with my Wife by car and from behind me came an articulated container lorry travelling at high speed, weaving from inside lane to outside lane and back. I said to her "Many Thai drivers are so bad, they drive so dangerously". She said "You must not say that about another driver, just ignore this, that is the Thai way". I said "But he could lose control and kill someone, maybe us". She said "This Thai driver just has a different Technique". At that moment the driver lost control and the lorry went into the ditch in the central reservation and turned over. I said to her "Look I am right, it is bad driving". She said "No it is not, it is just end of Technique, next time he will try a different Technique!".

Thais... I love them.

Lovely said...................:jap:

[ableguy]

Is Their no safety in this county

Not on the roads my friend.

[thaikahuna]

I take the bus from Pattaya to Bangkok all the time. From now on I will make sure to wear my seat belt (if there is one).

What's a eat belt? You would better your chances by taking a taxi.

[Estrada]

Is Their no safety in this county

Waiting for the correction

Of course if you are worried about your perosnal safety you can find a country that is totally safe. Not. Does not exist.

Bus crashes hapeen everywhere. Bus drivers everywhere still drive by the might is right rule with a few exceptions. That

relates to the smaller give way to the bigger.

You come to Thailand because it is less constrictive than your home country. In truth the rule are different but are what we

appreciate and why we live here.

Please send the forum an email from whichever country you find that is "safe". Dont forget to look at personal safety, crime statistics,

vehicle safety issues as well as driving ability and licencing plus the million and one other things that make this mythical country

you want to live in "safe".

And good luck

The UK

Really!:

Here is a youtube link to a video showing many London Transport bus crashes, if you look you will see some very similar crashes.

Here is just a few news records of similar crashes in the UK:

15 Mar 2011 ... The roof of the double-decker bus was ripped off after it hit the bridge on Works Road, Hollingwood, Chesterfield, at around 8.30am today.

www.dailymail.co.uk/.../18-children-injured-school-bus-crashes-bridge.html

15 Feb 2011 ... This was the scene after a bendy bus crashed into a double-decker in north London in the early hours of this morning.

www.thisislondon.co.uk/.../article-23923405-bendy-bus-crashes-into-double-decker-in-north-london.do

25 Dec 2010 ... Five people have been seriously hurt after a coach overturned on an icy road in Norfolk.

news.sky.com/.../UK...Crash.../201012415870463?

31 Mar 2010 ... Girl, 17, dies in Scotland after coach carrying students to Alton Towers plunges into river amid snowstorms.

www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/mar/.../school-bus-crash-kills-girl

26 Mar 2011 ... Passengers miraculously escaped without serious injuries when a double-decker bus crashed into a railway bridge on Silks Road, Macclesfield.

menmedia.co.uk/.../1416379_video-roof-torn-off-double-decker-bus-as-it-crashes-under-11ft-high-railway-bridge-in-macclesfield

25 May 2010 ... THREE people were killed in a school bus crash yesterday and at least four others ... DailyRecord.co.uk, the Daily Record newspaper online. ...

www.dailyrecord.co.uk/.../uk.../three-dead-after-school-bus-involved-in-cumbria-horror-smash-86908-22283551/

25 May 2010 ... Two teenagers have died following a crash between a car and their school bus. - Two teenagers have died following a crash between a car and ...

news.uk.msn.com/uk/articles.aspx?cp...

5 Jun 2009 ... Two people have been injured after a bus crashed into a bridge in South Croydon. The accident, in Selsdon Road, at the junction with Carlton ...

www.thisiscroydontoday.co.uk/news/...news...bus-crashes.../article.html

19 Aug 2008 ... One person is killed and 70 injured as a bus crashes near Alton Towers in Staffordshire, emergency services say.

news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/7569112.stm

[johncat1]

My Thai wife calls them the Bus Mafia. They just don't care not only about their passengers but do not respect other road users. They stay in outside lane and if you are in front of them (in any lane) it is hand on the horn to tell you to get out of their way. I love Thailand but the general Thai driver let alone Bus drivers have no idea about driving rules. No lights on when raining, continue driving on right when can move in making the other users break the law by overtaking on the inside. Never a day goes by when I not see cars, buses, lorries and motorbikes go through red lights. If I first in line to go when lights go green I wait for about 5 seconds before I move on.

I agree with you about the traffic lights!

If I am first in line I look both ways before moving off on the green light because Often I see buses and lorries going through a red light at reckless speeds because they are going too fast to stop, I have also seen many accidents at traffic lights many of them fatal.

Worst one was a pick up loaded with workers early one morning . Their bodies( I counted 10 ) were thrown out onto the highway, some a long distance from their pick up. I presumed dead because nobody was trying to help their lifeless bodies.

In the UK we have traffic light cameras to catch people who drive through a red light.

Also Thais seem to be afraid to turn on their lights in poor light. Many will only turn them on when it is not possible to see the road ahead. ( maybe they eat a lot of carrots ? )

Are they afraid it will cost them money if they turn on their lights?

It was 2 years before I understood ( if that is the right word !!!) Thai driving and would never drive here.

Now I drive like a Thai ( but safer ) and no problem.

Always make sure my windows are closed at police checkpoints too. So they do not pick on the farang driver.

Edited May 14, 2011 by johncat1

[yumidesign]

Yes there is.Given the thousands upon thousands of ROUTE bus movements a day in Thailand, the safety record is pretty da*n good,What is a problem is in the charter bus industry, too many cowboys drive.

Educating Thais (555) that Red Bull and the like are full of caffeine could help. But I like poster above consider the amount of bus movements per day its a bloody miracle that there are not more bus fatalities

[Highway311]

Is Their no safety in this county

Thailands Street dont have safety, thailands Street have Anarchy.

[connda]

Bus Driver speeding??? Come on -- really?

[Estrada]

My Thai wife calls them the Bus Mafia. They just don't care not only about their passengers but do not respect other road users. They stay in outside lane and if you are in front of them (in any lane) it is hand on the horn to tell you to get out of their way. I love Thailand but the general Thai driver let alone Bus drivers have no idea about driving rules. No lights on when raining, continue driving on right when can move in making the other users break the law by overtaking on the inside. Never a day goes by when I not see cars, buses, lorries and motorbikes go through red lights. If I first in line to go when lights go green I wait for about 5 seconds before I move on.

I agree with you about the traffic lights!

If I am first in line I look both ways before moving off on the green light because Often I see buses and lorries going through a red light at reckless speeds because they are going too fast to stop, I have also seen many accidents at traffic lights many of them fatal.

Worst one was a pick up loaded with workers early one morning . Their bodies( I counted 10 ) were thrown out onto the highway, some a long distance from their pick up. I presumed dead because nobody was trying to help their lifeless bodies.

In the UK we have traffic light cameras to catch people who drive through a red light.

I've got news for you.....They have them in Thailand too!

My wife got a ticket for passing through a red light on Pattanakarn Road in December 2010. She got the ticket through the post with the photographic evidence from the Red Light Camera after 3 months. There are a lot of cameras all over Bangkok so be warned. The police sent the ticket via the Siam Commercial Bank as the car is still on HP. So be warned, they can find you!

[stanley2550]

Gosh Gee Oh Bjesus. Yes! Let hope the injured get well soon, and I hope the male passengers have pretty nurses too.

[IMA_FARANG]

I feel sorry for those that died and those who were injured also.

As to the "cause" of the accident...whether it was speeding or not...that really isn't the point,is it?

The real cause of the accident, at least in my opinion, is the system that the drivers work under. Especially for the private mini-buses.

The drivers are poorly paid, they are overworked, their pay depends on how many trips they make, etc.

All those things are the cause of poorly trained, underpaid drivers, badly maintaind vehicles, and speeding...just so the mini-bus OWNERS get maximum profit of their investment on the vehicle at the expense of the drivers and passengers safety.

Yes the drivers are the apparent cause of the accidents...but behind that there is often a root cause...which is often the greed of the wealthy owners and their lack of concern for safety and the welfare of their drivers...profit comes first.

(This is not a rant, just an observation).

[dangman]

there is a big 'come down' effect from red bull / m150 drinks.. a temporary rush from the caffeine and sugar.. but then a big crash.

on a 2 hour journey like this it would be fine.. but wouldn't recommend it early on, on a long journey.

[Para]

I use this company/route twice a week and have been for the past 2 years. On the whole the drivers are pretty good but have had a couple of trips where I was concerned.

Generally the video playing has stopped but occasionally you are tortured with one.

I was going to go to BKK on Friday but something made me defer the trip I wonder what destination/time this bus was running to as I have a feeling looking at the sun shadows (or lack of) it would of been around the time of my normal trip.

I wish the wounded a speedy recovery, the dead they rest in peace, the person who caused the crash a stay in one of the longer Naraka's (Buddhist Hell's) and myself very lucky.......

[johncat1]

there is a big 'come down' effect from red bull / m150 drinks.. a temporary rush from the caffeine and sugar.. but then a big crash.

on a 2 hour journey like this it would be fine.. but wouldn't recommend it early on, on a long journey.

I learnt the hard way about the dangers of energy drinks.

several years ago I kept drinking them to stay awake on a 500km overnight journey to Mae Sai.

I must have drunk about 6 ( not knowing the dangers ) I found they made me VERY short tempered and impatient and definitely not a safe driver!! Now I never drink more than one when I am driving.

I also found them a very pleasant and refreshing drink if mixed with soda 50/50 Taste a bit like the British Red Bull drink.

[johncat1]

there is a big 'come down' effect from red bull / m150 drinks.. a temporary rush from the caffeine and sugar.. but then a big crash.

on a 2 hour journey like this it would be fine.. but wouldn't recommend it early on, on a long journey.

I learnt the hard way about the dangers of energy drinks.

several years ago I kept drinking them to stay awake on a 500km overnight journey to Mae Sai.

I must have drunk about 6 ( not knowing the dangers ) I found they made me VERY short tempered and impatient and definitely not a safe driver!! Now I never drink more than one when I am driving.

I also found them a very pleasant and refreshing drink if mixed with soda 50/50 Taste a bit like the British Red Bull drink.

[spectrumisgreen]

Is Their no safety in this county

yes- their is...on any outbound flight leaving this country

enjoy your trip back then to your 'oh so safe not like that nasty Thailand' home country.. or would that be er no, actually I'm staying here to take advantage of the the many many things that suit me whilst ceaselessly slagging the place and its people off... (sound familiar anyone?)

[LTGTR]

I have never seen a seat belt on a Thai bus yet.Nicer minivans yes.

[transam]

To many cowboys drive cabs I have had a couple of trips where they have got up to 200 klm hr in the night , others that have been falling to sleep missing turns , another blew a tyre out at high speed.

That sounds like my Mini-Cab driving days.

[ginjag]

Is Their no safety in this county

yes- their is...on any outbound flight leaving this country

enjoy your trip back then to your 'oh so safe not like that nasty Thailand' home country.. or would that be er no, actually I'm staying here to take advantage of the the many many things that suit me whilst ceaselessly slagging the place and its people off... (sound familiar anyone?)

Try Aeroflot --Bangladesh--??? What the man is trying to say is-WHY can't they take more care-the drivers not on a time trial, and if he was why endanger your own life-never mind the cattle in the back

[jimbeam1]

Yes there is.Given the thousands upon thousands of ROUTE bus movements a day in Thailand, the safety record is pretty da*n good,What is a problem is in the charter bus industry, too many cowboys drive.

This is not a tour bus, it is a regular scheduled bus from Ekamai bus station to Pattaya. There are too many bus crashes in Thailand although it is not as bad as it used to be. I can remember a time when every Songkran, when driving to Surin, you passed 3 or 4 bus crashes where the bus ended in the ditch.

This crash occured on Bangna Trad Road and reminds me of a similar crash I witnessed on this road back in 1997. I was travelling to Pattaya with my Wife by car and from behind me came an articulated container lorry travelling at high speed, weaving from inside lane to outside lane and back. I said to her "Many Thai drivers are so bad, they drive so dangerously". She said "You must not say that about another driver, just ignore this, that is the Thai way". I said "But he could lose control and kill someone, maybe us". She said "This Thai driver just has a different Technique". At that moment the driver lost control and the lorry went into the ditch in the central reservation and turned over. I said to her "Look I am right, it is bad driving". She said "No it is not, it is just end of Technique, next time he will try a different Technique!".

Thais... I love them.

Yes for sure that is the Thai way.

jb1

[balo]

Any news about the injured foreigners ? I have many trips from Ekkamai to Pattaya , never had any incidents. No seat belts in the bus,

[jimbeam1]

My Thai wife calls them the Bus Mafia. They just don't care not only about their passengers but do not respect other road users. They stay in outside lane and if you are in front of them (in any lane) it is hand on the horn to tell you to get out of their way. I love Thailand but the general Thai driver let alone Bus drivers have no idea about driving rules. No lights on when raining, continue driving on right when can move in making the other users break the law by overtaking on the inside. Never a day goes by when I not see cars, buses, lorries and motorbikes go through red lights. If I first in line to go when lights go green I wait for about 5 seconds before I move on.

And you have never seen any of this bad driving in other countries?? Hmmm.........

I must admit that I am a Thai driver basher.

In answer to your last question. It was reported quite a few years back. That Black&White coach drivers charging up and down the M1 motor way,UK. Were actually carrying out driver shift changes without stopping.

jb1

[jimbeam1]

they drive like maniacs!!!!

I wish to be policeman just to take all drivers licenses to:

- 100% OF BUS DRIVERS

- 99 % VAN DRIVERS

- 80% OF TAXI DRIVERS

...no mercy... they must go back in Isaan to drive buffalos

Also:

- 101% Motorbike/Taxi riders.

jb1

[robert00]

Yes there is.Given the thousands upon thousands of ROUTE bus movements a day in Thailand, the safety record is pretty da*n good,What is a problem is in the charter bus industry, too many cowboys drive.

I cant agree more, there are thousands of buses on the road to somewhere every day and night

I have traveled over the past 15 years on buses on many a routes throughout Thailand

and had never any problems, except that the air conditioner was not working as it should have.

But I agree with the guy that post's he would only travel with a bus owned by NCR, Meaning,

They definitely have the best and more responsible drivers.

[Yeppe]

It´s the rule that Thais want to have a short life - just look at their crazy driving style - it says all about them. No safety belt + terrific speed + Mai Pen Rai attitude = death. Fortunately in Scandinavia we have a different style. We have safety belt in every vehicle (that we also use) + we care how we drive + follow speed limit = long life (but then we missed that Formula-1 feeling for sure but longer life...).

[dencio]

I take the bus from Pattaya to Bangkok all the time. From now on I will make sure to wear my seat belt (if there is one).

Im sorry mate but theres none.

[JohnAllan]

MIGHT have been speeding? ALL the bus drivers drive as if they own the road . . . and that includes tailgating - at speed. And, yes, we are in Thailand, where 95% of Thai drivers are road hazards, while the other 5% are downright dangerous. ALL, mean accidents waiting to happen . . .

Edited May 14, 2011 by JohnAllan

[sydneyjed]

Not on these basic public buses there aren't...I've stopped catching the mini buses down to Hua Hin now..just too dangerous ...Just look at the state of this bus will you???

I take the bus from Pattaya to Bangkok all the time. From now on I will make sure to wear my seat belt (if there is one).

Edited May 14, 2011 by sydneyjed