8 Students Killed In Road Accident In Surat Thani

[webfact]

SURAT ACCIDENT

Head-on truck-van smash kills seven students, driver

By The Nation

Surat Thani

Surat Thani - Eight people, mainly students, were killed and eight others injured when a van transporting Yala schoolchildren and a ten-wheel truck came into collision on the Asia Highway in Surat Thani's Wiang Sa district Tuesday.

Police and rescue workers reached the scene - an underconstruction stretch at the kilometre marker 237238 - just after midday to find the bodies of seven boys and the van driver. They took eight injured victims of the crash to the Yupparat Wiang Sa and Surat Thani hospitals.

Police say the van, carrying 16 people - the driver, teacher Kumardi Dawae and Prathom 56 students from Tesaban 4 School and Tesaban 5 School - was returning home after an audition for the "Dragon Nation Thailand" futsal tournament in Bangkok's Prachanivet Sport Centre. It collided headon with the ten-wheel truck at a road diversion.

Surat Thani Govornor Theerayuth Eiumtrakul visited the injured at the Yupparat Wiang Sa Hospital and arranged the transport of the dead victims to their home town.

While hospital staff were treating the injured at the emergency unit, the seriously hurt teacher Kumardi was so overwhelmed with grief and shock that he became delirious and shouted at staff members not to attend to him but to treat his students first because he needed to take them home.

The seven dead were; Abdul (no last name provided); Anhammin Waehama; Maruan (no last name provided): Anan Awae; Natthana Pendara; Hassan (no last name provided): Nasalee Hayinama and the unnamed van driver.

-- The Nation 2011-07-12

[JimSiam]

Very Tragic loss, RIP

[PlastikbinLina]

Very Tragic loss, RIP

My sentiments too. Absolutely devastating. A tragic loss and I feel for the parents who have to bear the pain and loss for years to come.

[Mario2008]

Sad. May they rest in peace and the survivors make a full recovery.

[oo7]

Is it down to bad driving again R.I.P all those involed.

[Phatcharanan]

Is it down to bad driving again R.I.P all those involed.

The full facts are not reported so best really to keep those comments to yourself. It is stated that the crash happened at an 'under-construction' stretch of road. It could have been faulty temp lights, bad signage, bad weather............many things.

RIP

[sbk]

Indeed, how many road construction sites have we all seen that have poor signage or none at all?

What a terrible tragedy for the families of these children.

[Mosha]

I must admit, Surat is the province I hate driving through the most. I have a tape recorder sat next to me me on the trips (aka wife). She constantly repeats Jai Yen Yen at me. The things I see just really get at me. RIP and condolences to the families

[transam]

Indeed, how many road construction sites have we all seen that have poor signage or none at all?

What a terrible tragedy for the families of these children.

Indeed, I have met some road works with twigs on the road as a warning.

RIP young ones. T/A

[TeddyFlyfisherDavis]

This is the third time in a month that I have read about crashes and people dying...Most of them were children...My heart breaks when I hear these things. The children of Thailand and everywhere are so beautiful. I cannot imagine what the parents are feeling. I know I myself could never deal with the loss. So very tragic at best. So very unfair. Prayers to all involved...

[djlest]

deepest condolences...

Lets hope that any new Gov makes big improvements to the roads and driving skills... But somehow i doubt nothing will change...

[slapout]

RIP to the victims and their families. Being a father, I have been accused by my children as being too protective. I have always felt that to lose a child must be the most tragic thing life could deliver to a parent. Then I moved to Thailand. The pure stupidity observed on the roadways, by drivers, pedestrians, cow herders, construction groups, the transport department, etc makes most of us shake our heads in wonderment. The possibility of one of our own family becoming a victim apparently is increasing instead of decreasing, the further some countries progress from the stone age.

[FrancisTenta]

Been a firefighter for a long time. Saw many of those things. Never get used to it, especially when they are young. Tragedy, sad. RIP to those who died and wish a good recovery for those injured in this situation, family, rescue workers...

[Scott]

One insensitive post with political commentary has been removed.

My condolences to the family, friends, teachers and other students at the school. A tragedy.

[ginjag]

Indeed, how many road construction sites have we all seen that have poor signage or none at all?

What a terrible tragedy for the families of these children.

Exactly how I see things, most 'events' taking place are usually without prior warning whether it be a road police check(when everyone is doing the said speed required) and low and behold a sudden stop 3 lanes to 1 all of a sudden==NO GRADUAL tapering this may not be the case here but it's a mega road problem.

the previous poster may well be right in so far as we do not yet know, but when he mentioned bad weather etc could be the cause then I would say you drive according to conditions, but as for the above no prior warning you are driving to conditions but are halted abruptly -hence an incident, and again over 90 % are not accidents--they are classed as incidents.

Tragic..a waste...and agony for all.

Edited July 12, 2011 by ginjag

[Bkkorupcountry]

Indeed, how many road construction sites have we all seen that have poor signage or none at all?

What a terrible tragedy for the families of these children.

Exactly how I see things, most 'events' taking place are usually without prior warning whether it be a road police check(when everyone is doing the said speed required) and low and behold a sudden stop 3 lanes to 1 all of a sudden==NO GRADUAL tapering this may not be the case here but it's a mega road problem.

the previous poster may well be right in so far as we do not yet know, but when he mentioned bad weather etc could be the cause then I would say you drive according to conditions, but as for the above no prior warning you are driving to conditions but are halted abruptly -hence an incident, and again over 90 % are not accidents--they are classed as incidents.

Tragic..a waste...and agony for all.

Road signs and warnings in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Philippines amongst many other Asian countries leaves a lot to be desired. How I wish Thailand would import 100 road and transport officials from a country like Switzerland to take charge of road safety.

[webfact]

8 Students Killed in Head-on Collision in Surat Thani

UPDATE : 13 July 2011

Eight students have been killed and eight others critically wounded in a head-on collision between a ten-wheel truck and a school van in Surat Thani Province.

A ten-wheel truck carrying rubber timber collided head-on with a van transporting a group of students to Yala Province after a football competition in Bangkok.

The truck was in the wrong lane when it crashed into the van between the 237 kilometer and 238 kilometer markers on Highway 41 in the area of Viengsa District of Surat Thani Province.

Eight students were killed on the spot, while eight others were critically injured.

Those in critical condition are under doctors' care at Viengsa Hospital, while others who sustained minor injuries are being treated at Surat Thani Hospital.

Following the accident, Surat Thani Provincial Governor Teerayudh Iamtrakul, along with local authority officials, visited the victims at Viengsa Hospital to offer moral support.

He said the provincial authority will take care of transporting the bodies of the deceased victims' homes immediately for funeral rites.

-- Tan Network 2011-07-13

[Payboy]

Its time to make it mandatory to install speed governors on vans, buses and trucks.

[ginjag]

Indeed, how many road construction sites have we all seen that have poor signage or none at all?

What a terrible tragedy for the families of these children.

Exactly how I see things, most 'events' taking place are usually without prior warning whether it be a road police check(when everyone is doing the said speed required) and low and behold a sudden stop 3 lanes to 1 all of a sudden==NO GRADUAL tapering this may not be the case here but it's a mega road problem.

the previous poster may well be right in so far as we do not yet know, but when he mentioned bad weather etc could be the cause then I would say you drive according to conditions, but as for the above no prior warning you are driving to conditions but are halted abruptly -hence an incident, and again over 90 % are not accidents--they are classed as incidents.

Tragic..a waste...and agony for all.

Road signs and warnings in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Philippines amongst many other Asian countries leaves a lot to be desired. How I wish Thailand would import 100 road and transport officials from a country like Switzerland to take charge of road safety.

It said in the update=The truck was in the wrong lane= hence the head on crash. All down to driving ability-I am aware that in every country there are accidents but here most I would NOT class as accidents. Many of these cases would boil down to how easy it is to obtain a driving license, without provincial learning license, as in the real world. AND of course LAW ENFORCEMENT. Let's have L plates on the vehicle prior to test, and maybe retained for 1 year after to warn others, and a proper driving test as standard not an a 4 to fill in and reaction machine for braking, you have to test on the highway-practical.

[jimbeam1]

Will any government ever do anything to even make an attempt at reducing this death and destruction on Thai roads? All that will happen once again,some meager out of court settlement. Every happy, life goes on?

Emerging country my A-se.

Once again RIP the dead.

jb1

Edited July 13, 2011 by jimbeam1

[sbk]

Indeed, how many road construction sites have we all seen that have poor signage or none at all?

What a terrible tragedy for the families of these children.

Exactly how I see things, most 'events' taking place are usually without prior warning whether it be a road police check(when everyone is doing the said speed required) and low and behold a sudden stop 3 lanes to 1 all of a sudden==NO GRADUAL tapering this may not be the case here but it's a mega road problem.

the previous poster may well be right in so far as we do not yet know, but when he mentioned bad weather etc could be the cause then I would say you drive according to conditions, but as for the above no prior warning you are driving to conditions but are halted abruptly -hence an incident, and again over 90 % are not accidents--they are classed as incidents.

Tragic..a waste...and agony for all.

Road signs and warnings in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Philippines amongst many other Asian countries leaves a lot to be desired. How I wish Thailand would import 100 road and transport officials from a country like Switzerland to take charge of road safety.

It said in the update=The truck was in the wrong lane= hence the head on crash. All down to driving ability-I am aware that in every country there are accidents but here most I would NOT class as accidents. Many of these cases would boil down to how easy it is to obtain a driving license, without provincial learning license, as in the real world. AND of course LAW ENFORCEMENT. Let's have L plates on the vehicle prior to test, and maybe retained for 1 year after to warn others, and a proper driving test as standard not an a 4 to fill in and reaction machine for braking, you have to test on the highway-practical.

I've been on that highway when its been under construction before and they do the weirdest signage in order to get people to move from one side of the highway to the other. Even safe drivers may not understand some of their signs.

That said, we don't actually know whose fault it was just that alot of families have lost their children.

Its more than just driving IME, although yes thats a huge part of it, but a lack of signage and safety rules in place when there is road construction. I've gone over some of the dodgiest looking jerry rigged bridges on major highways, add in lack of signage, ignorance as to safety regulations, lack of driving knowledge and skills and it explains so many accidents.

[ginjag]

Sbk #21

reply to your answer re road signs or lack of etc.,

I emphasized mainly on the driving -learning-only because of the knowledge could lead to the prevention.

But as you rightly put the last minute notice, the highway safety regulations, complete near disregard from a combination of Planning =police=construction companies=highway department. NO COORDINATION.

The word prevention in Thailand has no meaning whatsoever. lives wasted in this land it doesn't seem to hurt as much as I think it should. hence the usual Mai pen rai.