Eight Killed, 49 Injured As Chiang Mai-Bangkok Bus Crashes

[webfact]

Eight killed, 49 injured as Chiang Mai-Bangkok bus crashes

Eight killed, 49 injured as Chiang Mai-Bangkok bus crashes into LPG gas station in Lampang; driver drowsiness may be cause

-- TNA 2011-12-07

[webfact]

Bus crashes in Lampang; killing 8

Chiang Mai Mail online reporters

Police believe that the driver, killed in the accident, fell asleep at the wheel as the bus veered off the highway, overturning and then slammed into an LPG gas station.

8 people were killed and 50 injured. The police said it was fortunate the bus did not hit the tanks which could have exploded.

The blue and white New Viriya Tour bus veered off the highway around midnight on December 7, before sliding into the fence and then the LPG Gas Station at Ban Tha Pha in Lampang’s Tern District.

Rescue officials had to cut passengers out of the bus and survivors were transported to the hospital for treatment.

[chiangmaimail]2011-12-07[/chiangmaimail]

[Buchholz]

Kom Chad Luek newspaper (article in Thai):

http://www.komchadluek.net/detail/20111207/117031/%E0%B8%97%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%A3%E0%B9%8C%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%8A%E0%B8%B5%E0%B8%A2%E0%B8%87%E0%B9%83%E0%B8%AB%E0%B8%A1%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%84%E0%B8%A7%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%B3%E0%B8%95%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A28%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%88%E0%B9%87%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%B7%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%AD.html

[sawadeeken]

My sympathy to the families of those killed and for those poor unfortunate souls, may they RIP. After flood recovery efforts, there is desperate need for more consideration to 'road safety'. Wishing a spedy recovery to those injured.

[Gweiloman]

Draconian laws would have to be brought in, in order to institute changes in road safety here in Thailand. For starters, owners / directors of such bus companies should be made criminally liable if safety standards are found to be lax, such as overdriving hours, over kilometers etc.

[ezzra]

"before sliding into the fence and then the LPG Gas Station"

Into a LPG gas station, no more no less, what an awful bad luck,

[nigelnigel]

Must have been one of the buses i was NOT on....came back from Phayao to Bkk with a bus originally starting in Chiang Mai. This is just sad. I feel fortunate anytime I arrive safely after traveling in a bus or mini-van.

RIP

[Gers1873]

Until the Thai mindset changes these accidents will remain an inevitable fact of life. Drivers are licensed with the minimum training (if any). Road rules are rarely if ever enforced. Buses tailgaiting at ridiculous speeds and undertaking on the left side are all too common

And greedy unscrupulous owners push underpaid drivers beyond their physical limits.

But hey - mai pen rai -- isnt it always

[KhunHay]

SAD.

[trevorg]

I have to agree, this bus was probably full of people who had gone 'home' to celebrate His Majesty's birthday yesterday, and were returning today.

[Payboy]

And greedy unscrupulous owners push underpaid drivers beyond their physical limits.

That coupled with the fact that most of these public vehicle drivers are some kind of adrenaline junkies with total disregard for life (including their own).

[TechnikaIII]

.... sh*t .... this is so sad.

[Deez]

Sad, but all too common here. Thailand is a great country, but third world in many ways

[laurentbkk]

oh well .... not the first crash and for sure not the last one , feel so sorry for those who put their lives in the hands of such drivers ......

[EvilDrSomkid]

Very sad.

Let us not forget that these kind of accidents do happen in Europe, too.

[animatic]

Very bad, but another in a long stream of such accidents.

Sad... RIP the dead and quick recovery to the injured.

And new laws to stop this stupidity and enforcement of the laws.

Company is translated "New Persistence Tour Co."

Seems like nothing will stop them over working drivers

including laws and enforcement.

[nigelnigel]

I doubt very much if the passengers in the bus were HI-SO . They would have flown way over the accident scene (30,000 ft up ) free ticket with TG or have a chauffer drive them in a Benz 500 sec. The average isan pee-noi or K.somkid is on its own here. Nothing changes.

I think the OP meant that IF it was full of HISOs then this would be some news enough to change things....sadly it wasn't and it won't.

[trevorg]

I just relayed this news to my wife, her response 'Don't worry, it's not your family'?

RIP to the dead and I hope for better controls - but not the pay off the BiB type of control!

[saintofsilence]

Very sad to see accidents like this RIP .

[bobbysan124]

Always sad to hear about incidents like this. Speedy recovery to the injured and condolences to all who lost family and friends.

[Just1Voice]

So sad, and probably totally unnecessary. Condolences to the families of the victims, and hopes for a speedy recovery to the others. Unfortunately, this is an all too familiar occurrence here in LOS.

Back when I had to do 3 border runs before getting my Non-O, I had to do the bus trips to Lao. My wife insisted on the VIP buses. Ok, fine. First two trips were fine. Good drivers, no problems. 3rd trip going over was a nightmare. Told my wife if I ever have to make another border run for some reason, I'll rent a big bike and drive myself! Fortunately, now I don't have to. Last year her company (Siam Life Ins) wanted to send her and 9 others to BKK and then to Rayong. They were going to rent a silver minivan tour bus. I told her No F*****G way! Her and 4 of her friends took our car, but only after I also made the stipulation that they take turns driving, and no one drives for more than 3 hours at a time. As for me, if I had to go somewhere, well, that's what my CBR is for.

[madmitch]

Very sad.

Let us not forget that these kind of accidents do happen in Europe, too.

Maybe, but not with the frequency they happen here.

[E1717007]

i always take the train although it takes longer

[ThaiSold]

This is the 3rd time I've heard this company having fatalities in such a short span of time. Just don't go on this bus company use Nakorn Chai Air they have a better record.

[softgeorge]

Draconian laws would have to be brought in, in order to institute changes in road safety here in Thailand. For starters, owners / directors of such bus companies should be made criminally liable if safety standards are found to be lax, such as overdriving hours, over kilometers etc.

A lot of countries have maximum hours behind the wheel like 6 hours then if it's a long haul a relief driver takes over. A friend of the family does a Bus run from Chiang Rai to Nakon Sawon about 9 hours. When he arrives he does the run back with a fresh load of passengers thats 18 hours behind the wheel. He catches a few hours sleep then it's back behind the wheel within 10 hours. Myself personally I find driving long distances in a car quite exhausting and generally stop at least every 3 hours for a 1/2 break. I don't know how on earth these guys do it and maintain all thier senses.

A tragic incident and my condolences to the victims and families. I lot of these incidents can be avoided if the drivers weren't pushed to extreem limits in the name of a few baht.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

How many of these kinds of accidents do we have to endure...and there have been MANY.... before Thai people DEMAND better of their government and authorities and transport providers....???

[drdoom6996]

"before sliding into the fence and then the LPG Gas Station"

Into a LPG gas station, no more no less, what an awful bad luck,

Luck had nothing to do with it.

[stevehaigh]

i never do long journeys at night, either bus or my own car, its just too risky

[monty1412]

Bus crashes in Lampang; killing 8

Chiang Mai Mail online reporters

Police believe that the driver, killed in the accident, fell asleep at the wheel as the bus veered off the highway, overturning and then slammed into an LPG gas station.

8 people were killed and 50 injured. The police said it was fortunate the bus did not hit the tanks which could have exploded.

The blue and white New Viriya Tour bus veered off the highway around midnight on December 7, before sliding into the fence and then the LPG Gas Station at Ban Tha Pha in Lampang's Tern District.

Rescue officials had to cut passengers out of the bus and survivors were transported to the hospital for treatment.

[chiangmaimail]2011-12-07[/chiangmaimail]

Condolences to the families of those affected by this. Very very sad event. Let's also remember that these types of crashes occur in Australia/Us and Europe as well. I can only hope that recent moves in Phuket to actually hold tour operators responsible for crashes due to poor maintenance and lack of driver training will extend elsewhere in Thailand.

IMO for any meaningful change there has to be a chain of accountability for these types of incidents.Ifs the bus was properly serviced and maintained the driver was well trained and fully qualified but fell asleep at the wheel then its still a tragedy in itself but at least the greed an short cut approach will be have taken out of the chain of events.

Rgds rob

[wandrinstar]

Rather sad that some ferangs have to mention Hi So,when a word of sympathy is all that's needed.