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

[khaan]

very sad -RIP and hopefully full recovery for the wounded.

I travel a lot with the bus. BKK to UBON and also UBON to PATTAYA bur always with NAKHONCHAI AIR - VIP bus

very good service and very good price. They are driving with 2 drivers and switching along the way.

Also always a bus responsable (hostess) that keeps the drivers company.

I stick with this bus company

Also I never experienced any driver on NCA making a risky move or overtaking dangerously.

All their drivers seem to do their job to the same consistent standard.

Edited December 7, 2011 by khaan

[Cuchulainn]

The unfortunate thing is.............this will happen again and again and again and again and again and again.

Yawn

[Soboringtochooseaname]

Wondering i this bus had safebelts and if people weren't using them AS ALWAYS !

Nobody deserves to die but some are looking into it more than others...

[Soboringtochooseaname]

It seems that CHANTOUR to NONG KHAI has 2 drivers ? 4 hours drive each of them ? Can you confirm ?

[fxe1200]

Very sad.

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

That is right, but when you compare the death toll on the roads of Thailand of about 18.000 per annum, not counting those, who die in a hospital after they have been taken there (estimated at 2000 persons per annum), with i.e Germany less than 4.000 deaths per annum, there should be more law enforcement. It is not enough to control motorcycle riders and fine them 200 THB, if they do not wear a helmet!

BTW, the police of Thailand does not supply the public with concrete figures since 2005. It may have to do with the rise of the traffic density....

400 Baht now

The South is still cheaper, here in Hat Yai it is still 200THB.

[johnefallis]

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.

***Feel free, all of you, to pay $150-$200 for this same trip you now pay about $20 for, I'm sure all that added expense would make the improvements you suggest easier. Or move home where that's approximately the corelating cost, in fact, if you don't appreciate the benefits of being here living for cheap, feel free to just go away, and quit subjecting everybody else to your constant freaking whining.***

[fxe1200]

Wondering i this bus had safebelts and if people weren't using them AS ALWAYS !

Nobody deserves to die but some are looking into it more than others...

I am sorry not to have my camera with me, at that one day when I took a minibus from Trang to Hat Yai. All safety belts were fixed and locked behind the seat, one part leading inside the headrest support, one outside, making them unusable. When I entered the bus, I asked a passenger to help me to remove the headrest, to get the safety belt back. Other passengers laughed at me, and I was angry not having my camera with me. I was the only passenger on the bus wearing the safety belt.

I truly believe, that the "Mai pen rai" - attitude of most Thais, leads to fatal accidents and keeps the Thai society away from making progress in various fields.

[metisdead]

Some inflammatory and nonsensical posts have been removed.

[johnefallis]

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

No one is wishing any social group to be affected, but I think many of us are wondering how many deaths it takes before the government regulates the safety of these buses for ALL.

Once again, I'm sure that would all be much easier if you all paid $150-$200 for the same ticket that costs $20 here. I'm pretty dam_n sure the buses and fuel isn't any cheaper here than it is in he west.

+++To those of you that perpetuate the whining, the rest of us need to start taking your man-card's and in the future send you to make your comments in the forum for Needlepoint Weekly!+++

[johnefallis]

we ALL should share this link and future links about tragedys like that in Thailand in FaceBook ....if the world is aware of whats happend here

and more tourists refuse to visit this SAVE country, may be they start changing something....I never give up hope :jap:

Seriously?

[Goshawk]

sad news, but also a sad fact...

i was on a CM - BKK bus one (missed a flight & bus was only short notice option) time. Was on the upper deck & getting rather alarmed that we had drove for 5 hours without a single stop/rest for the driver. Soon after this i noticed the bus weaving across lanes, most everyone on the bus at this point was asleep. I jumped out of my seat, woke a Thai guy & we went down to see the driver & insisted that he stop the bus and rest. He refused saying he was ok - he clearly was not, but i reckon that this spoken intervention at that time more than likely avoided something similar to the events of this threads topic...

long distance bus travel in Thailand? for me, never again.

[Tiffer]

Religions are burdened with the concept of opposites such as good and evil, heaven and hell, and light and dark.

Buddhism recognizes the inherent one-ness of all things and sees these supposed opposites as facets of the unity and totality of existence. To follow the way of the Thai driver, you too must cast off these illusions of duality, such as the duality of two traffic lanes moving in opposite directions.

The Thai driver sees both lanes as part of the one road, and both directions as an expression of the eternal flow of all things. When you have grasped this concept, you will then understand why Thais so naturally swerve into oncoming traffic to overtake, and why they are completely serene as they travel along a busy road the wrong way.

It is because there is no wrong way, only 'The Way'. It's the same with traffic lights. To the enlightened Buddhist driver, red and green are not different colours, but simply different ways of seeing the same traffic light. Unlearn such deceptive Western notions as 'right of way' and your inner eye will open, which is the only way to proceed through an intersection in Thailand.

In Thailand, existence is not seen as a linear progression from birth to death, but rather as an endless cycle of life, death and rebirth. As one's soul gains experience and enlightenment from each lifetime, that soul is reincarnated into yet another lifetime until Nirvana is achieved and he, or she, escapes from this eternal cycle into a state of perpetual bliss. You never die, because life is a mere Honda Dream. Instead, you simply pass into another life for another chance to attain the wisdom necessary for enlightenment. You should also never fear death, even when careening along a twisty Phuket highway at 200km an hour with a bottomless chasm yawning right next to the road. This life will end when it is time, and no matter how often you check your mirrors, a pick-up truck can come screaming up from behind and make that time now. Accept this as inevitable, and you will be free to follow the way of the Thai driver, overtaking on blind corners and driving in the rain at breakneck speeds without a helmet.

Those who wish to spend a little longer in this lifetime should be especially careful when driving past Buddhist temples, because those drivers coming out have probably just made merit and may be looking for reincarnation while the getting is good.

Be like the water, which is the essence of all life and, as such, has many lessons to teach us. Water can fit into any container and seep through even the smallest crack, and so too can the Thai driver. He can manouever into any space between two speeding vehicles, no matter how small or inconvenient it may be, or at what speed he is travelling. When confronted by an obstacle, water does not stop, but flows around the obstacle, never losing momentum. So, too must you. When someone along life's highway has stopped in the middle of the road to smell the roses, or pick up some fried chicken, you must flow around the obstacle, never stopping your harmonious movement.

Patience is also necessary when leaving a car park and turning across an oncoming lane of vehicles. You must slowly edge onto the road, keeping an eye out for even the tiniest cracks in the teeming traffic. What is the sound of one horn honking?

As you travel the road to enlightenment, you will ponder this repeatedly, because it is a sound you will hear quite a bit. The answer is childishly simple. It depends on how many times it honks.

One honk indicates that someone is overtaking or coming through, while a series of several honks is meant as a warning to anyone stupid enough to get in the way.

There is also the puzzle of the turn signal. A blinking left indicator can mean the driver is about to make a left turn, or it can mean he is about to make a right turn or no turn at all.

Understanding intractable questions like these is the secret to mastering the way of the Thai road.

[lannarebirth]

^ ^

[Foggy Bottom]

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.

+1 re: Nakorn Chai Air - My wife and myself always used them where possible, for the simple reason they have a second driver on-board for long hauls, and switch them over regularly. We've also noted they have "regional" drivers who take over for different legs of the journey - e.g. Chiang Mai to Korat - they have drivers who are obviously local to each end that drive for the first/last quarter of the journey ... taking the bus out from their home zone, then picking up one to bring back in.

I might be misinterpreting how they do it, but it's how it seems to us, and it's reassuring having observed it that their drivers operate more safely than other companies.

[Foggy Bottom]

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.

***Feel free, all of you, to pay $150-$200 for this same trip you now pay about $20 for, I'm sure all that added expense would make the improvements you suggest easier. Or move home where that's approximately the corelating cost, in fact, if you don't appreciate the benefits of being here living for cheap, feel free to just go away, and quit subjecting everybody else to your constant freaking whining.***

Europe doesn't use Dullars typical Yank

[hedonist44]

I just drove down to BKK from CM today and saw the wreck. Truly a sad thing for all. Traffic today was brutal with busses going as fast as ever with no regards to safety.

Added note: A friend of mine saw a sign hanging in one of the local busses that travel Chiang Mai-Lampoon-Lampang looking for drivers. That should tell you the quality of drivers they are hiring. Fresh out of the fields and into the drivers seat.

Edited December 7, 2011 by hedonist44

[Fookhaht]

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.

***Feel free, all of you, to pay $150-$200 for this same trip you now pay about $20 for, I'm sure all that added expense would make the improvements you suggest easier. Or move home where that's approximately the corelating cost, in fact, if you don't appreciate the benefits of being here living for cheap, feel free to just go away, and quit subjecting everybody else to your constant freaking whining.***

Europe doesn't use Dullars typical Yank

The whole world uses US dollars to designate value in discussions about such things, especially when there is more than one currency involved.

Typical provincial (Brit? Uber Euro Man? etc.)

[irishken]

you should not get onto a bus worrying is the driver going to crash tonight. you expect to arrive safely. the drivers,owners are at fault for this. its called care of duty and it doesnt seem to be followed by these companies.

its also irresponsible of people to say. oh well,its not your family or nothing new here.

things will not change that way

[asuwin]

my sincere condolences go out to all the families that have lost loved ones in this unavoidable accident , i was a tour bus driver in the U.K. for many years driving from Scotland to Poland but i had another driver with me and we only drove for 16 hours with breaks to change drivers every 4 hours and then we stopped in hotels overnight until we reached Zakopane in Poland. my point is that all bus and tour operators in the world should adopt the same driving rules as in the U.K. If Thailand operated the same driving laws as the U.K. many lives would and will be saved but i dont think that that will happen.Once again my condolences to the families who have lost there loved ones and a speedy recovery for those who have been injured. and may Bhudda bless the King with a long happy life and long may he reign over Thailand

[bjderb]

Wondering i this bus had safebelts and if people weren't using them AS ALWAYS !

Nobody deserves to die but some are looking into it more than others...

According to the report it was a new bus, so probably had seat belts fitted, Thai people do not use seat belts, end of .

[bjderb]

Religions are burdened with the concept of opposites such as good and evil, heaven and hell, and light and dark.

Buddhism recognizes the inherent one-ness of all things and sees these supposed opposites as facets of the unity and totality of existence. To follow the way of the Thai driver, you too must cast off these illusions of duality, such as the duality of two traffic lanes moving in opposite directions.

The Thai driver sees both lanes as part of the one road, and both directions as an expression of the eternal flow of all things. When you have grasped this concept, you will then understand why Thais so naturally swerve into oncoming traffic to overtake, and why they are completely serene as they travel along a busy road the wrong way.

It is because there is no wrong way, only 'The Way'. It's the same with traffic lights. To the enlightened Buddhist driver, red and green are not different colours, but simply different ways of seeing the same traffic light. Unlearn such deceptive Western notions as 'right of way' and your inner eye will open, which is the only way to proceed through an intersection in Thailand.

In Thailand, existence is not seen as a linear progression from birth to death, but rather as an endless cycle of life, death and rebirth. As one's soul gains experience and enlightenment from each lifetime, that soul is reincarnated into yet another lifetime until Nirvana is achieved and he, or she, escapes from this eternal cycle into a state of perpetual bliss. You never die, because life is a mere Honda Dream. Instead, you simply pass into another life for another chance to attain the wisdom necessary for enlightenment. You should also never fear death, even when careening along a twisty Phuket highway at 200km an hour with a bottomless chasm yawning right next to the road. This life will end when it is time, and no matter how often you check your mirrors, a pick-up truck can come screaming up from behind and make that time now. Accept this as inevitable, and you will be free to follow the way of the Thai driver, overtaking on blind corners and driving in the rain at breakneck speeds without a helmet.

Those who wish to spend a little longer in this lifetime should be especially careful when driving past Buddhist temples, because those drivers coming out have probably just made merit and may be looking for reincarnation while the getting is good.

Be like the water, which is the essence of all life and, as such, has many lessons to teach us. Water can fit into any container and seep through even the smallest crack, and so too can the Thai driver. He can manouever into any space between two speeding vehicles, no matter how small or inconvenient it may be, or at what speed he is travelling. When confronted by an obstacle, water does not stop, but flows around the obstacle, never losing momentum. So, too must you. When someone along life's highway has stopped in the middle of the road to smell the roses, or pick up some fried chicken, you must flow around the obstacle, never stopping your harmonious movement.

Patience is also necessary when leaving a car park and turning across an oncoming lane of vehicles. You must slowly edge onto the road, keeping an eye out for even the tiniest cracks in the teeming traffic. What is the sound of one horn honking?

As you travel the road to enlightenment, you will ponder this repeatedly, because it is a sound you will hear quite a bit. The answer is childishly simple. It depends on how many times it honks.

One honk indicates that someone is overtaking or coming through, while a series of several honks is meant as a warning to anyone stupid enough to get in the way.

There is also the puzzle of the turn signal. A blinking left indicator can mean the driver is about to make a left turn, or it can mean he is about to make a right turn or no turn at all.

Understanding intractable questions like these is the secret to mastering the way of the Thai road.

Brilliant ......

[Scott]

Two off-topic posts have been removed.

[chiangmaicharlies]

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]

As many said, this is so sad. A bus route I often take, and enjoy.

[Thongkorn]

Sad loss of life, Its all about money and time , if the drivers where paid over the odds then they would not have to rush about, also who knows that the driver was not to blame,

[balo]

Just take an airplane to Bangkok , its 2 hours away, no need to gamble . The pilot will not fall asleep....

I had one night bus from Pattaya to Chiang Mai and it was a nightmare, never again.

[Thongkorn]

Just take an airplane to Bangkok , its 2 hours away, no need to gamble . The pilot will not fall asleep....

I had one night bus from Pattaya to Chiang Mai and it was a nightmare, never again.

Do you remember the plane that tried to land in phuket in the wind and rain after being told the cross wind is to stong, a few years ago ,

[softgeorge]

Just take an airplane to Bangkok , its 2 hours away, no need to gamble . The pilot will not fall asleep....

I had one night bus from Pattaya to Chiang Mai and it was a nightmare, never again.

1 hour from chiangmai to BKK.

[Thongkorn]

Just take an airplane to Bangkok , its 2 hours away, no need to gamble . The pilot will not fall asleep....

I had one night bus from Pattaya to Chiang Mai and it was a nightmare, never again.

1 hour from chiangmai to BKK.

about the same from Bangkok, But i like to see the real Thailand some thing you cannot do from 12000 ft. I like busses been all over Thailand on them,

[InTransit]

Very sad.

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

What has that got to do with this crash ??

Does it make it right ??

Does it happen on the scale that it doe sin Thailand ??

Nothing

No

No

Are the annswers.

1+

[moskito]

we ALL should share this link and future links about tragedys like that in Thailand in FaceBook ....if the world is aware of whats happend here

and more tourists refuse to visit this SAVE country, may be they start changing something....I never give up hope :jap:

Seriously?

ok mate, i am already on the edge of giving up HOPE .... u got me here (((: :jap: