8 Killed In Bangkok Van Crash, Driver Goes On The Run

[webfact]

8 killed in van crash; driver goes on the run

Supachai Phetchthewee

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Highways Police Division chief Pol Maj-General Noraboon Naenna vowed to enforce strictly the laws limiting transport vans' speed to 120km/h, after a van transporting foreign labourers crashed into the rear of a parked six-wheel truck yesterday morning, killing eight people and injuring five others.

The accident happened at 7am at Kilometre 59 of Kanchanaphisek Ring Road heading towards Bang Na.

The impact killed two Thais and six Cambodians. Two injured Burmese women and three Cambodian women were taken to Piyamin Hospital.

Police suspected van driver Natthapong Phothong, 37, who fled the accident scene, dozed off behind the wheel and lost control of the van, causing it to crash into the truck, which was parked on the roadside.

The van was hired to transport workers from Pathum Thani to Sa Kaew's Rong Kleu border market, and was not a regular transport van, Noraboon said.

He said he would meet with highway police to tackle the issue of transport-van drivers who speed to squeeze in more trips, and who use additional seats to cram in more passengers.

He said speeding and overloading made it very difficult for drivers to control the vans. Police would strictly enforce the laws, including limiting transport vans to 120km/h on highways, Noraboon said.

Highway Police 8 superintendent Pol Colonel Thanawat Wattanaku said the accident followed a crash on January 6 in which a Bangkok-Chachoengsao transport van crashed into a stationary 18-wheel trailer, killing six passengers, on the Bangkok motorway.

Pointing out that the January 6 accident resulted from the driver dozing off, he said the latest accident might have occurred for the same reason.

Police will bring the driver to justice soon, he said.

Thanawat aims to call in van operators and drivers to talk about safe highway driving. He said a law should be drafted making van operators or companies liable for negligence when drivers cause accidents, because passengers put their lives in drivers' hands.

-- The Nation 2012-02-11

[KKvampire]

This is news? A van driver running away after his passengers are killed by his negligence.why dont we have a newspaper article about the need for greater regulation of these people and their mobile death traps?

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Edited February 11, 2012 by KKvampire

[meatboy]

seeing the accident scene on tv.what the hell was the lorry parked for on a narrow hard shoulder,thats what they want to look at those drivers that stop just to have a piss.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

He said a law should be drafted making van operators or companies liable for negligence when drivers cause accidents, because passengers put their lives in drivers' hands.

That wouldn't already be the case under Thai law???

A van company operator isn't liable now when its driver kills passengers in an accident that they caused?

[2unique]

Is it easier to drive asleep at 120kmh than 140? The issue is surely the long hours some Thais are forced to work or choose to for the overtime, in which case fining the company's is a good start.

120 kmh is a bit fast for some of the poorly maintained death traps out there. Fully pimped on the inside and falling apart underneath.

[KKvampire]

Is it easier to drive asleep at 120kmh than 140? The issue is surely the long hours some Thais are forced to work or choose to for the overtime, in which case fining the company's is a good start.

It's nothing to do with with "forced to work" , they usually own their own vans, They pay alot of money to join a "station" ( a group of vans who have a run to a location) and they want to have as many journeys as they can in any day to make money , thats why they go so fast and load up as much as they can with people and packages.. It's about making money and they can make lots in these vans particularly if they are NGV/LPG, 400-500% profit over the price of the fuel. believe me I know about this.

Edited February 11, 2012 by KKvampire

[South]

How can a so called speeding van crash into the back of a stationary truck, kill a load of people yet the driver who presumably was sitting at the front of the vehicle is somehow miraculously able to flee the scene? Same with the Jan 6th incident.

RIP to the victims and hope that those injured recover soon.

[asanee]

It's nothing to do with with "forced to work" , they usually own their own vans, They pay alot of money to join a "station" ( a group of vans who have a run to a location) and they want to have as many journeys as they can in any day to make money , thats why they go so fast and load up as much as they can with people and packages..

But in your quest you again forgot to look at the facts: this was a hired off van-not a regular passenger thing with nrs of routes on the side etc. Rot MAY prachamtang it says onthe sides and the plates also show this. Perhaps the now killed KHmer may even have spurned that driver to speed up-out of fear they would miss the party as they got up too late or so.

Never judge before you know the facts.

[KKvampire]

It's nothing to do with with "forced to work" , they usually own their own vans, They pay alot of money to join a "station" ( a group of vans who have a run to a location) and they want to have as many journeys as they can in any day to make money , thats why they go so fast and load up as much as they can with people and packages..

But in your quest you again forgot to look at the facts: this was a hired off van-not a regular passenger thing with nrs of routes on the side etc. Rot MAY prachamtang it says onthe sides and the plates also show this. Perhaps the now killed KHmer may even have spurned that driver to speed up-out of fear they would miss the party as they got up too late or so.

Never judge before you know the facts.

Judge what? Know what facts? I know this , Van transport in Thailand is dangerous and not strictly regulated and i dont look at a photograph and decide "the facts"

Edited February 11, 2012 by KKvampire

[MikeOboe57]

How about passing a little law that when you flee the scene of an accident and are later found guilty this will double your sentence?

[scorecard]

Sad, all rspect to those killed and injured.

Lot's of predictable, and relevant, comments about the police etc.

Here's another point. Hopefully Thai people will one day wake up to the fact that the people heading ministries (in this case the land transport ministry) who are totally incapable, have no insight whatever, never will have and are not interested. And in most ministries the next level of people are the same. The Land Transport Ministry has a 'bonus', the son of a depoty PM appointed (through blatant nepotism as an advisor to the minister.

No doubt many have noticed the way people stand between the lanes on multilane and very very busy highways to catch buses, both within the city and on upcountry roads.

Laws, transport systems planning / road planning policies & regulations should have developed 30 years ago so that people wait in safe and comfortable circumstances, with bus operators / drivers being fined severly for any transgressions.

Plus we should by today have policies as in most countries whereby getting a licence to drive van or a full size bus requires many years of experience, etc etc.

Until we stop electing governments who appoint incapable and insincere corrupt people to head such ministries nothing will change.

The education of the electorate to understand all of the above and to factor this into their decision making is key.

[Oberkommando]

Here's another point. Hopefully Thai people will one day wake up to the fact that the people heading ministries (in this case the land transport ministry) who are totally incapable, have no insight whatever, never will have and are not interested.

The whole society revolves around corruption.

As such, there is no government or body that will ever take the necessary measures to reduce the road death toll or implement the kinds of changes you discuss in your post.

[Reasonableman]

Van drivers, and others, often use the inside (parking) lane as an alternate overtaking lane, hoping against hope that no vehicle will be parked there. At high speed, when it becomes impossible to stop in time for a parked vehicle, this habit proves lethal.

[Unkomoncents]

There we go again. And another runner! EVERY TIME there's an accident in Thailand, the driver "runs" away from the scene. It is the most bizarre international/cultural phenomenon I've ever witnessed.

[Oberkommando]

There we go again. And another runner! EVERY TIME there's an accident in Thailand, the driver "runs" away from the scene. It is the most bizarre international/cultural phenomenon I've ever witnessed.

Not really bizarre, merely indicative of immaturity, lack of responsibility and cowardice regularly demonstrated when reality bites on Thailand's deadly roads.

[ratcatcher]

seeing the accident scene on tv.what the hell was the lorry parked for on a narrow hard shoulder,thats what they want to look at those drivers that stop just to have a piss.

The hard shoulder is designed for emergency stopping. Maybe the truck driver had a mechanical problem or was feeling sick or dizzy.

It is not an overtaking lane and the van driver should have seen the parked vehicle from enough distance to avoid hitting it.

Result, parked truck wins, van driver and passengers lose. End of story.

[Scott]

Drivers run away to avoid vigilante justice. I've seen it happen. Whether a driver was at fault or not, it's quite common for those around to beat them silly.

I don't condone running away, but it's more than just simple cowardice.

[Pib]

How can a so called speeding van crash into the back of a stationary truck, kill a load of people yet the driver who presumably was sitting at the front of the vehicle is somehow miraculously able to flee the scene? Same with the Jan 6th incident.

The driver is probably the only one who had a seat belt on; not for safety but just to avoid getting a traffic ticket for anyone in the front seat found not wearing a seat belt...the traffic BIB love to give "almost" tickets for this....it's a quick 200 baht for them. For anyone not in the front seat, seat belts are not required by Thai law.

[Oberkommando]

Drivers run away to avoid vigilante justice. I've seen it happen. Whether a driver was at fault or not, it's quite common for those around to beat them silly.

I don't condone running away, but it's more than just simple cowardice.

I beg to differ. It stems from the usual lack of responsibility and culpability demonstrated at every level of society in Thailand.

In addition, I know the owner of a large haulage firm in Thailand that tells its drivers to flee the scene of an accident whenever possible. More shockingly, he told me that drivers involved in a serious accident are advised to "finish the job" in order to protect the company and themselves.

I would warrant that many van drivers are similarly advised by their employers.

[Gone]

RIP

[arthurwait]

From the amount of van, coach and bus drivers that sit here getting pissed all day between driving I would say running away gives them time to sober up. The sentence maybe be the same, worse or similar for running away as drink driving, but it's easier to save face for the rest of your life by saying the boss overworks you than say I'm an irresponsible selfish **** who cares more about drinking with my mates than my customers lifes.

Over worked ? They seem to sit around here much more than driving. Maybe if they didn't they wouldn't have to use their vans and coaches like battering rams scaring people out their way as they race each other for customers on the road.

RIP to the victims.

[EyesWideOpen]

Drivers run away to avoid vigilante justice. I've seen it happen. Whether a driver was at fault or not, it's quite common for those around to beat them silly.

I don't condone running away, but it's more than just simple cowardice.

I beg to differ. It stems from the usual lack of responsibility and culpability demonstrated at every level of society in Thailand.

In addition, I know the owner of a large haulage firm in Thailand that tells its drivers to flee the scene of an accident whenever possible. More shockingly, he told me that drivers involved in a serious accident are advised to "finish the job" in order to protect the company and themselves.

I would warrant that many van drivers are similarly advised by their employers.

Please define " finish the job"...... Does that mean if a van smashes into me and injures me, I need to crawl away as quickly as I can before the driver comes to finish me off?? :-)

[noitom]

The police general was quoted as saying something like the "speeding and overcrowding made it difficult for the operators to control the van." Yet te article stated that police surmised that the driver "dozed off." So how would eliminating the crowd and reducing the speed solve the problem of "dozing off?" The Nation newspaper makes no mention of the driver "running" except for inclusion in the headline "....Driver Goes On The Run." - When will the newspaper campaign until something is done to stop this Thai phenomenon of 'running?" That would be a big deterrent to van accidents in and of itself.

[ralfbkk]

The only question I have is, when will this ever end ? What is wrong with these Van Drivers? Everyday there are news involving Vans and their drivers. A couple of month ago I got in to a road rage with one of them. Tailgated me on Rama IX highway, gave me the lights and tried to push me aside. We are traveling at 150 km/h. I moved over and he moved in front of me then using his breaks and hazard lights. Crazy and totally insane. In Europe they take you off the streets and you walk.

[OzMick]

When it comes to mini-vans, Just Say NO - preferably in emphatic four letter words.

[scorecard]

The police general was quoted as saying something like the "speeding and overcrowding made it difficult for the operators to control the van." Yet te article stated that police surmised that the driver "dozed off." So how would eliminating the crowd and reducing the speed solve the problem of "dozing off?" The Nation newspaper makes no mention of the driver "running" except for inclusion in the headline "....Driver Goes On The Run." - When will the newspaper campaign until something is done to stop this Thai phenomenon of 'running?" That would be a big deterrent to van accidents in and of itself.

There's truth in what you say, but most Thais don't read English language newspapers, and from my checking very few Thai newspapers give these points much real insightful attention.

So what is the catelist that would / could push change.

I believe ultimately (not tomorrow) history will repeat itself as in many other countries / cultures - a bigger stronger, educated, ethical middle class will eventually emege and with structured and logical discussion they will dominate and push / demand change. It's not going to be tomorrow and it won't be easy, because the incapable ruthless clowns who currently control this scountry will fight ruthlessly to prevent the change.

[Oberkommando]

When it comes to mini-vans, Just Say NO - preferably in emphatic four letter words.

No different to riding in a taxi, bus or any other road transportation within Thailand.

The van drivers rightfully have a bad rep, but taxi drivers, bus drivers and other drivers with passengers are equally irresponsible, untrained and unqualified and are just as likely to be involved in accidents.

[jimbeam1]

He said speeding and overloading made it very difficult for drivers to control the vans. Police would strictly enforce the laws, including limiting transport vans to 120km/h on highways, Noraboon said.

So how is reducing the speed limit to 120km/h going to holp stop sleeping van drivers crashing & killing their passangers? Note this accident happened at 7.00 am after the driver has should have had a refreshing nights sleep?

Sadly it is pointless talking about what should happen. As it never will

R.I.P the dead.

jb1

Sorry noitom hadn't seen your post.

Edited February 11, 2012 by jimbeam1

[OzMick]

Personally, I take a train or plane wherever possible. But if you think mini-busses are equally safe an any other form of transport, you are sadly deluded.

Have you ever considered their tyres? With a load of up to 20 people the load rating of most car tyres would be reaching or exceeding maximum and the tyre pressure to maintain that load rating at speed is much higher and more critical.

OTOH most car tyres are R (170km/hr) speed rated or higher. Light truck tyres are often much lower speed rated especially the cheaper ones, Any van with P (or higher in the alphabet) rated tyres that approaches 160 km/hr is asking for tyre failure by exceeding its design rating. FYI the speed rating is the letter prior to the whel size as in 195/65R15. Every letter above R reduces the rating by 10km/hr (no O ) from 170.

Have you ever checked before putting your life at risk? How many sardines escape intact when you bash open their can with a hammer?

[Pib]

The only question I have is, when will this ever end ? What is wrong with these Van Drivers? Everyday there are news involving Vans and their drivers. A couple of month ago I got in to a road rage with one of them. Tailgated me on Rama IX highway, gave me the lights and tried to push me aside. We are traveling at 150 km/h. I moved over and he moved in front of me then using his breaks and hazard lights. Crazy and totally insane. In Europe they take you off the streets and you walk.

"A couple of month ago I got in to a road rage with one of them...We are traveling at 150km/h....Crazy and totally insane."

Of course you mean both you and the van driver must be crazy and totally insane, right?