Ten Dead, 17 Injured In Surat Thani VIP Bus Accident

[travelmann]

Here's my 2p:

Several months ago my wife & children used one of these busses for a return journey to Bkk. Knowing the pitfalls I took it upon myself to inspect the vehicle (without making it obvious) thoroughly for as much as could be seen, namely tyres, seat belts, lights/indicators & overall appearance. I found the vehicle clean, servicable & with 2 uniformed drivers who looked presentable/fresh/Sober. They had at least one trolley dolley too. The bus was in the same blue pink livery as the one in this thread. My only negative note was that all the busses @ the Samui bus station (inc my wifes) had signs of previous damage & repair (mirror antennae knocked off, rear end shunts, T Boned, the lot). My family belted up for the duration & their feedback upon return was that this was a safe operation re speed, timetable, driver rotation, comfort stops etc.

Re Brakes (someone's bound to ask!); I had no way of testing them but it looked ok when it pulled in & manouvered around in the bus station.

I hope this puts some of the nonsence in this thread to bed.

You inspected ONE bus thats all you did.

[apetley]

Awful.

Dangerous roads.

It is not the roads that are the main problem but the inapt and incompetent drivers. You cannot safely drive a 12-15ton bus without proper knowledge, training and practise and the Thai drivers have neither!

So how do you account for the thousands of buses all over Thailand that arrive at their destination safely on a daily basis ?

That is not really the question you should be asking. A more pertinent one would be "how can the almost daily crashes of buses and minibuses be reduced?"

In my own home country, UK, bus travel is just about the safest form of transport and I would not hesitate to use one there. Unfortunately my experience here in Thailand means I would never use buses for travel here.

My wife used to work in Kanchanaburi bus station and still has regular contact with many of her friends still working there. It is simply staggering the regular reports of accidents that just keep on occuring by the buses in service there.

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[travelmann]

I would say that the bad roads in Thailand is the major problems. They are in bad condition and also the roads ara badly planned.

Not to mention all this U-turn possibilitys. And that people can cross the "highways" and that they are going in trough the city´s as well.

And the lack of trafficsigns. For example how many sign is there to see about speeding... not to many.

I believe the Thai governements (all of them) have saved money to long now building this shitty roads.

Maybe the buss drove in to a pothole in the road. And maybe the tire wasn´t to fresh. There are so many possibility in Thailand to end up in a traffic accident.

Also the driver license schools are a joke! And this "it happens not me" mentality that all thai people have? Or is it a buddist thing?

When the tourists stop coming to Thailand due to the risk of dyuing in the traffic. Then, and first then, the governments will do something about it.

But for now, to much money ends up in the pockets of corrupted politicians instead of building good roads.

I actually think the road layouts are pretty good here on the whole. The surfaces can be crappy, but in terms of dual carriageways, slip roads, bridges, pull off areas and so forth it's quite well laid out. Agree some of the U turns are precarious, but if used properly (I know...) then they would be fine.

It's the drivers and the vehicles that are the problem.

You cant be serious about being able to do a u turn on a road Thai style where you have to travel from stationary to about 120kph in 2-300 metres straight into the fast lane??

Its the most ridiculous road layout ever, the only safe way is the raised bridges bringing you onto the correct slower lane.

Id like to see stats on accidents at the U turn spots.

There's plenty of similar junctions in the UK where you can go from standstill onto a dual carriage way. They are a bit more dangerous than bridges, but on quiet bits of DC it's fine, and the cost of replacing all of them with bridges would be enormous.

I also said if used properly - that would preclude sweeping across from lane 1 to make a U turn because you don't want to wait in the queue in L2/3, using all 3 lanes of the opposing carriage way to turn round, moving away at glacial pace then moving unpredictably and without signaling infront of faster moving cars approaching from behind and the myriad other sins that are common at these places.

Let alone riding an unlit motorbike based shop contraption through one so you can ride the wrong way up the road to your chosen destination.

There are no junctions in the UK where you have to stop do a U turn and then enter traffic in the fast lane like in Thailand ( in towns there are 40mph restrictions where you can) from a standing start.

We have slip roads which are there to let you accelerate to match the speed of traffic in the slowest lane.

Edited July 3, 2012 by travelmann

[limbos]

When you look at the photo...it really is amazing more are not dead.

it is said the others are all "in serious condition"...

When you look at the photo...it really is amazing more are not dead.

it is said the others are all "in serious condition"...

Not only that, but this is a frontal view and does look worse compared to the other sides of the vehicle.

[Banzai99]

That is not really the question you should be asking. A more pertinent one would be "how can the almost daily crashes of buses and minibuses be reduced?"

In my own home country, UK, bus travel is just about the safest form of transport and I would not hesitate to use one there. Unfortunately my experience here in Thailand means I would never use buses for travel here.

Sent from my GT-I9003 using Thaivisa Connect App

Thailand does not have the same road structure that the UK has, Motorways etc.

If the UK had the same percentage of motorcyles on the road as Thailand does and the same road system, do you honestly think UK's RTA fatalities would not be much higher?

I dunno, nor do you, but one thing I do know, TV experts on all things believe they are superior to Thais in all things, Thais can't do this right, Thais can't do that right, well, western countries are not run by Thais, and look what a fawking mess they are in, how do you explain that, and how do you explain all the Farangs from these western eutopias who CHOOSE to live here instead of their own countries, a country run by Thais !!!! ?

Accidents happen, period!

This country does not have the motorway system like the UK does, so please, don't even try to compare the two.

[katana]

According to the report in today's Matichon, the bus left the Southern bus terminal in BKK at 8pm on 02/07/12 heading south to Surat Thani.

Early next morning on the 3rd at about 5:30 am there was a loud bang like a tyre bursting and the bus lost control hitting a tree on a traffic island. It was knocked over to its LHS before ploughing into into an electricity pole and flipping over by a petrol station.

One female Thai passenger from Koh Samui who was injured but survived the crash gave an eyewitness report of what happened:

"After the bus stopped in Thap Sakae district in Prachuap Khiri Khan province there was a change of drivers. The new driver drove at high speed leaving many passengers unable to sleep. One foreigner got up and asked the driver to slow down but he didn't take any notice.

From about 3:00 am onwards passengers were unable to sleep because the whole bus was shaking and vibrating. Then as the accident happened and I noticed the bus begin to lose control, I bent down and braced myself behind the cushion in front of me until there was the sound of a loud crash followed by lots of cries for help."

http://www.matichon....atid=&subcatid=

Edited July 3, 2012 by katana

[apetley]

That is not really the question you should be asking. A more pertinent one would be "how can the almost daily crashes of buses and minibuses be reduced?"

In my own home country, UK, bus travel is just about the safest form of transport and I would not hesitate to use one there. Unfortunately my experience here in Thailand means I would never use buses for travel here.

Sent from my GT-I9003 using Thaivisa Connect App

Thailand does not have the same road structure that the UK has, Motorways etc.

If the UK had the same percentage of motorcyles on the road as Thailand does and the same road system, do you honestly think UK's RTA fatalities would not be much higher?

I dunno, nor do you, but one thing I do know, TV experts on all things believe they are superior to Thais in all things, Thais can't do this right, Thais can't do that right, well, western countries are not run by Thais, and look what a fawking mess they are in, how do you explain that, and how do you explain all the Farangs from these western eutopias who CHOOSE to live here instead of their own countries, a country run by Thais !!!! ?

Accidents happen, period!

This country does not have the motorway system like the UK does, so please, don't even try to compare the two.

I don't profess to be an expert and I would never consider myself superior to a Thai, I see things from a diiferent perspective, but I know one thing. Accidents happen for a reason be they road conditions, driver or some other influence and I would hazard a guess that the majority are easily avoidable but for whatever reasons that I do not know nothing is done to improve the situation here.

Now at least another 10 families will be burying their dead instead of experiencing all the other wonderful things Thailand can offer.

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[notime]

I have been on that and other (mostly government) buses from Bangkok to Samui many times. None of this times I've noticed the bus going too fast or felt unsafe. They usually stick to 80 km/h and that speed is well calculated into the journey time to make it to either the first, 6am or second 7am ferry to Samui. I also traveled on other buses in Thailand and hardly ever noticed the drivers going too fast. I was even annoyed at times as I would like them to go a bit faster. It may have something to do with the fuel efficiency that the bus companies restrict their speed to 80 km/k.

The cause of this unfortunate accident cannot be known at this time, and of course it also may have been due to excessive speed, but please don't speculate if you have no idea of what it was. I hope it will be determined and the safety improved. For today, I'm happy for 17 of my guests who safely arrived at Samui this afternoon after an overnight trip from Bangkok by train. The train was apparently 2 hours late this morning but .. better late than never. So, I'm also happy for myself as dead customers would not have paid me for their stay.

[transam]

A tyre blow out can happen to any one of us at any time. we do not know whats on the road in front of us at any time, or forces exerted on the fitted tyres, one of those risks involved with road travel. RIP travelers. Trans.

[Banzai99]

A tyre blow out can happen to any one of us at any time. we do not know whats on the road in front of us at any time, or forces exerted on the fitted tyres, one of those risks involved with road travel. RIP travelers. Trans.

True that.

1.2 Million Deaths and 50 Million injured yearly worldwide will testify to that. That's an awful lot of accidents that happen outside of Thailand.

http://www.who.int/v...t/en/index.html

Edited July 3, 2012 by Banzai99

[JoeLing]

I used this bus several times from and to Bangkok. From my experience, the bus drivers and staff are pretty professional, the bus looked clean, maintained and even has seat belts fitted, although it seams, I'm the only one using them.

I'm fairly sure, there is no conspiracy, no foul play, just a very tragic accident which could happen anywhere in the world.

Wish all the injured the best care the hospital can provide and a very speedy recovery. My condolence to all the friends, relatives and family of those who lost their lives

[carra]

Just speaking to a friend now, her friends uncle was the Indian guy that died on the bus, his wife is panic stricken at the hospital in Surat Thani, unable to speak Thai. These are just people on holiday and now her life has altered for ever.

people need to understand for us on the forum it is just a crash, but for others their lives are ruined, so when people try and defend the awful accident figures here and try and put the blame anywhere than where it should be put, just think about this, and know that this won't be the last time, and next time it might be you or yours

the

following is from our facebook link and has the numbers of the hospitals where the injured and deceased were taken. perhaps you can get someone to translate for the poor woman.

Hospital contacts are as follows Surat Thani Hospital which can be contacted at 66 77 272 231 and 66 77 284 231 and Kanjanadit Hospital at 66 77 244518-9.

Thanks Tommy, I had already given her them numbers earlier and the indian embassy, in the hope they had an honorary consul down there.

[carra]

That is not really the question you should be asking. A more pertinent one would be "how can the almost daily crashes of buses and minibuses be reduced?"

In my own home country, UK, bus travel is just about the safest form of transport and I would not hesitate to use one there. Unfortunately my experience here in Thailand means I would never use buses for travel here.

Sent from my GT-I9003 using Thaivisa Connect App

Thailand does not have the same road structure that the UK has, Motorways etc.

If the UK had the same percentage of motorcyles on the road as Thailand does and the same road system, do you honestly think UK's RTA fatalities would not be much higher?

I dunno, nor do you, but one thing I do know, TV experts on all things believe they are superior to Thais in all things, Thais can't do this right, Thais can't do that right, well, western countries are not run by Thais, and look what a fawking mess they are in, how do you explain that, and how do you explain all the Farangs from these western eutopias who CHOOSE to live here instead of their own countries, a country run by Thais !!!! ?

Accidents happen, period!

This country does not have the motorway system like the UK does, so please, don't even try to compare the two.

The UK however does have a strict driving test so the education of drivers would play a big part in them being aware of dangers. have you ever done the Thai driving test? I have, the only driving part was basically parking on a car park, no driving on the road whatsoever

[koto]

I really suggest everyone in Thailand planning to use a bus or minivan to first double check all tires!

Not knowing or saying this is the case, but way to many people drive with "one hand" on the steering wheel, blowouts can happen with new or old, tires, due to weight, speed, potholes, rocks and other items, one hand on the wheel and a blow out, can jerk ones mode of transportation be it, motorcycle, car, truck, bus for a split second and at high speeds, that's all it takes to lose control and crash.

So very sad.

Much stricter driving rules, more education, heavy fines, need to be in place.

[sirchai]

I've had blown front tires and know how dangerous it is, especially driving a tour bus.There's nothing you could do when this happens.

Whatever has happened, it won't change the fact that so many innocent people have lost their lives. And then the injured ones......

But so many here come with conspiracy theories that tourists should 'walk around a bus' before entering it and other BS.

Thailand is a tourist destination and considering how many buses arrive and depart to places all over the country without any problems doesn't make the whole country to an unsafe place.

Bus companies like NCA come with Mercedes buses and trained drivers. And they do service their vehicles properly.

My thoughts are with the families and friends of the deceased, what will they think when they read such posts?

Let's hope that the injured ones will fully and speedy recover..........................

Edited July 3, 2012 by sirchai

[ManInSurat]

According to the report in today's Matichon, the bus left the Southern bus terminal in BKK at 8pm on 02/07/12 heading south to Surat Thani.

Early next morning on the 3rd at about 5:30 am there was a loud bang like a tyre bursting and the bus lost control hitting a tree on a traffic island. It was knocked over to its LHS before ploughing into into an electricity pole and flipping over by a petrol station.

One female Thai passenger from Koh Samui who was injured but survived the crash gave an eyewitness report of what happened:

"After the bus stopped in Thap Sakae district in Prachuap Khiri Khan province there was a change of drivers. The new driver drove at high speed leaving many passengers unable to sleep. One foreigner got up and asked the driver to slow down but he didn't take any notice.

From about 3:00 am onwards passengers were unable to sleep because the whole bus was shaking and vibrating. Then as the accident happened and I noticed the bus begin to lose control, I bent down and braced myself behind the cushion in front of me until there was the sound of a loud crash followed by lots of cries for help."

http://www.matichon....atid=&subcatid=

Driving fast enough to vibrate and shake the bus and at night and totally ignoring pleas to slow down? It's a very well known fact that the once legal "Ya Ba" was the staple of drivers needing to stay alert to complete long-distance journeys. High possibility he was jacked. Will this be followed up? Do they do blood testing in cases like this? I have no idea.

So very sad. Such a totally avoidable loss of life knowing that the driver was going unecessarily fast and even being warned about his driving.

If only Thailand could just bite a bullet and upgrade it's rail network to cover more/all of the country, including to its ferry terminals. Large swathes of Thailand have no form of rail at all. It's totally bizarre. The investment made today will bring large profits and dividends in the future not only from tourism, but from industry and give people a much safer (albeit noisy and slower) alternative to getting around. People will still take buses, but surely it'd decrease the ridiculously large amount of RTA and farang-RTA fatalities in a big way.

My sincere condolences to the families of those affected.

Edited July 3, 2012 by ManInSurat

[Banzai99]

The UK however does have a strict driving test so the education of drivers would play a big part in them being aware of dangers. have you ever done the Thai driving test? I have, the only driving part was basically parking on a car park, no driving on the road whatsoever

Yes I have done the UK driving test, but, we ain't driving in the UK . I also did the Thai driving Test, and yes, it could do with some upgrading, but it is what it is, we can't change it.

Ever been to India, ever driven in a major city, do you in your wildest dreams think that your UK driving education will help you, or will you have to adapt to the conditions in that country ?

You adapt to the conditions, you have no choice, things are what they are, we have to accept it, or don't drive on the roads, all the whining and moaning on an internet forum will not change a thing, you have to adapt !!

Edited July 3, 2012 by Banzai99

[Banzai99]

If only Thailand could just bite a bullet and upgrade it's rail network to cover more/all of the country, including to its ferry terminals. Large swathes of Thailand have no form of rail at all. It's totally bizarre. The investment made today will bring large profits and dividends in the future not only from tourism, but from industry and give people a much safer (albeit noisy and slower) alternative to getting around. People will still take buses, but surely it'd decrease the ridiculously large amount RTA and farang-RTA fatalities in a big way.

100% agree, good point.

Trains are much safer, unless....................http://en.tengrinews.kz/opinion/176/

Edited July 3, 2012 by Banzai99

[Lickey]

According to the witness report, the bus was vibrating for 1.5 hours before the accident, and looking at the first pic on the film posted by Katana, there didnt look like any remants of a tyre or a rim on the left front, so with the shaking and the picture evidence i would think that the bus lost the left front wheel,

Rip, Lickey.

[ManInSurat]

If only Thailand could just bite a bullet and upgrade it's rail network to cover more/all of the country, including to its ferry terminals. Large swathes of Thailand have no form of rail at all. It's totally bizarre. The investment made today will bring large profits and dividends in the future not only from tourism, but from industry and give people a much safer (albeit noisy and slower) alternative to getting around. People will still take buses, but surely it'd decrease the ridiculously large amount RTA and farang-RTA fatalities in a big way.

100% agree, good point.

Trains are much safer, unless....................http://en.tengrinews.kz/opinion/176/

Not wanting to go too off topic here, but I'd argue that rail accidents are much like aircraft accidents in the respect that they cause a large number of people to lose life in one event and as such are much more shocking and stick in the mind indelibly.

I'm sure they must be safer statistically, even on a global scale when compared to RTAs, even in the "third world" and a quick peruse of Google backs this up.

The question as to why they don't invest was rhetorical. I am not here to bash the country I love, I really want to see it change for the better, it has such great potential and there seems to be so many deaths here that could easily be avoided.

The loss of human life here on the road is staggering. 6 years and I've been to 16 RTA-related funerals, including a very close family member.

I wish they'd do something to stop it.

Edited July 3, 2012 by ManInSurat

[mojorison]

Firstly condolences to those effected. I've lived on Koh Phangan for 25 years. Tonight we have 50 kids here partying ready to go out to the full moon party. All of them oblivious to this event, and mortality in general.

[marstons]

RIP and speedy recovery to the injured. Use the road regularly, so extra thoughts concerning the accident.

[dingdang]

i think, nobody here has been asking for some 100% safe transportation method, or guarantee to not fall sick etc etc...

its about preventable things...

The new driver drove at high speed leaving many passengers unable to sleep. One foreigner got up and asked the driver to slow down but he didn't take any notice.

From about 3:00 am onwards passengers were unable to sleep because the whole bus was shaking and vibrating. Then as the accident happened and I noticed the bus begin to lose control, I bent down and braced myself behind the cushion in front of me until there was the sound of a loud crash followed by lots of cries for help."

earlier it was said, that more people walke to him and were told to get off the bus, if they like...

there is no need, to drive such a modern (perhaps badly designed, but nevertheless) state-of-the-art bus type in any "vibrating" or "shaking" way... besides speeding and being rude...

sounds to me like just another farang-hater with low-eq and iq... and drive he couldnt either...

[dingdang]

if the driver had smelled for alcohol, then probably those who approached him would have noticed...

[robertthebruce]

As for the accident, could be a host of reasons but once again we have multiple deaths on the roads, a weekly occurrence.

It is all well and good checking the tyres etc but that does not then account for some 16 year old moron ploughing into you etc. You could be on the safest bus in the world but of the driver has the lack of training and has passed the pathetic test in Bangkok you are always at risk.

Finally! My search has ended! i am packing my bags and heading to that country with no accidents! Need to catch a cab to the airport, ummm...where is that please?

I think 99 percent of people, would agree its very very dangerous driving in Thailand.. if you can't see it.. well .. i rest my case.. or even try crossing the ''road''.. thats just as dangerous.....

[robertthebruce]

Nothing like a Thai VIP bus to get you where you are going quicker than anybody else....

As they say....best to arrive late than dead on time.

Careful ur wind richardinbkk up again and he might call u a tourist!!!

Oh.. gosh i have fallen into that trap, i have replied to Him.. so thats right up his street is it.. oh well.. lesson learned, and ''name' noted..

[robertthebruce]

Asking a Thai bus driver to slow down is like pi--ing into the wind. They seem to regard driving at 150kph as essential to maintaining their macho cool guy personae.

The only consolation is that there is hopefully one less idiot behind a bus wheel in Thailand.

That, and hopefully the fact that tourists might realize the danger of riding in these death traps at last

Totally agree with you ...

[Banzai99]

The question as to why they don't invest was rhetorical. I am not here to bash the country I love, I really want to see it change for the better, it has such great potential and there seems to be so many deaths here that could easily be avoided.

The loss of human life here on the road is staggering. 6 years and I've been to 16 RTA-related funerals, including a very close family member.

I wish they'd do something to stop it.

Worldwide there are 1.2 Million Deaths and 50 Million injuries on the roads, we can all have thoughts of a perfect world were nobody has accidents, but it will never happen.

If you took away Thailands death toll and injury toll, you would still be left with a staggering amount.

[robertthebruce]

I love Thailand, I love it's people, I love it's culture, if I didn't I wouldn't be here. I prefer most things in Thailand over my own country the USA. But anybody who thinks Thai bus drivers (on average) are as experienced or as careful as American bus drivers (on average) is crazy or simply in denial for whatever reasons. I've taken Greyhound buses back and forth from California to Florida many times since I am afraid of flying and majority of my friends and family live in both those two states. I have never feared for my life on these rides the way I do when I take long distance buses in Thailand.

I have never been on any bus from California to Florida where the driver sped 10 miles or more over the speed limit and I have never seen a driver on any of those trips try to pass slower traffic on two lane roads with the right lane being the oncoming traffic lane. I have however seen both of these things happen every single time I have taken a long distance bus in Thailand. The drivers here take much more risks.

With you on that one, i totally agree, i love everything, but i am petrified to drive, so i refuse to drive over here, its either ''Taxi'' or ''Bus''.. the thought of driving here, terrifies me.. and i have driven in a lot of Countries, but Thailand takes the biscuit..

As for California, driven there as well, and its HEAVEN.. love America for that..

[khaowong1]

I really suggest everyone in Thailand planning to use a bus or minivan to first double check all tires!

And then what? If there were other choices don't you think people would take them?

I have the misfortune of having to travel from rural Rayong to Bangkok regularly and the psycho drivers scare the life out of me and i am a Monk!

RIP to those that died and a speedy recovery to the injured.

Para

Para, I think sometimes they drive even faster with us monks onboard thinking they are protected from harm. ?????