Thai Tour Bus Accident Kills Five, Including French Tourist

[SeaVisionBurma]

A couple of inappropriate and profanity laden posts have been removed.

Please keep contributions civil, relevant, and on-topic - thank you.

[challenger99]

The old my tire blew out excuse. I read this excuse every time somebody is killed in a van accident

Does that mean it can't happen or Thai tyres are just poorly made?

I believe it is not the question of poorly made Thai tyres rather they use the tyres until no more profile as an "sausage skin".

Very often I see such tyres on bus and van. It would be taxed as criminal in Europe using such tyres and getting hard fine and loose driver license. I not remember anywhere in Thailand somebody control the tyres on a car!!!

[BKKBrit]

Can't even begin to imagine the pain of his family, and so many other families that are faced with similar tragedy. So many of these deaths are unnecessary.

Which part of the fact the fact that the victim was female did you you not grasp?.... Delphine is a ladies name.

Am not too fussed with 'pronouns' so long as the msg is clear.

Well said, Sir / Madam

[crazydrummerpauly]

I've had several visitors lately and I tell them to never take buses here... and yet, they still do to save a few bucks or time (as opposed to train). I guess it's the "it won't happen to me" attitude. There seems to be no end to the people willing to fill these buses despite the risk.

Most of the trains are disgusting - even hard-up Thais use the train as a last choice - might be the reason.

[crazydrummerpauly]

The old my tire blew out excuse. I read this excuse every time somebody is killed in a van accident

If it was a genuine accident (tyre failure) then why run? What must the poor families think about that in their grief?

In some cases - especially with accidents out in the villages - swift retribution has been dealt to drivers who have caused deaths - it's not that the drivers expect to disappear completely, but they want to avoid either 1) immediate rough justice; or 2) being found out to be intoxicated or drugged at the time of the accident. If they are working for a proper company, they are normally picked up pretty quickly.

Edited February 6, 2013 by crazydrummerpauly

[harleyd61]

Sorry about the the loss of another life,

but if you on the highway,

the buses passing you,

are driven by Vettel or Schumacher I sometimes think

[Jing Joe]

We drove up to Isaan last month, and many buses we saw were driving very dangerously - overtaking with oncoming vehicles hurtling towards them, etc. I was amazed that we didn't see a serious accident.

But this isn't a developed country, so you can't expect the same standards as back home. That's just life. Doesn't mean they shouldn't improve, but these things take time. USA/UK didn't have wonderful standards while they were developing either.

Some years ago as a passenger in a sedan I got a video of the big bus in front overtaking another big bus, on a blind bend and of course there was a double white line that didnt mean a thing. The first bus couldnt have known enough about oncoming traffic to give a "kapip" cue to the second bus, it was quite a blind bend.

This was on a main highway travelling South of Chiang Mai.

Wonder if he is still alive or how many passengers he has killed?

Thailand is permanently off my travel agenda because of this and many other traffic incidences.

Lovely people, lovely scenery and fantastic food but too scary on the road.

Sad for all involved in this latest crash.

[Locationthailand]

Until engine governing and log books for driver fatigue are introduced, these buses will keep rolling over and killing people. A little bit of driver education wouldn't go astray either but that may be asking too much. The fact the driver runs away is always a telling sign of the driver being at fault. Making assumptions about tyres blowing out is not very clever.

[BarryM]

I rode a thai long distance bus once. The driver was on a death wish. From phuket to bangkok, following a dive accident that ruled out flying.

Like everything else in thailand, one must realise that the rulers of the fiefdom regard other people as expendable and we are just more "other people" in tbe land of slimes.

[CelticBhoy]

It's a shame that the drivers always seem to survive these

dreadful accidents and their poor passengers suffer so badly.

[rattler]

The old my tire blew out excuse. I read this excuse every time somebody is killed in a van accident

Does that mean it can't happen or Thai tyres are just poorly made?

NO it means they use them UNTIL they blow out, take a gander at almost any tyre here, many totally bald.

[BirdsandBooze]

We drove up to Isaan last month, and many buses we saw were driving very dangerously - overtaking with oncoming vehicles hurtling towards them, etc. I was amazed that we didn't see a serious accident.

But this isn't a developed country, so you can't expect the same standards as back home. That's just life. Doesn't mean they shouldn't improve, but these things take time. USA/UK didn't have wonderful standards while they were developing either.

What was the accident rate for Hanson carriages and pony and traps when the UK and USA were developing?

[shaurene]

mini bus ??? or should I say sardine tin on wheels ??? RIP to those who lost their lives and a safe recovery to the injured...very sad...

I believe it to be a regular tour bus.

Five passengers were killed and 38 others injured when a Bangkok-Chumphon bus overturned in Chumphon's Tha Sae district early this morning, police say.

This will always happen because of the way these drivers drive. I travel quite a lot with my wife from our home in Khon Kaen to Pattaya and the busses at a nightmare, none of them get stopped by the police for staying in the right hand lane all the bloody time and doing speeds over 100. I have also noticed on many busses the rear double wheels are not double the company has had the inner wheel taken off so what can you expect.

[DekDaeng]

The old my tire blew out excuse. I read this excuse every time somebody is killed in a van accident

Does that mean it can't happen or Thai tyres are just poorly made?

tire accidents are common in general, just more common here in Thailand. I don't think the quality of tire is poorly made,

usually the threads are worn to the bone but rather the maintenance is neglected.

& often as not, driving is within 1% of the physical limit (cornering, braking, etc) - & occasionally over -

[fareastguy]

Another tyre "blow-out" and another driver absconded from the scene of the accident.. his actions speaks volumes !!

[candypants]

Sorry about the the loss of another life,

but if you on the highway,

the buses passing you,

are driven by Vettel or Schumacher I sometimes think

Shumacher maybe, Grosjean more liklely

Edited February 7, 2013 by candypants

[driedmango]

Anytime boarding a bus in Thailand it's like playing Russian roulette .....

Far more car and ute accidents than buses, I see the smashed up remains parked outside the cop shop here ususlly about 4 a week and thats just in a small part of the road.

Have you ever looked at the white marks on the roads into BKK where they have have marked the places where vehicles have crashed? Cant remember ever seeing marks the size of a bus.

I use buses all the time and in the years I have been in the country I have travelled all over and only ever been in one bus which has had any sort of an accident and that was when a driverless car backed out of a showroom in BKK and hit the bus, no fault of the bus driver and no he didnt run away.

Bus accidents get publisised while car accidents dont.

the public buses are great, but if you are talking mini bus I think that is bull

[candypants]

I have driven Bangkok Surat on a number of occasions and the behavior of the buses on that route, especially at night, is frightening, i have never seen so much lean.

[driedmango]

Lots of the short trip public buses are good... durning the daytime anyways...

You wouldn't find me driving with a farang in Thailand ... that is even worse because they don't know how to handle the mad roads

Edited February 7, 2013 by driedmango

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Sad to have yet another one of these.... dead and injured tourists, and the bus driver fleeing the scene.

After reading MANY of these cases, there do seem to be some common elements. One of them, as seen in this case, is a lot of these accidents seem to occur overnight or in the early morning hours, or in bad weather. Hence, I'd really try to avoid bus travel during those times.

Also, not all bus companies are created equal in Thailand. Nakhon Chai Air (NCA) has a pretty good safety record from all indications and a policy to switching/substituting drivers on longer trips, aimed at minimizing driver error/fatigue accidents. I've taken their service many times, and never had any issue with the driving safety of their drivers.

BTW, for all the countless past cases like this one where the bus driver flees the scene, can anyone ever remember seeing a subsequent followup report where the police actually caught and prosecuted one of this drivers where they were at fault for the death and injury of their passengers??? I can't recall even one such case.

Edited February 7, 2013 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[NoshowJones]

Would never of guessed the driver fled the sceen

The BANG from the blowout made the driver flee--he thought it was a bomb, isn;t it amazing that most do a runner, is it that no matter what he says happened, they will do HIM, someone will have to get the blame, How about looking at the tyre, that blew ???? we do not know if 1 driver in the bus, hours of driving between stops ??? bus company record ??? horific the young French lass-and the brit who lost his leg, and the rest. TAT will still be rolling out the figures-of record tourists though.

In some cases the driver has to flee the scene because of reprisals from passers by etc. no one can condemn a driver who flees the scene without knowing the full facts. He could be doing it to save his life. TIT. Thais don't think twice about the odds, and it's not just Farangs they gang up on.

[Robby nz]

Anytime boarding a bus in Thailand it's like playing Russian roulette .....

Far more car and ute accidents than buses, I see the smashed up remains parked outside the cop shop here ususlly about 4 a week and thats just in a small part of the road.

Have you ever looked at the white marks on the roads into BKK where they have have marked the places where vehicles have crashed? Cant remember ever seeing marks the size of a bus.

I use buses all the time and in the years I have been in the country I have travelled all over and only ever been in one bus which has had any sort of an accident and that was when a driverless car backed out of a showroom in BKK and hit the bus, no fault of the bus driver and no he didnt run away.

Bus accidents get publisised while car accidents dont.

the public buses are great, but if you are talking mini bus I think that is bull

To answer; I agree that the vans, mini buses, are dangerous and avoid them unless there is no alternative.

I wonder if the posters who go on about bald tyres have actually gone and looked at a bus tyre?

I very much doubt it for I see the drivers looking at the bus tyres before they start a trip, its their life to.

For the one who said Thais dont use trains, try to get on a sleeper train to anywhere and you will see they are booked out for weeks in advance and go stand at the station at Don Muang and see how many Thais are on each train that passes.

All the long distance buses I have been on have at least 2 drivers and they swap over at pre determined places.

From what I have seen as a bus passenger the drivers only drive one route and each one has a part that they drive so they know the road and how to drive on that bit of road.

Finally; comisserations to the families who have lost loved ones and I wish a quick recovery to all those injured.

[NoshowJones]

seems to me its always chumphon.

i cant say it often enough. a bus trip is a false economy.

Plane, train, drive your own, hire a private van where you control the trip, rent a car anything but the bloody bus for me and my family

If you read post 17 (above) I think the poster has a point.

[Banzai99]

. When will tourists have enough of tis Thai thing and just stop coming here?

Starting with you ?

[NoshowJones]

Until engine governing and log books for driver fatigue are introduced, these buses will keep rolling over and killing people. A little bit of driver education wouldn't go astray either but that may be asking too much. The fact the driver runs away is always a telling sign of the driver being at fault. Making assumptions about tyres blowing out is not very clever.

It will never happen, it would only mean more tea money for the BIB.

[NoshowJones]

Does anyone else not get a annoyed at the message "you have posted more than the allowed number of quoted blocks of text" this message has come up after I have answered posts maybe only twice. What are the allowed number of quoted blocks of text? Could someone please answer this? Imagine writing a large answer to someones post and this notice comes up. What a waste of time that would be.

[MickGC]

I've had several visitors lately and I tell them to never take buses here... and yet, they still do to save a few bucks or time (as opposed to train). I guess it's the "it won't happen to me" attitude. There seems to be no end to the people willing to fill these buses despite the risk.

Nearest airport and train station are 250km from my home. Would have to bus this distance anyway. This is a common situation in large areas of rural Thailand. Buses are convenient and go just about everywhere.

[TackyToo]

Would never of guessed the driver fled the sceen

Maybe "Johnny Walker" will turn up when he is sober to tell the BIB he don't remember anything or he may send his nephew, the guy who holds a valid driver license and was originally apointed to the tour...

[aechzen]

cheap holidays cheap death

[SparklingCascades]

Thai drivers are sensitive souls anxious to embrace the after-life when seated behind a wheel. We start off at age 12 on a moto; turning into heavy traffic without checking left or right whilst carrying 3 or 4 fellow students to/from school. We progress to other forms of transport in our eagerness for the after-life. Accidents (as farangs love to call it) are in fact always the fault of mystery moto drivers who appear & disappear quite suddenly or faulty brakes or a tyre which busted or a pot hole which appeared from nowhere or another driver who lost control or...... Speed is never to blame. Thats one drug we'd never touch.

Edited February 7, 2013 by SparklingCascades