Seven dead in East Pattaya Minivan crash

PATTAYA:--Just before 9am on Saturday Nongprue Police and rescue services were called to Highway 36 close to the Bira International Racing Circuit to deal with a fatal road crash which left seven people dead.

Due to the seriousness of the incident Police Major General Katcha, the Provincial Police Commander, was in attendance to oversee the initial stages of the investigation.
A Toyota Commuter Minivan Taxi which runs from Bangkok to Map Ta Put in Rayong Province had come off the road and rolled over, coming to a stop when it slammed into a steel pylon.

A fire then took hold of the vehicle which contained a total of 10 people. Three were seriously injured and taken to the Queen Sirigit Hospital while seven were unable to exit the vehicle and were burnt alive. It took firefighters 30 minutes to extinguish the flames.
Full story:http://www.pattayaone.net/pattaya-news/77243/dead-east-pattaya-minivan-crash/

-- Pattaya One 2013-03-02

R.I.P

my condolences to family and friends of the victims.

No suprise it was a minivan.

Is this the same accident that I saw reported as a minivan on the way to Trat? Either way, it's awful, but these minivans are death traps.

What a horrible way to go.

RIP to the poor people.

Bangkok-Rayong van hits roadside signpost near Bira Circuit racetrack in Chon Buri; van in flames, killing 7 people /MCOT

rip another highway minivan disaster , sad for the families , i never will set foot in those tins of death ever again

So tired of seeing this $ hit ... and then tomorrow the Ministry of Culture wants to upgrade Thailand's international image by replacing all squatter toilets w/sitting one's a PRIORITY. It's like a goddamn vice grip on my senses when I come across the obsession with superficiality and disregard for harsh realities. RIP victims especially if they were travelers here under the misconception that they are only in harms way if they are partying, drinking or partaking in other vices.

RIP.

Driver survived? Fled the scene?

Two gas tanks fitted inside the van? What kind of idiot would do this?

No more mini vans for me either.

A trip from Jomtien to Hua Him was enough to convince me of the insanity that permeates the drivers of these vans.

His goal seemed to be to allow no one overtake us on the entire trip.

But besides the fact that his speed was idiotic, at least he also swerved whenever possible from lane to lane in the top heavy van.

Passing a four vehicle fatal collision didn't impact this driver one bit. He regained his speed as soon as he could.

He did no harm as it turned out other than risk the lives of his 13 passengers and a navigator

Those minivans are such death traps, RIP to the victims. I rather overstay my visa than do frequent visa runs with those crazy drivers

Two gas tanks fitted inside the van? What kind of idiot would do this?

Hard to believe anyone could first fit gas tanks inside the vehicle and second operate such a death trap.

The owner of the vehicle and the installer of the fuel system should be sued for everything.

rip another highway minivan disaster , sad for the families , i never will set foot in those tins of death ever again

Nothing wrong with the vehicles!

It is the imbeciles who drive them.

My loathing for van drivers increases every day.

Psycopaths. No regard for human lives.

I have been in several of these and you must have a careful and good driver. We normally have our family arrive from Barriram to Pattaya for a week vacation when we arrive fromthe states. The drivers from my wives area all have seemed responsible. I also do a visual check on the tires and condition of the mini van. Now seeing this story, I will only use the newer mini van types and hope for the best...

Such a terrible accident. Imagine how the victims experienced their last moments on earth. Not trying to be being insensitive but no wonder so many believe in ghosts inhabiting the area between the roadsides and the other world when these types of accident happen.

Boxes on wheels designed to stuff as many people in as possible.

At the best of times, mini vans are difficult to exit, let alone with the panic of the van on fire with only one sliding door to get everyone in the rear compartment out of.

Two gas tanks fitted inside the van? What kind of idiot would do this?

Hard to believe anyone could first fit gas tanks inside the vehicle and second operate such a death trap.

The owner of the vehicle and the installer of the fuel system should be sued for everything.

One would hope that would happen, but the operators of these mobile death traps seem to be able to evade any responsibility. I haven't ridden in once now for over three years, one trip with a lunatic from Kanachanburi to Bangkok was enough to put me off for good. So sad that this has happened again though, how many more will it take for the authorities to crack down on it.

If I hadn't seen the way these drivers operate first hand I might tend to think of it as "just an accident". But I know better. Those drivers are morons -- crazy and irresponsible. I'm very sorry for the victims and their families. I have had one driver who was careful and considerate but he was by far the exception. Never again. I'll gladly take a bus or fly before I set foot in one of those death traps again.

Have to agree.

These things are absolute death traps.

At least on a bike you are in control of said vehicle.

What a horrible way to go.

RIP to the poor people.

+1

RIP to the poor souls...

as one or more have stated yes they are a major problem but not just minivans... in all the time I lived I have witnessed so many incidents like this and also pick ups.... they seem to think minivans and pick ups are like sports cars but no road holding capability to match the speeds they get up to. I feel for the families of all those killed or injured but we all know it will never stop. the Thai mindset is "it wont happen to me" such is the myopic attitude to accident prevention

as one or more have stated yes they are a major problem but not just minivans... in all the time I lived I have witnessed so many incidents like this and also pick ups.... they seem to think minivans and pick ups are like sports cars but no road holding capability to match the speeds they get up to. I feel for the families of all those killed or injured but we all know it will never stop. the Thai mindset is "it wont happen to me" such is the myopic attitude to accident prevention

As long as the vehicle is fitted with a Buddha statue stuck on the front dash, and a flower garland hanging from the rear vision mirror, what could possibly go wrong??

Passenger Vans have TWO speeds..Fast and Wide Open King of the Road....

Sad news! Mini vans are bad mmmmmmmmmkay. or how about any 4 wheel and metal traveling at speeds that would cause injury or death.

This was a accident nothing more! TV poster's need more juice in their boring lives and have to comment on how bad mini vans are, how bad Thai women are, how bad Thai people are, the list goes on. You all need to get some love back for Thailand and the Thai people.

In most countries in the world this would a major news story and would receive a high level of coverage on the TV and would be headline news in the press. Unfortunately it's such a common occurrence here that I doubt if will get a couple of sentences in the national press.

Thailand is a wonderful country I just wish its people would respect human life.

RIP you poor soles.

It is no coincidence that many of the owners of these van routes are usually persons of influence such as police generals, army generals, politicians, etc.

They usually started out life as a completely illegal and unlicensed operation and then to contain what was an uncontainable problem the government brought them into the fold and gave them permission to run their routes.

However it is doubtful that any govt. body would challenge these companies (if they are even incorporated) on aspects such as speeding, dangerous driving, no. of seats, as they are to a considerable extent untouchable.

Terrible way to go. One trip in a minivan with a lunatic driver was enough for me- I was previously hesitant about driving in Thailand but after that I decided I'd rather die behind the wheel with some control rather than as a hapless passenger.

When I arrived in Pattaya from Bangkok in one of these minivans I felt as if I had been packed into a tin of Sardines. They could have been designed for Thai and not the much bigger European limbs.One of the problems is,there is very little seat room so a minor problem can soon turn into a disaster. These poor souls were trapped.