Thai Cameraman Dies In Highway Crash After Covering Opening Of A Road-Safety Centre

[BrianCR]

IN Channel has just shown footage of the accident scene which unfortunately showed a shot of the deceased with out the usual blurring and that's totally inappropriate.

According to IN the driver of the 2nd pick up had five relatives on board and they were on their way home to Mahasarkham for Songkran. The female driver supposedly said she had overtaken a bus on the nearside because it was " driving too slow " and didn't see the parked vehicle.

Seems we have heard this all to often

"Didn't see" or "didn't look"?

Didn't think, didn't care. It's all the same.

Didn't care with HER family in the car? I think not!

[kotsak]

This accident reminded me of a video I saw couple of days ago..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr842drSjoU

R.I.P

[Crossy]

A campaign like the UK 'Public Information Films' of the 60's and 70's may work if they're shown during the Thai soaps, a process of continual reinforcement.

Despite the amusement they now cause, those little films did work and stick in the mind, I still remember "if at work you drop a spanner, it travels in a downward manner".

[seajae]

lets wait and see if she is charged and what with, it should be at the least manslaughter/culpible driving and jail time but she will probably have to pay a few thousand baht and get a slap on the wrist , maybe even be disqualified from driving for a few days, pathetic comes to mind.

[akampa]

Yesterday I came back from Udon with wife and 6 month old daughter and I will not go into how appalling the driving was so again I say on TV

GET THEM TO BE TRAINED HOW TO DRIVE AND LEARN WHAT FEW RULES THERE ARE PLEASE.

Edited April 11, 2013 by akampa

[Morden]

A campaign like the UK 'Public Information Films' of the 60's and 70's may work if they're shown during the Thai soaps, a process of continual reinforcement.

Despite the amusement they now cause, those little films did work and stick in the mind, I still remember "if at work you drop a spanner, it travels in a downward manner".

I've wondered about that but would they take any notice? Locals can lose their kids n motorcycle accidents but that doesn't seem to persuade them to ride more safely themselves.

I'm sure that they are just clueless. Many incidents suggest that Thai drivers have no idea of the relationship between distance, velocity and time. They manoeuvre as if the following or oncoming car is stationary.

[Thai at Heart]

A campaign like the UK 'Public Information Films' of the 60's and 70's may work if they're shown during the Thai soaps, a process of continual reinforcement.

Despite the amusement they now cause, those little films did work and stick in the mind, I still remember "if at work you drop a spanner, it travels in a downward manner".

They could do it, the problem is I think they don't actually understand which types of driving are the absolutely most dangerous.

If they did they wouldn't overtake on blind corners, which are on the brow of a hill, entering a hump back bridge next to a school.

If they just stopped the most idiotic practices the stats would improve massively.

[EyesWideOpen]

My condolences to the friends, family and colleagues. The endless death toll is the part of the festival I hate the most.

Scott, don't inconvenience yourself with feelings of "hate" for this; if the Thais wanted to do something about this they would.....but they obvioulsy don't concern themselves the way westerners do!!

They will when a relative dies.....

[Credo]

So, all things considered, this Road Safety Campaign is not off to a very good start.

[scorecard]

IN Channel has just shown footage of the accident scene which unfortunately showed a shot of the deceased with out the usual blurring and that's totally inappropriate.

According to IN the driver of the 2nd pick up had five relatives on board and they were on their way home to Mahasarkham for Songkran. The female driver supposedly said she had overtaken a bus on the nearside because it was " driving too slow " and didn't see the parked vehicle.

Seems we have heard this all to often

"Didn't see" or "didn't look"?

"Didn't see" or "didn't look"? Plus no anticipation.

By the way, what is 'IN' TV? Couldn't find anything on Google.

[scorecard]

My condolences to the friends, family and colleagues. The endless death toll is the part of the festival I hate the most.

Scott, don't inconvenience yourself with feelings of "hate" for this; if the Thais wanted to do something about this they would.....but they obvioulsy don't concern themselves the way westerners do!!

They will when a relative dies.....

"They will when a relative dies.....". I certainly agree, seen it in the outer area of my Thai family. No concern whatever for safety generally, no concern that their own driving or actions could injure or kill others, no attempt to drive safely, but unbelievable anger when it's someone in the family.

1. The main person I'm referring to with 'unbelievable anger' is married with two small daughters. His 18 yr old brother was killed in a hit and run accident near Chonburi city, he got very angry with the police because they didn't instantly find the driver who fled, and he tried to start a punch up with a police officer at the local police station for not helping, and he's lucky he didn't do jail time.

At Songkran he packs his wife and two daughters in the pick up and drives from the industrial estate wher he works near Rayong to just the other side of Chayapum at breakneck speed, on packed highways full of crazies, consuming god knows how many bottles of M150.

His philosophy 'Songkran is dangerous so better to get there as fast as you possible can and get off the road'.

2. Just recently my DIL's aunt (nasty piece of work) pulled out quickly from the kerb without checking for any traffic coming from behind and smacked hard into the side of a small new Nissan, the Nissan on the road just two days. Both cars severely damaged.

The aunt is concerned with one thing only 'who can she contact to get the police to forget the whole thing'. She refuses to acknowledge any fault, refuses to contact the other driver etc.

But the crunch is there was an old Thai lady sitting in the passengers seat of the Nissan (wearing a seat belt) nursing a toddler, both sustained serious injuries, both requiring surgery, and the old lady will probably never walk again unaided. All attempt to get the aunt to recognize that she has caused injury from her negligence are fruitless and it's clear that she just doesn't care, not at all.

Her response ' they are not my family so why should I care', plus 'if the other driver was not on the road then nothing would have happened' The police have demanded that she attend the local police station to try to find some solution. She refuses to go, 'why should I cooperate, they are not my family, plus the police won't help me, so why should I help them'.

My Thai DIL has maintained contact with the other driver and visited the folks in hospital with a fruit basket etc, and shown concern and apologized for the accident, for the costs involved and for her aunt's behavior. She is in disbelief and shock with her aunt's behavior.

But let's remember, there is just a small percentage of folks like this in any population.

Edited April 11, 2013 by scorecard

[belg]

sad death to go this way... seems the zero death for songkran started early for this one

RIP

[HarryMilton]

IN Channel has just shown footage of the accident scene which unfortunately showed a shot of the deceased with out the usual blurring and that's totally inappropriate.

According to IN the driver of the 2nd pick up had five relatives on board and they were on their way home to Mahasarkham for Songkran. The female driver supposedly said she had overtaken a bus on the nearside because it was " driving too slow " and didn't see the parked vehicle.

Seems we have heard this all to often

"Didn't see" or "didn't look"?

Didn't think, didn't care. It's all the same.

normal way would be no-one parks a car on the highway, and if some tv crew wants to do where are the BIB to escort them it's also part of their job description

Very, very good point.

[HarryMilton]

rear-ended by a pick-up truck trying to overtake another vehicle on the left.

I think it it time to buy a big old truck and when these idiots try this, jest "merge' to the left a bit and drive the people off the road who go up the side shoulder to over take. pricks.

That would make you one too, in fact it would make you an even bigger one than them because you would be deliberately forcing them off the road.

[meatboy]

yesterday i said to the wf.if this idiotic driving that we witnessed had been in the uk.we would have said they have let out all the patients at the lunartic asylums.

have you seen tesco's advert for insurance? i saw it last night for the first time looks like they made it into one big joke,

a pick up reversing into a b.i.b.plastic dummy in a tesco car park.

[JetsetBkk]

This is another reason why overtaking (or under-taking) on the left should be banned, as it is in the UK.

It is legal in Thailand on roads with more than 2 lanes in the same direction IIRC.

Correct. Everything is explained here in clear and concise English.

See page 4 onwards.

[Halion]

Transportation in this country is a national disgrace in all aspects and any self respecting national should be offended by the lack of input of any nature from the administration an the manner by which they conduct themselves on the road.

• Poor road maintainance.
• Lack of Driver skill and education.
• Lack of driving disipline
• Lack of legal enforcement
• Lack of social responsibilities.
• Lack of respect for self ond others.

Were they to strictly enforce the regulations pertaining to tax, insurance and the provision of a driving licence they could reduce the number of idiots on the road by 50% overnight.

I live in a Condo in Bangkok and for evening entertainment I sit at my window and watch these clowns in their oversize trucks trying to park in spaces which are more than adequate however, they take10 to 15 minutes to dock these machines and at least once or twice a week there is a fender bender. They are simply incompoten at several levels to be incharge of a vehicle.

[HarryMilton]

Bus was in the fast right lane. She overtook in the slow left lane. Can imagine she drove alongside the bus at full speed when she hit the parked car. Perhaps driving too far to the left (to maintain space between her and the bus) or the car was not properly parked but too close to or even partly on the road. She did not see the parked car (or saw it too late) as she kept her eyes on the bus in case the driver would decide to change lanes with her being in the mirror's dead angle.

Sounds like you're supporting her choice to overtake on the hard shoulder, collide with a parked vehicle (albeit probably illegally parked) and cause someone's death. Unbelievable.

[Buchholz]

yesterday i said to the wf.if this idiotic driving that we witnessed had been in the uk.we would have said they have let out all the patients at the lunartic asylums.

have you seen tesco's advert for insurance? i saw it last night for the first time looks like they made it into one big joke,

a pick up reversing into a b.i.b.plastic dummy in a tesco car park.

.

Edited April 11, 2013 by Buchholz

[Thai at Heart]

Bus was in the fast right lane. She overtook in the slow left lane. Can imagine she drove alongside the bus at full speed when she hit the parked car. Perhaps driving too far to the left (to maintain space between her and the bus) or the car was not properly parked but too close to or even partly on the road. She did not see the parked car (or saw it too late) as she kept her eyes on the bus in case the driver would decide to change lanes with her being in the mirror's dead angle.

Sounds like you're supporting her choice to overtake on the hard shoulder, collide with a parked vehicle (albeit probably illegally parked) and cause someone's death. Unbelievable.

Indeed. If the car hadn't been there, none of this would have happened????

[kennedy]

There should be one thing learned here. Never turn your back to traffic in Thailand.

[julemanden]

IN Channel has just shown footage of the accident scene which unfortunately showed a shot of the deceased with out the usual blurring and that's totally inappropriate.

According to IN the driver of the 2nd pick up had five relatives on board and they were on their way home to Mahasarkham for Songkran. The female driver supposedly said she had overtaken a bus on the nearside because it was " driving too slow " and didn't see the parked vehicle.

Seems we have heard this all to often

I saw the story. How does one NOT see a parked vehicle on the hard shoulder and drive straight into the back of it? I don't bother to go down how good or bad the driving is in Thailand anymore, they can drive, it is just there is little understanding of even the basic rules, little understanding of the risks involved in a manaoeuver, and often a complete lack of common sense.

Easy, she most likely was sending texts message ...Or maybe looking at her self in the mirrors to see if her makeup or hair was as it should be... RIP to the poor guy

[PhilipCook]

rest in peace Khun Sunet. For everyone else, peaceful holiday options are to stay home or to fly away until its over. For those living in Bangkok, option 1 is ideal, the city is quiet and calm. For those living in Chiang Mai, option 2 is suggested unless you like extensive traffic, heat, public intoxication, dirty water being thrown/shot/splashed/pelted against everyone and everything for days on end.

[DLock]

The first swallow of Spring

The first snow of Winter

The first death of Songkran.

And so the new season begins.

[Spalpeen]

IN Channel has just shown footage of the accident scene which unfortunately showed a shot of the deceased with out the usual blurring and that's totally inappropriate.

According to IN the driver of the 2nd pick up had five relatives on board and they were on their way home to Mahasarkham for Songkran. The female driver supposedly said she had overtaken a bus on the nearside because it was " driving too slow " and didn't see the parked vehicle.

Seems we have heard this all to often

I saw the story. How does one NOT see a parked vehicle on the hard shoulder and drive straight into the back of it? I don't bother to go down how good or bad the driving is in Thailand anymore, they can drive, it is just there is little understanding of even the basic rules, little understanding of the risks involved in a manaoeuver, and often a complete lack of common sense.

If you think about it, the way to NOT see a pickup truck is to tailgate inches behind the bus before moving left onto the hard shoulder. That way the bus blocks your view until just moments before you kill an innocent man doing his job.

[SteveB2]

IN Channel has just shown footage of the accident scene which unfortunately showed a shot of the deceased with out the usual blurring and that's totally inappropriate.

According to IN the driver of the 2nd pick up had five relatives on board and they were on their way home to Mahasarkham for Songkran. The female driver supposedly said she had overtaken a bus on the nearside because it was " driving too slow " and didn't see the parked vehicle.

Seems we have heard this all to often

I'm saddened to hear about yet another needless death on the roads - no doubt caused by lack of decent learner driver training, next to useless driver tests to acquire the license to drive, and the strange observance that many Thai drivers become extremely aggressive when behind the wheel - totally at odds with normal observed good manners and respect that the Thai general show to each other.

One comment though - I live with my family on a particularly dangerous 5km road that sees death and injury nearly every day. My family and my young children have witnessed many 'blood and guts' accidental deaths often enough, and although pretty shocked at first, with lots of questions off the kids - they've all got over it, and as a plus side have gained a severe respect for the dangers of a main road.

Now when the kids see a bad crash, all what’s said is "he blood and sausages come out - he dead man" and that’s that - and BTW, brains on the road is 'white sausages'.

So if censorship is inappropriate - who is it inappropriate for? Why is seeing death bad or inappropriate?

I don't like the modern, western, trend towards censorship in Thailand. Censorship was not here when I arrived 18 years ago, and I'd rather it wasn't here now.

Folks should have in plain view the death and destruction caused by reckless driving or any other reckless behavior so they can learn from it.

Just my tuppence worth - my apologies if slightly off topic.

[Spalpeen]

IN Channel has just shown footage of the accident scene which unfortunately showed a shot of the deceased with out the usual blurring and that's totally inappropriate.

According to IN the driver of the 2nd pick up had five relatives on board and they were on their way home to Mahasarkham for Songkran. The female driver supposedly said she had overtaken a bus on the nearside because it was " driving too slow " and didn't see the parked vehicle.

Seems we have heard this all to often

I'm saddened to hear about yet another needless death on the roads - no doubt caused by lack of decent learner driver training, next to useless driver tests to acquire the license to drive, and the strange observance that many Thai drivers become extremely aggressive when behind the wheel - totally at odds with normal observed good manners and respect that the Thai general show to each other.

One comment though - I live with my family on a particularly dangerous 5km road that sees death and injury nearly every day. My family and my young children have witnessed many 'blood and guts' accidental deaths often enough, and although pretty shocked at first, with lots of questions off the kids - they've all got over it, and as a plus side have gained a severe respect for the dangers of a main road.

Now when the kids see a bad crash, all what’s said is "he blood and sausages come out - he dead man" and that’s that - and BTW, brains on the road is 'white sausages'.

So if censorship is inappropriate - who is it inappropriate for? Why is seeing death bad or inappropriate?

I don't like the modern, western, trend towards censorship in Thailand. Censorship was not here when I arrived 18 years ago, and I'd rather it wasn't here now.

Folks should have in plain view the death and destruction caused by reckless driving or any other reckless behavior so they can learn from it.

Just my tuppence worth - my apologies if slightly off topic.

Fair point. They put shocking pictures on cigarette packaging to stop people from smoking. Up country the police often display mangled vehicles at intersections as a warning. Why not run TV ads showing exactly what happens in a road crash to bring home to people the consequences of what they do.

[Thai at Heart]

IN Channel has just shown footage of the accident scene which unfortunately showed a shot of the deceased with out the usual blurring and that's totally inappropriate.

According to IN the driver of the 2nd pick up had five relatives on board and they were on their way home to Mahasarkham for Songkran. The female driver supposedly said she had overtaken a bus on the nearside because it was " driving too slow " and didn't see the parked vehicle.

Seems we have heard this all to often

I saw the story. How does one NOT see a parked vehicle on the hard shoulder and drive straight into the back of it? I don't bother to go down how good or bad the driving is in Thailand anymore, they can drive, it is just there is little understanding of even the basic rules, little understanding of the risks involved in a manaoeuver, and often a complete lack of common sense.

If you think about it, the way to NOT see a pickup truck is to tailgate inches behind the bus before moving left onto the hard shoulder. That way the bus blocks your view until just moments before you kill an innocent man doing his job.

Of course it can happen, but to achieve it, it would need a pretty aggressive move, and you would have to be very close to the bus in front. I suppose, the fortunate thing is that there wasn't anyone coming up from behind her also in the inside lane. What odds she checked her mirror and blind spot before going down the inside of the bus?

[Tywais]

IN Channel has just shown footage of the accident scene which unfortunately showed a shot of the deceased with out the usual blurring and that's totally inappropriate.

According to IN the driver of the 2nd pick up had five relatives on board and they were on their way home to Mahasarkham for Songkran. The female driver supposedly said she had overtaken a bus on the nearside because it was " driving too slow " and didn't see the parked vehicle.

Seems we have heard this all to often

"Didn't see" or "didn't look"?

Alas...thai language doesn't differentiate between the two...

Actually it does but that is a topic for the Thai language forum. There is even a phrase 'looked but didn't see'

[HuaHinHim]

Unfortunately only the government can do something about educating Thai's about road rules and driving and they don't give a sh@t. Better salaries for traffic police so they might do job instead of extorting people is also a possible place to start. Maybe but I'm not confident