19 dead in Thai bus smash: authorities

[britinthai]

"The truck crossed from the opposite lane of traffic and hit the bus," said local police officer Lieutenant Colonel Assavathep Janthanari, adding that a pickup truck behind the bus had also been involved in the crash."

Read again:

This has nothing to do with the safety standards of the bus or the pick-up truck,

If a cement truck is crossing the lane from the opposite direction, no safety standards can help you anymore.

The only safety that could have avoided this tragic accident would have been safety barriers in the middle of the road.

But that would have only shift the accident to the other side of the lane.

Wrong! There are many safety standards that come into play here. Was the truck overloaded? The news article says "cement truck" but we have no indication what that means. Was it an overloaded pickup? What about safety inspections for large trucks? What about driver training and qualification and standards such as keeping log books and restricting the number of hours one can drive? Those are safety standards in force in many countries. They are the law because of incidents such as this in those countries, including my own. Of course, we hear enforcement mentioned repeatedly, so I won't dwell on that. You are correct, however about the barrier, but that calls into question traffic engineering in this country. Traffic engineers here should be held accountable. They're criminally negligent.

How can you overload a cement truck,when it' full you can't fit any more in.

Let's first look at the term "cement truck". It is a pneumatic tanker on a trailer or truck chassis containing cement powder. Cement powder is dry, dense and very heavy. Did you ever pick up a bag of cement powder? The bags generally weigh in at 50 Kg. Cement powder tankers are loaded by weight and not volume. There has to be room in the tank for air to blow the powder out into a holding bin at a plant. So, you never want a truck to be "full". Plus, it would be too heavy at the highway weigh scales. People also confuse "cement truck" with a highway transit truck containing ready mixed concrete. They contain a volume of concrete that was ordered for a specific jobsite. Different sizes of drums for different sizes of truck chassis. Again, there are weight limitations also for these trucks. 1 cu./mt. of concrete weighs 2.4 tns. Plus, because it is considered a "live" load when the drum is turning, you also don't want the drum full because of spillage out of the back. These vehicles are never "full". Concrete is expensive so that would be money flowing out the back. Also, just in case any one ever wondered, concrete has a life span of 90 minutes. Yep, 90 minutes from the time it was batched. Then it starts the setting process. If anyone buys a load check the batch time on the delivery ticket. We'll just have to wait to see what type of vehicle was actually involved. I am retired from the industry, so that is my 10 Baht worth of info.

Your profile picture is a cracking rear end, and will cause an accident or two for sure

[Felt 35]

Ok, we have that problem solved. Best wishes to the families of the victims in there sorrow. We all know it is a hazard here just about everything we do can cause death or injury but isn't that part of the reason many of us are here. Very few rules you are responsible for your own safety and well being if you have had enough of being responsible for yourself you have choices.

So if you was in the car in that lane instead of the bus your saying you didn't was responsible for yourselves wellbeing at that moment and deserve to die!?

[tomyumchai]

and i ride 15-18000km around thaiand every year on my 650. i guess im either very lucky or have a deathwish..........

[Salapoo]

I just don't think the culture ables them to properly and safely use vehicles.

I don't think Thais will ever be able to change their mindset. Changing their ways means a loss of face as the previous way was therefore wrong, so plough on regardless.

[rubberduck]

Does someone here know what actually are the qualifications to become a busdriver in Thailand ?

Not like this I guess: Bus drivers' qualifications, responsibilities, and training.

[kannot]

I am sorry for all those people and there families. I do NOT blame the driver of the bus.

I live near a high way, a bloody damned Thai high way. Not safe at all, bad road and even 90 km/h is to fast. Busses on the way to Chiang Mai pass on a regular basis, 6 till 10 busses in a row, driving fast on the right lane, 120 till 140 km/h.

What do you think?

U tink too much, no one cares all forgotten tomorrow and besides the brakes failed on the cement lorry, will be the accepted face saver.

Hoorah three cheers for the next moron, plenty more out there for sure.

[boomerangutang]

Just yesterday, I was driving on a small hwy, northernmost Thailand. I put my turn signal on to turn right. A giant 2-deck tour bus comes up in my rear view mirror wanting to pass me. Rather than slow down, he speeds up, forcing me to slow down close to a stop, while the bus swerves around me at an outward tilt. motorbikes coming the opposite way had to swerve on to the shoulder (that's common, as we know). I'm not saying the tour bus driver in this tragedy was a hot-rodder, but there are many of them on the streets.

p.s., Never in the 700 year history or Chiang Rai has a driver ever been pulled over for what an American would call 'a moving violation.' Not for speeding, not for going through red lights, not for swerving around blind corners 2 or more meters in approaching lanes. At least never, that I've heard or seen.

[kannot]

Does someone here know what actually are the qualifications to become a busdriver in Thailand ?

Not like this I guess: Bus drivers' qualifications, responsibilities, and training.

No brain? = guaranteed placement.............I imagine?

[PoodMaiDai]

Beyond tragic.

Another crash. No improvement or regulations will come of it. More are going to die. Rinse, repeat.

Thailand #6 in the world for road accidents. IN THE WORLD!!! Mai pen rai.

[PoodMaiDai]

Sad, but what can you do? Nothing is ever going to change in Thailand.

If anything, things are moving backwards.

Have any of you actually payed attention to how many motorbike and auto drivers and on their phones? It is an epidemic. They need to ban all social media from Thailand and get these people off the phones.

Next time you're in the passenger seat, start looking at everyone NOT paying attention to the road and notice they are almost all on their phones. Smart phones + more cars on the road + Thainess = Thailand will soon move up on the world accident list. If they try hard enough, they just may surpass Iraq and Iran. This problem is just getting started.

[Scott]

How did that bus get so completely engulfed in flames so quickly?

[kannot]

19 dead, 22 hurt in Saraburi bus tragedy

By English News

BANGKOK, July 23 -- Nineteen persons were killed and 22 were hurt as an inter-provincial bus collided with a 22-wheel trailer truck in Saraburi and burst into flame.

Police said a double decker Bangkok-Roi Et bus collided with the truck around 5am on Mittraphap Road, Kilometre 19 in Thap Kwang subdistrict, Kaeng Khoi district.

The crash was a head-on collision involving three vehicles -- the bus, the trailer rig and a pickup truck, police said.

The bus erupted into flame immediately after the crash.

The bus driver and the second driver were among the dead. The injured passengers were sent to nearby hospitals.

According to the initial investigation, the trailer truck crossed from its lane to hit the bus head on. The bus belonged to the government run Transport Company. The pickup truck following the trailer truck could not stop and crashed into the rear of the trailer truck.

Police said the road was slippery due to rain and it was sloping down from a hill.

Emergency workers removed the wreckage of the three vehicles from the road and traffic reopened normally. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2013-07-23

That pesky rain and slopes, always the cause of accidents here.

No lucky amulets this time then?? or maybe they melted in the fireball? sic I know, but then so are Thai driving habits safety standards and infact most things here.

A quick trip to the temple will absolve any guilty party ( even sicker)

[GentlemanJim]

Does someone here know what actually are the qualifications to become a busdriver in Thailand ?

Not like this I guess: Bus drivers' qualifications, responsibilities, and training.

A pulse.

[Scott]

Beyond tragic.

Another crash. No improvement or regulations will come of it. More are going to die. Rinse, repeat.

Thailand #6 in the world for road accidents. IN THE WORLD!!! Mai pen rai.

#6 isn't good, but I remember there was a time when they were # 1. At that time, I believe Turkey had been number 1 and Thailand surpassed them.

[chooka]

Travelling between Chianat and Kananchaburi today and one of these buses overtook traffic on the left shoulder of the road. My wife and I just thought what a bloody moron he had absolutely no concern what so ever for his passengers. The slightest thing could have put the bus into a ditch.

[New007]

Is it Songkran time or New Year? I wonder if anyone has the numbers of accidental fatalities and injuries from this long weekend.

Sad sad. But true.

[ratcatcher]

Just yesterday, I was driving on a small hwy, northernmost Thailand. I put my turn signal on to turn right. A giant 2-deck tour bus comes up in my rear view mirror wanting to pass me. Rather than slow down, he speeds up, forcing me to slow down close to a stop, while the bus swerves around me at an outward tilt. motorbikes coming the opposite way had to swerve on to the shoulder (that's common, as we know). I'm not saying the tour bus driver in this tragedy was a hot-rodder, but there are many of them on the streets.

p.s., Never in the 700 year history or Chiang Rai has a driver ever been pulled over for what an American would call 'a moving violation.' Not for speeding, not for going through red lights, not for swerving around blind corners 2 or more meters in approaching lanes. At least never, that I've heard or seen.

"

p.s., Never in the 700 year history or Chiang Rai has a driver ever been pulled over for what an American would call 'a moving violation."

I think if you were able to check Chiang Rai province police records you will find that police were dealing with traffic violations in a correct manner at least 500 years ago. The vehicles were a bit slower but racing an oxcart carried a heavy penalty. Bear in mind of course that Thai women were topless in those days and no doubt that caused many road accidents with drivers not paying attention to the direction of their buffalo carts. As recently as 200 years ago motor vehicles were being driven more sedately due to limited numbers available under the royal first buyers program.

[tingtongfarang]

Beyond tragic.

Another crash. No improvement or regulations will come of it. More are going to die. Rinse, repeat.

Thailand #6 in the world for road accidents. IN THE WORLD!!! Mai pen rai.

#6 isn't good, but I remember there was a time when they were # 1. At that time, I believe Turkey had been number 1 and Thailand surpassed them.

I think they still would be #1 if not for the fact they dont count the true death toll on the roads,

I lived in greece for 14yrs and believe me the situation there was dire in regards to stupidity on the roads, the thais make the greeks look like amateurs in the this respect,

In my view thailand does,nt have a real police force, infact what they do have are masked and armed criminals in uniform hanging around in gangs at the side of the road in effect stealing money and coercing people to commit the crime of bribery, They have no intent of enforcing traffic laws,

I have met quite a few bib who did,nt have much idea of thai traffic law and no interest.

[trainman34014]

Does someone here know what actually are the qualifications to become a busdriver in Thailand ?

Not like this I guess: Bus drivers' qualifications, responsibilities, and training.

First of all you've got to know how to run. Any prospective employer will ask you to run 500 meters as fast as you possible can. This is called 'Emergency Training' and is used in the event of a serious accident (that you may survive); can't have you hanging around the scene of an accident when you are high on Yabba can they?

Next; you must know how to drink and drive without spilling a drop, so they will ask you to get half pissed first and then take you out for a high speed run around several blocks watching where you place your can or bottle and you will receive merit marks accordingly.

You will then be taught that sleeping in a bed is only for sissys. Much better if you drive from CM to BKK during the day and then come back at night so that you are as tired as you could possibly be. This ensures that the very small brain that you already possess is for the most part numb, so that your driving becomes much more robotic. Depending on who your passengers are likely to be you may be issued with matchsticks cut to the right length to jam in your eyelids in order to keep your eyes open.

Lastly; you will be taught never to ask questions about the maintenance of your vehicle and you will be told that it is forbidden to 'have a look around your bus' before commencing a journey.

[MobileContent]

This is really sad news. I often take the Transport Co buses from Mochit to Sakon Nakhon or Udon, especially if all flights are fully booked and I got to be fair by saying that VIP Express (Transport Co) are not speeding and they actually know how to drive.

RIP and I hope the survivors will recover.

[MobileContent]

Does someone here know what actually are the qualifications to become a busdriver in Thailand ?

Not like this I guess: Bus drivers' qualifications, responsibilities, and training.

First of all you've got to know how to run. Any prospective employer will ask you to run 500 meters as fast as you possible can. This is called 'Emergency Training' and is used in the event of a serious accident (that you may survive); can't have you hanging around the scene of an accident when you are high on Yabba can they?

Next; you must know how to drink and drive without spilling a drop, so they will ask you to get half pissed first and then take you out for a high speed run around several blocks watching where you place your can or bottle and you will receive merit marks accordingly.

You will then be taught that sleeping in a bed is only for sissys. Much better if you drive from CM to BKK during the day and then come back at night so that you are as tired as you could possibly be. This ensures that the very small brain that you already possess is for the most part numb, so that your driving becomes much more robotic. Depending on who your passengers are likely to be you may be issued with matchsticks cut to the right length to jam in your eyelids in order to keep your eyes open.

Lastly; you will be taught never to ask questions about the maintenance of your vehicle and you will be told that it is forbidden to 'have a look around your bus' before commencing a journey.

This is most possible a VIP Express from the Transport Company and they do not consume Yaba, alcohol etc and know the route very well. This posting might be unrelated to your comments but VIP Express has a very good track record in Thailand. I would never take any other bus company in Thailand except VIP Express. Not all bus drivers and bus companies are bad and I drove VIP Express for almost 20 years already if I can't get a flight ticket. They even stopped banning alcohol at Morchit Terminal, a move that was organized by the Transport Ministry.

Edited July 23, 2013 by MobileContent

[ratcatcher]

Does someone here know what actually are the qualifications to become a busdriver in Thailand ?

Not like this I guess: Bus drivers' qualifications, responsibilities, and training.

First of all you've got to know how to run. Any prospective employer will ask you to run 500 meters as fast as you possible can. This is called 'Emergency Training' and is used in the event of a serious accident (that you may survive); can't have you hanging around the scene of an accident when you are high on Yabba can they?

Next; you must know how to drink and drive without spilling a drop, so they will ask you to get half pissed first and then take you out for a high speed run around several blocks watching where you place your can or bottle and you will receive merit marks accordingly.

You will then be taught that sleeping in a bed is only for sissys. Much better if you drive from CM to BKK during the day and then come back at night so that you are as tired as you could possibly be. This ensures that the very small brain that you already possess is for the most part numb, so that your driving becomes much more robotic. Depending on who your passengers are likely to be you may be issued with matchsticks cut to the right length to jam in your eyelids in order to keep your eyes open.

Lastly; you will be taught never to ask questions about the maintenance of your vehicle and you will be told that it is forbidden to 'have a look around your bus' before commencing a journey.

This is most possible a VIP Express from the Transport Company and they do not consume Yaba, alcohol etc and know the route very well. This posting might be unrelated to your comments but VIP Express has a very good track record in Thailand. I would never take any other bus company in Thailand except VIP Express. Not all bus drivers and bus companies are bad and I drove VIP Express for almost 20 years already if I can't get a flight ticket. They even stopped banning alcohol at Morchit Terminal, a move that was organized by the Transport Ministry.

Surely no-one is questioning the bus driver or the bus company in this case. R.I.P. the driver and passengers killed and quick recovery for those injured.

The bus in this accident was hit head-on by a bulk cement carrier similar to this one. Not much the driver

could have done.

[Soikhaonoiken]

Very sad news,, R.I.P.

[bkkgriz]

This has made CNN International. Gruesome video. More carnage on the roads. How many deaths will it take until somebody does something?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_motor_vehicle_deaths_in_Thailand_by_year

But I guess it could be worse. Remind me to never drive in Eritrea.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_traffic-related_death_rate

Edited July 23, 2013 by bkkgriz

[GentlemanJim]

How did that bus get so completely engulfed in flames so quickly?

At a guess I would say the bus was loaded with propane/LPG tanks high speed impact, the lines fracture and wallah an almost instant fireball. Aren't they the big tanks right behind your seat in the boot of taxi's ?? (the reason your suitcase no longer fits in the boot!) Just prey you don't have a high speed shunt in the back of the taxi you ride in.

[Anon999]

Two in one day. Banner headlines, but little or no action on regulating the bus owners or their drivers safety standards. Stay alive tourists, don't take the bus or the trains these days.

Tell me what has that got to do with the cement lorry crossing over and running head-on into the bus? Do you read things before posting? Unlikely!

[jrincon17]

RIP !

[phutoie2]

Two in one day.  Banner headlines, but little or no action on regulating the bus owners or their drivers safety standards.  Stay alive tourists, don't take the bus or the trains these days.

Tell me what has that got to do with the cement lorry crossing over and running head-on into the bus? Do you read things before posting? Unlikely!

Yes have to agree, on channel 3 this morning lots of graphic coverage. Clearly explained the accident. That's putting it lightly.

Sent from my i-mobile IQ 2 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Tomtomtom69]

Very sad news, RIP the deseased and I hope the injured make a full recovery. Why did the cement truck cross to the wrong side of the road? Did the driver fall asleep? Was the driver passing another vehicle or was he distracted by dropping something in the truck cabin that caused him to lose control of the vehicle? Perhaps if the road laws were actually enforced instead of providing a way for police pockets to be filled road safety may improve. I know accidents happen all over the world, but they seem to happen more regularly here.

Maybe the vehicle driver's log book will show how many hours the driver has worked.

Do truck and bus drivers in Thailand even carry log books?

[darrendsd]

Two in one day. Banner headlines, but little or no action on regulating the bus owners or their drivers safety standards. Stay alive tourists, don't take the bus or the trains these days.

Can you read? The cement truck was at fault in this accident