Deadly crash highlights dangers to Thailand tourists

[webfact]

Deadly crash highlights dangers to Thailand tourists
By Karla Cripps and Simon Busch, CNN

(CNN) -- A deadly bus crash in Thailand has raised further concerns about travel safety in a country increasingly known for not just its beautiful beaches but also the high volume of road-related deaths that occur every year.

At least 19 people died Tuesday morning at about 4 a.m. when a Bangkok-bound chartered bus collided with a truck and burst into flames.

According to police, the truck driver was on his way to a factory when he dozed off at the wheel and lost control of the vehicle.

The crash comes a day after reports that a tour bus making its way to Bangkok from Phang-nga province crashed in the southern province of Prachuap Khiri Khan, injuring 22.

For people who live in Thailand, news headlines highlighting passenger bus and mini-van accidents have become an almost weekly occurrence.

The country has one of the world's worst road-safety records, according to figures from the World Health Organization. [read more...]

Full story: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/07/23/travel/thailand-tourist-safety/?hpt=hp_c5

-- CNN 2013-07-24

[GaoYuk]

I'm sure the new Ministry of Transport are coming up with a new 60 day plan as we type..Zzzz!

[Mampara]

Thailand is fast becoming a 'high risk' country as far as tourism is concerned, and can be placed in par with some of the countries in Africa. which will ultimately be a 'no go area' if they don't do something fast.

[trainman34014]

The World's media needs to become a lot more involved before the Thai Government will take any notice. Real pressure to do things will only come from the Thai people themselves though and individually they don't care as long as it doesn't affect them or their family. The truth behind 'Thainess' is all about ME.ME,ME !!

[theblether]

Thais treat tourist lives with even more disdain than they treat their own lives.

Quite frankly they couldn't care less.

[coma]

More picks of the truely burnt out bus can be found here. Some a little graphic http://www.dailynews.co.th/thailand/220942

[TomTao]

Thailand has to do something about road safety, that includes road maintainance, some of the potholes are huge, rough uneven surfaces, driviers overtaking at speed on blind corners, reckless disregard for the road rules (if the drivers know them at all), lax law enforcement including officers taking bribes to look the other way. I have been driving my car when I have been unable to avoid a patch of road that has been gouged out by overloaded trucks and had to fight for control as the car bounced sideways through the cratered surface. I have face cars, trucks, busses and motorbike coming at me on the wrong side of the road around a blind corner, thier response when they see you, flash thier headlight to say 'out of the way I'm coming through' with no apparent care for thier safety or anyone else's. some people may say that corruption doesn't hurt them, well it does, how much money intended for road maitainance finds it's way into the pockets of local government officials, contractors, forman and police officers who come to 'inspect. whatever work is being done, all of it takes away from what should be done and lowers the safety standard resulting in loss of life in combination with other factors.

[Payboy]

Cost of insurance for inbound tourists just went up a notch.

[Time Traveller]

Thailand is fast becoming a 'high risk' country as far as tourism is concerned, and can be placed in par with some of the countries in Africa. which will ultimately be a 'no go area' if they don't do something fast.

Apparently high risk is what the quality tourists want.

[GirlDrinkDrunk]

Perhaps the headline "Deadly crash highlights danger to people who take busses" would be more apt.

To my recollection far more Thais were killed than any other group.

[simple1]

The link in the OP is still reporting approx 9,600 road deaths a year, whereas the true figure, confirmed by a senior Thai government official, is closer to 26,000, placing Thailand as 6th worldwide in road deaths per 100,000 of population.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Road-death-toll-in-Thailand-among-highest-in-the-w-30202066.html

[OzMick]

If it's an option, take the train.

The number of deaths annually attributed to train travel in Thailand approaches SFA.

[noitom]

Thais treat tourist lives with even more disdain than they treat their own lives.

Quite frankly they couldn't care less.

Sad but true.

[robblok]

Perhaps the headline "Deadly crash highlights danger to people who take busses" would be more apt.

To my recollection far more Thais were killed than any other group.

Learn something about statistics at any given time there will be more Thais in Thailand then tourist so its quite normal for more dead Thais as tourists.

These accidents really do highlight the dangers for tourists as it shows how unsafe the country is.

[technologybytes]

On this occasion it does appear that the bus driver was not at fault, and honestly with a head on collision between a bus and a heavy truck there is not much chance of survival if you are in the front of the bus.

Certainly some of those killed appear to have survived the crash and then died as a result of being trapped in the bus when it caught fire, so fire safety precautions may have saved lives, but don't think this couldn't happen in the west because it does.

[GirlDrinkDrunk]

Perhaps the headline "Deadly crash highlights danger to people who take busses" would be more apt.

To my recollection far more Thais were killed than any other group.

Learn something about statistics at any given time there will be more Thais in Thailand then tourist so its quite normal for more dead Thais as tourists.

These accidents really do highlight the dangers for tourists as it shows how unsafe the country is.

beyond the very firm grasp of the obvious you demonstrate, and as i very simply stated, statistically the danger to everyone, not only tourists is high.

sorting out transport safety for everyone will benefit tourists as well as, well, everyone.

[Bluespunk]

The World's media needs to become a lot more involved before the Thai Government will take any notice. Real pressure to do things will only come from the Thai people themselves though and individually they don't care as long as it doesn't affect them or their family. The truth behind 'Thainess' is all about ME.ME,ME !!

The latest tragedy where 19 people died is being reported on the BBC

[GirlDrinkDrunk]

Perhaps the headline "Deadly crash highlights danger to people who take busses" would be more apt.

To my recollection far more Thais were killed than any other group.

Learn something about statistics at any given time there will be more Thais in Thailand then tourist so its quite normal for more dead Thais as tourists.

These accidents really do highlight the dangers for tourists as it shows how unsafe the country is.

beyond the very firm grasp of the obvious you demonstrate, and as i very simply stated, statistically the danger to everyone, not only tourists is high.

sorting out transport safety for everyone will benefit tourists as well as, well, everyone.

[robblok]

Perhaps the headline "Deadly crash highlights danger to people who take busses" would be more apt.

To my recollection far more Thais were killed than any other group.

Learn something about statistics at any given time there will be more Thais in Thailand then tourist so its quite normal for more dead Thais as tourists.

These accidents really do highlight the dangers for tourists as it shows how unsafe the country is.

beyond the very firm grasp of the obvious you demonstrate, and as i very simply stated, statistically the danger to everyone, not only tourists is high.

sorting out transport safety for everyone will benefit tourists as well as, well, everyone.

Yes but the difference is this made it into the foreign news, in general how bad it is here does get publicized much in other countries. But this time it hit the foreign newspapers so its all true what is said here.

[hansnl]

The World's media needs to become a lot more involved before the Thai Government will take any notice. Real pressure to do things will only come from the Thai people themselves though and individually they don't care as long as it doesn't affect them or their family. The truth behind 'Thainess' is all about ME.ME,ME !!

The latest tragedy where 19 people died is being reported on the BBC

Reports on TV and/or newspapers in Belgium, Germany, The Netherlands, Sweden. Denmark......

And probably in most other European countries.

Lately the amount of negative news about Thailand in Europe is growinf very fast.

[Robby nz]

I wonder how many tourists each year are killed in bus accidents compared to being killed by other means?

I suspect the number killed in buses would be quite a small percentage.

Then there is the overall number of people killed on the road each year compared to those killed in buses.

I suspect that would be an even smaller percentage.

That would make cars and motorcy far more dangerous than buses.

With far more potential for loonies to be driving cars than those driving buses.

Of course bus accidents get the publicity which your several (many) a day car accidents and deaths do not.

In this case I doubt there was anything the bus driver could have done to avoid a truck suddenly swerving across the median strip and hitting him head on and nothing any of you could have done either if it had happened to you.

No amount of driver training and experience would help.

It is a terrible accident and if something can be learnt from it to make things safer on the roads then great.

Condolences to the families of those killed and I hope a speedy and full recovery to the injured.

[Suradit69]

Perhaps the headline "Deadly crash highlights danger to people who take busses" would be more apt.

To my recollection far more Thais were killed than any other group.

Yes, I was thinking the same thing. And most of the TV posters seem solely concerned with the impact on tourism above all else.

Why is the safety of tourists paramount to the safety of people generally? Sort of like saying that an airplane crash highlights the danger faced by people travelling First Class ... the people travelling in "steerage" were unfortunate collateral damage of no account.

[belg]

so we all know the roads are dangerous, the sea ( s ) also with their speedboats, jetski's

what do we need next? some airplane crashes to be sure thailand is dangerous for

road, sky and sea and ... SEX

[rubberduck]

Does anyone know the detailed statistics of foreigners killed yearly in Thailand ?

Send from my Asus FONEPAD

[Hunter88]

Is there really anything new here? Another day another bus crash. Amazing Thailand!

[thhMan]

Nothing will get solved in Thailand.

It is the responsibility of our countries to say enough is enough and tell Thailand to lift its game or be denied things in return. Thailand will only have 2 choices, abide or be isolated...

I wouldn't be surprised if our countries even offered to assist some of the changes.... However to do so should also have a clause that the money and any work done is supervised by the giving countries experts and not left to Thailand's incompetent experts.

[Suradit69]

so we all know the roads are dangerous, the sea ( s ) also with their speedboats, jetski's

what do we need next? some airplane crashes to be sure thailand is dangerous for

road, sky and sea and ... SEX

Don't forget balconies.

Apparently foreigners need some instruction videos on incoming flights to ensure they understand how to use these devious devices found only in Thailand.

Nothing will get solved in Thailand.

It is the responsibility of our countries to say enough is enough and tell Thailand to lift its game or be denied things in return. Thailand will only have 2 choices, abide or be isolated...

I wouldn't be surprised if our countries even offered to assist some of the changes.... However to do so should also have a clause that the money and any work done is supervised by the giving countries experts and not left to Thailand's incompetent experts.

"or be denied things in return."

Like the same ease of obtaining visas ... oh wait, most countries already deny entry to Thais unless they jump through numerous hoops.

Yes, foreign experts have flooded Africa to great effect. "Experts" are a dime a dozen worldwide. Usually they erect air conditioned gated communities with swimming pools and limited access shopping for themselves and then every expert gets a Land Rover and nothing is accomplished except to make the locals realize what idiots foreigners are.

Edited July 24, 2013 by Suradit69

[LuckyLew]

It highlights the fact that the powers that be do not care

they all have their police convoy so they never see and

are never part of an accident

Mai pen rai

[Suffinator]

Took a trip to Central in Phuket. The Chaofa West Road is in an appalling state and it's definitely NOT safe for motorbikes. Traffic is horrendous and the drive was like the Indy races and a complete free-for-all.

Read this -

Thailand Tourism Safety Concerning Foreign Diplomats

[hgma]

doze off..........exactly THE problem here.

Concentrating is a curse....brain drains caused by pinball mindsets often accelerated by the mighty Ya maa(ba) cult of truckdrivers.

all this doesn't bring the people back whom perished...........change will (never happen)

I am sincerely in my condolences to the families involved.

Horrific scenes.