Deadly crash highlights dangers to Thailand tourists

[rucus7]

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

Quite frankly they couldn't care less.

Oh, I don't think that is the case at all. In fact it has little or nothing with disdain. Many , if not most believe you will be returning for another life. So make enough merit ad you will have nothing to worry about. Your next go round you may be rich. After all is said and done it is truly a different culture. While I may find their driving abominable and nerve racking. I have become more or less use to it. my reflexes are now catlike.

[metisdead]

Off topic posts have been removed.

[paddyjenkins]

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

flying is safe enough because many of the pilots are actually western or otherwise foreign, as opposed to thai. where the pilot is thai they will have been trained to the high standards of the west and will be fired if they do not behave...and threats of violence/tantrums/bribes etc won't help them and they know that. its the buses etc where the typical thai mentality is allowed to run amok that the dangers exist.

[hellodolly]

Nothing will be done until foreign embassies and the world media put pressure on the politicians. As soon as it starts hitting the pockets of the tour companies, which are controlled by influential persons, politicians and Thai mafia, nothing will happen. There is to much money involved, maintenance on Vans, busses and trains are minimal, if you do maintenance it cost money and reduces profit.

Most foreign countries have their own problems to deal with.

Like it or not tourism in Thailand is growing not declining. The only thing that affects the tour companies is the economy in the country they are operating in.

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.

Most of the long distance busses here have windows that you have to break to get out. There are a couple of little emergency hammer along the inside of the busses. Unfortunately no instruction how to use them. As a ex-firefighter I know that you have to hit one of the corner of the window glass with the point in the hammer to break it easily . How many people know that ? What about emergency light in the busses here ? Probably none. I use the seat belt when I use Nakornchai Air to travel by bus. Normally I am the only one using the seat belt.

Thanks I didn't know that. Next time I travel on one I will make a point of noticing where they are located.

[wayned]

A new tradegy, train crash, 45 dead, 70 injured. Happened this morning but guess what, in Spain not in Thailand. Accidents happen everywhere all of the time in every country worldwide. Because we live here we hear more about them!

[ginjag]

A new tradegy, train crash, 45 dead, 70 injured. Happened this morning but guess what, in Spain not in Thailand. Accidents happen everywhere all of the time in every country worldwide. Because we live here we hear more about them!

Do you think we don't know ??/ the stats show how high on the list Thailand is for road deaths etc., what are you trying to say ?? because we live here doesn't mean we cut ourselves off from world news. So many posters post the same as you, but not seem to discuss why so many more here than the REST. and the impact it could have on tourism.

[gudtymchuk]

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

flying is safe enough because many of the pilots are actually western or otherwise foreign, as opposed to thai. where the pilot is thai they will have been trained to the high standards of the west and will be fired if they do not behave...and threats of violence/tantrums/bribes etc won't help them and they know that. its the buses etc where the typical thai mentality is allowed to run amok that the dangers exist.

Every time I look up and see a Thai Airways plane taking off or landing I pray the Thai guy at the controls is a better flyer than he is a driver..... Generally speaking of course.

[Asiantravel]

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

flying is safe enough because many of the pilots are actually western or otherwise foreign, as opposed to thai. where the pilot is thai they will have been trained to the high standards of the west and will be fired if they do not behave...and threats of violence/tantrums/bribes etc won't help them and they know that. its the buses etc where the typical thai mentality is allowed to run amok that the dangers exist.

Every time I look up and see a Thai Airways plane taking off or landing I pray the Thai guy at the controls is a better flyer than he is a driver..... Generally speaking of course.

Thai people seem to think they can apply the road rules when they choose without thinking of the potential consequences to other road users, such as when they ride or drive the wrong way against the traffic. This is a mindset and I would find it very hard to believe that they can automatically switch off and become so much more disciplined regarding safe piloting and not be tempted to cut corners when at the controls of an

aircraft ?

[thhMan]

When trade relations are at stake, that when the Thais that matter will take notice. It wont be the locals and it wont be the expats that they will listen, because they already are ruled by the Govt.

Perhaps petitions should be made to our Governments, newspapers and blogs.

After all, Thailand will only listen when it gets bitch-slapped by the world.

Edited July 25, 2013 by thhMan