Van crash kills nine in Chachoengsao, Thailand

[SOTIRIOS]

.....I suppose the driver survived....

....and he will be treated like a hero by his drunken buddies....

...regardless of rules and regulations....and their enforcement or lack of enforcement.....

....these accidents are caused by 'impaired judgement'.....either due to alcohol or drug abuse.....lack of sleep....or 'unsound mind'......

...that is the sad truth....and the reason why things will not change any time soon...

(....if there was some kind of enforcement....severe penalties....jail time.....things might change a bit....)

....now you see the real cost of 'slipping a little something'.....or.....'namedropping'..

..hundreds and thousands of human lives...and the lives of their families and loved ones ruined...

[johnlandy]

RIP those lost and hopes for a speedy recovery for those injured.

This has become so familiar to me living here that it just doesn't shock me anymore; kind of just wake up expecting the next one. Very sad situation.

The only time that I will be concerned is when it is someone 'near and dear' to me.

As for the rest of the population if they are not concerned about their own safety why exactly should I be.

WOW. What a comment. how can you be so certain that all 9 people that died where not concerned about there own safety.

One of the worst posts I have ever read.

G

Everybody is responsible for themselves (excepting young children) everybody has a choice.

If they were concerned there are doors thru which they could have alighted.

And if you think it was 'the worst' keep on reading TV and I will try to out do myself "just for you"

[LUSHGOAT]

Most of these minibus and bus drivers are down right idiots they drive like they're in a computer game with little or no regard for their passengers not realizing if they crash they too could be killed but more often than not these idiots escape. One drove up a lane for a U turn to try shoot the lights at about 120 kmh hit my friend who was turning right and actually bent his 3 day old pickup in the middle both my friends were injured and two weeks later one had to have brain surgery. Also the idiot bus driver was intoxicated. Lucky for my friend some good Thai people witnessed the accident and gave statement in favor of my friend. The law will have to do something to stop this carnage and also put speed limiters on such vehicles.

[deecee10]

And so the carnage continues.

We know that road traffic accidents of some sort are inevitable but the recklessness with which many people in this country drive is terrifying.

We get these stories time after time and it appears that no-one in authority cares enough to do anything meaningful about it.

Seemingly an acceptable rate of attrition.

[johnlandy]

One of the many reasons why Thailand is fast becoming a hi-risk tourist destination.

Correction! "it is already one of the most dangerous destinations on the planet" (and it's not gonna get any better)

[mikemac]

I realize two wrongs don't make a right, but when I am on the road I treat maniacs driving vans with contempt. Hate the way they seem to think they have more rights than anyone else using the roads.

All I can do elsewise is to refuse to step foot in a van, or allow any member of my family to travel in one.

[mikemac]

As bad as the driving experience is here in Thailand, I honestly regard China, India and Vietnam even worse. I believe driving in Russia is quite scary as well, as in "wear your brown jocks" scary.

[Scott]

Nasty, troll posts and replies have been deleted.

[indyuk]

Thailand is a third world nation and as with all third world nations the standards applied to transportation regulations the servicing of highways, the testing of vehicles and the licensing of drivers is a joke. That is why we face so much risk when we travel in Thailand.

[Pui]

This is becoming a regular event. Its so sad that the authorities do not seem concerned enough to enforce laws to apprehend these maniac drivers. So sad and such a waste of human life.

[kimamey]

after seeing the video of about 10 charred corpses being pulled from a minivan crash between pattaya and bkk a few months ago it made me a bit weary of vans.

last time i was in one crammed in like a sardine i tried to imagine what i would do if the vehicle crashed and caught fire. truth is there is your chances would be slim.

- driver always locks the doors from his control panel in the front (anyone know why?)

- windows don't slide open far enough for anyone to get out

so your option would be

- to try to scramble for the front door and hope to god it's not locked

-unlock the doors via control panel in front

- break a window

car windows do not break easy.

scrambling for an exit in a van overloaded with luggage and panicked/injured people that is rapidly turning into a incinerator with no way out i think would be an incredibly bad way to die.

Why on earth do drivers insist on locking the doors with the controls in the front all the time? It's not like carjacking is rampant or likely to happen on the trip between pattaya and bangkok!

I don't get minivans anymore only bus. buses arn't exactly safe either but I feel they are better than the above scenario and less overloaded

Unless those passengers are using seatbelts anyone near the front might be crushed anyway.

I think in some cases the doors unlock if the van hits something. Of course some criminals use this by ramming the back of the van into the vehicle in front so unlocking the doors.

It certainly is scary.

RIP

[kimamey]

I travel in that area at least twice a week. There are a lot of accidents. My condolences to the family and friends of the victims. May the injured make a speedy recovery.

Did the driver survive?

According to the Thai press, he survived with serious injuries, and so cannot give a statement.

The cops arrested the lorry driver instead.

There were 16 people in the van - 9 dead, 7 injured.

IN Channel news at 1200hrs said the driver told police he did not see the lorry and ran into it but it was described as an 18 wheeler. Lots to be considered, it was 0540hrs so still not full daylight, lights or otherwise on the truck and what the van driver was doing.

Another tragedy.

Very true. There are a lot of vehicles without working lights.

[kimamey]

Sickening - the whole van-crash saga, from the day I first arrived in Thailand in 2010 until now. How many?

But will Thais do anything about it? ....

I will never forget the first ex gf replying to my expression of concern about a news item photo, showing a mangled van and dead bodies, with pools of vehicle and human fluids. She said, referring to the photo: "Why you worry? Is it Takhli van?" Speechless with bewilderment, I retreated.

Fortunately not all Thais are like that but I know what you mean.

[Norabone]

Stop putting professional driving licences into bags of rice.

[DGIE]

Reckless driver...i hope other vehicles have seen the scene so to at least remind them to drive safely.

[maximillian]

I wonder if the manufacturers of these Vans, be it Toyota or any other one, ever spend a thought about safety of their products.

Speed limiters, more emergency exits... No ?

[kimamey]

RIP those lost and hopes for a speedy recovery for those injured.

This has become so familiar to me living here that it just doesn't shock me anymore; kind of just wake up expecting the next one. Very sad situation.

The only time that I will be concerned is when it is someone 'near and dear' to me.

As for the rest of the population if they are not concerned about their own safety why exactly should I be.

WOW. What a comment. how can you be so certain that all 9 people that died where not concerned about there own safety.

One of the worst posts I have ever read.

G

Everybody is responsible for themselves (excepting young children) everybody has a choice.

If they were concerned there are doors thru which they could have alighted.

And if you think it was 'the worst' keep on reading TV and I will try to out do myself "just for you"

I don't know the full details about this incident but on a more general level there are many reasons why people might be in this situation even if they are concerned.

If you realise the driver is dangerous whilst driving at speed and you decide to get out you have to wait until he stops. In this case it was early in the morning so there might not be the opportunity. If it's dark and outside of town will you be safe anyway, particularly if you're a lone woman? Are there any alternatives to travelling by van which are available to you? If the driver is driving safely how do you know that the other vehicles aren't being driven badly or have no lights.

Thailand has a problem with it's roads and how they are used. There are some old vehicles but the majority are fairly new so are, in non Buddhist years 21st century. The roads, law enforcement and driver training and testing are nowhere near the same level. I'm fairly certain that in the UK at least the driving test has never taken place in a car park. Basically they and many similar countries have available to them technology from developed countries but they don't seem to want to take the regulation and responsibility ect. that goes with it.

In the end it's up to them to decide if they care about their people young and old. If they decide they would rather have dead adults and children than properly enforced rules then that says a lot more about them than smiles and temples ever will.

Maybe someone should ask the transport minister what he thinks about these accidents and what he's doing about it.

[atyclb]

RIP those lost and hopes for a speedy recovery for those injured.

This has become so familiar to me living here that it just doesn't shock me anymore; kind of just wake up expecting the next one. Very sad situation.

The only time that I will be concerned is when it is someone 'near and dear' to me.

As for the rest of the population if they are not concerned about their own safety why exactly should I be.

WOW. What a comment. how can you be so certain that all 9 people that died where not concerned about there own safety.

One of the worst posts I have ever read.

G

I have been a passenger in those vans many times. Seat belts are typically disabled, either wrapped tightly away from usable position or are bound together with industrial plastic ties. I have re-enabled my seat belt or swapped seats to one with a functional belt. At times the driver/staff seemed amused by me needing to use a seat belt. Thai's on every van I've ever been on did not use seat belts nor even appear to care / or be aware of the concept of belts.

Additionally I would estimate 80-90% of taxi drivers do not use the seat belt unless they see a cop then will often drape it momentarily.

In that respect it would seem they do not care about their safety. IMO the issue is lack of education / awareness / apathy. My Thai friends with cars typically use seat belts but they also have had the benefit of higher education and some have studied abroad.

Edited August 26, 2013 by atyclb

[John Egil]

Yeah, these hardly make the news here they are so common. It would be nice if the Thai police were to do some traffic law enforcement every once and a while.

They are too busy arresting balloon vendors

[Captor]

It would be interesting to put all the articles about car crashes in one year together in one big article and send that to the bigger newspapers.

Or send that to foreign countries media and TV. I notices all the time, that the thai people themselve are not informed via media about all this crashes. They do not

know anything about that.

Maybe in Bangkok but not often in the rest of Thailand.

There must come pressure from media in other countries about this problem. Pressure on the governement

that they must do something in order to not lose tourists. Meaning losing money. That is the only way. Hit the wallet normally helps.

[lookingeast]

RIP those lost and hopes for a speedy recovery for those injured.

This has become so familiar to me living here that it just doesn't shock me anymore; kind of just wake up expecting the next one. Very sad situation.

The only time that I will be concerned is when it is someone 'near and dear' to me.

As for the rest of the population if they are not concerned about their own safety why exactly should I be.

Yes - whenever i see a driver anywhere driving like a suicidal prat, i always think : if he crashes and dies so what. But what you've somehow managed to overlook with your comment, is that it was only the DRIVER who was unconcerned about safety - how about sadly remembering the innocent victim-passengers ?

[peecee]

I travel in that area at least twice a week. There are a lot of accidents. My condolences to the family and friends of the victims. May the injured make a speedy recovery.

Did the driver survive?

According to the Thai press, he survived with serious injuries, and so cannot give a statement.

The cops arrested the lorry driver instead.

There were 16 people in the van - 9 dead, 7 injured.

Maybe the lorry driver had stopped for an illegal break in the emergency lane, the cop's have to finger someone. Have they not heard you can arrest someone in hospital!

[peecee]

In my experience the minivan drivers are consistently among the most undisciplined and arrogantly bad drivers on the highways.

Yeh; they flash their headlights and overtake even when there's no chance of making the overtake without the oncoming vehicles getting out of the way!

Crazy bleeders; and it's often not them doing the bleeding!!

[arthurwait]

I travel in that area at least twice a week. There are a lot of accidents. My condolences to the family and friends of the victims. May the injured make a speedy recovery.

Did the driver survive?

According to the Thai press, he survived with serious injuries, and so cannot give a statement.

The cops arrested the lorry driver instead.

There were 16 people in the van - 9 dead, 7 injured.

Not the first time and they will if they think the other person has more money.

[Colabamumbai]

I do the hour van from Kalsin to Khon Kaen 80 Baht 78 kms, on a regular basis, they do drive 100-120 if road conditions allow, the highway is good. No problems yet, and I do put on my seatbelt.

[kannot]

If there is one thing I hate its those idiots that come over to your lane and expect you to get out of their way so they can overtake. They do this in blind corners hills ect. Without a police doing some serious policing and just fining motorbikes for not being in the death lane eh i mean left lane. It would be good to see the police do some serious policing and seriously fine guys like that a few 1000 bt.

Ha I recently refused to move out of the way and got a pm chastising me for doing this because the other guy then spun out of control turning his vehicle over, serves him right in my opinion I have nothing but distain for anyone who thinks its ok to overtake KNOWING full well cars are coming the other way.

[kimamey]

If there is one thing I hate its those idiots that come over to your lane and expect you to get out of their way so they can overtake. They do this in blind corners hills ect. Without a police doing some serious policing and just fining motorbikes for not being in the death lane eh i mean left lane. It would be good to see the police do some serious policing and seriously fine guys like that a few 1000 bt.

Ha I recently refused to move out of the way and got a pm chastising me for doing this because the other guy then spun out of control turning his vehicle over, serves him right in my opinion I have nothing but distain for anyone who thinks its ok to overtake KNOWING full well cars are coming the other way.

I can understand the feeling although it's only happened a couple of times to me. In one case I flashed back and he backed off fortunately. I'm not sure how far I'd push it though. The driver may deserve it but not their family if they have one or anyone else they take out when they lose control. This is why the police should be doing more so this doesn't happen so often

Edited August 26, 2013 by kimamey

[transam]

Next week will read the same stuff. Guaranteed, sadly.

[Asiantravel]

I get very close to speaking out when a driver of these vans speeds, tailgates and starts dialling numbers on his mobile telephone all simultaneously. But when the van is full and I'm the only foreigner I look at other passengers and they usually seem totally nonchalant.

Under the circumstances I really feel I want to tell the driver to concentrate on his responsibility of getting us to our destination safely but you never know what kind of reaction you would get.

[Andre0720]

Yeah, these hardly make the news here they are so common. It would be nice if the Thai police were to do some traffic law enforcement every once and a while.

Police just does not have enough time ...

Perhaps once they finished the crack-down on laughing-gas balloons...