Van crash in Sa Kaeo kills two, injures nine tourists

[webfact]

Van crash in Thailand kills two, injures nine tourists

SA KAEO: -- Two people were killed and nine tourists injured in Thailand when their minivan crashed into a truck, police said Monday.

Two Germans among the injured "are in critical condition, suffering from internal injuries and broken bones," said Siriporn Haemah, an intensive care worker at Samdej Phrayuphraraj Hospital in Sa Keow province, 150 kilometres east of Bangkok.

The tourists hired the van in Aranyaprathet on the Cambodian border to take them to Bangkok late Sunday, after they visited the Cambodian temple complex of Angkor Wat, said Major Boonnak Trachoo of the Sa Keow police.

"The bus smashed head-on into an 18-wheel truck that had swerved into the opposite lane to avoid hitting a car that had slowed down to pull into a petrol station," Boonnak said by telephone.

The crash killed the driver and a 54-year-old Taiwanese tourist.

The remaining nine passengers, all tourists, were injured, although some were released from hospital Monday.

Source: http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2013_09_02/Van-crash-in-Thailand-kills-two-injures-nine-tourists-6936/

-- THE VOICE OF RUSSIA 2013-09-02

[clockman]

Come to Thailand for the adventure of a lifetime! Get well soon, and r.i.p to the victims

[laurentbkk]

what to say , one more time, the very bad driving habit and lack in knowledge of Thai drivers cost the life of innocent people . I just wonder some time if the government is aware of those accidents as nothing ever change. Time to act ... or at least inform the tourists about the danger of Thai roads and Thai drivers.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

This latest death and injury toll comes on the heels of another terrible van crash just a week ago...

It's just NOT safe out there on the roadways... nor on the speedboats, nor on the jetskis, not on the trains, etc etc.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/663415-van-crash-kills-nine-in-chachoengsao-thailand/

Van crash kills nine in central Thailand

CHACHOENGSAO: -- Nine people were killed when a van crashed into a parked 10-wheel truck early Monday, Thai police said.

Five people were injured in the accident shortly before dawn in Chachoengsao province, 70 kilometres east of Bangkok, Police Lieutenant Pongsak Inpong said.

The van smashed into a truck parked in the emergency lane after attempting to pass a vehicle and swerving too far back to avoid an oncoming car in the opposite lane, Pongsak said.

Source: http://voiceofrussia...-Thailand-3554/

-- THE VOICE OF RUSSIA 2013-08-26

[clockman]

I call them victims because they are victims of a lawless Thai society driven by greed and corruption.

[Captor]

AGAIN!! When will all this crashes reach the western media?? Believe me, that is the only way to do something...

[yooper2001]

THE VAN

This is thailands version of WMD ( weapon of mass distruction ) I wouldn't travel in one of things if just to go to the hospital

[NongKhaiKid]

This latest death and injury toll comes on the heels of another terrible van crash just a week ago...

It's just NOT safe out there on the roadways... nor on the speedboats, nor on the jetskis, not on the trains, etc etc.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/663415-van-crash-kills-nine-in-chachoengsao-thailand/

Van crash kills nine in central Thailand

CHACHOENGSAO: -- Nine people were killed when a van crashed into a parked 10-wheel truck early Monday, Thai police said.

Five people were injured in the accident shortly before dawn in Chachoengsao province, 70 kilometres east of Bangkok, Police Lieutenant Pongsak Inpong said.

The van smashed into a truck parked in the emergency lane after attempting to pass a vehicle and swerving too far back to avoid an oncoming car in the opposite lane, Pongsak said.

Source: http://voiceofrussia...-Thailand-3554/

-- THE VOICE OF RUSSIA 2013-08-26

Yes and last week the headline was that officials were to " rein in " vans to prevent accidents etc

I wonder how much " reining in " has been conducted in the week since those fine words were publicised ? I think I can guess.

[DonaldBattles]

These van and bus drivers are out numbering the gangs in Pattaya and Phuket in killings.

When there is no enforcement of the law there can never be any respect for the laws.

[aechzen]

the thai sreets very very danger !!!

[Captor]

AGAIN!! When will all this crashes reach the western media?? Believe me, that is the only way to do something...

*Deleted post edited out*

I will try to claryfy it for you: If the western media expose all this car crashes in the media around the word all thai embassies will note and report home that there is a serious threat against the tourism which is the most important money source for Thailand. It use to say that if nothing else helps then hit the economy. That always helps.

And also, maybe it will inform the tourists that come to pay extra attention in the thai traffic. And avoid using vans.

Maybe you have a better idea? Sitting an complain and be negative here at Thaivisa on everything don´t help so much.

[happylarry]

Not wanting to defend the van drivers but has no one read the first post!!!

If a truck suddenly veers across the road into your lane just in front of you then there's not much any one can do about it.

I know it's usually the van drivers fault but don't hang this one out to dry when it obviously wasn't.

HL

[DocN]

So...obviously, this what not the van- drivers fault, as -if you read the OP- a TRUCK got in the lane, when THAT driver was trying to avoid running into a CAR, that slowed down to enter a gas- station.

I guess, we are talking about the "normal" lack of responsible driving on Thai- roads.

Maybe the car just didn't signal, maybe the truck was going too fast...

At the end of the day, just two more victims of a system that is rotten to the core..

No real driving tests, no enforcement of road- safety laws etc etc etc.

[Briggsy]

Most of the drivers of these vehicles have had no driver training and very little formal education. You might think the second point is not related to driving. Well it is, as their decision making skills related to risk and consequence are not developed.

These points above make them highly unsuitable to work as drivers driving passenger vehicles.

The government must ensure that drivers of minivans have the specific PSV licence and to get it they must show a minimum standard of driving far above what I experience every time I use one of these minivans.

It won't happen in my lifetime. Because, van routes in Thailand are controlled and vigorously protected by local strongmen (politician/police chief/army general, etc.) The drivers double as his thugs to ensure a monopoly on the route and that is their main qualification to do the job, protection of the strongman's monopoly and income stream.

[laurentbkk]

Not wanting to defend the van drivers but has no one read the first post!!!

If a truck suddenly veers across the road into your lane just in front of you then there's not much any one can do about it.

I know it's usually the van drivers fault but don't hang this one out to dry when it obviously wasn't.

HL

Yes you are right , in this case the fault is going to the truck driver .... ( by the way , did he flee the scene ?) but you have to admit that those accidents happened too often.

[btwretail]

Accidents happen everywhere in the world and this seems to be the truck drivers fault.

However, driving a motorbike around Bangkok on a daily bases, I must admit that driving here is a bit crazy. Nothing compared to Vietnam though...

[Thai at Heart]

Truck veers into path of van.

Dumb and dumber.

[kevc]

Going to Kap Cheong last week when two double deck tour buses travelling behind us put there hazard lights on overtook me and two big trucks. Coming the other way 500 yards up the road was a line of five trucks and cars everyone on both sides of the road had to pull into the motorbike lanes to avoid a big pile up. After the first had got through he lost control and snaked across the road for another two hundred yards. These people need to be controlled as every time we're on the 24 there's always problems caused by these idiots.

Sent from my GT-P5100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[JLCrab]

This accident took place, according to 'The Nation' report, at 3pm. However it seems a disproportionate number of traffic accidents happen between 11 PM and 5 AM which is a good reason to stay off the roads if at all possible during those times.

[GeorgeO]

So...obviously, this what not the van- drivers fault, as -if you read the OP- a TRUCK got in the lane, when THAT driver was trying to avoid running into a CAR, that slowed down to enter a gas- station.

I guess, we are talking about the "normal" lack of responsible driving on Thai- roads.

Maybe the car just didn't signal, maybe the truck was going too fast...

At the end of the day, just two more victims of a system that is rotten to the core..

No real driving tests, no enforcement of road- safety laws etc etc etc.

and don't forget, maybe no brake lights on the slowing car ...!

[boone57]

THAT'S why they always insist I ride up front!

[frankold]

If it was the road between sa kaew and the border its by far the most dangerous I've ever driven on.

A year or 2 ago I was heading towards the border. Whilst driving along a single carriageway straight there were 3x vehicles side by side coming towards me. A truck on the inside, another truck overtaking that. And then a double decker bus overtaking them. And here's what I saw next.......

Out pops a mini van to overtake the other 3x vehicles so there were now 4x vehicles across taking up the entire road. I pretty much had to pull off the road to avoid hitting it, he could see me coming but refused to move back in and just started flashing his lights.

[MaxYakov]

"The bus [sic}* smashed head-on into an 18-wheel truck that had swerved into the opposite lane to avoid hitting a car that had slowed down to pull into a petrol station," Boonnak said by telephone.

* = Must have intended 'minivan'

So ... how many of you folks condemning vans actually read the article beyond the title? I believe credit for this one goes to the 18-wheel truck driver, poor/outdated road design and a (probably) oblivious driver pulling into a petrol station.

Go ahead and blame the deceased van driver for failing to outmaneuver the oncoming 18-wheeler at a closing speed of maybe 200+ Kph or predict in real-time what the truck was going to do, if you wish. Or, alternatively, blame the van manufacturer for failing to produce a van that can adequately protect the passengers (probably without seat belts fastened) in an at-speed, head-on collision with an 18-wheel truck. Rant complete. Ignore this and all subsequent rants.

Condolences to the departed and their family and friends and a quick recovery for the injured.

[arthurwait]

This accident took place, according to 'The Nation' report, at 3pm. However it seems a disproportionate number of traffic accidents happen between 11 PM and 5 AM which is a good reason to stay off the roads if at all possible during those times.

Hmmm it's a mystery Mr Crab. It's a long shot but is it because they are drunk , I mean even drunker than normal. But then again after midnight there's a lot less drunks on the road so it's lots of drunks all day long versus less drunks but steaming drunk at night.

[chmod777]

359 highway has well earned the nickname my friend gave it - Death Adder Road. By coincidence, he drove past this spot a couple hours before this accident.

They are finally widening 359, let's hope the contractors do a better job than with the original - shoddy work that started falling apart within months after it was first built.

[beerbelly]

Roughly 50 arrests, mostly for improper documentation / licenses at BKK airport yesterday morning...

However, the "ghost" vans got away with a 1000 baht "fine" and the question which influential person protected them, while the official ones where jailed or released on 40k bail to be taken to court this morning.to receive a 10k fine.

This latest death and injury toll comes on the heels of another terrible van crash just a week ago...

It's just NOT safe out there on the roadways... nor on the speedboats, nor on the jetskis, not on the trains, etc etc.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/663415-van-crash-kills-nine-in-chachoengsao-thailand/

Van crash kills nine in central Thailand

CHACHOENGSAO: -- Nine people were killed when a van crashed into a parked 10-wheel truck early Monday, Thai police said.

Five people were injured in the accident shortly before dawn in Chachoengsao province, 70 kilometres east of Bangkok, Police Lieutenant Pongsak Inpong said.

The van smashed into a truck parked in the emergency lane after attempting to pass a vehicle and swerving too far back to avoid an oncoming car in the opposite lane, Pongsak said.

Source: http://voiceofrussia...-Thailand-3554/

-- THE VOICE OF RUSSIA 2013-08-26

Yes and last week the headline was that officials were to " rein in " vans to prevent accidents etc

I wonder how much " reining in " has been conducted in the week since those fine words were publicised ? I think I can guess.

[lostmebike]

I call them victims because they are victims of a lawless Thai society driven by greed and corruption.

My friend, your quote is so sad yet so perfectly put.

[zabaleta]

can feel a 'if you don't like the place,don't go/go home' vibe surfacing....boring.

[NongKhaiKid]

Roughly 50 arrests, mostly for improper documentation / licenses at BKK airport yesterday morning...

However, the "ghost" vans got away with a 1000 baht "fine" and the question which influential person protected them, while the official ones where jailed or released on 40k bail to be taken to court this morning.to receive a 10k fine.

This latest death and injury toll comes on the heels of another terrible van crash just a week ago...

It's just NOT safe out there on the roadways... nor on the speedboats, nor on the jetskis, not on the trains, etc etc.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/663415-van-crash-kills-nine-in-chachoengsao-thailand/

Van crash kills nine in central Thailand

CHACHOENGSAO: -- Nine people were killed when a van crashed into a parked 10-wheel truck early Monday, Thai police said.

Five people were injured in the accident shortly before dawn in Chachoengsao province, 70 kilometres east of Bangkok, Police Lieutenant Pongsak Inpong said.

The van smashed into a truck parked in the emergency lane after attempting to pass a vehicle and swerving too far back to avoid an oncoming car in the opposite lane, Pongsak said.

Source: http://voiceofrussia...-Thailand-3554/

-- THE VOICE OF RUSSIA 2013-08-26

Yes and last week the headline was that officials were to " rein in " vans to prevent accidents etc

I wonder how much " reining in " has been conducted in the week since those fine words were publicised ? I think I can guess.

Thanks for the info, very interesting.

You raised the age old question of protection which never seems to be addressed but again we can guess why.

[ghworker2010]

the van drivers who do the victory monument to Hua hin drive are the worst. Im surprised there are not more crashes on this route.