Van crash in Sa Kaeo kills two, injures nine tourists

[dcutman]

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

I notice the OP is from The Voice Of Russia, with no details , not uncommon at all. The same accident, is being reported in the BP, Via Thai Rath. A Thai Rath reporter interviewed the investigating officer for the accident scene, and has more detail about the crash.

For those that dont want to read the BP article. A brief summery of what it says.

Pol Lt Col Boonnark Trachoo, an investigator at Muang Sa Kaeo police satiation,

The van driver, was at a high rate of speed passing a car in the opposite lane, and did not return to his own lane quick enough, hitting the side of the 18 wheeled truck.

I am not sure why these two stories are completely opposite, and where The Voice of Russia info came from. If you can or have somebody that can read Thai, the story in Thai Rath is much more extensive.

[pcgeekz05]

Thai driver's are like that...especially these drivers: Van, Bus, Tuktuk and Motorcycles. They have all the same thing in common.. they are all RETARDED/Moron when it comes in driving, they are always in a hurry to die..

[stevehaigh]

reading these comments you'd think Thailand was the only country that has traffic accidents

[moe666]

The usual lets jump on the bandwagon bash the drivers, the horse is dead but many here continue to beat it.

[robertson468]

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

Or Thai Airways by all accounts if you hit turbulance . RIP to all those who have lost their lives.

[gemini81]

The usual lets jump on the bandwagon bash the drivers, the horse is dead but many here continue to beat it.

The usual bash the other posters troll post- despite being a reader, forum member and very active poster himself.

[nomad127]

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

I would wager a bet that both the truck and the van were red lining the speed odometers.

[mrfill]

reading these comments you'd think Thailand was the only country that has traffic accidents

Very true. However, based on the WHO figures, only Niue and the Dominican Republic have higher rates of road deaths per 100,000. It is over 3x the rate for USA and over 10x the rate for UK

[lostmebike]

reading these comments you'd think Thailand was the only country that has traffic accidents

Can I ask Steve, are there as many senseless RTA's in your country as there are here?

Edited September 2, 2013 by lostmebike

[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/

Or Thai Airways by all accounts if you hit turbulance . RIP to all those who have lost their lives.

I didn't see any final explanation of just what happened with the THAI Airways 380, and why it ran into that turbulence.

But in general, some things do happen because of acts of nature and chance.

However, when it comes to road carnage here in Thailand, it's almost always human actions or failure to act that causes the carnage.

Those things most definitely are avoidable, if the Thais (and the drunken tourists and expats) gave a rat's A...

Edited September 2, 2013 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[maximillian]

Went around Samui on the motorbike today. Guess how many crazy driving I've seen within an hour.

Not only Vans, Trucks, Pick-ups, Motorcycles, Concrete Truck, you name it.

Careless, even more careless, most careless, Thai careless...

[lee b]

RIP to the poor victims

[ikan]

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.

it is only that section between sa kaew and the border that is single lane each way. rest of the road to bkk is dual carriage each way separated by a strip of something. so this accident is only possible there.

as for the other bit, you have to follow the local unwritten road rules not those in your own country.

elsewhere frequently have been in buses that turn across the dual each way to get to the LPG station. freaks me out knowing this happens multi times each day all over the country.

[Confuscious]

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

You took the words out of my mouth, HL.

A few weeks ago, when everybody was accusing the bus driver in a crash between a bus and a 16 wheeler.

But on the newsflash it was clearly written that the bus was hit by a 16-wheeler when the driver fell asleep and his truck crossed the lanes.

I think that a lot of TV readers need to learn to read again.

[LuckyLew]

another day in Thailand ... another van accident .... more needless loss of life

RIP to those who left us too early

If you look at the thairath web site you can see a photo of van post-accident

[yourauntbob]

The usual lets jump on the bandwagon bash the drivers, the horse is dead but many here continue to beat it.

should we bash the manufacturers of the vans? whos fault would you say this is?

[peecee]

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.

I know how dangerous Thai roads are, they drive like lunatics at the best of times; however,I think the lorry driver (possibly driving to close to the car in front) swerving into the oncoming van was more significant in the cause of the accident than a dead van driver's actions who cannot defend himself! Also; did the vehicle pulling into the station indicate?

I'm sure the BIB's special accident investigation team need to find answers to a lot more questions before we condemn the van drivers actions.

[ikan]

The usual lets jump on the bandwagon bash the drivers, the horse is dead but many here continue to beat it.

should we bash the manufacturers of the vans? whos fault would you say this is?

the govt for not upgrading that road to duel each way given the amount of truck transporting goods to cambodia, gamblers going to the casino, farang doing border runs or going to anchor wat.? but you have to look after the bkk airlines monoploy route to siem reap dont you!

Edited September 2, 2013 by ikan

[ratcatcher]

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

"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.

.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

You don't need to defend the van driver, but you are quite correct hl, there's not much a van driver can do when he is traveling in his own lane and an 18 wheeler semi comes at you head on.

I don't normally have any sympathy for these van drivers as most drive like lunatics, but,, this was his unlucky day, as well as his passengers.

RIP the dead and I hope the injured make recovery soon.

[mikemac]

I am not sure why these two stories are completely opposite, and where The Voice of Russia info came from. If you can or have somebody that can read Thai, the story in Thai Rath is much more extensive.

Att' Dcutman - I believe you are talking about two separate accidents. The one in which 9 people died was a few days ago, in Chachoengsao province.

Unfortunately there are so many of these rotten "accidents" it is easy enough to get them mixed up. I would like to see them all put out of business. I do my bit by telling everyone I know who comes to Thailand not to use them.

[jackspratt]

The usual lets jump on the bandwagon bash the drivers, the horse is dead but many here continue to beat it.

The usual bash the other posters troll post- despite being a reader, forum member and very active poster himself.

You are quite correct g81 - bashing a far too high number of TV posters is a waste of a good stick.

Just gets sadder every day.

ps if the cap fits ............

[dcutman]

The accident occurred in front of a PTT NGV gas station on Highway No 359 (Khao Hin Sorn – Sra Kaew) in tambon Sra Kwan at about 3pm, Thai Rath newspaper reported on its website.

Pol Lt Col Boonnark Trachoo, an investigator at Muang Sra Kaew police satiation, was quoted as saying that the fatal crash resulted from failed overtaking.

The officer said the driver identified as Somsak Ployngarm was driving at high speed on the opposite lane when he tried to overtake a car in front of him. However, he failed to return to his driving lane soon enough, causing his van to collide head-on with one side of the truck.

http://www.freenewspos.com/news/article/a/730487/today/two-dies-in-tourist-van-truck-crash

[Emdog]

To paraphrase the old adage: "A traffic law that is not enforced ceases to be a traffic law". The roads are lawless.

[bbbbooboo]

I've been watching these sickening accounts of slaughter on thai roads for years now. If thai authorities choose to do nothing then you can only think that the death of a dangerous driver prevents them from repeating this behaviour( a bit like natural selection as per Darwin's theory However the death and injury to their innocent victims is a different matter

[pookiki]

The most serious problems on Thai roads from small the small neighborhood soi to the expressway is excessive speed and the failure to obey lane markings. When passing another vehicle, the rule appears to be that the cars coming in the opposite direction must yield to the person who is clearly driving in an unsafe manner. If police were actually patrolling the roadways and enforced traffic laws, instead of being stationed at the ubiquitous 'check-points', it may change traffic habits.

[Geoff plus 2]

Rule No. 1 of travel in Thailand ........ don't ever get into a minivan

Rule No. 2 always refer to rule No. 1

Been riding motorbikes for years, first thing you need to learn is trust no one, everyone will turn in front of you cut you off and generally try and kill you..........but if your in Thailand and its a minivan coming at you......get the f@#$ out of its way because those people are crazy

If your on thebroads here be safe, trust no one and always be ready for the worst it'll happen one day. Safe travels everyone

Sent from my GT-P3110 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Asiantravel]

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.

I encounter a similar " phenomenon " almost daily near where I live in as they cross over a double yellow line to rush like hell towards a traffic light to catch the right green arrow . I can't even count the number of times I have literally needed to pull over and stop to allow some f**kwit to race down the wrong side of the double yellow line.

What difference would it make to wait a few minutes if they miss the green arrow?

[biplanebluey]

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

Who's "they" and why do they insist------------ Stupid post !!!!!!!

[Maggusoil]

How about starting a poll / petition on TV and sending the result to the Ministry of Transport. Along the lines of quoting the actual rodd toll figures compared with other countries. It is a great pity as many Thai drivers are so polite and courteous. But the bad ones a literally awful. They should at least have some sort of public passenger operators licence, which is regularly checked and have done an intensive defensive driving course.

Booze busts have been ramped up a lot in Australia lately, with so many people driving pissed, causing death and mayhem, especially young people. This projects situation here present a very bad image for tourists, a very unsafe environment for tourists, enormous expense and tragedy for those innocents involved. The offenders should lose their licences in serious cases.

I was told recently by a German in Australia, that to overtake at all on the inside iin Germany, is a instant loss of license.

This would clean up the cowboys and is obviously needed. Driver's can be VERy loose here. You nee your eyes wide open all the time spotting exit points and shoulders to hide on when approached by reckless traffic. Its got to be fixed.

[allucero]

Do you really think training the truck and van drivers would help? Have any of you readers taken the current drivers test to operate an automobile? This test is the biggest joke yet and the written test is worse, go ahead and ask a question on the written test that is not related to the movie you saw prior to testing. The supposed English speaking instructor will only point to the supposed answer and when the completed test is graded, the answer he gave (On Four Questions) were wrong. Also how about the hand-eye coordination test with pulling the 15 foot rope attached to two wooden pins in a wooden box.

The bottom line here is Truck Drivers, Bus Drivers, Taxi Drivers, Mini Bus Drivers, Drive Too Fast For Conditions... And the conditions in Thailand are always bad, including old roads that needed to be wider years ago. There are not any cross walk intersections for children and students to cross a road so they can attend their schools. It is a daily gamble walking crossing a street in Pattaya. The infrastructure needs updating and they will spend money only in tourist areas, outside the areas tourists can't see until they are on a bus or minivan...