Phuket tour bus brakes fail, driver avoids disaster

[webfact]

Phuket tour bus brakes fail, driver avoids disaster
Phuket Gazette


The bus ended up perilously close to a residence. Photo: Thawit Bilabdullar

PHUKET: -- Faulty brakes almost resulted in a tour bus smashing into a house on Patong Hill last night, in a near-repeat of an accident that occurred at almost the same location about four months ago.

“No injuries were reported. The Daow Duang Mai Travel company bus had no passengers. It was only carrying tourists’ luggage when the accident occurred,” Navee Singsom of the Patong Police said.

The driver, Pornpoj Jaklang, 37, told the Phuket Gazette that the accident resulted from the brakes failing and the road being slippery from the rain.

“When I lost control of the bus, it slid off the hill near Wat Suwankiriwong. However, I was able to stop the bus just before it was going to crash into a house,” Mr Pornpoj said.

Lt Navee said police would continue their investigation into the exact cause of the accident.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2013/Phuket-tour-bus-brakes-fail-driver-avoids-disaster-22377.html


-- Phuket Gazette 2013-09-30

[laurentbkk]

it would be interesting to know the speed of the bus when it crash .... but at least the good news is noone was injured.

[Thaddeus]

“When I lost control of the bus, it slid off the hill near Wat Suwankiriwong. However, I was able to stop the bus just before it was going to crash into a house,” Mr Pornpoj said

How, the brakes had failed.

[KarenBravo]

“When I lost control of the bus, it slid off the hill near Wat Suwankiriwong. However, I was able to stop the bus just before it was going to crash into a house,” Mr Pornpoj said

How, the brakes had failed.

Using the gears? Maybe a hand-brake?

[bunta71]

The brakes fail it seems only when it rains. Most unqualified drivers in the world

[steelepulse]

>>Lt Navee said police would continue their investigation into the exact cause of the accident.

Incompetency, poor road surface, bad tires, crappy brakes. Pick any number of these and there's your cause. Case closed, next!

[harrry]

again

[Gsxrnz]

“When I lost control of the bus, it slid off the hill near Wat Suwankiriwong. However, I was able to stop the bus just before it was going to crash into a house,” Mr Pornpoj said

How, the brakes had failed.

Using the gears? Maybe a hand-brake?

The brakes work on air pressure - if the system loses pressure (fails), the default is for the brakes to lock on as it is a positive system. The air pressure keeps the shoes OFF the drums. Virtually impossible to "fail" in the traditional sense as say a car losing fluid - it just doesn't work that way unless the brakes are so badly adjusted that full depression of the brake pedal does not release enough air to allow the shoe to contact the drum.

Only two possible reasons for loss of control in this situation:

1. Idiot driver going too fast or fell asleep, or just couldn't drive a nail into a piece of wood, never mind a bus.

2. Very badly adjusted brakes whereby all shoes are not binding on the drums equally, resulting in lock up of one or more, but not all hubs. This is probably the likely cause as there is virtually no enforcement for checking brakes in Thailand.

In the west a regular maintenance regime is mandatory and brakes are the most important part of the checking and certifying process. Mal adjusted air brakes on any heavy vehicle render it highly unsafe. Add Thai rain, poorly maintained roads and a dodgy driver..................enough said.

Edited September 30, 2013 by Gsxrnz

[NomadJoe]

“When I lost control of the bus, it slid off the hill near Wat Suwankiriwong. However, I was able to stop the bus just before it was going to crash into a house,” Mr Pornpoj said

How, the brakes had failed.

Using the gears? Maybe a hand-brake?

All of these "brake failures" really aren't. There is a thing called "brake fade" that occures when they over heat. The bus drivers here routinely drive too fast downhill then rely on the brakes instead of going slow and using a low gear or crawler gear if they have it, and compression breaking.

[Johnnie99]

“When I lost control of the bus, it slid off the hill near Wat Suwankiriwong. However, I was able to stop the bus just before it was going to crash into a house,” Mr Pornpoj said

How, the brakes had failed.

Using the gears? Maybe a hand-brake?

errrrr that would take forethought, knowledge and skill. Impossible, therefore, QED.

[Johnnie99]

“When I lost control of the bus, it slid off the hill near Wat Suwankiriwong. However, I was able to stop the bus just before it was going to crash into a house,” Mr Pornpoj said

How, the brakes had failed.

Using the gears? Maybe a hand-brake?

The brakes work on air pressure - if the system loses pressure (fails), the default is for the brakes to lock on as it is a positive system. The air pressure keeps the shoes OFF the drums. Virtually impossible to "fail" in the traditional sense as say a car losing fluid - it just doesn't work that way unless the brakes are so badly adjusted that full depression of the brake pedal does not release enough air to allow the shoe to contact the drum.

Only two possible reasons for loss of control in this situation:

1. Idiot driver going too fast or fell asleep, or just couldn't drive a nail into a piece of wood, never mind a bus.

2. Very badly adjusted brakes whereby all shoes are not binding on the drums equally, resulting in lock up of one or more, but not all hubs. This is probably the likely cause as there is virtually no enforcement for checking brakes in Thailand.

In the west a regular maintenance regime is mandatory and brakes are the most important part of the checking and certifying process. Mal adjusted air brakes on any heavy vehicle render it highly unsafe. Add Thai rain, poorly maintained roads and a dodgy driver..................enough said.

Quite right and the chances of the electric retarders being fitted are so low because the word 'retard' is just a bit too close.

[richard_smith237]

What condition are these vehicles in before the hit the roads ?

Today in just 2 hrs of driving I witnessed 3 vehicles; a lorry, a bus and a loaded pick-up stuck on the side of the road. All had left shredded remains of tyres on the road behind them. The pick-up was down to the rims and nearly over turned...

Most of the issues I see on the roads are down to simple 'innocent ignorance'... i.e. some driver is going down a hill on his breaks not knowing they can over-heat, another with under-inflated tyres; not knowing they will shred, other drivers too close to the car in front; not aware of the dangers...

Much of these issues could be avoided with some sort of televised 'driver education'... i.e. as adverts between soaps and other popular programs... Some drivers might take notice at least.

[thhMan]

Yeah yeah.. the brakes failed, my dog ate my homework.. I was not drunk at the time of the accident...

Trust needs to be earned and bus drivers have a bad reputation that is well deserved.

[Maggusoil]

“When I lost control of the bus, it slid off the hill near Wat Suwankiriwong. However, I was able to stop the bus just before it was going to crash into a house,” Mr Pornpoj said

How, the brakes had failed.

Yes its sad isn't it? I slowed the bus with the failed brakes. Oh really? Fortunately we can laugh at this one.

But there are many we cannot.

No need for logic here when any explanations will do.

Statistically I would rather be in a plane any day in Thailand, or at the wheel myself.

Buses and trains are not a good look.

[julemanden]

“When I lost control of the bus, it slid off the hill near Wat Suwankiriwong. However, I was able to stop the bus just before it was going to crash into a house,” Mr Pornpoj said

How, the brakes had failed.

Using the gears? Maybe a hand-brake?

The brakes work on air pressure - if the system loses pressure (fails), the default is for the brakes to lock on as it is a positive system. The air pressure keeps the shoes OFF the drums. Virtually impossible to "fail" in the traditional sense as say a car losing fluid - it just doesn't work that way unless the brakes are so badly adjusted that full depression of the brake pedal does not release enough air to allow the shoe to contact the drum.

Only two possible reasons for loss of control in this situation:

1. Idiot driver going too fast or fell asleep, or just couldn't drive a nail into a piece of wood, never mind a bus.

2. Very badly adjusted brakes whereby all shoes are not binding on the drums equally, resulting in lock up of one or more, but not all hubs. This is probably the likely cause as there is virtually no enforcement for checking brakes in Thailand.

In the west a regular maintenance regime is mandatory and brakes are the most important part of the checking and certifying process. Mal adjusted air brakes on any heavy vehicle render it highly unsafe. Add Thai rain, poorly maintained roads and a dodgy driver..................enough said.

Or the brakes ran hot... Then they no longer work

Edited September 30, 2013 by julemanden

[Faranguy]

it would be interesting to know the speed of the bus when it crash .... but at least the good news is noone was injured.

No injuries, ok Thailand just remember the secret to saving passengers from injury and death, only transport their luggage

[Emdog]

"Maintenance" is in the Thai dictionary (I looked it up). Too bad it is not in the "working vocabulary".

[NamKangMan]

“When I lost control of the bus, it slid off the hill near Wat Suwankiriwong. However, I was able to stop the bus just before it was going to crash into a house,” Mr Pornpoj said

How, the brakes had failed.

Using the gears? Maybe a hand-brake?

All of these "brake failures" really aren't. There is a thing called "brake fade" that occures when they over heat. The bus drivers here routinely drive too fast downhill then rely on the brakes instead of going slow and using a low gear or crawler gear if they have it, and compression breaking.

"There is a thing called "brake fade" - on Phuket, it's know as "brain fade." :)

[JoeThePoster]

Has the bus been deidentified yet?

[rosst]

“When I lost control of the bus, it slid off the hill near Wat Suwankiriwong. However, I was able to stop the bus just before it was going to crash into a house,” Mr Pornpoj said

How, the brakes had failed.

Using the gears? Maybe a hand-brake?

The brakes work on air pressure - if the system loses pressure (fails), the default is for the brakes to lock on as it is a positive system. The air pressure keeps the shoes OFF the drums. Virtually impossible to "fail" in the traditional sense as say a car losing fluid - it just doesn't work that way unless the brakes are so badly adjusted that full depression of the brake pedal does not release enough air to allow the shoe to contact the drum.

Only two possible reasons for loss of control in this situation:

1. Idiot driver going too fast or fell asleep, or just couldn't drive a nail into a piece of wood, never mind a bus.

2. Very badly adjusted brakes whereby all shoes are not binding on the drums equally, resulting in lock up of one or more, but not all hubs. This is probably the likely cause as there is virtually no enforcement for checking brakes in Thailand.

In the west a regular maintenance regime is mandatory and brakes are the most important part of the checking and certifying process. Mal adjusted air brakes on any heavy vehicle render it highly unsafe. Add Thai rain, poorly maintained roads and a dodgy driver..................enough said.

I could not have said it better myself, item 2 due to poor or non-existent maintenance. Lack of situational awareness once the problem occurred.

[hawksway]

With so many of Thaivisa.coms experts on hand for the investigation and analysis the Government should seriously consider having such People to call on!

[Thaddeus]

Has the bus been deidentified yet?

No, it's the one painted black.

Never understood how that could not be thought of as a distinguishing feature.

[Thaddeus]

With so many of Thaivisa.coms experts on hand for the investigation and analysis the Government should seriously consider having such People to call on!

To be quite honest, I'd stack a good half dozen, probably quite a few more (several dozen) TV members comments against anything that is reported here.

You know why?

We live in the real world, we are not Thai, we do not automatically believe that anything said to us by a bloke in a uniform (especially a very tight brown one) is automatically the truth, we question everything.

That is one of the fundamental problems with the Thai society as it exists at the moment with the expanse of social media, some of them, are becoming us.

It is going to hurt.