Dozens Injured As Coach Overturns In Pathum Thani

[Lite Beer]

Dozens Injured As Coach Overturns In Pathum Thani

BANGKOK: -- A Bangkok - Chiang Rai interprovincial coach has overturned in Pathum Thani province today, injuring 40 passengers including one individual who was thrown out of the bus.

According to the driver, after the bus departed from Mo Chit terminal it encountered a truck which drifted suddenly into its lane on Phahonyothin Road in Khlong Luang district. The driver said he soon lost control of the coach and plunged it into the roadside ditch.

Police and rescue team rushed to assist the passengers as most of them were stuck inside the coach, which was operated by Transport Co. Ltd., a state enterprise.

One passenger was severely injured. Witnesses said they had seen the passenger was thrown out from the upper-level seat after the window broke. Initial reports claimed that the said passenger was not wearing the seatbelt, contrary to the new regulation issued by the Transport Co. Ltd. on 15 October.

All 40 injured passengers were sent to a local hospital.

The accident took place just a day after Transport Minister Chatchart visited an interprovincial bus terminal in Bangkok and wrote on his Facebook: “We are promoting the campaign to call for all passengers to fasten their seatbelt. Although [wearing seatbelts] is not comfortable, it is very safe".

He added, “If the bus is travelling at 100 km/h, we are also travelling at 100 km/h. If the bus crashed, we are going to hit with 100 km/h speed to the seats in front of us. We would be lucky if we’re not dead.”

Mr. Chatchart also recalled the major coach accident in Saraburi province in which 19 people were killed after the crashed bus caught fire, noting that "Many victims received severe injuries on their legs because their bodies smashed into the seats in front of them", which prevented them from leaving the bus in timely manner.

Source: http://www.khaosod.co.th/en/view_newsonline.php?newsid=TVRNNE1qRXdORFUxTUE9PQ==&sectionid=TURFd01BPT0=

--KHAOSOD Eng 2013-10-08

[TomTao]

Another bus crash! Thankfully no one was killed, I wonder how many of the injured passengers were not wearing seatbelts aside from the unfortunate passenger who was thrown out of the bus? It would also be nice to know how many of the seatbelts that were fitted on the bus were actually in working order? Last time I caught an inter-provincial bus I checked to see if there was a seatbelt, there was but the buckle was bent and the latch was broken. I hope all the injured make a full recovery.

[Boycie]

Mr Chatchart, please show the nation video evidence, that seat belts save lives.

[lee b]

Yet again, will these ever stop happening? Don't think so.

[crazygreg44]

No seatbelts, or broken seatbelts. This is normal in Thailand's buses. A life is worth nothing here. Remember, putting on a seat belt means , you do not trust on the Thai people and the Thai Way ! So forget about seat belts !

[crazygreg44]

Nakhon Chai Air buses have seatbelts !!! However, they do not have seatbelt extensions for oversized fat Farang !

[chainarong]

Buses generally all around the globe, disintegrate on high impact , because of their flimsy structure, the codes for construction baffle most , they are like big square coke cans , rip apart at the slightest impact, Thai buses are no exception, except they have more than normal amount of crashes, generally put down to anything but the drivers ability.

[JoeThePoster]

encountered a truck which drifted suddenly into its lane

Driving here, I would lose control & sanity if a Bangkok truck didn't drift into my lane.

Edited October 18, 2013 by JoeThePoster

[Mosha]

encountered a truck which drifted suddenly into its lane

Driving here, I would lose control & sanity if a Bangkok truck didn't drift into my lane.

"It's lane" i.e, the only lane inter provincial buses use.

[jaltsc]

"Initial reports claimed that the said passenger was not wearing the seat belt, contrary to the new regulation issued by the Transport Co. Ltd. on 15 October."

Bulletin!!! Regulations do no good if they are not enforced! On planes, a flight attendant checks every passenger to make sure seat belts are fastened. When was the last time, or any time, someone saw a anybody from the bus crew do the same? This regulation is enforced as much as the no smoking regulations at restaurants and outside bus terminals.Thailand, where lip service is the only step necessary. .

[jucel]

The most dangerous roads in the world. It must be time for govts across the world to advise people of this fact, before they come here on holiday etc. The worst drivers on the worst laid out roads. Where I live, on the three lane carriageway, you have to slow down in the fast lane to turn right/u-turn.That can be dangerous when you have somebody driving a inch away from your rear bumper! In the Uk we always filter off on the left on the motorways. Also when you u-turn, you have to pull across all three lanes, which again can be perilous, especially if somebody from the other direction is u-turning and u can't see jack sh*t!! I hate even driving from Chaam to Hua Hin now and it's a straight road! Just the other day, some bright spark decided he would park in the middle lane of the three lane carriageway so he could go to the market. Laziness personified!!

Edited October 18, 2013 by jucel

[yooper2001]

The problem is not only using seat belts, There is a BIG problem of the height of buses. They are top heavy and overturn very easy.

Oh well at least it wasn't a blown tire problem

[laurentbkk]

I see those buses every day going up north and always driving like maniacs on any lane with no consideration for other drivers ...

[catinthehat]

This article and the other one in this batch of news about another trainn derailment is exactly why I endeavor to pass the TV link to anyone I know interested in coming to Thailand as a heads up. I do this to point out real side of Thailand. Right down to the underbelly. So they see not only the glossy, sexy version of Thailand from TAT marketithe ever present TAT marketing campaigns which fill the airwaves around the world, like Thainess.

[ebcal]

The problem is not only using seat belts, There is a BIG problem of the height of buses. They are top heavy and overturn very easy.

Oh well at least it wasn't a blown tire problem

Agree,and some of these are these newer style double decker buses that are way too tall for their width. These are just begging to tip over. The height to width ratio just looks wrong and are an accident waiting to happen.

[cheshiremusicman]

The problem is not only using seat belts, There is a BIG problem of the height of buses. They are top heavy and overturn very easy.

Oh well at least it wasn't a blown tire problem

Agree,and some of these are these newer style double decker buses that are way too tall for their width. These are just begging to tip over. The height to width ratio just looks wrong and are an accident waiting to happen.

Yes, very true; but they do look so nice travelling in a convoy with escort vehicles ahead!!!!!! As a previous person has said, they never move out of the outside lane.

[oldsailor35]

Buses generally all around the globe, disintegrate on high impact , because of their flimsy structure, the codes for construction baffle most , they are like big square coke cans , rip apart at the slightest impact, Thai buses are no exception, except they have more than normal amount of crashes, generally put down to anything but the drivers ability.

I do not know about the rest of the world. But i do know that busses in UK and Australia are constructed with the strictest of safety regulations and not just patched together just to look pretty as they are here in Thailand. So please get your facts together chainarong and stop making stupid uneducated statements.

[johnlandy]

Mr Chatchart, please show the nation video evidence, that seat belts save lives.

Are you questioning the fact that seatbelts save lives? If you are you are a dinosaur

[johnnytuc]

Just goes on and on, prior to seeing this report, was shown a listing for the annual traffic related deaths for 2010 for all the countries of the world, based on road deaths per 100,000 inhabitants per year. Thailand rate was 38.1 placing them 3rd only topped by ERITREA 48.4 and LIBYA 40.2........come on Thailand with a little effort sure you can make Number 1 !!! Sorry for the sarcasm but there,s not much tourism in Eritrea & Libya reckon these stats should be shown by every tour operators world wide.

[Thaddeus]

Is there a Thai word for inertia.

[laolover88]

Our children are forbidden, by my wife. and yes she is Thai, to go on buses, coaches, minibuses, particularly school ones! I wonder why?!

[stateoperations]

As a long term vistor to Thailand and a person who usually cannot wait to return. I am getting highly concerned with the high carnage on the roads and deaths at resorts. (quite often foreigners bring it on themselves not wearing helmets on motorbikes etc).

One must weigh up the risks travelling by motorbike, bus and on boats without safety gear!

It is about time the government enforced safety first, driver education and better testing processes and without exception everyone on a motorbike must wear a approved helmet. If not escalating fines and or impoundment of the bike.

The world is talking about the high death rate on the roads in Thailand it's time for us all to act and reduce the risks.

[Larry001]

I just travelled on airport coach to Jomtien. It did not have seatbelts. So this is just typical of the Land of bullshit and lies"

[Garry]

I see those buses every day going up north and always driving like maniacs on any lane with no consideration for other drivers ...

I can attest to that. I've done countless trips both ways between Chiang Mai & Chiang Rai and some of the drivers in the big coaches are crazy. Extreme lean angles, moronic passing maneuvers etc. I'm amazed how the bus's stay upright going through the hills.

[FarangTalk]

http://bcove.me/elwuc8xx

[Bagwan]

The PR conscious Minister should ask himself why should a bus be travelling at 100 kph. By his quoted example he appears to condone speeding by buses.

[thaibeachlovers]

The most dangerous roads in the world. It must be time for govts across the world to advise people of this fact, before they come here on holiday etc. The worst drivers on the worst laid out roads. Where I live, on the three lane carriageway, you have to slow down in the fast lane to turn right/u-turn.That can be dangerous when you have somebody driving a inch away from your rear bumper! In the Uk we always filter off on the left on the motorways. Also when you u-turn, you have to pull across all three lanes, which again can be perilous, especially if somebody from the other direction is u-turning and u can't see jack sh*t!! I hate even driving from Chaam to Hua Hin now and it's a straight road! Just the other day, some bright spark decided he would park in the middle lane of the three lane carriageway so he could go to the market. Laziness personified!!

Sadly, I believe the bit about parking in the middle lane.

On a recent trip, I very nearly killed some people walking IN ( not beside ) the road at dusk, wearing dark clothing, without a torch, so I didn't see them till the last second ( and I was NOT speeding ), and they were walking away from me, so they couldn't see me coming and step aside. Had there been a vehicle coming the other way, the only options I would have had was to drive off the road and probably kill my wife, drive over them or have a head on collision!

I asked my wife if people in Thailand received any road safety training as children, and she said yes, but they don't care.

Then there was the kid on a bicycle riding in the middle of the road without lights, and wearing dark clothing.................

[animatic]

I have never before seen a seatbelt on a bus, only the mini-vans doing visa runs,

and then usually not.

Of course the last bus ride I took the seat my wife and I were sitting in

just collapsed under us and if the seat belts were attached to the seat,

your are at the mercy of the shoddy way the seat is attached to the wall

and floor runners.

Edited October 19, 2013 by animatic

[flyingdoc]

Presumably many of the 40 injured were wearing seatbelts? How bad were their injuries?

Road safety in Thailand must start to improve soon.

[rmacee]

Traveled with Nakhon Chai Air last week (great service ..) .. BKK to Surin .. wore seat beat all the way ..these days madness not to ... just hard braking could throw you out of your seat not to mention anything more serious .. and not just in Thai ...

Best coach I ever traveled on was in Estonia (daily scheduled service ..) - TV screen built into the back on every seat, wi-fi (never dropped out ..), plug-in for your device, toilet and free coffee .. and of course seat belts .. and if you are over 60 you get a discount ...

Still shocked over the Laos plane crash and the earthquake in Bohol/Cebu in the Philippines ... both places there earlier in the year ..