20 dead in Thai bus accident: police

[MikeENZ]

Last bus I took (last week) from hat yai to phangan.

Bus oversold, I had to sleep in the Aisle, driver chewing Kratom leaves the whole way..

Its a marvel anyone is a live on the roads here.

[ginjag]

"I can't confirm the cause---he said--but the road was curvy"---------------<deleted>.. the road was the most probable cause, OR was it not driving according to conditions.

<deleted>. Very easy...the type of road was being described.

Why do you infer that the road "was not driving according to conditions"

Why do you criticize most peoples posts-Habit ?? If you were a long time poster and know the type of excuses given out you would understand, You don't get it do you. The statement that the road was curvy has nothing to do with the incident. The road was straight is the same silly comment. This incident could have been a number of factors-BUT if the road was curvy you drive at a speed to take that into account----if you do not understand that I'm sorry.

Stop nit picking at my posts, comment on the topic yourself for once, and understand what I said---I would have thought it was a rational post.

[jackandjim]

Latest news has the death toll at 22. Mostly elderly people. They say the cause of the accident was "break failure at the point of a curve in the road". Causing the bus to veer off the road and down a 30m embankment.

So 'just another day at the office'

Sad but it's indicative of life in the realm.....

i cant wait to see title " bus makes it safely to destination "

[webfact]

UPDATE:
21 killed, 19 injured when chartered bus plunges into roadside ravine in Lampang
THE NATION

LAMPANG: -- A chartered bus taking merit makers back home from a temple plunged into a roadside ravine Sunday night, killing 21 people and injuring 19 others.

Police said the accident happened at 7 pm on the Wang Nua-Phayao Road in Tambon Wangthong in Lampang's Wang Nua district.

Police said the bus crashed into the roadside guardrail and plunged into a 50-metre-deep ravine.

Rescue workers had to tie ropes to the guardrail before they could climb down to rescue the injured passengers.

Police said all the killed passengers were women.

The bus was one of three buses taking Buddhists from Chiang Mai's Sarapee district to make merit at the Mai Charoen Temple in Wang Nua. The accident occurred while the buses were returning home.


-- The Nation 2013-10-24

[rametindallas]

You could also limit buses to say 70 kmh ? I believe European rules require a rest every 4 hours ?

This is the one annoying thing about Thailand as I have lost a number of friends due to the dangerous roads

Driving from Jomptien to Udon a nightmare, that's not the others on the road, it was POT HOLES 30 cm deap and road cracks to take down any Motor cycle, highway 331-304 and highway 2 from Korat to Udon most vehicles driving in the right hand lane. My car hit a pot hole and with it being full of water had no idea how deap. Most of the 8 hours were watching for holes and trying to swerve around them- disgusting state. Had to have a wheel change as my Mag wheel was bent and tyre wall slashed.

No wonder there are so many accidents/incidents.

I drove Khon Kaen to Korat and return two weeks ago for the first time in a long time and the road surface was terrible especially the long sections of ruts in the nearside lane. Drivers stick to the offside lane to avoid these and will not move over so consequently I have never seen so much overtaking on the inside.

Highway 2 is an important high density road and no doubt the heavy vehicles on a poorly finished surface has, and is, causing the damage but repair doesn't seem to be any sort of priority.

After the road contractor pays bribes to get the contract, for which he had to bid lower than everyone else, and then kickbacks to suppliers, I'm surprised the roads aren't worse.

[rametindallas]

The police spokesman made the ridiculous statement that the road is ' curvy ' but I suppose, at least, he didn't blame the rain this time.

That would be a road that has curves. What is ridiculous about that? Perhaps more ridiculous is describing that description as ridiculous.

Are you a professional nit picker or do you do it for a hobby?

[ginjag]

The police spokesman made the ridiculous statement that the road is ' curvy ' but I suppose, at least, he didn't blame the rain this time.

That would be a road that has curves. What is ridiculous about that? Perhaps more ridiculous is describing that description as ridiculous.

Having a go at a fellow poster who tends to post good comments regular, he was on the same wavelength as me, together with most others . You see the police comment is the usual silly comment, the road was curvy at that point---SO WHAT, is that a reason for the incident ???? NEVER.

[DocN]

"I can't confirm the cause but the road is curvy."

Yeah...ahm...did it curve up suddenly and unexpected?

RIP the victims and all the best for the surivors

[rametindallas]

Latest news has the death toll at 22. Mostly elderly people. They say the cause of the accident was "break failure at the point of a curve in the road". Causing the bus to veer off the road and down a 30m embankment.

Maybe if regular inspections of safety systems on public transport were enforced.... awwww, never mind.

[ginjag]

Driving from Jomptien to Udon a nightmare, that's not the others on the road, it was POT HOLES 30 cm deap and road cracks to take down any Motor cycle, highway 331-304 and highway 2 from Korat to Udon most vehicles driving in the right hand lane. My car hit a pot hole and with it being full of water had no idea how deap. Most of the 8 hours were watching for holes and trying to swerve around them- disgusting state. Had to have a wheel change as my Mag wheel was bent and tyre wall slashed.

No wonder there are so many accidents/incidents.

Quite a few roads in the UK especially in winter you could say that about. The condition of Thai roads & the terrain compare quite favourably with much of the rest of SE Asia yet deaths are far higher here. In fact as someone who has spent close to 40 years driving in Thailand I would say the much improved roads over that period have contributed to the rising death rates. Over that period the driving skills have not improved but the ability to drive faster has.

Apart from trying to compare U.K. roads with Thai roads you made 1 or 2 good points. I have similar experience but will point out 10 years ago the highways (main ones) had fairly good surfaces-in the last ten years they have become death traps with pot holes etc.

My post re-last weeks drive 630 kilometers from Jomptien to Udon was a nightmare---Take the drive and you too will KNOW.

[laurentbkk]

Very sad indeed ...but it seems the government won't do anything special as if they really wanted to take care about road safety they would have acted long ago and not waiting for more dead more accidents. Anything to do with Karma perhaps ? or Thainess way of life and death ? the only thing we can do for the time being is to avoid buses , trains , minivans .... For the rest , been driving 20 years in Bangkok without a scratch ..... ok I dont drive everyday ...

[gemini81]

planes certainly cost more, as does fueling my car; but the extra cost is much more well worth it than these risky buses.

[SaamBaht]

Tragedies like this happen all over the world. They seem to happen here a little more often than other places. So sad.

[BudRight]

Oops.

[Radar501]

"I can't confirm the cause but the road is curvy."

It appears to be a standard response from Police that road conditions, or poor weather, or unforeseeable mechanical failure, or ANYTHING!! other than driver error was the cause of these high profile fatals. That saves any need for a thorough investigation of the circumstances to identify the real culprit(s).

So very convenient for the driver and the bus company to then negotiate a quick monetary settlement with the police to rubber stamp the file closed.

[barryofthailand]

Unfortunately this will continue, as the Thai government doesn't deem it of importance to strengthen the laws, and to also enforce them. I have to travel quite often on these interprovincial buses from Korat to Bangkok and everytime I do it scares me. I see the drivers eating and talking on their telephone as they drive at 100 plus kilometers per hour.

Barry

[coma]

" Up to 26,000 people are killed in road accidents every year in Thailand, which puts the country in the 6th spot in terms of road casualties. Of those killed, up to 70 or 80 per cent are motorcyclists or their passengers".

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Road-death-toll-in-Thailand-among-highest-in-the-w-30202066.html

[dcsw53]

Fatalities in UK in 2012 were 2.9 / 100,000 of population. Mind you coaches have tachographs to limit divers hours and they don't have minibuses weaving in and out over 4 lanes. Food for thought ?

[coma]

Latest news has the death toll at 22. Mostly elderly people. They say the cause of the accident was "break failure at the point of a curve in the road". Causing the bus to veer off the road and down a 30m embankment.

Maybe if regular inspections of safety systems on public transport were enforced.... awwww, never mind.

I think the safety inspections themselves need to be safety inspected.

[Miami Bob]

You could also limit buses to say 70 kmh ? I believe European rules require a rest every 4 hours ?

This is the one annoying thing about Thailand as I have lost a number of friends due to the dangerous roads

Thailand's roads aren't dangerous, its drivers are.

And that is why there are so many crashes as bus drivers roar along at 130 kmh , limit this to 70 and you will see a crash reduction

Never happen because slowing to 70 would cut into bus company profits.

I tell my friends visiting Thailand to fly for long distances and take metered taxes around town or I drive them around. Those are the lesser of evils choices.

[Spalpeen]

Four years ago there was a report on ThaiVisa that the govt. was going to halve road deaths in Thailand within ten years. Any chance of a progress report on that?

[ginjag]

Latest news has the death toll at 22. Mostly elderly people. They say the cause of the accident was "break failure at the point of a curve in the road". Causing the bus to veer off the road and down a 30m embankment.

Maybe if regular inspections of safety systems on public transport were enforced.... awwww, never mind.

I think the safety inspections themselves need to be safety inspected.

They need assessors to assess the assessors here, Looking at most aspects here the idea I am getting nowadays is patch up-make do and mend-spend as little as possible on repairs, even new roads in a short time have large cracks--pot holes--skimp if you can attitude, make crazy reasons for problems that happen. Similar to " my grandmother died again" the reasons for floods-accidents-oil spills-and final -crackdowns---haha. it is amazing what ministers comments are.

[janpoo]

2 hours and they have their driving license!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thai can't drive and they not give a shit about (rules) in this country, if you can speak about rules, they make the rules by themselves. Speed limit!! never heart, traffic lights doesn't matter red, green or yellow for them always GREEN.

Making phone calls during driving!!! of course car, bus, motorcycle no problem but also it's not allowed SO WHAT. Selfish people the most of course not everyone. They've never heart DISCIPLINE

[drdoom6996]

Driving from Jomptien to Udon a nightmare, that's not the others on the road, it was POT HOLES 30 cm deap and road cracks to take down any Motor cycle, highway 331-304 and highway 2 from Korat to Udon most vehicles driving in the right hand lane. My car hit a pot hole and with it being full of water had no idea how deap. Most of the 8 hours were watching for holes and trying to swerve around them- disgusting state. Had to have a wheel change as my Mag wheel was bent and tyre wall slashed.

No wonder there are so many accidents/incidents.

Quite a few roads in the UK especially in winter you could say that about. The condition of Thai roads & the terrain compare quite favourably with much of the rest of SE Asia yet deaths are far higher here. In fact as someone who has spent close to 40 years driving in Thailand I would say the much improved roads over that period have contributed to the rising death rates. Over that period the driving skills have not improved but the ability to drive faster has.

Yes it's all relative.

I just got back to the UK a few months ago and everyone is moaning about the roads. Compared with isaan, British roads are like formula one tracks.

But the current Government wants to get a High Speed Train just to say Thailand has one. HEY GOVERNMENT WE WANT THE ROADS FIXED AND ENFORCED LAWS ON THEM AND THE VEHICLES THAT TRAVEL THEM!!! Never gonna happen though.

[ginjag]

Four years ago there was a report on ThaiVisa that the govt. was going to halve road deaths in Thailand within ten years. Any chance of a progress report on that?

Was that just prior to the man on the run found himself at the China Olympics ??? no chance on the follow up, money here is more important than deaths--the figures speak for themselves--6th most bad in the world ???? It will take someone with GUTS to put things on the right path, and NOT want for himself from the kitty.

[webfact]

UPDATE:
23 killed in Lampang bus accident
By English News



LAMPANG, Oct 24 -- A chartered bus rented for a group of merit makers plunged into a ravine in the northern province of Lampang, killing 23 passengers.

Police said the bus was rented for a group of residents from Chiang Mai's Saraphi district who were returning home after making merit at Wat Ban Wang Mai Charoen Temple in Wang Nuea in Lampang.

The bus, belonging to Weerapan Tour and Travel Company, fell into a ravine near Pan Thong waterfall in Wang Nuea district.

Police said the road was steep slope downhill and curve and the bus had problem with the brakes and the driver was unfamiliar with the route.

The bus rammed through a roadside guardrail and plunged into a 30-metre-deep ravine before hitting a large tree.

At least 23 of the 38 passengers were killed while a dozen others were injured, including the bus driver who was also sent to hospital. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2013-10-24

[Nepsydaz]

It was the roads..... Curvy Roads....

[patayayaya]

dont take bus train plane moto in thailand must only use teleporter

[yingyo]

To be repeated next week.

Northern train derailments, around 20 in a one year period, weekly fatal bus crashes, perhaps Thais just haven't got what it takes to conquer that part of the country using Western technology.

Elephant and buffalo caravans would be much safer for them.

[Halion]

Public transportation, road conditions, driving attitudes and non existent enforcement are all parameters of the horrendous and disgraceful statistics of this country. Blame who you want, however, the bottom line is an inept Government and a myopic culture that ignores these issues and a public that does not seem to care. Simply Dumb.