29 killed in Thailand bus accident: police

[monkey4u]

Can't imagine drivers here even have a log book. They should fit tachographs to all buses and lorries and check on them routinely

Can you imagine Officer Plod trying to understand a tachograph card

Or for that matter a driver putting the cards in the tacho to start with

Sorry officer my dog ate the cards but I can give you 100 baht

OK enjoy your trip

[Maggusoil]

And this just after police say they started a big traffic safety campaign.

RIP the victims and sympathy for their families and friends

Yes but a lot of these accidents are due to underpaid, overworked drivers pushing themselves to do more work than they can cope with. A lot of the onus in more developed countries has been thrown back on the owners of the bus companies and or trucking companies, to provide better conditions for the drivers and more roadworthy vehicles.

What is a clamp down? You can't clamp down on an accident until it happens and then its too late. You have to go to the root of the cause. Its an infrastructure and regulation problem, which the government learnt with the airlines. Now they have to do the same with road transport. Lazy politicians and bureaucrats should be directly targeted.

Letters to the Minister of Roads or whoever does that would be a good start. He or she is directly responsible. He or she should be 'shamed".

[MMarlow]

yes if you are reading this and plan on coming to Thailand for any reason please cancel your trip.

it is far too dangerous here.

Most moronic post of the day.

[buhi]

Where is the Thai outrage Why doesn't a grass-roots group form of Thai citizens dema that road safety be addressed and things change. To do nothing and to see these road deaths continue is insane.

If they care so little for human life that they won't move over to let an ambulance through why would they be concerned about a bus crash?

Thai's do not care about anything that does not directly affect them in that moment.

Environment, world politics, pollution, noise pollution, conservation of human life, all alien to Thai people.

Very true.

I hate driving in Thailand, there is no respect, flash lights and accelerate!

I used to stop at zebra crossings, but then realized I was endangering the life of the person trying to cross.

It is all self, self, self and no giving as that requires pay back!

[MK1]

If a driver falls asleep then the question is why? In a civilised country it is negligence as the driver and the company are not fit for purpose. But in Thailand, it is the face saving cop out.

I tend to agree in part, and while the root cause is still yet to be determined including if latest report is anything to go by; mechanical brake failure cannot be ruled-out.

According to the latest reported by Thai PBS; Police said that the driver was driving down the mountainous bridge at high speed and lost control as he tried to swerve a curb. It skidded and rammed at the side of the bridge railing and fell into the 50-meter ravine below.

Edited December 27, 2013 by MK1

[nikster]

Let's take a moment to grieve before assigning blame and pointing fingers.

RIP to the victims and condolences to all affected families. What a tragedy.

I was at that exact same bridge just last week, took some pictures.

[biplanebluey]

If a driver falls asleep then the question is why? In a civilised country it is negligence as the driver and the company are not fit for purpose. But in Thailand, it is the face saving cop out.

Yes I totally agree.SOMEONE IS ALWAYS RESPONSIBLE. If you make the person sitting in an office somewhere issuing orders for the day as to who drives and how far, then he is the one.If there are no checks of any kind,whether to drivers or bus condition[the old brake failure syndrome !!] then the person sitting in another office higher up on the next floor is to blame.Make these people pay---Yea right. That's another really bigger problem

[globin]

Its a case of natural selection here, embrace it or go home bitter and twisted.

[MJP]

yes if you are reading this and plan on coming to Thailand for any reason please cancel your trip.

it is far too dangerous here.

Most moronic post of the day.

I don't think the Russian tourism authority or whatever it's called would agree with you.

It is getting too dangerous here for mass tourism. The safety systems don't exist for it, nor can the infrastructure handle it.

EDIT: Also price fixing by government may have a lot to answer for.

Edited December 27, 2013 by MJP

[biplanebluey]

If a driver falls asleep then the question is why? In a civilised country it is negligence as the driver and the company are not fit for purpose. But in Thailand, it is the face saving cop out.

I tend to agree in part, and while the root cause is still yet to be determined including if latest report is anything to go by; mechanical brake failure cannot be ruled-out.

According to the latest reported by Thai PBS; Police said that the driver was driving down the mountainous bridge at high speed and lost control as he tried to swerve a curb. It skidded and rammed at the side of the bridge railing and fell into the 50-meter ravine below.

Brake failure again?--------- Did the brakes fail before or after he FELL ASLEEP ?????

[MMarlow]

yes if you are reading this and plan on coming to Thailand for any reason please cancel your trip.

it is far too dangerous here.

If it so dangerous here that you have to advise everyone else not to come for any reason why are you still here? Is it because you want to be the great martyr for the sake of all your fellow men or is it just because you're trying, very successfully, to be a complete twit (there is an intentional spelling mistake in "twit" ,by the way). Or is it because Thailand is not as dangerous as your over-dramatic post tries to suggest

[spermwhale]

Until they start going after the owners with big lawsuits, nothing is going to change.

Is there any point in suing anyone in this country?

If the bus company loses and doesn't pay will they go to jail?

Enough money and you can't go to jail for murder so suing a bus company could only be to the benifit of lawyers.

Most of the time it should be considered criminal negligence. Police won't go after them, they're too busy chasing journalists who dare expose things like the Rohingya trafficking tragedy and people accused of insulting the monarchy. Much more important than going after owners of bus companies that do real harm.

[puukao]

This is when your life (American, Thai, Aussie, Brit, whatever) is worth 1,000 baht. A simple commodity to some, lost because the driver was pushed to hard. you can be 1 year old, 25, 50, or 75. gone in an instant. it's amazing. mind boggling. speechless. so, until this horrific pattern changes, NEVER take an overnight or questionable bus ride (long in length, over rough terrain, etc). please, spend the extra few thousand baht and do something else. our lives are worth more.

[Boyblue]

While travelling on the road between Trang and Krabi, I was dong about 80 kph, heading towards me was, on the inside a large truck with trailer carrying logs, being overtaken by a minibus (in a hurry) which was being overtaken by a "VIP" coach, three abreast down the road, I had to pull into the motorbike lane, with two wheels on the grass to miss the bus hitting me head on, all I got was flashing lights from the bus driver "get out of my way" and told off by my Thai wife for driving to fast, had I drove slower I wouldn't have been there at the time this happened.

The reality is Thais don't care, its always someone else's fault, and after all it was their time.... you cant argue with their logic, they think we are stupid for thinking differently to them.....

[inThailand1]

Next week I have to travel from Chiang Mai to Vientiane. I went to the bus station and asked all the bus companies if any of them have daytime busses. One had a bus that leaves in the afternoon and arrives in the middle of the night, the others said we no have.

Please - does anyone know of a bus I can take on my way back form Vientiane (friendship bridge) to Chiang Mai, that travels in the daytime?

[toonsai]

It's up to the government to initiate fundamental changes in road safety.

Ooops, what ever government is in power, they are busy to line their pocket

and to come up with amnesty bills...

Let's see what happens next.

No BS politics propaganda here please. ALL politics have miserably failed for over a decade, whatever the color. make no mistake, ALL politics (red AND yellow) are corrupt and spend their time filling their own pocket. The result is here: no education, no law enforcement, no safety, Thai roads the 3rd deadliest in the World; just to name of few of this country going down the hill very quickly, irrespective of ANY political color.

[MMarlow]

Is this really considered news in Thailand?

28 deaths not significant enough for you, eh?

[Misab]

The problems are that Thai people don’t care. That’s the really big problem, they just don’t care.

Don’t care about road safety. Don’t care about road maintenance.

And yes they properly never heard of drivers log book, having installed speeding log in all big cars buses etc., Next year Thailand will again be among the 3 countries there top the list of “The country there have most people killed on the roads.” Not only do that, but Thai people never learnt how to behave in traffic or to comply with traffic rules, therefore they are among the 10 countries, who have the worlds worst drivers.

Thailand is 30 years behind most of the world when it comes to road safety.

Another big problem is the corrupt police.

[Hawk]

You all forget that the (Thai) driver was naturally gifted to drive a bus, training and education on safety was not needed as his superiority to other drivers was apparent to him from an early age.

His falling asleep at the wheel was his only ever mistake and should not cast any doubts on his true abilities.

But really with a road traffic system where there are no penalties except paltry fines, any transgressor can continue driving no matter what they have done on the road until they have killed themselves, and probably others too.

When I tell Thai friends about suspended licenses and points systems they simply do not believe it is possible to have control like that.

Out on my bike I have drivers try to kill me for fun so it seems, head on aggression,(but they do flash their lights so I guess that's ok then) side ways swiping, trying to race and overtake, it is murder out there. It aint going to change soon by the feel of things, so its game on to survive.

Get in the bike lane where you belong.

Where is the bike lane? As the roads and pavements (sidewalks) are full of cars and motorcycles!

[draftvader]

Where is the Thai outrage? Why doesn't a grass-roots group form of Thai citizens demanding that road safety be addressed and things change. To do nothing and to see these road deaths continue is insane.

Unfortunately this is a case of demographics. The people that "matter" are the people that don't need to use buses. They can fly or have their driver take them. People that depend on buses obviously don't have enough money to matter.

This makes me sad every time I think about it as this is the demographic that most of my good Thai friends come from.

[BangkokGastronaut]

Deadly road accidents are common in Thailand.

Stunning piece of journalism/insight

[MMarlow]

yes if you are reading this and plan on coming to Thailand for any reason please cancel your trip.

it is far too dangerous here.

Most moronic post of the day.

I don't think the Russian tourism authority or whatever it's called would agree with you.

It is getting too dangerous here for mass tourism. The safety systems don't exist for it, nor can the infrastructure handle it.

EDIT: Also price fixing by government may have a lot to answer for.

How does the Russian tourism authority or whatever come into this?

Your second point is total nonsense, as is your edit.

[louthlincs]

well it's just lucky we have a stable government in place isn't it and no political turbulence on the horizon - doubtless these issues will soon be addressed in such ideal administrative circumstances

[MJP]

For MMarlow above . . .

Regarding the Russians . . .

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/683147-russian-tourism-group-threatens-thailand-boycott/

Regarding the rest, just as an example . . .

http://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/australian-travellers-face-greatest-arrest-risk-in-the-us-higher-chance-of-death-in-thailand/story-fnizu68q-1226694951575

Edited December 27, 2013 by MJP

[lostinsurin]

Don't expect anything to change (yes, we say that far too often). In the early 90s, I read a report in The Nation that was headlined something like "Thailand's worst year ever for road fatalities" (18,000, if I remember correctly). I waited for a day for some official reaction. Not a bloody peep from anyone. I wrote a letter of outrage to the editor, but it drew not a single response. Nada, zilch. Since then, as many as half a million people have been killed on the roads in Thailand - twice as many as the 2004 tsunami. I shudder to think of the number of people permanently incapacitated, the number of parentless children, the destruction to families, the effect on communities, the cost to the taxpayer.

Only if your figures come out in the foreign press is there a small hope the Thai government will act

The comparison with the tsunami brought great perspective. great post.

Edited December 27, 2013 by lostinsurin

[slipperylobster]

I expect this murderous neglect will continue until they run out of buses.

[emiubon]

is very rare than an influential and reach person will take a bus, so as people that use motorbikes, here is the answer, Trains is the same, people are fighting between each other all the time, but dont understand that are the target of the same agenda.

And by the way less people alive is better, for the wealthy peoples.

[ginjag]

Next week I have to travel from Chiang Mai to Vientiane. I went to the bus station and asked all the bus companies if any of them have daytime busses. One had a bus that leaves in the afternoon and arrives in the middle of the night, the others said we no have.

Please - does anyone know of a bus I can take on my way back form Vientiane (friendship bridge) to Chiang Mai, that travels in the daytime?

Maybe this sounds stupid but fly to Udon, or Vientiane or even KKhen and get your visa KKhen and bus to Vientiane.

[MMarlow]

For MMarlow above . . .

Regarding the Russians . . .

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/683147-russian-tourism-group-threatens-thailand-boycott/

Regarding the rest, just as an example . . .

http://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/australian-travellers-face-greatest-arrest-risk-in-the-us-higher-chance-of-death-in-thailand/story-fnizu68q-1226694951575

Can't be bothered looking at a link you provide so no idea what's in them. My reponse to your post is unchanged.

[starchild5]

There was a similar accident in The Philippines few days back

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/12/15/world/asia/philippines-bus-crash/

and I thought....God....Next is Thailand as this side of the world seems to follow a pattern....If you read the local papers of SEA for some years...You can get the vibe that all countries from deep inside follow a similar time line....

I have analysed this Pattern to some extent....Here is what I see...

1. Japanese....Influence ....They are kinda Top of the Pyramid in Asian Chain of thinking...(I'm Asian myself..)

A) I have never seen or read a Japanese guy riding a high speed bike and crashing and killing himself and others....Just the other day a Russian was killed riding high speed bike in Pattaya.....

http://www.pattayaone.net/pattaya-news/112138/russian-dies-in-high-speed-motorbike-crash-in-north-pattaya/

Almost all roads accidents in Bike or Car that are Made in Japan or Manufactured by Japanese Companies in Thailand involve foreign nationals...WHY?

The bus was most probably ISUZU or some other Japanese collaboration Made in Thailand...

For all this one year..I have scanned all news involving bike accidents in Pattaya and I have not found a SINGLE JAPANESE involved in it...I don't have stats for other cities in Thailand...But not ONE from Japan in Pattaya....BUT 99% of bike accidents Involved Japanese Bikes...

You never see a Japanese trying to impress a Bar girl by saying...These farangs don't know how to ride a Japanese bike babe....Hop in...let me show you how to really ride a Japanese Bike...and go on 100 miles/hr spin...

If you want to understand Asia like Thailand, Philippines etc...We need to understand the Japanese influence ....

-----------------------

Japanese culture is Very Self -Disciplined, Highly Responsible, ....Japan has created many violent video games, fastest bikes, Porn yet crime there is one of the lowest in the whole world.

MY POINT IN ALL THIS is......SEA Culture, its way of life & Discipline, Its roads are Made for upto 40-60 Km/hour limit....

Being Asian myself...We are not ready yet....You give us 180 KM/hr...some of us will go crazy and drive faster to reach that limit..yet we lack the self-discipline for that high speed....

The Speed Limit in Thailand is not in sync with the Culture, Self-Discipline of the country which in turn creates its roads, traffic laws and enforcement etc......Its ok ...In Japan 180, 300 Km/hr bikes will do but not in other Asian countries....

I see more darker days ahead for Thailand in new years and so on.....The equations, stats don't lie....and people are crazy and if we tell them to put 60 hr/limit in Thailand they will bring the race issues in it....RIP to all victims