29 killed in Thailand bus accident: police

[SvenSoda]

there are no 30m ravine on the petchabun-Lomsak-Loei motorway

Route 12: Phitsanulok - LomSak - Khon Kaen

The ravine is in the Nam Nao National Park

Edited December 27, 2013 by SvenSoda

[ginjag]

We all know in near normal countries, a bus accident happens once in a blue moon, here sad to say more than one in a full moon.

No way this bus should be 30 40 50 meters down a ravine, was the second driver on board ??? no mention yet. A company like this should be raked over the coals and thoroughly dealt with. People do not pay a fare to die, they pay to be taken to their chosen destination safely. K.Khen to Chiang Rai is a fair long way. so ????

driver co driver-attendant have to wait.

[ratcatcher]

Life in Thailand is cheap, grieving families not wanting to create 'scene' bury their dead

and continue with life, no uproar, no graveness, no demand for investigation, and until

this situation will change where someone will have to be ultimately liable for the carnage

and lack of safety measures put in place to insure the safety of the traveling public, it will

continue to be like that.... life in Thailand is cheap...

Exactly and precisely why I have not renewed my Retirement Visa after a few years of validity.

I worked hard for 40 years and had hopes of living a reasonable and comfortable life here with my Thai Wife, but no, we are staying put where we are and will only visit this place for a matter of a few weeks each year to catch up with family.

It's just not worth the risk!

So, how's life in Chicago these days? Or is it Leeds U.K.?

Stay safe mate.

[fishhooks]

Life in Thailand is cheap, grieving families not wanting to create 'scene' bury their dead

and continue with life, no uproar, no graveness, no demand for investigation, and until

this situation will change where someone will have to be ultimately liable for the carnage

and lack of safety measures put in place to insure the safety of the traveling public, it will

continue to be like that.... life in Thailand is cheap...

Exactly and precisely why I have not renewed my Retirement Visa after a few years of validity.

I worked hard for 40 years and had hopes of living a reasonable and comfortable life here with my Thai Wife, but no, we are staying put where we are and will only visit this place for a matter of a few weeks each year to catch up with family.

It's just not worth the risk!

So, how's life in Chicago these days? Or is it Leeds U.K.?

Stay safe mate.

Profile quite clear, nothing to hide here!

[finnomick]

After spending the Loy Krathong festival in Chiang Mai, my mate and his wife were going to Bangkok. The trains weren't running due to repair works and the airlines were full for days ahead so they booked a bus via the hotel tour desk. It took THE driver ten and a half hours to do the journey -- non stop. This should tell you something. And, who knows what the driver had done before the bus left Chiang Mai or even when it got to Bangkok. If that wasn't enough, the driver turned the a/c off before they were out of Chiang Mai. The toilet light didn't work and the floor was awash with pee and crap. There were no refreshments offered during the journey -- probably to try and alleviate the need for people to use the already overflowing toilet. It also rained en route and the roof leaked. Some journey especially as this was at night too !

[SOTIRIOS]

...pathetic...completely senseless......

...people are dollars...once their dollars are obtained...they are dispensable....

....in other countries, this may happen once a year....then exhaustive investigations ensue....

...and everything possible is done to make sure it doesn't happen again.....

,,,here it happens weekly...or monthly at least.....and who gives a d*mn.....

[nontabury]

The carnage continues on the roads of Thailand... Never any single action taken by authorities (ALL colors) for a decade. When this bloodshed will end? Thailands roads 3rd most deadly in the World!!!!! TIT probably looking for the 1st place...

BBC news reports that road fatalities in Thailand are higher than in most other S.E Asian countries, while the Russian news agency is far more accurate in stating that the figures are much higher, putting Thailand in the top 3 countries in the world for road accidents.

[fishhooks]

After spending the Loy Krathong festival in Chiang Mai, my mate and his wife were going to Bangkok. The trains weren't running due to repair works and the airlines were full for days ahead so they booked a bus via the hotel tour desk. It took THE driver ten and a half hours to do the journey -- non stop. This should tell you something. And, who knows what the driver had done before the bus left Chiang Mai or even when it got to Bangkok. If that wasn't enough, the driver turned the a/c off before they were out of Chiang Mai. The toilet light didn't work and the floor was awash with pee and crap. There were no refreshments offered during the journey -- probably to try and alleviate the need for people to use the already overflowing toilet. It also rained en route and the roof leaked. Some journey especially as this was at night too !

And ...................This great Thai Bus Company was named ............. ?

[nomad127]

"The eyewitness who informed the police said the bus went very fast before it plunged into the ravine,"

Simple reason it happened, as it's the same reason 95% of the other fatalities happen. Now, what will the government do about it?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

7 pages of posts, and several news reports posted here...

But as far as I can read, zero mention of what happened to the bus driver. Dead...or on the run?

And, very little mention of who all the passegers were...SAD!

As for the crash, NOT accident, HORRIBLE!!!

The only worse thing is, how many times we`ve seen the exact same story before.

[myluckythai]

wow Thailand has a staggering 8 fold of traffic related deaths, in comparing to europe.

you can blame all the above like tachographes, driving hours Bad equipment and what not, but one thing i know for sure.

being used to the many antisocial behaviours of thai people, one thing will amaze me every day again and again.

The people here drive like total A holes!

they just don't seem to care about anyone and anything including themsleves when driving their vehicles.

It is their way of driving that causes most deaths. No matter they have been driving for hours or just a minute.

Even driving of a parkingplace, or turning into the first street they encounter after leaving home, and they already cause a dangerous situation by just turning on the road without even checking it is possible. Or their behaviour at trafficlights !!?

Let alone all the switching of lanes without looking, the complete lack of understanding the concept of a rearview mirror, or blinking a light when taking a left or right turn, or signaling to the right and then turning to the left and so on....

It does not help anything ,enforcing laws and all, if they drive like complete morrons and A holes without any sense or regard for an other.

This is up to the individual and no one else.

[cardinalblue]

Does anyone know if this accident happened on the stretch of highway that is being widened to two lanes in both directions running from Petchabun to Phitsanulok?

The expansion project is roughly 120km between these two towns and what they have done is to create one of the most dangerous driving conditions I have ever experienced. I have driven this road twice in the past few months and it's beyond description what driving hazrds the road builders have created...

This is a winding mtn road with a single lane in both directions with a few passing lanes thrown in. It is great that they are widening if that is what dictated by traffic studies but here is the problem...

The builders on the both sides of the road for the entire length (120km) have excavated from the edge of the driving lane some thirty to 150 feet out is just open space. They have removed all the trees and more significantly the dirt that was parallel and even to the road. So now there is about no more than 4 feet to an abrupt drop-off from anywhere from two feet to 20 feet running along the road

No interim safety measures were put in place so there are no barriers, no lights , no reflectors no guardrails to warn a motorist that there is a significant drop if you drift 4 feet to the left on either side...you are going to run right off the road and into a ditch, ravine whatever you want to call it (for 120kms)...

The gov, if they the builders of the road, is the ultimate party that should be held accountable for creating incredibly dangerous driving conditions that will last forever how long it takes to widen a 120kms of a mountain road - 2, 3, 4 years? Really an example of gross or criminal negligence in exererbaing dangerous road conditions where interim safety is completely absent in this project - mind boggling..

Hope someone else can confirm what I have described above and if this accident happened along this road project...

Flat out don't buy that the driver fell asleep. One doesn't even need tospeed to get killed under the current road conditions between Petchabun and Phitsanulok...

CB

.

Edited December 27, 2013 by cardinalblue

[moe666]

Sombat Tours is one of the few bus companies with a good safety record.

[MJP]

wow Thailand has a staggering 8 fold of traffic related deaths, in comparing to europe.

you can blame all the above like tachographes, driving hours Bad equipment and what not, but one thing i know for sure.

being used to the many antisocial behaviours of thai people, one thing will amaze me every day again and again.

The people here drive like total A holes!

they just don't seem to care about anyone and anything including themsleves when driving their vehicles.

It is their way of driving that causes most deaths. No matter they have been driving for hours or just a minute.

Even driving of a parkingplace, or turning into the first street they encounter after leaving home, and they already cause a dangerous situation by just turning on the road without even checking it is possible. Or their behaviour at trafficlights !!?

Let alone all the switching of lanes without looking, the complete lack of understanding the concept of a rearview mirror, or blinking a light when taking a left or right turn, or signaling to the right and then turning to the left and so on....

It does not help anything ,enforcing laws and all, if they drive like complete morrons and A holes without any sense or regard for an other.

This is up to the individual and no one else.

Could be myth and legend, but I've been told that many Thai's don't look before pulling out, because to look would be to lose face, because they should know already, instinctively.

It sounds utterly bonkers but from my many years on the road here I struggle to disbelieve this.

[MJP]

Does anyone know if this accident happened on the stretch of highway that is being widened to two lanes in both directions running from Petchabun to Phitsanulok?

The expansion project is roughly 120km between these two towns and what they have done is to create one of the most dangerous driving conditions I have ever experienced. I have driven this road twice in the past few months and it's beyond description what driving hazrds the road builders have created...

This is a winding mtn road with a single lane in both directions with a few passing lanes thrown in. It is great that they are widening if that is what dictated by traffic studies but here is the problem...

The builders on the both sides of the road for the entire length (120km) have excavated from the edge of the driving lane some thirty to 150 feet out is just open space. They have removed all the trees and more significantly the dirt that was parallel and even to the road. So now there is about no more than 4 feet to an abrupt drop-off from anywhere from two feet to 20 feet running along the road

No interim safety measures were put in place so there are no barriers, no lights , no reflectors no guardrails to warn a motorist that there is a significant drop if you drift 4 feet to the left on either side...you are going to run right off the road and into a ditch, ravine whatever you want to call it (for 120kms)...

The gov, if they the builders of the road, is the ultimate party that should be held accountable for creating incredibly dangerous driving conditions that will last forever how long it takes to widen a 120kms of a mountain road - 2, 3, 4 years? Really an example of gross or criminal negligence in exererbaing dangerous road conditions where interim safety is completely absent in this project - mind boggling..

Hope someone else can confirm what I have described above and if this accident happened along this road project...

Flat out don't buy that the driver fell asleep. One doesn't even need tospeed to get killed under the current road conditions between Petchabun and Phitsanulok...

CB

.

All I've got to say is this . . .

[craigt3365]

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

Good point but nothing will happen because its likely the bus company owners are friends or relatives of influential people. The company owner may himself be an influential person.

Nothing changes in Thailand.

Wow ... Thats some fantastic news...

Who are these influential people you talk about. How to you get such amazing insight into why things happen here.

Is this REALLy why nothing changes in Thailand, or is it because some low brow retards assume to much?

This is worth watching:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6Jt4nlKbhk

[Hawk]

"The eyewitness who informed the police said the bus went very fast before it plunged into the ravine,"

Simple reason it happened, as it's the same reason 95% of the other fatalities happen. Now, what will the government do about it?

Obviously nothing. Silly question, next please. How many Thais are complaining? None. As they know nobody cares, nothing will ever be done so what's the point in making a noise when you know that it was fate so they will simply mark it down to bad luck, an accident, its the Thai way, and so it goes. All the people complaining here are foreigners but surely by now most of you must realize that the Thais hate being told what to do by outsiders, they resent it. So if you smile, say nothing, no complaining and be friendly all be okay but when you disturb the equilibrium, make them lose face, then they will hate you. Its their country, Thais are thoughtless by nature, they love doing stupid things, so let them be, you cannot stop them from killing each other as its part of their culture. They believe that good and bad luck rules their lives, and if you understand the Thai language then you will often hear Thais talking about it. Why do you think astrology, tarot etc are so very popular in Thailand? Everyone's looking for good luck and hoping to avoid the bad luck, its the This way.

Drivers in Thailand seem to love movies like "Fast and furious" and "Death Race", as they sure like to copy them.

Edited December 27, 2013 by Hawk

[MJP]

Hawk, everyone in my family here drives like Miss Daisy and have a mortal fear of the roads and excellent defensive driving skills. They also don't drink and drive and the trucks are plastered in Don't Drink and Drive! stickers.

Even the plastic ganesh on the dashboard wears a seatbelt.

Just sayin' is all.

[Hawk]

Hawk, everyone in my family here drives like Miss Daisy and have a mortal fear of the roads and excellent defensive driving skills. They also don't drink and drive and the trucks are plastered in Don't Drink and Drive! stickers.

Even the plastic ganesh on the dashboard wears a seatbelt.

Just sayin' is all.

Beware of the other driver who drives like a zombie on speed, you guys maybe snails but there's millions of lunatics on the loose in Thailand who drive like demons from hell.

You didn't seem to grasp the fundamental bad/good luck thing that Thais faithfully believe in, that accounts for every accident, so nobody's to blame it was your own bad luck that caused your death.

Edited December 27, 2013 by Hawk

[MJP]

Hawk, everyone in my family here drives like Miss Daisy and have a mortal fear of the roads and excellent defensive driving skills. They also don't drink and drive and the trucks are plastered in Don't Drink and Drive! stickers.

Even the plastic ganesh on the dashboard wears a seatbelt.

Just sayin' is all.

Beware of the other driver who drives like a zombie on speed, you guys maybe snails but there's millions of lunatics on the loose in Thailand who derive like demon from hell.

You didn't seem to grasp the fundamental bad/good luck thing that Thais faithfully believe in.

That's the thing. They don't believe in the luck thing when it comes to driving. Well, they believe you make your own luck through safe driving.

Been driving here for well over a decade now without incident. No one in the family has ever had an accident. Drive at the speed limit and drive defensively.

It's still bloody dangerous out there though and it terrifies the hell out of me.

[Hawk]

Hawk, everyone in my family here drives like Miss Daisy and have a mortal fear of the roads and excellent defensive driving skills. They also don't drink and drive and the trucks are plastered in Don't Drink and Drive! stickers.

Even the plastic ganesh on the dashboard wears a seatbelt.

Just sayin' is all.

Beware of the other driver who drives like a zombie on speed, you guys maybe snails but there's millions of lunatics on the loose in Thailand who derive like demon from hell.

You didn't seem to grasp the fundamental bad/good luck thing that Thais faithfully believe in.

That's the thing. They don't believe in the luck thing when it comes to driving. Well, they believe you make your own luck through safe driving.

Been driving here for well over a decade now without incident. No one in the family has ever had an accident. Drive at the speed limit and drive defensively.

It's still bloody dangerous out there though and it terrifies the hell out of me.

Thais who drive like lunatics always believe nothing bad will ever happen to them because they believe that good luck is on their side, perhaps in the form of a new amulet or whatever, and your family do put their continued survival down to good luck, its the Thai way. Edited December 27, 2013 by Hawk

[Prbkk]

Taiwan used to have a similar problem: lunatic drivers, strong belief in fate, proliferation of unregulated buses, lax controls. While still not perfect, they have improved safety out of sight....strong policing, cameras everywhere, mandatory sentencing for drink driving, central regulation of transport. Korea has improved as well. Thailand just gets worse.

The youtube link above is very telling

[MJP]

Hawk.

Wrong about what?

What have I stated, about my own family, who you don't know, to be wrong?

[Pattaya28]

And another bus-load bite the dust.

This will go on and on and on.

This is acceptable by the Thai system. If it wasn't acceptable, measures would be taken.

Remember, "This Is Thailand".

[sirineou]

Here we go again,

Why cant Thailand be more like the west ? If we want it to be so much like home, why did we leave?

[elzach]

Life in Thailand is cheap, grieving families not wanting to create 'scene' bury their dead

and continue with life, no uproar, no graveness, no demand for investigation, and until

this situation will change where someone will have to be ultimately liable for the carnage

and lack of safety measures put in place to insure the safety of the traveling public, it will

continue to be like that.... life in Thailand is cheap...

Life in many places in Asia is cheap...the difference is they don't advertise themselves as "Amazing ....".

Sometimes I wonder what Thai people (in private of course) think of this slogan, "oh yeah amazing, as in unbelievable".

[MJP]

Life in Thailand is cheap, grieving families not wanting to create 'scene' bury their dead

and continue with life, no uproar, no graveness, no demand for investigation, and until

this situation will change where someone will have to be ultimately liable for the carnage

and lack of safety measures put in place to insure the safety of the traveling public, it will

continue to be like that.... life in Thailand is cheap...

Life in many places in Asia is cheap...the difference is they don't advertise themselves as "Amazing ....".

Sometimes I wonder what Thai people (in private of course) think of this slogan, "oh yeah amazing, as in unbelievable".

My Thai friends and family generally have their head in their hands at the whole thing.

Don't for one moment think Thai nationals are not acutely aware of all the problems here and say the same things we farangs do about it. Of course face does come into this, so they won't tell just any farang how they feel.

Any 'mai pen rai' comes from powerlessness to do anything about it and not from an attitude of uncaring apathy.

[Torrens54]

Words fail me. If this happened in NZ it would be considered almost a national disaster and there would be a royal commission established to determine causes.

If there were any discrepancies in the drivers log book, hours spent driving versus the legal allowed hours, vehicle maintenance logs or any other causes that could be attributed to the company or its managers, then manslaughter charges would be made.

In Thailand, it's just same <deleted>, different day.

Wow, sounds like New Zealand is a wonderful place to live... maybe we should all move there....couldn't be much colder than CNX at the moment.

Er, did they ever find out what caused that Air New Zealand Flight to crash on a sightseeing flight over Antarctica, Mt Erebus or something?

[balo]

Bus is still safer than cars on the roads here, in a small vehicle a front collision and you're dead. In a big truck or bus at least you have a good chance.

[yooper2001]

Unfortunately this will happen many more times because Thailand has a minister of transportation and a police force who do not give a rats ass about public safety. Any tour bus company can grease the hands of public officials and continue with buses that are unsafe and unqualified drivers. 29,000 traffic deaths in Thailand a year should be unacceptable in a modern country. For example Thailand is not a large as the state of texas in USA and texas has 3,000 traffic deaths a year. Thailand needs a government that protects and serves it's citizens

There is not 1 day that I do not see a thai driver make a dumb ass move while driving a vehicle. The police do not care about anything but where they will get their next weekend money.

R.I.P for those that died. the minister of transportation and police that do nothing have your blood on their hands and should be ashamed

Edited December 28, 2013 by Scott
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