Drunk bus driver crashes Thai school bus injuring 33 students

[slipperylobster]

Glad I do not have to keep a scrapbook for all the bus accidents...

[henrymeier99]

The Thai government is encouraged to consider these riders such as in Singapore.

[Suffinator]

so 100 Baht fine and right back to work. Yeah there's no way like the Thai way

[Larry001]

Just another example why this country is the laughing stock of the world. Already has the 3rd worst road toll statistics in the world.

[little mary sunshine]

IF I was the parent of one of these children I would have him done away with; than go after his boss !!!

Edited January 27, 2014 by little mary sunshine

[Larry001]

slipperylobster, on 27 Jan 2014 - 17:59, said:

Glad I do not have to keep a scrapbook for all the bus accidents...

You would need a very thick one.

[Loles]

Fortunately no-one was died.

The story is a typical and never ending ..

[GentlemanJim]

I had to take the difficult but easy (you will get what I mean) decision last week, not to allow my 6 year old to go on the school bus trip with her class to the beach. Even she said at 6 yrs that the buses had no seat belts so she wasn't happy. When we got a letter from the school saying, all parents had to sign an indemnity that if anything happened at all to their children on the trip, the school were not responsible. With that the decision was made. I spoke to the Director who speaks good English about the standard of the bus, the bus driver etc and reminded her that the school had complete legal liability to ensure the Driver was properly vetted, trained and sober, and asked how can we entrust the safety of our children to the school on such a trip when as far as they were concerned, nobody was responsible for them. She just looked at me with glazed eyes. Myself and a handful of Thai parents decided their kids would not be going, so we all had a fun day at the pool anyway.

I feel sorry for the children that went through this experience, and I fear like a poster has already mentioned that had my daughter been on the bus I would end up being arrested!

[Naroge]

What was the teacher doing? Once the trip has started the teacher should be in charge and make sure the driver is up to the task.

[ginjag]

slipperylobster, on 27 Jan 2014 - 17:59, said:

Glad I do not have to keep a scrapbook for all the bus accidents...

You would need a very thick one.

I've heard that said before

[recycler]

Maybe I should stop reading this kind of news, makes me want to get drunk..... I'm not a schoolbus driver!

Edited January 27, 2014 by recycler

[HOOD Robin]

it will never stop...

Driver a school employee ???

So the school never knew he was a heavy drinker ?? was he vetted before he was employed ??? to get the job you normally have connections with a school member of staff Did he ??? so who actually set him on.

Hope he had a D/License.

Too many questions... T i T (meaning 'who give a shit'?)....

[96tehtarp]

A very good acquaintance of mine was a high ranking policeman from Pattaya. He's since been promoted to a more profitable position outside of Pattaya. (That's hard to imagine, yet true.)

He recently took his family of five to London for a month long holiday. They stayed in a hotel and ate in restaurants for a month.

As much as I despise corruption, and government paid junkets for these types I would really like to see a bunch of the BIB travel on a government paid junket to Sweden; Malmö, Gothenburg etc. where they can really see how the authorities handle drivers and alcohol where over the X-mas and News Years period we are regularly stopped at random to blow in the tube until it beeps.

Like the big Johnny Walker neon sign in Bangkok says; "Drink Don't drive"!

Even then, there will need to be some political will to change the current lackadaisical policy, and we all know where that takes us...

...on a month long holiday in London for a party of five on a Thai policeman's salary.

[Lingba]

500 Baht fine again??????

No..all he has to do is apologize and all will be forgiven

[lucjoker]

who would bet against it being discovered he is a relative of a school official

so you think the school director is a alcoholic too?

[Businessman]

I read not only that the driver was 3 sheets to the wind... but ALSO there was a sober teacher on the bus who did not notice the condition of of the driver or if the teacher did notice (I'd favor this scenario) he/she took no action to safeguard the students on the bus. So I guess driving a bus load of students while drunk is perfectly normal and acceptable. Situation normal. TiT

[ginjag]

it will never stop...

Driver a school employee ???

So the school never knew he was a heavy drinker ?? was he vetted before he was employed ??? to get the job you normally have connections with a school member of staff Did he ??? so who actually set him on.

Hope he had a D/License.

Too many questions... T i T (meaning 'who give a shit'?)....

I am not really asking the questions, These are what the authorities should be asking.----was this a dig at me ?? or a dig at Thai ?? if it was a dig at me you do not have to waste your time posting an answer.

[seabass69]

33 students, 1 teacher, 1 driver....samlor schoolbus?

[scorecard]

it will never stop...

Driver a school employee ???

So the school never knew he was a heavy drinker ?? was he vetted before he was employed ??? to get the job you normally have connections with a school member of staff Did he ??? so who actually set him on.

Hope he had a D/License.

What the f*** are wrong with those people??

You are responsible for the lives and safety for a group of young people, and drives with 3 times over the limit in your blood??

Hope the youths recover quickly!!

All agree.

If there was a teacher on board the bus, surely that teacher would have noticed the driver well and truly drunk (3 times over the limit),so

why didn't that teacher say something?

[Mudcrab]

I am almost happy, we are reading something "normal" in this whole mess...

...almost...

Hope everyone injured recovers soon...

based on your recent posts of vindictive bile you would be happier if it was a bus load load of aged pensioners going to a Suthep rally who were then shot on the spot for littering following the bus accident.

[ThaiTrav]

What the f*** are wrong with those people??

You are responsible for the lives and safety for a group of young people, and drives with 3 times over the limit in your blood??

Hope the youths recover quickly!!

They should fine and sack the driver and also fine the bus company for employing and not policing their dimwit staff but ......oh ....but of course we know that will never happen ,.....sensibility and intelligence never rules here!!

[wprime]

At least it's actually admitted they were drunk instead of the usual he ran away because he was scared.

You try running when you've got a blood alcohol level of 0.16% and you've just been thrown around a bus.

[Mudcrab]

I read not only that the driver was 3 sheets to the wind... but ALSO there was a sober teacher on the bus who did not notice the condition of of the driver or if the teacher did notice (I'd favor this scenario) he/she took no action to safeguard the students on the bus. So I guess driving a bus load of students while drunk is perfectly normal and acceptable. Situation normal. TiT

Probably one the upstanding NEL teachers we hear from so often on here

[sirineou]

it will never stop...

In the west there used to be the image of the lovable drunk. On TV the image of the lovable drunk that never hurt anyone but himself, was portrait in many shows,This attitude has changed and it must change here also

I will stop, or at least be significantly reduced, as it did in the west, when there is a stigma attached to drinking, and the penalties of driving while intoxicated become severe.

.

[Artisi]

it will never stop...

Driver a school employee ???

So the school never knew he was a heavy drinker ?? was he vetted before he was employed ??? to get the job you normally have connections with a school member of staff Did he ??? so who actually set him on.

Hope he had a D/License.

What the f*** are wrong with those people??

You are responsible for the lives and safety for a group of young people, and drives with 3 times over the limit in your blood??

Hope the youths recover quickly!!

All agree.

If there was a teacher on board the bus, surely that teacher would have noticed the driver well and truly drunk (3 times over the limit),so

why didn't that teacher say something?

What are you <deleted> crazy or something, couldn't have the driver lose face .............

[Artisi]

I had to take the difficult but easy (you will get what I mean) decision last week, not to allow my 6 year old to go on the school bus trip with her class to the beach. Even she said at 6 yrs that the buses had no seat belts so she wasn't happy. When we got a letter from the school saying, all parents had to sign an indemnity that if anything happened at all to their children on the trip, the school were not responsible. With that the decision was made. I spoke to the Director who speaks good English about the standard of the bus, the bus driver etc and reminded her that the school had complete legal liability to ensure the Driver was properly vetted, trained and sober, and asked how can we entrust the safety of our children to the school on such a trip when as far as they were concerned, nobody was responsible for them. She just looked at me with glazed eyes. Myself and a handful of Thai parents decided their kids would not be going, so we all had a fun day at the pool anyway.

I feel sorry for the children that went through this experience, and I fear like a poster has already mentioned that had my daughter been on the bus I would end up being arrested!

Good, pleased to hear of your wise decision. So far I / we haven't had to make a similar decision as the schools trips have been very local, ie nearby wat, local flower nursery. Come the day for any major trip I will be there vetting the bus / driver / staff prior to the start of the trip.

Having a heavy vehicle licence myself, with bus / coach accreditation together numerous driving tests under my belt and an acute survival instinct, the smallest concern will mean no trip.

Edited January 27, 2014 by Artisi

[geriatrickid]

Nothing will happen for 2 reasons.

1 - He "connected" to someone in the school, who is "connected" to someone higher up, ad nasuem.

2 - He'll use the excuse he was sick and only taking some of Chalerm's "ear medicine", and had no idea it had alcohol in it.

You are incorrect. The fact that the disclosure was so quick should tip you off that the driver is not going to walk away.

Your crude attempt to bring up Chalerm with a childish insult has no relevance.

[transam]

At least it's actually admitted they were drunk instead of the usual he ran away because he was scared.

Think perhaps he was legless.................

[Briandajew]

it will never stop...

Driver a school employee ???

So the school never knew he was a heavy drinker ?? was he vetted before he was employed ??? to get the job you normally have connections with a school member of staff Did he ??? so who actually set him on.

Hope he had a D/License.

Maybe he just went out on the piss at a party the night before.....why would the school be expected to know his drinking habits? Does your employer know yours? Why would you hope he had a driving license? Do you hope he can save 400 Baht fine?

He probably appeared normal like a lot of Thais.......

Blood Alcohol Levels - 0.16-0.19 BAC: Dysphoria predominates, nausea may appear. The drinker has the appearance of a "sloppy drunk."

I mean just look at Suthep and his symptoms.....0.25 BAC: All mental, physical and sensory functions are severely impaired. Increased risk of asphyxiation from choking on vomit and of seriously injuring yourself by falls or other accidents.

Edited January 27, 2014 by Briandajew

[DGIE]

When Thais drink beer, as if no more beer tomorrow