14 killed, 40 hurt in Prachin Buri bus-truck crash

[Thai at Heart]

That is a truly shocking piece of road, which is for some bizarre reason 3 lanes, with the upward lane being single and downhill being double. Which is of course completely the wrong way around. To have the logistics of heavy lorries and buses going on that road is truly reckless

Once looked up the height of the mountain, in fact I think it is 2 in 1, so to speak, twin peaks, very little signs as to the steepness of the road 1 in 6 for example or in % form. at times because of the valley's and steep sides when you think you are uphill you need no accelerator. and vise versa. At one point descending as I thought I found I was near foot to the floor. tricky drive without the crazies on the road.

I still like the drive to Jomptien, BUT no one needs alcohol-drugs--lack of sleep or it could be your last sleep.

I worked in Rayong for a few years, and drove it every week. It is a shocking piece of road, with many sharp bends. The road coming down is two lanes, so some loaded trucks crawl down being overtaken by buses and unladen trucks and yahoos doing 60kmh on a very very steep hill. Thgis is what I guess happened to this bus. He was coming down and couldn't stop. Going up, there is a logjam of buses and car transporters crawling up at 5kmh daring to overtake. It is a truly disatrous layout. I saw so many trucks that had run off the road coming down because of excess speed and so many cars squished trying to make the overtake coming up the hill. It is a shocker.

I asked a Thai friend why they dont'# make it the other way round. one land down, 2 lanes up to allow lighter cars to overtake going up hill, and for cars and buses to overtake with the gradient coming down. He thought for a second and then steam came out of his ears, and his eyes glazed over. Last I heard he was mumbling "falang ba".

[sirchai]

14 dead, 40 injured in school field trip bus accident in Prachin Buri /MCOT

And the wife wonders why I don't let our kid go on school trips!

I always have a strange feeling in my stomach when our son's with the school on a trip.Thinking about that makes me sick and I feel so sorry for those who'd lost their loved ones.

[sirchai]

Here are some photos just taken at the scene of the accident

ญ

This is such a scary photograph that all people in this country should see.Please see the windshields and make your math how many bodies were being thrown against them.Oh god......

Made me sad. RIP>-

Edited February 28, 2014 by sirchai

[crazygreg44]

As it happened at 05.00 this morning..

They must have left Korat at around 02.00 am.....

Driving a tour bus through such a busy industrial area with heavy trucks driving all night looks like bringing children at high risk for encountering overworked drivers who fall asleep at their wheel.

Just for the sake of saving one hotel overnight stay...

you did not read the factsabout this one.

Thedriver of the truck was not asleep.

The bus driver was fully awake . He kept stepping onto the brake in the long downwhill track until the brakes gave up on his idiotic behaviour.

Then, the bus without working brakes, hit the truck at full speed while it was darting downwards.

Nobody was asleep . . just ONE driver acted like the uneducated mongrel killer he was.

[tingtongfarang]

Just one week ago i made this journey at nightime on the 304 from bkk to near prachin buri, there was a tailback of about 2km which i weaved through on the bike...the scene looked very much the same as in many trees gone but whatever vehicle had gone over was out of sight,

flashing lights from body snatcher trucks and ambulances were all around so i imagine it was a bus, the dead were being carried away,

There are ruts in the asphalt on that road which a normal sedan would bottom out on if both wheels are in the ruts

Edited February 28, 2014 by tingtongfarang

[atlbravosfan]

This video has been making the rounds this week, kinda pinpoints truck drivers attitudes towards safe driving.

my second thought - first one being, any contact between two vehicles in a modernized country and I am taking down the license plate number and immediately calling the police - 'why the hell is the guy in the small truck still messing with the guy in the big truck?' Just back off, it's clear you are dealing with a maniac. He is in a much larger vehicle than you - you will lose!

[Thongkorn]

I drive this route on the 304 regularily. There is a sign at the beginning of the downward slope from Khao Yai Park route on, directing bus- and truck drivers to switch into low gear whilst going downwards.

That's what I learned in driving school at home . . . when in downward drive, use your engine to slow down the car, and avoid using the brakes at utmost.

All the while when I have been driving this route , I have almost NEVER noticed any of the trucks or buses being in low gear !!! On almost every bus and truck the red brake lights are in CONSTANT MODE !!! . . which means, that these idiot drivers are running their brakes hot and hotter, until they will stop working.

WHEN will this country ensure that driving personnel = bus drivers, person transport drivers, truck and commercial drivers , get and receive PROPER education in the handling of large vehicles ??? You do not get a driver's license for a truck or bus in my country for nothing. You have to go to school, learn therory, and do some practical driving school , before they let you steer a monster !

In this country, a monkey with a piece of paper that costs him 1200 BAHT and ZERO practise can climb behind the wheel of a truck and come out endangering the live's of all and sundry.

It must stop at some point or the other. A free country is one thing, but a license to kill others with your car has nothing to do with the freedom of not being in a nanny state. SOME regulations and proper training for people who sit behind the wheels of a mass destrcution machine should be mandatory

This thinking is old fashion now, never use your engine as a break, There are speed retarders in most HGV, and buses. vehicles or exhaust breaks.But Driver Education in Thailand is Nil. R.I.P the poor people who lost there lives. bad driving from any of the vehicles. Playing chicken costs life's.

Edited February 28, 2014 by Thongkorn

[kannot]

And it goes on and on,they will never learn.

Yes thats the REAL tragedy they NEVER EVER learn anything, I have people right up my backside driving so I tug the handbrake, 2 seconds later they are there again, I dont care of they kill themselves but stay the heck away from me.

Thai mentality, what will be will be RUBBISH!!

[wooloomooloo]

None of you are Thai bar the odd exception in this thread. Different country, different rules, different culture.

Not a nice outcome and respect to the dead. How you view the value of life inside the Thai border matters little.

Tolerance for the country is a benefit. If I die in LOS, so be it.

[oops]

I am very sorry to hear this. RIP. I feel for the families.

This happens for many reasons starting with the fact that when they have a police escorts they drive in the fast lane sometimes weaving in and out of traffic as fast as they can, on the highways,flyovers, and even through town bumper to bumper with the police allowing them to do it. The police have set the precedence for these accidents by allowing them to drive like they are in the international Ferrari bonanza. .

They are not set up to be proactive to a problem but a contributing factor in a massacre just like this.

The second thing is not having qualified drivers that are held accountable for their actions. They are only held accountable if they don't run, then they are freed with in 24hrs with a free ticket to what ever country the run to.

The third thing is not holding the owners of the company responsible for these accidents which is the major contributing factor to all the accidents. Allowing the companies to place blame on the drivers is morally wrong. All transport companies should have recorded record of accidents. The owners with to many accidents should be shut down and not allowed to operate as well as be held on criminal charges. The owners are more than just a contributing factor, they actually exacerbate the problem by not being held accountable. In this case the owner of the busing company should be arrested for not hiring qualified drivers, giving them proper rest and not have a back up driver. .

The police should be held accountable for not having antiquate records of transport companies. Any company who tries to alter the report should be held on serious criminal charges or be sent to the mountainside in dead winter to ride on buses passing through the mountains of Afghanistan or some Latin country tied to the bonnet

[socksy01]

The amount of instances like this in Thailand - It would only make the small print sections of the Newspapers/Press in civilised Western Countries. Just another day here.

[kurnell]

People will be debating this topic in 100 years if Thai Visa forum is still around.

Edited March 1, 2014 by kurnell

[DrTuner]

This is such a scary photograph that all people in this country should see.

Thais have a morbid fascination with gore, I don't think looking at those photos would have the desired effect, just gawking. It's after all something they've screwed up in past lives that killed them

[Asiantravel]

This video has been making the rounds this week, kinda pinpoints truck drivers attitudes towards safe driving.

my second thought - first one being, any contact between two vehicles in a modernized country and I am taking down the license plate number and immediately calling the police - 'why the hell is the guy in the small truck still messing with the guy in the big truck?' Just back off, it's clear you are dealing with a maniac. He is in a much larger vehicle than you - you will lose!

My thought was the guy in the pickup was merely trying to stop the big truck to notify him about the damage he has sustained on his right side as a result of this crazy driving?

Edited March 1, 2014 by Asiantravel

[Pattaya Pat]

This country is an absolute disgrace, completely and utterly un-civilised. Thai's killing Thai's week in week out. This will be old news tomorrow.

I'm bringing kids up in this dump. It scares the absolute hell out of me.

Edited March 1, 2014 by Pattaya Pat

[edwinchester]

I drive this route on the 304 regularily. There is a sign at the beginning of the downward slope from Khao Yai Park route on, directing bus- and truck drivers to switch into low gear whilst going downwards.

That's what I learned in driving school at home . . . when in downward drive, use your engine to slow down the car, and avoid using the brakes at utmost.

All the while when I have been driving this route , I have almost NEVER noticed any of the trucks or buses being in low gear !!! On almost every bus and truck the red brake lights are in CONSTANT MODE !!! . . which means, that these idiot drivers are running their brakes hot and hotter, until they will stop working.

WHEN will this country ensure that driving personnel = bus drivers, person transport drivers, truck and commercial drivers , get and receive PROPER education in the handling of large vehicles ??? You do not get a driver's license for a truck or bus in my country for nothing. You have to go to school, learn therory, and do some practical driving school , before they let you steer a monster !

In this country, a monkey with a piece of paper that costs him 1200 BAHT and ZERO practise can climb behind the wheel of a truck and come out endangering the live's of all and sundry.

It must stop at some point or the other. A free country is one thing, but a license to kill others with your car has nothing to do with the freedom of not being in a nanny state. SOME regulations and proper training for people who sit behind the wheels of a mass destrcution machine should be mandatory

This thinking is old fashion now, never use your engine as a break, There are speed retarders in most HGV, and buses. vehicles or exhaust breaks.But Driver Education in Thailand is Nil. R.I.P the poor people who lost there lives. bad driving from any of the vehicles. Playing chicken costs life's.

It may be old fashioned thinking but then again most of the bus and truck fleets in Thailand are hardly cutting edge technology are they and decades old. Seriously doubt that any other than new vehicles have any sort of speed governors fitted.

[stickylies]

The World Health Organization says that Thailand has a "much higher" rate of deaths from traffic accidents than most other countries in South East Asia.

Hey TAT try putting a positive spin on that!

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-26366332

birthcontrol? saving the earth from overpopulation ?

[Pattaya Pat]

The amount of instances like this in Thailand - It would only make the small print sections of the Newspapers/Press in civilised Western Countries. Just another day here.

What???

[tingtongfarang]

The World Health Organization says that Thailand has a "much higher" rate of deaths from traffic accidents than most other countries in South East Asia.

Hey TAT try putting a positive spin on that!

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-26366332

birthcontrol? saving the earth from overpopulation ?

I came to the conclusion years ago that the road death toll was some kind of population control, its hard to think of another reason they would let it go on.

[Confuscious]

I had a chat with a teacher from that school a few minutes ago and she told me that the death toll was now up to 21.

RIP

[Artisi]

I drive this route on the 304 regularily. There is a sign at the beginning of the downward slope from Khao Yai Park route on, directing bus- and truck drivers to switch into low gear whilst going downwards.

That's what I learned in driving school at home . . . when in downward drive, use your engine to slow down the car, and avoid using the brakes at utmost.

All the while when I have been driving this route , I have almost NEVER noticed any of the trucks or buses being in low gear !!! On almost every bus and truck the red brake lights are in CONSTANT MODE !!! . . which means, that these idiot drivers are running their brakes hot and hotter, until they will stop working.

WHEN will this country ensure that driving personnel = bus drivers, person transport drivers, truck and commercial drivers , get and receive PROPER education in the handling of large vehicles ??? You do not get a driver's license for a truck or bus in my country for nothing. You have to go to school, learn therory, and do some practical driving school , before they let you steer a monster !

In this country, a monkey with a piece of paper that costs him 1200 BAHT and ZERO practise can climb behind the wheel of a truck and come out endangering the live's of all and sundry.

It must stop at some point or the other. A free country is one thing, but a license to kill others with your car has nothing to do with the freedom of not being in a nanny state. SOME regulations and proper training for people who sit behind the wheels of a mass destrcution machine should be mandatory

This thinking is old fashion now, never use your engine as a break, There are speed retarders in most HGV, and buses. vehicles or exhaust breaks.But Driver Education in Thailand is Nil. R.I.P the poor people who lost there lives. bad driving from any of the vehicles. Playing chicken costs life's.

It may be old fashioned thinking but then again most of the bus and truck fleets in Thailand are hardly cutting edge technology are they and decades old. Seriously doubt that any other than new vehicles have any sort of speed governors fitted.

Speed governors, exhaust brakes, tachometer etc. don't overcome stupidity, poor driving, inexperience or genuine mechanical faults.

From the limited info so far (and probably the most we will ever know) it would seem the driver was riding the brakes down the hill rather than being in low gear and using the engine braking / mechanical advantage of the low gearing to maintain a slow speed. To call it brake failure is bullshit, overheated brakes lose braking effect very quickly as they become hotter to the point they no longer have any braking effect - this was not and can never be called brake failure, it is outright driver failure.

In any civilised country, this would be subject to immediate on-the-spot accident analysis by people trained to undertake such investigations and would be followed by an coronial enquiry as to the reason for the accident.

For interest, has the driver been charged with the deaths or has it been swept under the carpet as usual.

Edited March 1, 2014 by Artisi

[wilai]

Drove past the aftermath yesterday afternoon. The back of the bus was also wrecked, seats were hanging out of side windows and it was pointing up the hill on the opposite side of the road...it didn't fall down a steep "ravine" as quoted earlier but looks like it spun around after the initial accident and was clouted by other traffic travelling in both directions. At least three vehicles looked to be involved as there were chassis' scattered on both sides of the road.

RIP to the poor passengers. Can only hope that Powers that be can over rule environmentalists and make those 13kms into a dual carriageway.

[tingtongfarang]

I drive this route on the 304 regularily. There is a sign at the beginning of the downward slope from Khao Yai Park route on, directing bus- and truck drivers to switch into low gear whilst going downwards.

That's what I learned in driving school at home . . . when in downward drive, use your engine to slow down the car, and avoid using the brakes at utmost.

All the while when I have been driving this route , I have almost NEVER noticed any of the trucks or buses being in low gear !!! On almost every bus and truck the red brake lights are in CONSTANT MODE !!! . . which means, that these idiot drivers are running their brakes hot and hotter, until they will stop working.

WHEN will this country ensure that driving personnel = bus drivers, person transport drivers, truck and commercial drivers , get and receive PROPER education in the handling of large vehicles ??? You do not get a driver's license for a truck or bus in my country for nothing. You have to go to school, learn therory, and do some practical driving school , before they let you steer a monster !

In this country, a monkey with a piece of paper that costs him 1200 BAHT and ZERO practise can climb behind the wheel of a truck and come out endangering the live's of all and sundry.

It must stop at some point or the other. A free country is one thing, but a license to kill others with your car has nothing to do with the freedom of not being in a nanny state. SOME regulations and proper training for people who sit behind the wheels of a mass destrcution machine should be mandatory

This thinking is old fashion now, never use your engine as a break, There are speed retarders in most HGV, and buses. vehicles or exhaust breaks.But Driver Education in Thailand is Nil. R.I.P the poor people who lost there lives. bad driving from any of the vehicles. Playing chicken costs life's.

It may be old fashioned thinking but then again most of the bus and truck fleets in Thailand are hardly cutting edge technology are they and decades old. Seriously doubt that any other than new vehicles have any sort of speed governors fitted.

Speed governors, exhaust brakes, tachometer etc. don't overcome stupidity, poor driving, inexperience or genuine mechanical faults.

From the limited info so far (and probably the most we will ever know) it would seem the driver was riding the brakes down the hill rather than being in low gear and using the engine braking / mechanical advantage of the low gearing to maintain a slow speed. To call it brake failure is bullshit, overheated brakes lose braking effect very quickly as they become hotter to the point they no longer have any braking effect - this was not and can never be called brake failure, it is outright driver failure.

In any civilised country, this would be subject to immediate on-the-spot accident analysis by people trained to undertake such investigations and would be followed by an coronial enquiry as to the reason for the accident.

For interest, has the driver been charged with the deaths or has it been swept under the carpet as usual.

I agree with what you say...but you have to admit , as a population control program its working just fine and i honestly cant imagine they have plans to change anything.

[beautifulthailand99]

RIP - terrible tragedy for all concerned. Just back from Ko Chang (two falang deaths a week 100 a year - great way top end a holiday) - only ride the big buses these days (no minivans and definately no motorbikes ) - but even that is no guarantee of safety. What I will say though the government bus was comfortable had a LED speed indicator for us all to see (never did more than 100kph) . Driver drove safely and seat had a lap belt (I was the only person on a full bus to wear one). The only time I've ever scared here is on the roads where there is a clear and present danger. Thai friends and family laugh at my concern but sadly it's no joke.

[Artisi]

This thinking is old fashion now, never use your engine as a break, There are speed retarders in most HGV, and buses. vehicles or exhaust breaks.But Driver Education in Thailand is Nil. R.I.P the poor people who lost there lives. bad driving from any of the vehicles. Playing chicken costs life's.

It may be old fashioned thinking but then again most of the bus and truck fleets in Thailand are hardly cutting edge technology are they and decades old. Seriously doubt that any other than new vehicles have any sort of speed governors fitted.

Speed governors, exhaust brakes, tachometer etc. don't overcome stupidity, poor driving, inexperience or genuine mechanical faults.

From the limited info so far (and probably the most we will ever know) it would seem the driver was riding the brakes down the hill rather than being in low gear and using the engine braking / mechanical advantage of the low gearing to maintain a slow speed. To call it brake failure is bullshit, overheated brakes lose braking effect very quickly as they become hotter to the point they no longer have any braking effect - this was not and can never be called brake failure, it is outright driver failure.

In any civilised country, this would be subject to immediate on-the-spot accident analysis by people trained to undertake such investigations and would be followed by an coronial enquiry as to the reason for the accident.

For interest, has the driver been charged with the deaths or has it been swept under the carpet as usual.

I agree with what you say...but you have to admit , as a population control program its working just fine and i honestly cant imagine they have plans to change anything.

Wouldn't think the parents of those killed would see it that way.

[khwaibah]

This article says the driver did a Leger.

13 Children Victims of Latest Bus Crash in Thailand

Feb 28, 2014

Society

CityNews – A bus crash in Prachinburi Province during early hours of Friday, 28^th February, has injured 55 people and killed at least 15, 13 of whom were schoolchildren between the ages of 10 and 14 years old.

http://www.chiangmaicitynews.com/news.php?id=3348

[Thongkorn]

Parents don't go into the technicality of the accident they only see the driver or drivers as the person who caused the accident. Cruse controls have been on buses for 20 years.that can be used as a speed retarder, But the standard of driving is absolute no existent. ,

[speedtripler]

Parents don't go into the technicality of the accident they only see the driver or drivers as the person who caused the accident. Cruse controls have been on buses for 20 years.that can be used as a speed retarder, But the standard of driving is absolute no existent. ,

things like this should be expected when you can get a bus drivers licence without ever having driven a bus on a road

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/708580-thais-can-get-a-bus-license-without-ever-driving-on-the-road/

really ,giving out licences for driving a bus around a carpark for 2 min is bound to lead to carnage sooner or later

the bus company owners should be prosocuted as much as the driver ,apparently this driver wasnt even licenced and fled the scene so maybe drink

or drugs were involved too

[Artisi]

This is what you call having balls to do something about an ongoing problem.Just ban any company from having vehicles on the road that can't comply with the rules as far as maintenance, training etc

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/2014/03/06/16/10/cootes-transport-faces-nsw-ban-govt