Loei bus crash: 30 injured in school trip

[inzman]

As other posters (Thai apologists) have said, please don't speculate on the facts, as we all should know that Thai bus drivers cannot be at fault, it surely must have been the roads fault or mechanical failure. Please keep in line and understand this.

[Briggsy]

30 schoolkids and teachers injured in bus crash. Normal service resumed.

[moe666]

....hard to keep up with all of these bus crashes...............

Hard to keep up with all of the post very similar to the ones from the last 10 or 20 bus crashed.

[Stuart21]

I think its obvious that the bus drivers do not know that

you must use your gears to slow down going down a hill

and not your brakes,brakes will be too hot when you really

need them,like this accident on a bend.

regards Worgordie

What has changing down on a hill have to do with an accident on a bend?

Hills & bends tend to occur together. Straights & flats tend to occur together.

Changing down when going down a hill & using engine braking leaves the brakes unused, so full braking capacity is available in an emergency, such as misjudging a corners safe speed.

If you use the brakes first, the fluid can boil & blow out of the wheel cylinders on long hills, leaving no braking capacity for emergencies.

[robertthebruce]

About 5 months ago a bus speeding through a village north of Korat hit a motorbike with 3 children on it. The oldest of a family of 6 (4 children + parents) being 13 years used the motorbike every day to bring her brothers (7 & 2) to school. She didn't pay attention when crossing the road and 3 died on the spot. Even for Thai Buddhists this was too much. From the whole area people came mourning and pay respect to the parents who were only left with a 1 year old.

I knew this family very well and now after months I asked my friend living in the village how the parents are doing. Depression? Still on the job?

She replied that they were doing excellent. The bus company paid them first 50.000 Thb. per child as compensation but later decided to give some more. The parents bought a new motorbike, financed a newer Isuzu and purchased more furniture for the house. The mother still works in the garment factory and the father sells fish, vegetables and sweets early morning on his bike with a bright smile.

That is quite disturbing......

[leggo]

Thai driving will never improve until the police do their job. Unfortunately this is unlikely to happen soon.Where I live there is a 6 lane highway that goes right through the city - the speed limit is 60 .At least 90% of the traffic is doing 80-100 and it is not uncommon to see pick ups carpeting thru the traffic at 120 .I have never ever seen a police check or anyone stopped for speeding.

Sent from my i-mobile IQ 2 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Thunder26]

Now all the farang experts will chime in and talk about how bad the Thai bus drivers are, again, just for something different.

Hi mate, nothing personal. Why do you look down on people? Do you think you are a smart ass? In this topic you didn't come with anything relevant, just pointing fingers! Yes, this thread requires bashing, the more the better. Thailand's road fatality is in top 3 in the world and this is not funny. This is outraging and it must be bashed seriously in every thread whether you like it or not. This problem must be seriously debated by government which must seek for solutions. This kind of "mai pen rai" attitude or sarcastic behaviour is unnecessary.

[neverdie]

Now all the farang experts will chime in and talk about how bad the Thai bus drivers are, again, just for something different.

Hi mate, nothing personal. Why do you look down on people? Do you think you are a smart ass? In this topic you didn't come with anything relevant, just pointing fingers! Yes, this thread requires bashing, the more the better. Thailand's road fatality is in top 3 in the world and this is not funny. This is outraging and it must be bashed seriously in every thread whether you like it or not. This problem must be seriously debated by government which must seek for solutions. This kind of "mai pen rai" attitude or sarcastic behaviour is unnecessary.

I won't take it personally Thunder. I will answer your questions.

1. Sometimes I look down on people, depends on the situation.

2. Yes, I can be a smart arse.

3. I disagree with you, I did bring some very relevant information into the thread, perhaps you didn't note my second post, which I still maintain as entirely relevant. Nobody here was at the accident and most will just ramble on about 'speed' irregardless of what occurred in this particular incident. I understand the reason for that, however. just perhaps something else happened on this particular occasion.

4. I agree, not funny.

5. I disagree, because Thai bashing by foriegners will take this absolutely nowhere.

6. Then you HIT THE NAIL right on the head, the problem must be dealt with at a govenrment level, followed by swift action with the Police, Courts and the rest of the judicial system. NO amount of Thai bashing by foriegners on a forum mainly inhabited by expats, tourists and the odd Thai is going to change anything. These issues need to be dealt with by the Thai govt and how likely do you think that is, especially in the present political climate?I will give you a little tip, nothing much has changed in my time here and I first came to Thailand over 40 years ago.

Finally, you talk about 'Mai Pben Rai' and sarcastic behaviour (I assume mine) and all I can say is the problem will be resolved when the Thais act on it and this thread and the million before and the million yet to come are going to have zip, Nader, nil effect on the problem, get it? The Thai government arnt debating the issues here on Thai visa, they never will and any Thai reading here will LONG LONG ago got sick of reading all the negative anti Thai, the constant bashing comments by the high and might Thai Visa experts.

I'm far from a Thai apologist, but the same comments by the same people day in, day out EVERYTIME there's a buster on the road is far from productive and will change nothing.

edit for typos.

Edited March 9, 2014 by neverdie

[SanukJoeII]

Neverdie, you're a good theorethical example of someone who does not live in this life, instead only has theories.

Although I agree with most of your arguments, I totally diagree with the non-ability you mention to change things.

We are here as farang, many of us have school kids attending one of these schools that organize field trips, hiring buses and hoping for the best.

NO (guess) farang is really doing something. And it is that what has to change, amongst us farang, so that slowly Thai society gets it and joins in.

So bashing here is a very good thing, not to have Thais change because of that, but to waken up farang with kids, to start acting.

What can we do?

Raise awareness, give examples, try to talk to school directors, form or join parent groups. Go to school in the night when buses are supposed to leave, look at the drivers, talk to them, see if they are "fresh", ask or have asked about their license to drive a school bus. DO something! If you could safe one kid's life that way you're already a hero!

I am the only farang in my area, so not very influential and battling a heavy battle against lack of anticipation and worry amongst Thai parents. There is a FB page about the village and I posted the latest school bus crashes there, each time mentioning: stop night buses, stop field trips with buses as the situation on Thai roads is too dangerous.

I cannot report successes, I hope I will see some improvement in management of schools and more particular school trips.

If each and everyone farang parent would not sit still but act in a way that shows the fellow Thai parents that they should be worried about the ability of Thai bus drivers to safely drive a bus they might agree to talk to the school management and maybe there will be improvement.

Bashing here is good, but not enough. Bashing here and taking action at schools and/or villages might make the world a bit more safe for our kids.