At least 27 dead in north Thailand bus accident: police

[oldsailor35]

What a shame. Seems like it is just daily routine news these days. You read the news and just see another bus, van car accident taken lives. RIP

http://www.nation.com.pk/international/25-Mar-2014/at-least-27-dead-in-north-thailand-bus-accident

Seat belts would not have done much good here, looks like most of the seats just came adrift !

[The Deerhunter]

Another tragedy and yet again no reaction from authorities. I do not work for Fox news but I am not shy to say SHAME ON YOU THAILAND.

Again, again and again: No control + no authority + no standard + failed State + No police + corruption + laxity = TOTAL ANARCHY!

* Road Safety

* Tourism scams

* Poor Construction Standards

* Food poisoning (by abuse of chemicals and pesticides)

* Pollution (Oil slicks, illegal dumps etc...)

And so on and so on, just name it.

Thailand DECADENCE

I agree with you but would add that it is the most toxic cocktail of all: Anarchy plua apathy. Total lawlessness and nobody cares either.

Anarchy Synonyms: lawlessness, disruption, turmoil.

It is the Buddhist fatalism that gets me. "If you are going to die then there is nothing you can do about it, so why have your vehicle serviced........ever, ..... even if it is a bus"

Thailand hub of Apathy

[Just1Voice]

"He said the bus driver attempted to overtake another car at the curve, but skidded off the road" Oh, gee, what a surprise. NOT!

"According to the UN's human development index (HDI) Thailand is considered upper mid level." No one disputes their "economic development". What is referred to by those who state Thailand is a 3rd World Country is the overall "mai pen rai" attitude of Thai in general. Nothing is ever their fault, and their total lack of care in regards to road safety and the deaths that occur on a daily basis. Safety and maintenance? Sorry, not something Thai think about.

My first 5 years here, I traveled from CM to Chiang Rai, Lampang, Phayao, Uttaradit, Phitsanulok, Chum Phae, Khon Kaen, Udon Thani, Loei, Roi Et, Tak, Kamphaeng Phet, Nakon Sawan, and Sari Buri, with most of these more than once, and all on Honda CBR's. I've never once had an accident, and the only "bad roads" I've encountered were those under construction and repair. I've seen and passed countless accidents caused NOT by "bad roads", but by STUPID, BAD DRIVERS!

Friends of my wife tell her that big bike is dangerous, and that she shouldn't allow me to ride them the way I do. She laughs and tells them - "He is professional. He ride fast, but he ride smart. He knows how to ride." She also informs them of the expensive body armor and helmets I always wear for protection. End of conversation.

The road conditions here are no worse, and even better in some ways, than a lot of other places I've been, so the bottom line is: It's not the roads, but the drivers, who have ZERO training, companies that have ZERO accountability, and ZERO "preventative maintenance" on their vehicles.

You couldn't pay me to take a bus from Chiang Mai to Lampang, a 90 kilometer trip. I'll stick to my bike, thank you very much.

[uptheos]

Its deteriorating into a 3rd world country..

According to this study IT IS a 3rd world country

[thailandshasse]

Another tragedy and yet again no reaction from authorities. I do not work for Fox news but I am not shy to say SHAME ON YOU THAILAND.

Again, again and again: No control + no authority + no standard + failed State + No police + corruption + laxity = TOTAL ANARCHY!

* Road Safety

* Tourism scams

* Poor Construction Standards

* Food poisoning (by abuse of chemicals and pesticides)

* Pollution (Oil slicks, illegal dumps etc...)

And so on and so on, just name it.

Thailand DECADENCE

You are completely right, my friend.

Nobody of the Thai people understand how DANGER it is to travel on road in Thailand.

Specially this SPEEDING BUSSES, are often involved in crashes, with a lot of dead people as a result !

WHY THE THAI AUTHORITIES NEWER UNDERSTAND TO BEGIN TESTING ALL THE BUSS REGULARLY ?????

But they get the testing certificates, if the bus owner pay " for the testing under the table ".

[wprime]

Never seen a country where brakes fail so much,am sure pads , discs an fluid were checked regularly eh?

You gotta be joking "nothing is checked regularly"

Coupled with just 'get your self a rag and a shifting spanner and you a mechanic'

TIT

I disagree, in Thailand things are usually checked once they fail. They fail regularly, therefore they are checked regularly.

[webfact]

29 killed in Tak bus accident
By Digital Content



TAK, March 25 -- At least 29 people were killed and 23 injured Monday as their chartered bus careered off a winding hillside road into a ravine in the northern province of Tak.

The bus rented for a group of older local government staff from Tha Sai Luat subdistrict of Tak's Mae Sot district for a study trip to the northeastern province of Ubon Ratchathani plunged into a 30-metre-deep ravine on the Tak-Mae Sot Road.

According to the initial investigation, the bus was moving at high speed and left the road while speeding up to overtake another vehicle on the curving road.

Acting Transport Minister Chadchart Sittipunt ordered engineers from the Department of Land Transport to investigate the incident. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2014-03-25

[thailandshasse]

Ha ha ha ha ha ha.....

You should be a stand up comidan !!!

With your sense of humor !

Have never seen any bus here in Thailand with slightly the safety standard as in Europe or The Western part of the world.

The only places who have the same level of safety standard are in Russia...

Time for the Thai authorities to use the brain ( if they have any )

But of course they ( the authorities people ) need also money to build more luxury houses and cars...

[bushman1666]

And there is no public anger,outrage and demand for action by those who "regulate" vehicle/road issues. But as with so many issues in the country it's just an acceptance of "thats the way things are" in a country that has a distinct talent for being unable to progress.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

When I tell my Thai wife about these tradgies she barely bats an eye lid. Think that sums the attitude of the whole nation. They believe things are meant to be.

Sent from my very clever thingy that uses battery far too quickly

[monspencer]

30 die in Mae Sot bus plunge

BANGKOK: -- A chartered double-deck bus with about 50 retired local government officials careered off the hilly road from Mae Sot to Tak and plunged into a steep ravine, killing 30 and injuring 20 others Monday night.

The bus is among four buses which was on a four-day excursion from Tak province to Ubon Ratchathani and Laos during March 24-27.

Most of the passengers are all aged and retired local government officials of Tha Sailuad municipality in Mae Sot district.

The tragic accident happened in between Kilometer markers 67 and 68 of Highway 12 from Tak to Mae Sot which is a four kilometer hilly stretch.

The bus belongs to Chongcharoen Capital Co Ltd and is at the rear of a convoy of four buses driving downhill on the hilly road.

The bus driver identified as Thammanoon Kadpho, 40, was injured. He reportedly told rescue workers last night that the bus developed braking failure when it was sliding downhill uncontrollably.

The bus then rammed into the railing barricade at a curve and fell into the 100-meter deep ravine.

Most passengers were thrown out of the bus while it fell at the bottom of the ravine. Many were also trapped and killed inside the badly damaged bus.

Rescue workers reported difficulty in climbing down the rope to reach the fatal bus and rescue the injured passengers up from the ravine. Several bodies were scattered at the scene and it took rescue workers several hours to collect all bodies to one place.

They collected 27 bodies and helped all the 24 injured out of the bus and sent to Somdet Phra Yuparaj hospital in Tak. Three injured passengers died later at hospital.

Meanwhile caretaker Transport Minister Chadchat Suttipun said Tuesday that the accident happened at the downhill stretch which the Highway Department has improved it to “climbing lane” with a three-lane traffic.

He said the bus driver attempted to overtake another car at the curve, but skidded off the road.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/30-die-mae-sot-bus-plunge/

-- Thai PBS 2014-03-25

Now we are getting to the truth of the matter:

"He said the bus driver attempted to overtake another car at the curve, but skidded off the road."

RIP to all the innocent victims who died and let's hope that those in hospital will recover despite what must be horrific injuries

[gandalf12]

There is no such thing as an accident. It is people who drive to fast, dont maintain their vehicles and basically dont care about life in general that are the root cause. The standard of driving is low.

Thailand out of respect for the Thai people needs to enforce the laws and make everyone take a driving test that demonstrates their capability to be in charge of a motor vehicle.

[yourauntbob]

"Officials say roughly 60 percent of traffic accidents in Thailand are caused by human error, with poor road and vehicle conditions posing additional hazards."

They really only believe it to be 60%? Probably closer to 99%, the machines dont fail all that often, its probably in the high 90's all over the world. I feel bad for the victims, maybe since these are government empoyees the government might start thinking a bit harder on the rules here. Then again, its probably never going to happen

[yourauntbob]

"The bus driver identified as Thammanoon Kadpho, 40, was injured. He reportedly told rescue workers last night that the bus developed braking failure when it was sliding downhill uncontrollably."

They always blame the brakes........... its never them pushing the limits of physics

[Pattaya28]

Brake failure. Unreal.

Crash Barrier failure. Unreal. What's the purpose of a crash barrier? To retain vehicles from crossing into danger.

2 chances of survival. Bus brakes and crash barrier. Both fail. 2 failures.

Another 27 deaths and 24 injuries shoved under the carpet.

And sure the bus company saved money leaving the brakes poorly maintained.

And sure the installation / supplier of sub-standard mal-secured crash barriers saved money too.

Life is so cheap here.

[allan michaud]

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Its deteriorating into a 3rd world country..

I am not sure it ever stopped being a 3rd world country, but it certainly seems to be going backwards in every possible respect.

[jerome2]

TAK has a 3 lanes rd going to Myanmar that looses one lane in a turn......great thrill ,nearly died, if I didn't have my super angel who shrank my Almera in front of the truck............

the proof that an almera can pass between 2 trucks on a 2 lanes road .... with a little help from my friends upstairs

Edited March 25, 2014 by jerome2

[godden]

i drove this road 2 weeks ago, one to be avoided.

[sirchai]

I've seen too many trucks, motorbikes, cars,etc driving around without any light at night. As long as this is accepted by the authorities, nothing will change.

Why do people, for example in Germany have to learn all about driving, some technical stuff about brakes, etc..then the driving and theory test.

Would they let people who made red lights, caused accidents, or did other weird stuff work on some weekends in emergency rooms of hospitals, it definitely would change.

Then many warning posters of motorbike, bus and car accidents would do the rest. The 21st century seems to have lost its face here and went somewhere else.

I'm pretty sure that more will die in hospitals and I hope the injured ones will have a speedy and fully recovery.

[marko kok prong]

warming up for songkran

[stickylies]

They always blame the brakes...........

... and ghosts.

anyway as written before, thailand went too fast from oxcart to automobile...

this is what u get with economic evolution at 200mph and intellectual evolution at 1 mph...

Edited March 25, 2014 by stickylies

[juleschiangrai]

Brake failure??? And they love those fake Brembo Brake caliper covers...

My wife has been doing her driving lessons over the past week. She cant drive. That is why she went for lessons. When she came home from her 4th hour of ever being behind the wheel she said..

" Today my teacher let me drive on the highway. I asked him a question about driving and he didnt answer. When I looked over he was asleep. So I just kept going straight. I stopped in the middle of the highway because the car ran out of gas. When I woke him up he said ok help me push the car to the side of the road and i will call the driving school to bring more gas. Good job, no accident"

Amazing driving lessons....

[Halion]

Its deteriorating into a 3rd world country..

Not really, It is and always has been a Third World mentality which has been window dressed to appear that it is better than it really is. Thailand is flawed, disjointed and broken in so many ways and there is little or no evidence that they posses the ability, intellect or fortitude to do anything about this.

The whole country is simply an accident waiting to happen.

[inzman]

Look, we all choose to live in a country that believes evil spirits and bad roads are the cause of vehicle mishaps. Why bother to train the driver or repair the brakes, fate will happen anyway. Go on live your life sanuk, dont worry about when you die. This is the culture of these people, they will never change. Limited mental capabilities by means of generations of no mental stimulus has created this society and it will never be any different. I think we all really know this. It's just so frustrating to realize this carnage can be stopped, but there is a lack of will and understanding. Be careful out there!

[ChrisKC]

Isn't this so sad and depressing?

I have been travelling on long haul buses for ten years in Thailand and had my fair share of accidents and incidents that have scared me: broken suspension going down a mountain, driver falling asleep, failing brakes, steering wheel stuck, drivers using mobile phones while driving, driving at 100kms per hour, less than 15 feet behind another bus and so it goes on.

Surely Thai people, especially those in important positions are not saying "mai bpen rai", though that is what it seems to me!

In May I have to travel to Chiang Mai from Khon Kaen and return, a journey I have made a few times but I don't want to do it again.

It's a long way round but I will go by train via Pitsanaluk.

What else can I do? I don't have a car.

[Waffle]

He said the bus driver attempted to overtake another car at the curve, but skidded off the road.

Why would you decide to overtake a car at the curve on a dangerous mountain road?

What in god's name was he thinking?

And then turn around and blame it on the brakes...

That driver is directly responsible for killing 32 innocent people!

[SPIKECM]

Thailand 2nd world? I don't think you understand the meaning .. Thailand doesn't fit neatly into any of these categories anyway.

Its deteriorating into a 3rd world country..

Where are you from - Thailand is a 3rd world country! It's only smoke and mirrors that gives the impression that it is 2nd world - anyone that thinks it is 1st world has mental health issues.

[Tchooptip]

Its deteriorating into a 3rd world country..

Where are you from - Thailand is a 3rd world country! It's only smoke and mirrors that gives the impression that it is 2nd world - anyone that thinks it is 1st world has mental health issues.

"anyone that thinks it is 1st world has mental health issues"

Mental heath issues? Certainly no more than some TV members who repeat, again and again Thailand is a 3rd world country! Thailand is a 3rd world country!. ...one million time....help

RIP poor bus passengers, condolences to the families would have been be a more appropriate answer

[baneko]

Very sad news. Bus crashes seem to happen weekly. I've seen the way some drivers are on the road. It seems like a race track to them.

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Stan7444]

With the implementation of a good world class rail transport system, these bus accidents should go down considerably since people in the country will then have a viable option to take a train in safety instead of risking a bus which is not maintained and and driver who can make driving mistakes or might be drinking. Taking many trucks/lorries off the roadways also decreases the risk of accidents happening.

[bander]

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Its deteriorating into a 3rd world country..

Into...???

.....a banana republic? alt=giggle.gif>

Yes, before, now, and in the future it's always going to be