Double-decker bus may be banned from hilly roads in Thailand

[ginjag]

What GOON decides what is hilly and what is not so hilly. Sorry guys but it just shows the types of brains we have in appointed positions in the Thai government.

My idea is not to let drivers drive on hilly roads, unless they can prove they are capable, Also strict maintenance with roadworthy stamp updated every x number of kilometers.

Do these busses have a service manual the same as my car ?? and is it taken in for it's check on time, if not it should not be out on the road.

All this has to do with money. BIG money. I wonder who paid for this field trip ?? 4 coaches 200 persons what was it 4 days to Ubon and Laos, strange trip

but it would not be my idea of a trip all that way to see what, but that has nothing to do with the accident---just saying.

2 main things wrong in near all cases, 1 Drivers not up to the task, 2, government for NOT enforcing stringent rules on transport.

NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CONTOURS OF THE LAND.

Take note TAT, these are the type of buses with the said drivers that would be hired to transport tourists around Thailand--DO YOU CARE. ????

[edwinchester]

From the op.

50k bht insurance payout for loss of life!

And if the family wants more then the likelyhood of a protracted court case and then only a maximum of 300k payable from the bus companies insurance.

How about legislation specifying minimum payouts in event of accidents?

[Jdietz]

These "VIP" busses are nothing more than rolling death traps. Many Western tour operators refuse to accept them on their tours. Like so many things Thai, they are all "face" with no substance. They look great but have no structural strength, the seating it lethal and they encourage passengers to move around whilst the bus is in motion. The structure is largely timber and aluminium sheet, adorned with composite mouldings.

Exactly. There was a BBC documentary on these 'homemade' buses a while back. It's conclusions were not good.

They need to ban ALL these homemade buses and allow only properly manufactured and engineered buses from reputable manufacturers on the road. They also need to strictly enforce proper training for ALL public transport drivers, and hold the companies responsible if it is found the bus was altered in an unsafe way or the driver was unqualified.

Hit the bus companies in the pocketbook. That is the only thing they will understand and react to.

But, as usual, I expect absolutely nothing to come of this. This is, after all, Thailand.

Actually would be a good idea to allow these home made buses, given that they can show a crash test certificate with each of them (complete with dummies).

Would make a good TV show as well, and gets rid of the problem entirely.

[MaxLee]

Bad drivers Double-decker bus may must be banned from hilly roads

[bulekee]

These "VIP" busses are nothing more than rolling death traps. Many Western tour operators refuse to accept them on their tours. Like so many things Thai, they are all "face" with no substance. They look great but have no structural strength, the seating it lethal and they encourage passengers to move around whilst the bus is in motion. The structure is largely timber and aluminium sheet, adorned with composite mouldings.

Exactly. There was a BBC documentary on these 'homemade' buses a while back. It's conclusions were not good.

They need to ban ALL these homemade buses and allow only properly manufactured and engineered buses from reputable manufacturers on the road. They also need to strictly enforce proper training for ALL public transport drivers, and hold the companies responsible if it is found the bus was altered in an unsafe way or the driver was unqualified.

Hit the bus companies in the pocketbook. That is the only thing they will understand and react to.

But, as usual, I expect absolutely nothing to come of this. This is, after all, Thailand.

Actually would be a good idea to allow these home made buses, given that they can show a crash test certificate with each of them (complete with dummies).

Would make a good TV show as well, and gets rid of the problem entirely.

Can I suggest they use bus drivers as the crash test dummies as they are already 50% qualified i.e. dummies.

[RtotheC]

Let's be real for a minute, until the police can be trusted to enforce real traffic laws (I.E. speed limits, reckless driving etc. etc.) as opposed to blatantly pulling people over and demanding bribe money from people these kind of things won't stop.

[Luk Mhee]

Actually the main objective of a double decker bus is for the tourist to see the sights and not the small billboards that obscure everything. Consider duel drivers instead.

[wilcopops]

Thread thread will now fill up with sinlge issue suggestions as to how to solve the problem.

sorry, that won't work. Unless there is a holistic approach nothing, repeat nothing, will be achieved.....there is no single magic pill, and it won't happen overnight.

if you think there is then you dimply don't understand road safety.

Edited March 26, 2014 by wilcopops

[Gonzo the Face]

Being as the drivers are never to blame........ bull crap....... why doesn't the government consider installing a system like the West has with rivers and ports....

When a bus is about enter a hilly, curvey, dangerous section of road, like the 20 , 30, 40 kl section of mountainous road, why not have the bus stop and have a pilot added for that section, like they do on the rivers and ports to bring the ships into port. There could be a station at both ends and the driver delivering the bus to the other end could await a return trip.

This would pertain to all buses that do not have a driver that has had extensive testing and training...... other than to say "the brakes Failed"

Having a pilot drive your bus would cause face loss to the driver..... hopefully enough for him to seriously take and really pass an extensive driver course.

[oldsailor35]

There ya go ! I just knew it was the fault of the busses and not the very highly trained drivers.

[Goat Roper]

It's not the double-decking that's the problem. It's the half-level training (or none) that these drivers get.

Never yet seen a bus driver in Thailand use an engine for breaking. Naw--ride those smokin' brakes 'til they fail!

Again, a smoke-and-mirrors move by the inept Land Transport Ministry.

I am not an expert on Diesel engines but aren't most if not all equipped with "Jake-Brakes'? Banning double decker buses I agree is not the real issue, it's the untrained drivers. Reminds me a bit like the government's ban on selling booze between certain hours, takes any responsibility away from the booze retailer/bus drivers, just use a 'shotgun' law and that fixes the problems.

[wilcopops]

here come the single issue brigade!

[noitom]

Ban them from hilly roads in Thailand. As another poster indicated - don't regulate them, just specify that they don't go on 'hilly roads." Typical Thai preposterous pronouncement - now who gets to define hilly road, while the last thing they think about is vehicle safety. Take a double decker bus in Thailand. Who can think of a higher risk thing to do?

[Mario2008]

1 post removed as off topic.

[antimedia]

Just once it would be great to read will instead of may. Will ban the buses, will bring in stringent driver training, will penalise drivers, operators and owners harshly, will sack the whole police force and start again.

[poohy]

These "VIP" busses are nothing more than rolling death traps. Many Western tour operators refuse to accept them on their tours

Name one?

No Neal i will not.

I come too this discussion with a good knowledge of road safety issues and hope to have a good discussion about the issues I do not intend to "educate" those who bereft of any information on the subject, think they are clever by making facile posts like yours.

If you have an issue with anything on my posts put forward a counter argument. If you have nothing to say then just keep mum until you know something about the subject.

I wholly agree...As an ex operations manager of both a UK Adventure travel company(10 years in Thailand) and a Dutch tour operator in Thailand I can agree these modified doubledeckers were not used. In our situation Group size is usually around 25 so the high line buses ie(not doubledeckers are used)

Western tour operator's(certainly in my case) maintain stringent controls over the hired/contracted buses and drivers as our staff accompanying the groups are instructed to monitor will report them, simple one complaint of speeding dangerous driving and no more jobs driving for us.! I can confirm it worked for us as the bus company wanted to keep its lucrative contact and if anything drivers were slow.(but safe got repeated work and big tips!)

Re the double deckers they are certainly home modified over height and unstable.

I was surprised having come to Thailand in 2000 to find there were not fleets of Turkish Mercedes buses as they had more or less conquered the market in The Middle east (Egypt Yemen)and yes they were fitted with engine brakes limiters and were much more stable.

lastly we had a fleet of 13 minivans with exceptional drivers so yes there are good one out there!

[media]

Anyone know if they have official HGV licenses in Thailand?

Judging by the shocking way that HGV's change lanes so fast without looking or indicating on the motorway I personally dont Doubt it

[jpeg]

And whilst they're at it, follow KL's lead and ban those ridiculous road hogging SUVs. They bring to mind a childhood memory of when one of the Daleks from Dr Who left it's casing. Puny little thing emerging from Big Metal Box.

[barryofthailand]

Their are many interprovincial double deck busses that travel dangerous mountainous routes such as the route from Korat to Rayong that goes over the mountain range on 304 which can be very dangerous with any bus traveling at a higher speed than prescribed. We all know that most of the interprovincial busses do not follow the prescribed speed limit. I take these busses to Bangkok on a regular basses and see the drivers talking on the telephone, eating, and talking to the other crew employee constantly.

All the bus companies need to be held accountable for the training and monitoring of all their employees.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

It's not the double-decking that's the problem. It's the half-level training (or none) that these drivers get.

Never yet seen a bus driver in Thailand use an engine for breaking. Naw--ride those smokin' brakes 'til they fail!

Again, a smoke-and-mirrors move by the inept Land Transport Ministry.

No, double decker buses ARE part of the problem, along with untrained or inept drivers and poor or lacking maintenance.

As other posts here allude, there was a news report some time back that many of the double decker buses in use here violate Thailand's own (non-enforced) standards for bus height and wheelbase -- making them inherently unsafe (too tall and too narrow wheelbase), even based on Thailand standards.

Banning them won't solve the problem, but at least it would be a start. And of course, the DLT has known about these unsafe buses for a long time, and at least until now, done NOTHING.

[wilcopops]

Anyone know if they have official HGV licenses in Thailand?

Judging by the shocking way that HGV's change lanes so fast without looking or indicating on the motorway I personally dont Doubt it

"PSV" for buses?

[KamalaRider]

As if it were the buses fault ....

Better would be to train and set higher standards for drivers.

I don't know what type of work rules that apply here in Thailand, if any.

I often read that the drivers fall asleep at the wheel.

Rules?

Thailand actually have rules which are most often just as strict as in any western country, it's the peoples compliance and authorities monitoring the compliance of the rules and laws that fails.

Even in a serious accident like this, police or the investigator might get a huge bonus if they blame the wind, the road or anything else besides the driver or the maintanance of the bus.

The sad part with this report is that again, they won't blame the owner of the bus company, for maybe not servicing the bus with new brakes, hiring unqualified drivers etc.

A huge threat, from maybe DSI, with a fine greater than 1mil TBH would maybe effectively set things straight.

Thailand is in a desperate need of a division of officials with greater responibility and rights of rulings and with higher salaries than normal, with set high standards against corruption.

Don't ask me how it would be done, I'm just airing my opinion and I'm pretty naive as a person.

R.I.P. to all dead, not only to the bus passengers, but to all dying so needlessly in traffic accidents that could be so easily avoided.

[attrayant]

The bus drivers will just have to drive extra-fast in the hilly regions to avoid getting caught.

[wilcopops]

And whilst they're at it, follow KL's lead and ban those ridiculous road hogging SUVs. They bring to mind a childhood memory of when one of the Daleks from Dr Who left it's casing. Puny little thing emerging from Big Metal Box.

Don't agree with your analysis but your Are old! - that Dalek was in the days of Hartnell or Troughton!

[wilcopops]

As if it were the buses fault ....

Better would be to train and set higher standards for drivers.

I don't know what type of work rules that apply here in Thailand, if any.

I often read that the drivers fall asleep at the wheel.

Way off on that one! Read some of the other posts.

[ingvar]

I have never utilized one of those buses, I had no idea they where "homemade". Thanks TV for the info, this further increases my resolve to never use those buses.

They should ban the roads for being there in the first place.......bad roads!

Just as an afterthought, maybe it would be a slightly better idea to improve the roads, remove the yabaa drivers, implements driver license control of all bus drivers upon exiting bkk etc... rather than banning the buses?

[wilcopops]

There seem to be a lot of smug comments about Thai "culture" but most of these are lacking in any real suggestions about how to improve things - merely a sort of throwing your hands/ shrugging shoulders acceptance.

"The penalty good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men."

[thurien]

Blah blah blah blah - every time someone in the government speaks, it reminds me of that teacher from Charlie Brown cartoons...

especially at this time when we don't have a government at all (just some care taker janitor with limited responsibilities; also refer to the corrupt rice scheme...)

[Bkungbank]

It happen before in Genting Highland Malaysia that the double from Thailand overturn while turning down hill as the central gravity was high it make unstable and unsuitable for hill side road, it's only for normal trunk road.

[lostmebike]

As Noi657 says...

It's not the buses, it's the poorly trained, licence-obtained-from-a-Christmas-cracker 'drivers' operating the bloody things!

Who the hell overtakes, on a blind bend, single carriage way road, in the mountains, in a vehicle the size of an articulated truck? Answer....Thai bus drivers!