Minivan Collides with 18 Wheeler Injuring 15 Passengers

[Rimmer]

Minivan Collides with 18 Wheeler Injuring 15 Passengers

PATTAYA-May 6, 2014 [PDN]; at 22.00 pm. Sawangboriboon rescue team was notified that there was a minivan which had collided with a truck injuring many passengers on road 331. Immediately they sent a rescue team to the scene.

At the scene they found a white Toyota minivan which had collided with an 18 wheeler Hino truck and there were injured passengers on the road and some were stuck inside the minivan. There were a total of 16 passengers on board including the driver. The injured were sent to Bangkok-Pattaya Hospital, Banglamung Hospital and Queen Sirikit Hospital.
Full story:http://www.pattayadailynews.com/pattaya-news/2014/05/07/minivan-collides-with-18-wheeler-injuring-15-passengers/

-- Pattaya Daily News 2014-05-07

[NeverSure]

Minivans must be free the way they go through them without a care.

[Greenhill]

Anybody know what the maximum passenger capacity is for these Toyota min-vans, as suggested by the manufacturer? 15 passengers + driver, sounds way over the top??!!

[craigt3365]

...when he reach the incident point he hit a truck which was parked across the road which he didn’t see until it was too late due to the poor lighting on that section of road.

Sounds like he was driving too fast considering the road conditions???

[thailiketoo]

Anybody know what the maximum passenger capacity is for these Toyota min-vans, as suggested by the manufacturer? 15 passengers + driver, sounds way over the top??!!

16

[Rimmer]

16 hurt in Minivan crash in outskirts of Pattaya

PATTAYA:--Early on Wednesday a Minivan full of passengers hit a stationary truck parked in a dangerous manner on the Highway, causing all the passengers and the driver of the minivan to sustain injuries.

Police and medics rushed to the scene of the crash on Highway 331 and saw the 18-wheel truck parked across all lanes of the Highway. The driver was nowhere to be seen and is currently being sought by Police.

The minivan was being driven by Khun Surachai aged 51 who was transporting 15 passengers from Bangkok to Rayong Province, a journey he completes at least twice a day.

He claims he did not see the truck until the last minute due to poor lighting on the Highway, one of the injured passengers, Khun Suparat aged 25 claimed he was driving too fast which many of the passengers believes is the main reason the driver was unable to see the truck until it was too late.
- See more at: http://www.pattayaone.net/pattaya-news/127417/16-hurt-in-minivan-crash-in-outskirts-of-pattaya/#sthash.zPc2EvLv.dpuf

-- Pattaya One 2014-05-08

[lemel]

I got a minibus back from Bangkok about 5 years ago one hot Friday afternoon. I had been dozing for about 45mins when I looked up and saw that the 9 other passangers were asleep and I caught sight of the drivers eyes in the rear view mirror and they were closed, after 10 seconds they opened and then he seemed alright. I looked up again and he was asleep again and the bus was off line on the motorway, I shouted out "open your eyes you #$%*#@ idiot", which woke everybody up and I received a few tut, tuts from them until I told them he was asleep at the wheel, he apologised and carried on.

The thing is, I believe these guys are paid on journeys travelled, not a daily wage, so these guys try to do as many trips per day as they can, I dont believe they are managed, apart from 'you must drive as many times as you can to BKK and back, if you want to earn money'.

That was the last time I got in a minibus and will never get in another one!

[johng]

The thing is, I believe these guys are paid on journeys travelled, not a daily wage, so these guys try to do as many trips per day as they can, I dont believe they are managed, apart from 'you must drive as many times as you can to BKK and back, if you want to earn money'.

That would explain why these minivans are allways in such a hurry,

along with tailgating, under/overtaking at stupid times they are a real menace on the roads.

[Tokay]

Honestly, you have to have a death wish to get inside of one of those or a bus in the mountains these days. Too many crashes, especially with the mini vans who drive like total idiots on speed.

[Cylon]

Road safety has been put in the TOO HARD basket by authorities

[LennyW]

That 331 road is very dangerous, and not just because of the idiot minivan drivers, of which there are many.

On Wednesday morning i was heading to the airport around 5 am, and just after the silverlake turn off on an unlit stretch, a dark blue mazda pick up with no lights was trying to turn around in the middle of the road, must have been up to no good, he was so lucky that i already had my coffee!!

At night time you always have to be careful of the Huay Yai police as well, they are well renowned locally for their less than legitimate antics!!

[craigt3365]

I was driving down 331 and saw a police car with lights flashing in my lane followed by 4-5 big buses. I had NO choice but to brake quickly and pull literally off the road. They ran me right off the road. Didn't slow down one bit.

I've seen that police checkpoint, would hate to encounter it late at night.