The headlines are already in our faces about the dangers of travelling at this time. Coaches in and out of Chiang Mai were booked up 2 weeks ago for this following week.

So; I didn’t expect a routine Green bus Mae Sai trip to be as eventful as it was a couple of days ago.

One hour out of Chiang Mai, 9am, middle of nowhere on the winding undulating road the brakes failed. As complete luck would have it, we had literally just crossed a small river and going back up the other side; so the bus came to a fortunate halt.

Of course no one knew what was happening; because at the very same location there were a few cars, and people around; a policeman and a tow truck; so we thought the police had stopped the bus because of an accident.

Our driver was then revving the engine aggressively, the aircon was disabled and engine fumes were filling the coach.

We all disembarked; and the word was that the “air pump” was broken so it looked like we had another hour wait for another bus.

In the meantime a crowd was gathering at the bridge. A car had approached the bridge from the opposite direction and veered off the road and at what must have been high speed, done a complete barrel roll and landed back on its wheels in the middle of the river.

When you look at the state of the cab and what the occupants experienced it was obviously another death but remarkably the driver (the boy in all yellow) and his girlfriend were alive. The girl did have several facial cuts however. The tow truck finally managed to pull the truck back out of the river.

As the hour approached, surprisingly we didn’t get another replacement bus but instead the mechanics arrived. It took them less than 5 minutes to diagnose and fix the problem.

Problem: hosepipe slipped off the air brake system

Solution: One plastic tie wrap

That was it; driver re pressurised the brakes and we were away.

How many times have we read about brakes failing and we always take the cynical line and suggest driver asleep or drunk before that. (incidently the policeman told me the car driver fell asleep?)

There must have been some good spirits at that bridge to save the lives of the two in the car and everyone on the bus.

But actually a maintenance check that takes 1 minute on these hoses can save lives on these dangerous roads.

So with round the clock coach travel when do theses vehicles get a coat of looking at? Only after an accident?

Safe travelling everyone.

All I can say is that I am glad you are O.K., eyecatcher. When one hears about air brakes failing, the outcome is usually not good. Luck was on your side.

Go and get a lottery ticket while you are on a roll (pardon the pun).

Good result.

Go and get a lottery ticket while you are on a roll (pardon the pun).

Good result.

Did you get the licesen number of the truck and the bus for the lottery. Guaranteed the Thais did.

"Luck" is a silly superstition. Protective spirits saved the day.

have you considered a train or flying next trip ...... ?

Fascinating story.

My understanding of air brakes in the West is that if you lose air pressure the brakes go on, and air pressure holds them off. It didn't used to be that way but it's safer.

"The second item of air-brake maintenance involves looking for air leaks. Is a fire truck allowed to have air leak? The answer is yes. NFPA 1911 and the CMVSS 121 allow a leak of two psi on the spring brake side and two psi for the service brake side. When you push in on the brake release button you apply air to compress the massive springs in the rear of the brake chambers. In the past, people have called these "dynamite" brakes or "maxi" brakes. Their real name is spring brakes. If the air pressure were to leak out of the truck, then there would not be enough air pressure to keep these spring released - they would expand the push rods and would apply the brakes." Link

Also, these brakes must be adjusted regularly as they wear or the the shoes won't make contact with the drums.

Also if the brakes are allowed to get hot the drums can expand too much to make contact with the shoes. Heat can also make the shoes have less grip. Hot brakes can fail.

have you considered a train or flying next trip ...... ?

Trains and plains do not go to Mae Sai.

"Luck" is a silly superstition. Protective spirits saved the day.

Its odd but two other strange things happened before i even got to the bus station the other morning.

The day before I lost the bus tickets I bought and under stress had to go back to the bus station to ask for more tickets printing out.

Then just before I was to leave for the bus station, my bike keys disappeared. I searched everywhere and found them in the fridge!

I was late setting off, and my fuel guage was reading empty.

something didn't want me to get on that bus that day.............its got to be just coincidence surely?

"Luck" is a silly superstition. Protective spirits saved the day.

Its odd but two other strange things happened before i even got to the bus station the other morning.

The day before I lost the bus tickets I bought and under stress had to go back to the bus station to ask for more tickets printing out.

Then just before I was to leave for the bus station, my bike keys disappeared. I searched everywhere and found them in the fridge!

I was late setting off, and my fuel guage was reading empty.

something didn't want me to get on that bus that day.............its got to be just coincidence surely?

Nothing to do with coincidence, just forgetful by the sound of things.

The spirit of Chang was speaking to you.

North and southbound sides of Highway 1 between Nakhon Sawan and Thoen will be the cause of many deaths this, and every other, year. Corruption in the bidding and building processes means the road surface is not sufficient to take the wear of the trucks and cars. This has led to regular long sections of pot-holed roads and pretty much continuous for 200km is a nearside lane with two parallel ruts caused by the weight of heavy vehicles.

The near-side line is dangerous to use at speed so cars hog the outside lane. Cars 'overtaking' cut across to the nearside lane and the ruts. Add some side wind, a little rain, lack of daylight and incredibly dangerous driving skills and you have dead Thai families.

It won't stop though - too much money to be made from corrupt road building contracts.

The spirit of Chang was speaking to you.

No. If it had been that spirit he would have had to go to the toilet.

The spirit of Chang was speaking to you.

Not at 9am. I met him at 2pm much later.

Go and get a lottery ticket while you are on a roll (pardon the pun).

Good result.

pun....... You rang sir ???????

.....and eyecatcher,,,,, thank your lucky stars..... stay safe my friend....

That bit of road can be very treacherous..... a couple years back Ms G and myself were returning on a trip to Mae Sai, and on that stretch from the Hotsprings to the Doi Saket opening there were 14 accidents on that one trip.

Its a pretty good road,. but is windee and treacherous. There had just been a rain for the first time in a long while and the road was slick..... put that together with drivers whose sum knowledge of driving is how to start, how to go and how to stop sometimes safely, by accident. Most local drivers don't even know about road oils, and how to control a car in a skid. Just not any training for someone who already knows everything.

All I can say is that I am glad you are O.K., eyecatcher. When one hears about air brakes failing, the outcome is usually not good. Luck was on your side.

+1...Thanks for sharing your experience.

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"Luck" is a silly superstition. Protective spirits saved the day.

Its odd but two other strange things happened before i even got to the bus station the other morning.

The day before I lost the bus tickets I bought and under stress had to go back to the bus station to ask for more tickets printing out.

Then just before I was to leave for the bus station, my bike keys disappeared. I searched everywhere and found them in the fridge!

I was late setting off, and my fuel guage was reading empty.

something didn't want me to get on that bus that day.............its got to be just coincidence surely?

Seems to me like a trip to Mai Sai is going a little far to avoid Songkran in Chiang Mai. Don't understand what leaving your keys in the "FRIDGE" and having your gas tank register empty plus losing your ticket the day before would have any reason to stop you from a harmless unusual experience. Some thing to tell your grand kids about. Don't feel bad about the key's the empty tank and losing the tickets. I too have many senior moments.

Edit

See I had to edit the spelling.

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"Luck" is a silly superstition. Protective spirits saved the day.

Its odd but two other strange things happened before i even got to the bus station the other morning.

The day before I lost the bus tickets I bought and under stress had to go back to the bus station to ask for more tickets printing out.

Then just before I was to leave for the bus station, my bike keys disappeared. I searched everywhere and found them in the fridge!

I was late setting off, and my fuel guage was reading empty.

something didn't want me to get on that bus that day.............its got to be just coincidence surely?

Seems to me like a trip to Mai Sai is going a little far to avoid Songkran in Chiang Mai. Don't understand what leaving your keys in the "FRIDGE" and having your gas tank register empty plus losing your ticket the day before would have any reason to stop you from a harmless unusual experience. Some thing to tell your grand kids about. Don't feel bad about the key's the empty tank and losing the tickets. I too have many senior moments.

Edit

See I had to edit the spelling.

There s a lot you dont understand.

As someone suggested to you or was it BJ last week....read the whole thread and you dont need to say all that. Everyone else followed it.

You are very lucky. Someone was watching over you. Say thanks and go on.

North and southbound sides of Highway 1 between Nakhon Sawan and Thoen will be the cause of many deaths this, and every other, year. Corruption in the bidding and building processes means the road surface is not sufficient to take the wear of the trucks and cars. This has led to regular long sections of pot-holed roads and pretty much continuous for 200km is a nearside lane with two parallel ruts caused by the weight of heavy vehicles.

The near-side line is dangerous to use at speed so cars hog the outside lane. Cars 'overtaking' cut across to the nearside lane and the ruts. Add some side wind, a little rain, lack of daylight and incredibly dangerous driving skills and you have dead Thai families.

It won't stop though - too much money to be made from corrupt road building contracts.

Yes very little cement or asphalt in the mix. You can almost scratch the surface of the cement and expose the large stone underneath. I see it here in Chiang Mai all the time of frequently traveled roads. Even the wire mesh is exposed in many locations.

The gods has smiled upon you that day, not so is/will be for hundreds of others that will lose

their lives or limbs in the coming several days....

You better go to the Temple and get your Merrit on, and drop a few Baht in the bucket while your there.

Was on the bus to BKK a few years back, sat at the front, driver kept falling asleep. As we approached Pinklao he drifted off and so did the bus. Sat in a stationary bus on main highway till conductress woke him up.

"Luck" is a silly superstition. Protective spirits saved the day.

Its odd but two other strange things happened before i even got to the bus station the other morning.

The day before I lost the bus tickets I bought and under stress had to go back to the bus station to ask for more tickets printing out.

Then just before I was to leave for the bus station, my bike keys disappeared. I searched everywhere and found them in the fridge!

I was late setting off, and my fuel guage was reading empty.

something didn't want me to get on that bus that day.............its got to be just coincidence surely?

The main thing is that you came out of this in one piece and able to tell the tale. Could had been much, much worse an outcome.

There is no way I would had gone back on that bus, ace mechanic with his quick fix solution or not.

Was on the bus to BKK a few years back, sat at the front, driver kept falling asleep. As we approached Pinklao he drifted off and so did the bus. Sat in a stationary bus on main highway till conductress woke him up.

Very rarely use the bus myself, but heard people swear by NCA, Nakornchai Air. Supposedly they always (on the longer routes, at least?) have two drivers on each bus, changing drivers halfway, as well as some regulations regarding sleep time. All hearsay to me, but heard it enough times, both by Thai people and here on tv, to recommend them if available for the route.

You, the other bus passengers as well as the pickup occupants are all very fortunate to be alive.

The road from CM to Phrae becomes very slippery at the windy and hilly stretch of road near Denchai. I ALWAYS see vehicles flipped over on the side of the road when driving through that area.

I remember taking an overnight bus from Bkk to CM in 1988. After all the passengers had boarded the bus but before the bus had departed Mor Chit, a man came aboard the bus with a video camera and slowly took a video of every passenger aboard that bus. I reckon that his purpose for doing so was to have a visual record of everyone who was on the bus in case the bus crashed. Ghoulish...

Took the bus once from Pattaya to Chiang Mai...paid the highest price for the Delux Airconditioned VIP bus...then the VIP bus came and they told me to wait for the next bus...the next bus was the cattle car bus...crammed in with the low fare folks...the guy who sold me the ticket must make a nice living off of naïve farangs who get taken for a ride...This is Thailand...LOS...Land of Scammers...

You, the other bus passengers as well as the pickup occupants are all very fortunate to be alive.

The road from CM to Phrae becomes very slippery at the windy and hilly stretch of road near Denchai. I ALWAYS see vehicles flipped over on the side of the road when driving through that area.

I remember taking an overnight bus from Bkk to CM in 1988. After all the passengers had boarded the bus but before the bus had departed Mor Chit, a man came aboard the bus with a video camera and slowly took a video of every passenger aboard that bus. I reckon that his purpose for doing so was to have a visual record of everyone who was on the bus in case the bus crashed. Ghoulish...

Same thing happened on the CNX to BKK train in January.

some guy photographed us all before departure.

Obviously everyone had their amulets with them.