One killed, 23 injured in 9-vehicle pileup

[Thaivisa News]

Ayutthaya:- A 18-wheel trailer truck crashed into a rear of a sedan car waiting for the green signal at an intersection Tuesday night, causing a pileup involving nine vehicles that killed the car driver and injuring 23 others.

Pol Capt Wichien Chuchartharnsanthia of Bang Pa-in police station was alerted at 8 pm of the accident. He was informed that the accident happened on the Ayutthaya-bound Rojana Road at the Rojana Intersection in Tambon Samruen in Bang Pa-in district.

Wichien and rescuers from the Ayutthaya Hospital and Ayutthaya Ruamjai Foundation rushed to the scene and found the trailer truck with Bangkok license having crashed into the rear of a Honda Brio car also of the Bangkok license plate.

The impact caused the Honda car to crash into the rear of a bus in front of it, causing a chain reaction that resulted in the nine-vehicle pileup.

[Photo credit: Thairath Online]

The Honda car was reduced into wreckage and its driver, Pitsanu Changmua, 33, was killed. Rescuers had to use iron cutters to remove the body.

The trailer truck driver was badly injured and was unconscious. Police said 22 other people were also injured. They were rushed to the Ratchathani Hospital.

Nirun Chanluang, 50, who drove a pickup truck that was caught in the pileup, said he was being stopped by the red light when he heard a loud bang and his truck was hit by a vehicle behind it.

Montree Ronthee, 35, who witnessed the incident, said he saw the trailer truck driving in full speed to crash into the Honda car.

Police said the trailer truck might had problem with its brake system so it could not stop at the intersection.

[Just1Voice]

Of course it was faulty brakes. It's ALWAYS faulty brakes, and NEVER anything to do with reckless, stupid Thai drivers who should never be allowed to drive anything but a buffalo.

[jacknorman]

Brake failure or the curve came to fast is very common here in the moron country

[jacknorman]

Isn't the driver who is responsible of that the vehicle is in order? , at least in my country no matter if it's your car ,rental or a friends car?

[HeijoshinCool]

Just blame the dead guy. He can't defend himself.

[kevc]

Every time It's at night when their either asleep at the wheel or driving too fast when you can't see 200 yards in front of you because the lighting so bad. Refuse now to drive on highways at night because there's so many idiots.

[arthurwait]

Brake failure stopped him swerving ?

Rubbish, yet another drunk Thai working as a driver.

[Commerce]

Complete and utter wanton carnage all at the hands of the truck driver. These trucks should be banned, and the owners forced to replace them with modern modes of transport. Yes, they're cultural and very prettily painted.... but what is underneath all the pretty paint does not bear thinking about.

RIP to the Honda driver, innocently waiting at a red light - had absolutely no chance.

[noitom]

That Thai trailer truck driver must have been going some speed. Did you see the photo of that Honda? Smashed between the striking trailer truck and the bus.

[Commerce]

Just blame the dead guy. He can't defend himself.

Ouch! Bit below the belt from you for once ..

[NongKhaiKid]

Of course it was faulty brakes. It's ALWAYS faulty brakes, and NEVER anything to do with reckless, stupid Thai drivers who should never be allowed to drive anything but a buffalo.

Always handy too if it's been raining.

[smutcakes]

Every time It's at night when their either asleep at the wheel or driving too fast when you can't see 200 yards in front of you because the lighting so bad. Refuse now to drive on highways at night because there's so many idiots.

Not making excuses for any poor or reckless driving, but your point about lighting is very valid. Take Petchkasem road southbound as an example. Once you get past the first Chaam/Hua Hin exit, it turns into a poorly maintained dual carriage way with little to no street lighting which runs like this for about 300 km, until it improves a little bit near Chumphon. This is the main arterial route from Bangkok to Phuket and all in between.

Driving down there in the day time takes concentration, doing it at night with no street lighting, some trucks with no lights, some lit up like Christmas trees, after a while it almost become hallucinogenic, and gauging distance is extremely difficult.

You can never stop reckless driving, but you can at least improve aspects of it to make it safer to drive and stop accidents caused by external factors like poor road surface and lack of lighting. For the main road to the south of Thailand, full of heavy goods vehicles it really should be improved. This is just one example of an area like this.

[HeijoshinCool]

Just blame the dead guy. He can't defend himself.

Ouch! Bit below the belt from you for once ..

.

Isn't this statement, attributed to police, a bit odd?

Police said the trailer truck might had problem with its brake system so it could not stop at the intersection.

"Might," here, is what is known as "distancing language," an indication of deception. Either the brakes failed (which any reasonably competent accident investigator can quickly determine), or they didn't.

Add to that a witness said the truck hit the car at full speed.

So, yup, blame the dead guy for being negligent for not checking his rear view and getting out of the way of the poor truck driver.

Moral of the story: living truck drivers can pay tea money, dead guys can't.

[DLang]

I really don't like seeing those Brio's on the road. They look like little dinky cars, I often think of how poor they must be when rearended, as there is no boot or rear at all, just the rear passenger seats and the window and bumper directly behind.

Looking at the picture I now know.

[DM07]

The madness continues- the lack of action will, too!

[DLang]

The poor man was just waiting innocently at a stoplight. And this happens to him:

[halloween]

Every time It's at night when their either asleep at the wheel or driving too fast when you can't see 200 yards in front of you because the lighting so bad. Refuse now to drive on highways at night because there's so many idiots.

Not making excuses for any poor or reckless driving, but your point about lighting is very valid. Take Petchkasem road southbound as an example. Once you get past the first Chaam/Hua Hin exit, it turns into a poorly maintained dual carriage way with little to no street lighting which runs like this for about 300 km, until it improves a little bit near Chumphon. This is the main arterial route from Bangkok to Phuket and all in between.

Driving down there in the day time takes concentration, doing it at night with no street lighting, some trucks with no lights, some lit up like Christmas trees, after a while it almost become hallucinogenic, and gauging distance is extremely difficult.

You can never stop reckless driving, but you can at least improve aspects of it to make it safer to drive and stop accidents caused by external factors like poor road surface and lack of lighting. For the main road to the south of Thailand, full of heavy goods vehicles it really should be improved. This is just one example of an area like this.

Gauging distance is difficult because you only have one red eye. Oz has thousands of km of poorly maintained dual carriageway without street lighting - we manage.

[Commerce]

I really don't like seeing those Brio's on the road. They look like little dinky cars, I often think of how poor they must be when rearended, as there is no boot or rear at all, just the rear passenger seats and the window and bumper directly behind.

Looking at the picture I now know.

I couldn't agree more! In my previous life, before Thailand, I was a consultant vehicle design manager for 23 years; an expert in crash safety, impact, interior and BIW design, and FAE. When I first saw the Brio I wondered what step back Honda had taken. The proof of the pudding even came in FRONTAL IMPACT testing.

Watch the following, and the IP (instrument panel) move a huge distance into the front DRIVER's chest area - it's a disgrace!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJrLBifQRJ8

Now considering being hit from the rear, and the front end impact as a result..... it is of little wonder that the resultant was absolute carnage. Cars like these little run-arounds with little room for impacting energy or room for front and rear to collapse well..... should be outlawed. IMHO.

Edited April 22, 2015 by Commerce

[whatawonderfulday]

Of course it was faulty brakes. It's ALWAYS faulty brakes, and NEVER anything to do with reckless, stupid Thai drivers who should never be allowed to drive anything but a buffalo.

That would be grossly unfair on Buffaloes to allow brainless Thai morons anywhere near them. the owners off the trucks should be thrown in Jail also as a warning to recruit drivers with a proper license and ensure their vehicles are only driven for reasonable hours by competent drivers.

[smutcakes]

Every time It's at night when their either asleep at the wheel or driving too fast when you can't see 200 yards in front of you because the lighting so bad. Refuse now to drive on highways at night because there's so many idiots.

Not making excuses for any poor or reckless driving, but your point about lighting is very valid. Take Petchkasem road southbound as an example. Once you get past the first Chaam/Hua Hin exit, it turns into a poorly maintained dual carriage way with little to no street lighting which runs like this for about 300 km, until it improves a little bit near Chumphon. This is the main arterial route from Bangkok to Phuket and all in between.

Driving down there in the day time takes concentration, doing it at night with no street lighting, some trucks with no lights, some lit up like Christmas trees, after a while it almost become hallucinogenic, and gauging distance is extremely difficult.

You can never stop reckless driving, but you can at least improve aspects of it to make it safer to drive and stop accidents caused by external factors like poor road surface and lack of lighting. For the main road to the south of Thailand, full of heavy goods vehicles it really should be improved. This is just one example of an area like this.

Gauging distance is difficult because you only have one red eye. Oz has thousands of km of poorly maintained dual carriageway without street lighting - we manage.

You have obviously never driven in Thailand. There is a reason there are so many accidents and deaths, and it is not all down to reckless and poor driving, some of it should be attributed to the conditions of the road surfaces, lighting etc.

[Local Drunk]

Every time It's at night when their either asleep at the wheel or driving too fast when you can't see 200 yards in front of you because the lighting so bad. Refuse now to drive on highways at night because there's so many idiots.

Not making excuses for any poor or reckless driving, but your point about lighting is very valid. Take Petchkasem road southbound as an example. Once you get past the first Chaam/Hua Hin exit, it turns into a poorly maintained dual carriage way with little to no street lighting which runs like this for about 300 km, until it improves a little bit near Chumphon. This is the main arterial route from Bangkok to Phuket and all in between.

Driving down there in the day time takes concentration, doing it at night with no street lighting, some trucks with no lights, some lit up like Christmas trees, after a while it almost become hallucinogenic, and gauging distance is extremely difficult.

You can never stop reckless driving, but you can at least improve aspects of it to make it safer to drive and stop accidents caused by external factors like poor road surface and lack of lighting. For the main road to the south of Thailand, full of heavy goods vehicles it really should be improved. This is just one example of an area like this.

Gauging distance is difficult because you only have one red eye. Oz has thousands of km of poorly maintained dual carriageway without street lighting - we manage.

You have obviously never driven in Thailand. There is a reason there are so many accidents and deaths, and it is not all down to reckless and poor driving, some of it should be attributed to the conditions of the road surfaces, lighting etc.

Rubbish! You never drive faster than conditions permit. If the road surface, lighting or weather conditions are bad then you go slow. This driver according to witnesses hit the Brio at speed. You can't blame it on brakes... These trucks have gears to slow them down as well.

[smutcakes]

Gauging distance is difficult because you only have one red eye. Oz has thousands of km of poorly maintained dual carriageway without street lighting - we manage.

You have obviously never driven in Thailand. There is a reason there are so many accidents and deaths, and it is not all down to reckless and poor driving, some of it should be attributed to the conditions of the road surfaces, lighting etc.

Rubbish! You never drive faster than conditions permit. If the road surface, lighting or weather conditions are bad then you go slow. This driver according to witnesses hit the Brio at speed. You can't blame it on brakes... These trucks have gears to slow them down as well.

Whats rubbish? That road conditions, poor lighting sometimes play a part in crashes? I have never even made reference to the causes of this particular accident.

[Local Drunk]

The poor man was just waiting innocently at a stoplight. And this happens to him:

I hate to sound disrespectful to the dead... but never mind the jaws of life, they were pulling the body out of that mess with tweezers.

[Local Drunk]

Gauging distance is difficult because you only have one red eye. Oz has thousands of km of poorly maintained dual carriageway without street lighting - we manage.

You have obviously never driven in Thailand. There is a reason there are so many accidents and deaths, and it is not all down to reckless and poor driving, some of it should be attributed to the conditions of the road surfaces, lighting etc.

Rubbish! You never drive faster than conditions permit. If the road surface, lighting or weather conditions are bad then you go slow. This driver according to witnesses hit the Brio at speed. You can't blame it on brakes... These trucks have gears to slow them down as well.

Whats rubbish? That road conditions, poor lighting sometimes play a part in crashes? I have never even made reference to the causes of this particular accident.

They do play a part in accidents... But that generally happens when people aren't driving according to conditions of the road. Your first response to the original post implies that conditions were the cause of the accident.

[Commerce]

Gauging distance is difficult because you only have one red eye. Oz has thousands of km of poorly maintained dual carriageway without street lighting - we manage.

You have obviously never driven in Thailand. There is a reason there are so many accidents and deaths, and it is not all down to reckless and poor driving, some of it should be attributed to the conditions of the road surfaces, lighting etc.

Rubbish! You never drive faster than conditions permit. If the road surface, lighting or weather conditions are bad then you go slow. This driver according to witnesses hit the Brio at speed. You can't blame it on brakes... These trucks have gears to slow them down as well.

Whats rubbish? That road conditions, poor lighting sometimes play a part in crashes? I have never even made reference to the causes of this particular accident.

They do play a part in accidents... But that generally happens when people aren't driving according to conditions of the road. Your first response to the original post implies that conditions were the cause of the accident.

Slightly inherent problem there though, "driving according to the conditions of the road"; Road conditions in Thailand, especially on long drives, constantly change. Thus, there is no set condition as a matter of fact. Yes, one has to be aware of changing road conditions, but with a complete lack of warning on these god forsaken roads, the conditions change within micro-seconds - literally. One moment you can be on a fine highway, and then within a milli-second be on sand, and then on unlined lanes which have been cut up - the list is endless.

Not that this was relevant to this crash, but lighting and road condition changes do indeed play a major role in accidents, no matter how aware a driver may well be.

[seajae]

Every time It's at night when their either asleep at the wheel or driving too fast when you can't see 200 yards in front of you because the lighting so bad. Refuse now to drive on highways at night because there's so many idiots.

Not making excuses for any poor or reckless driving, but your point about lighting is very valid. Take Petchkasem road southbound as an example. Once you get past the first Chaam/Hua Hin exit, it turns into a poorly maintained dual carriage way with little to no street lighting which runs like this for about 300 km, until it improves a little bit near Chumphon. This is the main arterial route from Bangkok to Phuket and all in between.

Driving down there in the day time takes concentration, doing it at night with no street lighting, some trucks with no lights, some lit up like Christmas trees, after a while it almost become hallucinogenic, and gauging distance is extremely difficult.

You can never stop reckless driving, but you can at least improve aspects of it to make it safer to drive and stop accidents caused by external factors like poor road surface and lack of lighting. For the main road to the south of Thailand, full of heavy goods vehicles it really should be improved. This is just one example of an area like this.

Gauging distance is difficult because you only have one red eye. Oz has thousands of km of poorly maintained dual carriageway without street lighting - we manage.

in Australia drivers also have to have a licence, not speed, obey all the road rules and know them, not be under the influence and not use their phones while driving plus the police are actually on the roads patrolling to make sure they actually do it, here none of that applies to anyone

Edited April 22, 2015 by seajae

[kurce]

Every time It's at night when their either asleep at the wheel or driving too fast when you can't see 200 yards in front of you because the lighting so bad. Refuse now to drive on highways at night because there's so many idiots.

Not making excuses for any poor or reckless driving, but your point about lighting is very valid. Take Petchkasem road southbound as an example. Once you get past the first Chaam/Hua Hin exit, it turns into a poorly maintained dual carriage way with little to no street lighting which runs like this for about 300 km, until it improves a little bit near Chumphon. This is the main arterial route from Bangkok to Phuket and all in between.

Driving down there in the day time takes concentration, doing it at night with no street lighting, some trucks with no lights, some lit up like Christmas trees, after a while it almost become hallucinogenic, and gauging distance is extremely difficult.

You can never stop reckless driving, but you can at least improve aspects of it to make it safer to drive and stop accidents caused by external factors like poor road surface and lack of lighting. For the main road to the south of Thailand, full of heavy goods vehicles it really should be improved. This is just one example of an area like this.

Gauging distance is difficult because you only have one red eye. Oz has thousands of km of poorly maintained dual carriageway without street lighting - we manage.

You have obviously never driven in Thailand. There is a reason there are so many accidents and deaths, and it is not all down to reckless and poor driving, some of it should be attributed to the conditions of the road surfaces, lighting etc.

Rubbish! You never drive faster than conditions permit. If the road surface, lighting or weather conditions are bad then you go slow. This driver according to witnesses hit the Brio at speed. You can't blame it on brakes... These trucks have gears to slow them down as well.

+ 1

[eddie61]

Every time It's at night when their either asleep at the wheel or driving too fast when you can't see 200 yards in front of you because the lighting so bad. Refuse now to drive on highways at night because there's so many idiots.

Not making excuses for any poor or reckless driving, but your point about lighting is very valid. Take Petchkasem road southbound as an example. Once you get past the first Chaam/Hua Hin exit, it turns into a poorly maintained dual carriage way with little to no street lighting which runs like this for about 300 km, until it improves a little bit near Chumphon. This is the main arterial route from Bangkok to Phuket and all in between.

Driving down there in the day time takes concentration, doing it at night with no street lighting, some trucks with no lights, some lit up like Christmas trees, after a while it almost become hallucinogenic, and gauging distance is extremely difficult.

You can never stop reckless driving, but you can at least improve aspects of it to make it safer to drive and stop accidents caused by external factors like poor road surface and lack of lighting. For the main road to the south of Thailand, full of heavy goods vehicles it really should be improved. This is just one example of an area like this.

Gauging distance is difficult because you only have one red eye. Oz has thousands of km of poorly maintained dual carriageway without street lighting - we manage.

You have obviously never driven in Thailand. There is a reason there are so many accidents and deaths, and it is not all down to reckless and poor driving, some of it should be attributed to the conditions of the road surfaces, lighting etc.

Rubbish! You never drive faster than conditions permit. If the road surface, lighting or weather conditions are bad then you go slow. This driver according to witnesses hit the Brio at speed. You can't blame it on brakes... These trucks have gears to slow them down as well.

+ 1

maybe its a genetic problem

[brfsa2]

again, Thai driving idiocy at it's best! there is no hope here.

[Usual Suspect]

Every time I drive on the road from BKK to Saraburi (Hwy 2 I think) there are these truck/trailer combos pushing other vehicles out of the way!

There is no way they can stop if the need arose...(I'm doing 90kph & they're flying by me when empty).

I feel so sorry for those poor folk in this needless crash, it is an insult when a fistful of cash to the MiB will see things are taken care of & the driver will be back behind the wheel of another truck within the week..!!