One killed, 23 injured in 9-vehicle pileup

[robertthebruce]

Another day, with the Same sad old story, nobody bothers, no one interested...

Just another Statistic....

SAD...

[berybert]

I was once driving an18 ton truck and my brakes failed (which was the fault of the garage I had just left) I was going down a hill when they went. There was a car stopped at a red light I had two options 1 was to smash into the back of that car at 30 mph or swerve and hope that nothing was coming round the corner and have a head on crash.

I choose to swerve and luckily just missed someone turning the corner.

I then started going up a hill and lost all power. So I started going backwards. I reversed into 3 cars that were parked by the side of the road to stop the lorry.

No one got hurt as much by luck as by my driving but I do wonder how many people would have died if a Thai had been in my place.

[fareastguy]

Always the excuse of brake failure...

never, speeding, drink, drugs, medication, tiredness, use of mobile phones while driving.. driving ability or a hundred other options

Thailand hub of high road mortality

[Maggusoil]

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.

PLUS the ridiculous driving. I drove professionally in Australia in its largest busiest city. There are a lot of bad drivers there, vastly outnumbered by lots of reasonably good ones. Here the driving is ridiculous. My lady never stops telling me to slow down, because the slightest thing goes wrong and I will be in the wrong, because I am farang. I will definitely be in the wrong until I produce enough money to pay to be in the right and because I am a farang it will cost me double what it costs the Thai driver to be in the right.

I witnessed this in a brother in law's motor bike accident. Everyone was drunk as skunks. Leave the scene before the police arrive is always necessary. Turn up tomorrow or the next day. They all ended up in hospital. No police following up at all. We all had to go to the police station three weeks later. The other rider was on the wrong side of the road. Nobody took photos. The other driver's family paid the police. Brother in law refused to pay, he was in the wrong. Free medical at the hospital and because they were fully insured no money problem, however they couldn't work for 2 months due to injuries.

There is one distinct feature of Thais at least I don't know what its like in Laos or Cambodia, but frequently if a Thai driver decides to do something stupid or against the law, they seem to think its OK if they do it slowly. Like pull out of a soi into a main road in front of cars doing 90ks.

Thoughts "I'll do this really slowly and nothing can go wrong."

I am not Thai bashing, but I have seen this many times here.

[Jim walker]

A problem with the brakes ah well that's ok then just carry on as usual brake failure is a natural thing there is nothing that can be done regarding such an act of god like brakes not working such is life or death in this case.

[swifty5x5]

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.

I also stopped driving at night, and don't forget all the drivers without tail or headlights.

[Lobber]

<deleted> all of em

[gyrosman]

Big trucks have air brakes and if you lose air pressure, the brakes apply automatically huh! Full speed, in traffic? How about the USA DOT take over training these people.

Sad for the injuries and death. One good thing this driver couldn't run away like visa run drivers or bus drivers this time. Does Thailand know what Vehicle Homicide is? Not a fine, or warning>

[phil2407]

And will the truck driver be charged with death by dangerous driving? Or 500 baht fine and on your way? Hoping they took blood samples at the hospital for booze or drugs

[Peterphuket]

Dzjee, how the hell would still come in Thailand so many problems with brakes of the trucks.

Cynicism switch: off

[SOTIRIOS]

...never the fault of the 'so innocent'...

..judging by the effects of the impact there were no evasive measures taken...even according to the witnesses...

..but 'not on drugs'....or.....' asleep at the wheel'....

...and therefore not to blame for anything.....

....infantile.....but rampant....excuse after excuse after excuse........ad infinitum.....

[dotpoom]

Since I started driving in Thailand...this sort of thing was something new I had to add to my list of "things to specially watch out for while driving". I had read about it happening so often in Thailand, never heard of it happening at home. Then, on one occasion while I was waiting at the lights in Bang Saray on my motorbike....exactly this occurrence happened. A lorry ran into the car beside me at the lights. Had I pulled up behind that car (as I sometimes used to) I would be a dead man today, I had luckily decided to wait inside all the cars up at the front.

[NoshowJones]

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.

A good driver will drive according to the road conditions, lighting, road surface etc, but about 90% of Thai drivers are to stupid to think that way.

[dean in bangkok]

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.

I drive in Thailand and I can tell you the reason for so many fatalities / accidents has very little to do with the conditions , be it lighting, roads , rain etc. there is one main reason for these accidents and that is the way Thais drive. The faster they can go the better, indicators are an unnecessary option as they are never used, courtesy on the roads is non existent. Trucks and buses that think they are in a race to get from point A to point B . Don't even get me started on taxi drivers !!! Oh and then there are motorcycles which think passing on the inside is normal, speeding in and out of traffic is the norm , pulling out in front of oncoming traffic is ok, oh and once again unnecessary indicators. Remember it is not the roads or the conditions that kill it is the loose nut behind the wheel.

[jackanapes]

a catastrophe that wouldn't have happened if the truck trailers brakes had been checked or was he going too fast and lost control ? .

[godden]

Nothing less than wanton murder.

[halloween]

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.

Wrong again! Top to bottom, and east to west, in pickup, and bikes both big and small, and still alive to report it. But I don't expect streetlights on every road, and drive/ride to the conditions.

[balo]

It could have been my car, it could have been your car.

That's my main concern when I'm out driving my car here , that some idiot will hit me really hard. I never drive at night if I can avoid it , but these truck drivers can kill you within a few seconds of reckless driving.

RIP.

[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.

Wrong again! Top to bottom, and east to west, in pickup, and bikes both big and small, and still alive to report it. But I don't expect streetlights on every road, and drive/ride to the conditions.

I dont think having street lights on the main highway from Bangkok to the south is expecting to much, particularly if you have done that route, which i presume you have from your comment. I average 30,000 km a year all around Thailand, and that is a poor poor road and taxing to drive, especially at night.

[bheard]

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 k. If you were in your Hilux or Ranger, you'd still be dead if a truck squashes you between it and a bus.

Get real. If you were in a Hilux or Ranger you'd still be dead meat if a truck travelling at speed squashes you against a bus!

[Bangkok Barry]

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.

A proper license - ie obtained with a proper driving test - is not available in Thailand.

[lvr181]

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.

A contributory reason perhaps (road conditions etc) but NOT AN EXCUSE for appalling driver behaviour

Edit: Spelling

Edited April 22, 2015 by lvr181

[luckyman]

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.

Maybe you are right, but still this could happen anywhere and in fact it does happen everywhere.

Years ago a trailer truck came down a heavy slope in Switzerland, driven by a Dutch driver, brakes faltered just when he was about to reach the bottom of the slope where there was a bridge that allowed only one way traffic.

The truck crashed into the waiting vehicles, killing nine on the spot.

If you ask him about how he deals with this horrific accident that left so many dead, he claimed it was god's will.

Morons live everywhere, is my point.

[joboss]

Lighting conditions?? The traffic lights were RED.

Possibly the driver was texting,, You can travel quite a distance in 5 or 8 seconds, especially when doing 100 kph.

[wabothai]

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Brake failure stopped him swerving ?

Rubbish, yet another drunk Thai working as a driver.

Drunk or too busy sending a message on his gd phone. How many times have we seen this?

[jlwilliamsjr18]

"Police said the trailer truck might had problem with its brake system so it could not stop at the intersection." This says it all. <deleted> idiots.

[soalbundy]

Nobody told the truck driver sonkran is over

[Brer Fox]

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.

The more gaudy paint and the bigger the doof doof speakers the bigger the idiot behind the wheel. Same applies to the taxi buses No.71 running between Ekamai and Bang Kapi.

[ChiangmaiRob]

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.

Which trucks should be banned? There are many of these brightly painted truck that are new or near new so are modern. You contradict yourself with the first two sentences, first blaming the truck driver then blaming the truck, so which is it? My best guess is it was the drivers fault, probably fell asleep, for reasons already stated by other posters, no attempt to swerve to avoid the car and seemingly no attempt to slow down. But hey, that's just my opinion, which, in the circumstances, means nothing anyway.

[Thongkorn]

a sleep comes to mind if breaks fail on a wagon , the breaks come on.