Three killed, 24 injured in bus crash in Lampang

[webfact]

Three killed, 24 injured in bus crash in Lampang
The Nation

LAMPANG: -- Three passengers were killed and 24 other people were injured when an air-conditioned bus lost control and crashed into two vehicles and three houses in Lampang's Mueang district at 6:30 am Wednesday.

The driver of the Udon Thani-Chiang Mai bus was also badly injured. Police said the driver shouted that he could not slow down the bus as its brake system malfunctioned so it crashed into an SUV and student van and then crashed into three houses.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/Three-killed-24-injured-in-bus-crash-in-Lampang-30261037.html

-- The Nation 2015-05-27

[webfact]

Bus loses brakes rams at student van and houses



BANGKOK: -- One people was killed and almost 40 others injured when a Chiang Mai-bound passenger bus with failed brakes ran over two vehicles and rammed three houses before it overturned.

The incident happened at 6.30 am on Wednesday at the Kelang Nakorn intersection in Tambon Hua Wieng of Lampang province.

Initial report said 50 people were injured, including children inside a student van stopped at the intersection, awaiting the green light to go. Among the seriously injured are the bus driver Sompornpet Kamnu, 43, and all seven students in the van.

They were all rushed to Lampang hospital.

Prior to the incident, the police said the bus from Udon Thani with about 40 passengers was on the way to Chiang Mai.

But as the bus was entering Lampang, the driver felt the braking system had trouble.

He then told his wife who is the bus conductor to immediately advise all passengers to gather at the rear and those seated to fasten their seat belts.

As the bus with failed brakes entered the intersection, he blew the bus horns to warn vehicles at the intersection of the approaching bus with brakes failure.

Some vehicles could move away in time but the student van and another car.

Both were run over by the bus which ploughed into them and three houses, and flipped over trapping all the passengers inside.

Residents relaxing in front of their houses were also injured by the bus.

Rescue workers rushed to the scene immediately and managed to bring all out to hospital, including the driver. Students in the van were also rescued, all in serious conditions.

Rescue workers found one body trapped underneath the wreckages of the bus and houses.

The incident caused traffic jam on the road for hours as people started to come out on the streets in the morning rush hours.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/bus-loses-brakes-rams-at-student-van-and-houses

-- Thai PBS 2015-05-27

[whatawonderfulday]

another "lets blame the brakes again" story rather then driving at an inappropriate speed or else sleepy

[EricBerg]

Life doesn't seem to have high value for the different Thai governments. Over 25 THOUSAND people die in traffic EVERY YEAR and nothing effective is done about it.

For any government of any country traffic safety would be priority number one if so many people would die. Except perhaps North Korea, that Islamic State and Thailand.

Why oh why don't at least the Thai people demand action on this? Could it be this reincarnation thing that so many do not seem to care?

How frustrating can things get? So many loosing their child, parent, friend. And it's a normal thing? AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHH

[pinkpanther99]

I saw footage of the crash being share on Facebook:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLiQ-OsXSvw

[mango66]

I guess thai driver even dont know that there are 3 narmal ways to brake - or at least to slow down a vehicle;

thai intelligence are requested !!

[JOC]

The really sad thing is, that within the next month, we will have a similar headline!!

You can be as careful, as you possibly can, when driving, but with the road full of idiots, it really is no guarantee for a safe drive!!

[raphoedon]

By the look of the footage the driver can be named as Nigel Mansel, he was clearly speeding dangerously.

These coaches have other ways of slowing such as lower gear selection and the use of the exhausts brake, the power of the engine will slow the coach to under ten miles per hour where collision may not be avoidable but some control maybe possible.

RIP to the lost soul and prayers for the recovery of the injured.

[Artisi]

Of course driving like an idiot (speeding)wouldn't have anything to do with it, would it?

[Jessi]

I saw footage of the crash being share on Facebook:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLiQ-OsXSvw

Thanks for sharing this video with us. It just goes to show the carnage on Thailand roads once again.

Come on General please do something about it.

[apetley]

I saw footage of the crash being share on Facebook:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLiQ-OsXSvw

Thanks for sharing.

What is obvious is that the bus was travelling very fast indeed if what is being shown was after the driver warned the passengers of a problem and presumably had lifted off the accelerator and maybe even applied the handbrake.

[Travelman868]

I've driven this road a number of times and even in a car it is not easy. There is only a limited amount of duel carriageway

making overtaking difficult.

Journey time to CM from Udon by car is around 8 hours so 10 in a bus maybe even more, very tiring.

Although the bus was not a new modern type if the brakes failed they should still have come on automatically. The vacuum/ braking system is to stop the brakes coming on and if there is a failure of any type the brakes come on

[circusman]

I saw footage of the crash being share on Facebook:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLiQ-OsXSvw

Thanks for sharing this video with us. It just goes to show the carnage on Thailand roads once again.

Come on General please do something about it.

Come on, how is anyone going to do something about it ? It will take decades to improve the drivers of this country.

[MockingJay]

Given the fact that no cars or motorbikes are ever checked for roadworthiness, functioning brakes, lights, etc. except the superficial pat down when a vehicle is sold and bought, it is an absolute miracle that there aren't several thousand road deaths per day in Thailand. I also believe a lot of drivers are half blind and actually would need glasses or contacts, bit eyesight is check - if - then only when a driving license is made or renewed. A million factors make up this explosive road mayhem cocktail of Thailand... where to start???

[TEFLKrabi]

By the look of the footage the driver can be named as Nigel Mansel, he was clearly speeding dangerously.

These coaches have other ways of slowing such as lower gear selection and the use of the exhausts brake, the power of the engine will slow the coach to under ten miles per hour where collision may not be avoidable but some control maybe possible.

RIP to the lost soul and prayers for the recovery of the injured.

Of course he was going fast......he had no brakes!!! At least he tried to warn everyone and get them to the safest part of the bus while still staying in his driving seat. Give him a little credit.

[Jessi]

I saw footage of the crash being share on Facebook:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLiQ-OsXSvw

Thanks for sharing this video with us. It just goes to show the carnage on Thailand roads once again.

Come on General please do something about it.

Come on, how is anyone going to do something about it ? It will take decades to improve the drivers of this country.

It can always start with the first step. Even someone like you can see that.

[balo]

Can we have the name of this bus company so we can avod dealing with them in the future ? I took an aircon VIP bus from Pattaya to CM once overnight, very comfortable and a good driver.

[gyrosman]

40 seat bus with 50 people? Funny since 1950 there is a thing called the ' HAND BRAKE', flying through 6:30am in the morning at about 130kh. Funny, its like when 1 Thai opens a cell phone store the neighbor opens one next store. So, the nation way rule for drivers is " My Brakes Failed ", If there start placing them in prison for manslaughter, then maybe just maybe the word would be " Slow the <deleted> Down or go to prison "

Thai Face, your killers.

[ttthailand]

Again ??? This just keeps on happening again and again. The only quick solution to help fix this broken system would be to inspect every bus, Van and truck and make sure they are road worthy. In addition. Limit speed to 90kmph. It won't be a total fix but better than nothing which is happening now.

At least the driver stuck around and didn't run and hide.

[Jenny Adara]

why on earth he didnt know how to shift the gears down to slow the bus - or use the handbrake before he got to the corner.

[Doc46]

I've driven this road a number of times and even in a car it is not easy. There is only a limited amount of duel carriageway

making overtaking difficult.

Journey time to CM from Udon by car is around 8 hours so 10 in a bus maybe even more, very tiring.

Although the bus was not a new modern type if the brakes failed they should still have come on automatically. The vacuum/ braking system is to stop the brakes coming on and if there is a failure of any type the brakes come on

Not true,that only works when you have full airbrakes,,,,,The older and cheaper brakes were air over hydraulic they will not lock on on failure,they are impossible to stop believe me I have driven trucks with both systems and had a failure once with the older type in Australia and had to steer the truck in a sugar cane paddock to avoid road carnage & death

[raphoedon]

Of course he was going fast......he had no brakes!!! At least he tried to warn everyone and get them to the safest part of the bus while still staying in his driving seat. Give him a little credit.

Is that credit for : not handling the coach, wrecking the coach, killing the man, severely injuring the kids in the minivan,wrecking peoples cars and homes or is it for something else I've missed?

[Ulic]

The brakes may have failed but he was going way, way, to fast. The bus owner

and chief mechanic who signs off in the buses road worthiness should be held

criminally responsible if any changes are to occur.

So General.....make changes and bring in the appropriate laws to lower the

carnage on Thailand's roads.

[Ghostnigel]

My gf's sister/cousin was on that bus, she has very bad head injuries....she is having brain surgery, hope she pulls through.

RIP to the unfortunate ones.

[bangkapi]

I think the driver was barefoot.

[Jessi]

My gf's sister/cousin was on that bus, she has very bad head injuries....she is having brain surgery, hope she pulls through.

RIP to the unfortunate ones.

I hope she will be OK.

[oneday]

I have traveled numerous times now from Pattaya to Kalasin and it's always the same company with often the same driver's. The driver's have been about 50/50. Half of them were not great, but acceptable. The other half have scared the hell out of me. On one trip I had my girl call the company and complain the next day as we were driving to Kalasin. We happened to be making the call at the exact same time the same EXACT bus was driving right past us going back to Pattaya and he was driving like a bat out of hell. The lady wanted us to catch up and get the bus number. It scared the hell out of me, the speed I had to reach to catch up, but we got the number.

Very soon we saw the bus slow down drastically as the women my wife was talking to was also talking to the bus driver and asking him how fast he was going. Of course we could tell them exactly how fast he was going so he got catch in a lie. I loved it. I seriously doubt it will do any good, but it felt satisfying to be able to TRY and do something.

My advice, get your lady, if you have one, to call and complain if you're on an out-of-control bus. Do it while you are on the bus if you can. Get the bus name and number on the side of the bus. It seems they don't know how to deal with license plates. I guess they are too stupid to have software that links all of a buses identifiers together in one record that is searchable by any of the buses identifiers. It may save someone's life.

[jackanapes]

it is apparent the bus like a lot of vehicles in Thailand has not had any maintenance checks everything in Thailand is falling apart the whole system is rotten again its all about money as long as they are making it everythings ok but spending it that's something else killing and injuring people that's some thing else.

[MESmith]

why on earth he didnt know how to shift the gears down to slow the bus - or use the handbrake before he got to the corner.

says the person who drives an automatic 2 footed

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

From the video footage, it really looks like that bus was FLYING fast...

When I first read the article, I thought the bus had hit vehicles crossing his path at an intersection, essentially running a red light.

But from the video footage, it looks like the bus literally runs over already moving cars/vehicles traveling the same direction in front of him.

For a bus that presumably didn't have the driver with his foot on the accelerator, he seemed to be moving awfully fast at the point of impact.