Bus crash kills one, injures 30

MAHA SARAKHAM: -- A Mukdaharn-Khon Kaen bus skidded off the road and flipped over while taking a curve on the road from Kalasin to Khon Kaen province Wednesday morning, killing a woman and injuring 30 others.

The accident happened at 7 am today at Ban Nongkoo in Tambon Phonthong, Chiang Yuen district of Maha Sarakham.

The bus was taking about 30 passengers from Mukdaharn to Khon Kaen.

The driver Sompong Jacktaisong, 57, told police that the bus skidded while he was taking a curve. The bus then hit the side of island in the middle of the road and flipped over.

One passenger identified as Mrs Malai Phukongsod was thrown out of the bus and fell under the bus which flipped over.

All the injured passengers, included the driver, were admitted to Maha Sarakham hospital.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/bus-crash-kills-one-injures-30

-- Thai PBS 2015-06-03

Again Again Again....

Will it ever end...

And they almost never mention of the name of the bus company involved.

The name is on top No idea whether its a company logo at the front.

From: http://www.thairath.co.th/content/502746

This one is even more worrying as it happened in daylight.

The woman probably would have survived had she been wearing a seat belt. The newer buses actually have them now and signs telling you to wear them. Not seen anyone wearing them yet though.

Not a scientific survey, but from reading A LOT of these same kind of bus crash articles, it seems they often occur in the early morning hours 5 - 6 am or a bit earlier or later. Presumably that's after the driver's been driving all night (and who knows how long before) and basically zones out by the time of the next day dawning.

The bus skidded while he was taking a curve. Translation = SPEEDING.

The bus skidded while he was taking a curve. Translation = SPEEDING.

Yes sounds like going to fast into the bend and not accounting for the conditions.

This one is even more worrying as it happened in daylight.

The woman probably would have survived had she been wearing a seat belt. The newer buses actually have them now and signs telling you to wear them. Not seen anyone wearing them yet though.

They never learn.

I always insist on passengers in my car to buckle up and get some funny looks.

They still have no idea what this "annoyance" is for.

So many deaths just for this case (people thrown off the car).

This one is even more worrying as it happened in daylight.

The woman probably would have survived had she been wearing a seat belt. The newer buses actually have them now and signs telling you to wear them. Not seen anyone wearing them yet though.

They never learn.

I always insist on passengers in my car to buckle up and get some funny looks.

They still have no idea what this "annoyance" is for.

So many deaths just for this case (people thrown off the car).

I do the same; getting all my passengers to belt up.

I once had a work colleague (Thai) refuse, I pointed out that it wasn't for her benefit, it was for mine. If we were to have a serious accident and roll she could hurt me being unsecured in the car... the dumb muppet still didn't get it... I pulled over to the side of the road and told her Seatbelt on or walk (we were 5 hours out of Bangkok)... she reluctantly put on her seatbelt.

On a Ski Trip a few years ago the Ski-Bus from the Airport through the Alps to the resorts had lap belts.. My Wife and I were the only ones I saw using them. I just don't get the mentality not to use a seatbelt... I go out of my way to use them and when I can only use taxi's I know have seatbelt in the rear or I get in the front seat with a belt. I never use busses or mini-vans in Thailand due to the reported frequency of unnecessary accidents, I also avoid motocycle taxis.

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More on topic: I'm surprised not to read the usual excuse - Break Failure...

It's pretty obvious that the driver was going too fast - I wonder if he'll face charges.

Skidded on a bend and then hit a roundabout,if that isint admitting he was speeding then i dont know what is.

Nice to see all the ex accident investigators are out again.

The name is on top No idea whether its a company logo at the front.

From: http://www.thairath.co.th/content/502746

UD is the name of the company which made the trucks and the buses UD trucks which belongs to Volvo group .

http://www.volvogroup.com/GROUP/GLOBAL/EN-GB/VOLVO%20GROUP/OUR_BRAND/UDTRUCKS/PAGES/UDTRUCKS.ASPX

The plate of the bus is from Khon Kaen ; you can read it on one of the Thai Rath photos

Again Again Again....

Will it ever end...

And they almost never mention of the name of the bus company involved.

There's your defamation laws at work.

If you ride these buses as I sometimes do, get the name and phone number of the company office before you leave. If you do not speak Thai or passable Thai then have your lady or a Thai friend ready to help you make a call when the bus driver starts to go crazy on the road as they VERY often do. The person they contact is very likely to call the driver and tell him to slow down and they may actually slow down.

Also get a picture of the side of the bus for the bus number. That is the number the company I use goes by to know what bus your are on.

It's your life; take control of it.

If you ride these buses as I sometimes do, get the name and phone number of the company office before you leave. If you do not speak Thai or passable Thai then have your lady or a Thai friend ready to help you make a call when the bus driver starts to go crazy on the road as they VERY often do. The person they contact is very likely to call the driver and tell him to slow down and they may actually slow down.

Also get a picture of the side of the bus for the bus number. That is the number the company I use goes by to know what bus your are on.

It's your life; take control of it.

What do you do if you want one to speed up? I got a bus with nakon chai air from Bangkok and because the road was busy near pakchong he took the back way through chayapum and took twice as long and he drove so slow, not sure if he had a engine problem but he was the slowest bus driver in Thailand.

At least this time it was not due to brake failure, or was it ,too fast hmm. Planes have seat belts , ' buckle up ' during a spot of turbulence. Buses ! Up to you.

When I travelled from Mukdahan to Kon Khien there was no bus only a mini-van but the driver was seriously on drugs or insane we almost had a head on collision. I think the only safe way to get out of Mukdahan is airasia or take the VIP to Bangkok it was a fantastic ride.

I have often ridden this route, from Somdet to Khon Kaen and vv. There are seat belts fitted, but in true Thai style they are tied up to prevent them being used. How can we foreigners possibly understand that kind of mentality? And yes, some of the drivers do speed, but it wouldn't be Thailand if they didn't, would it. And so people die. And it will happen again tomorrow, and next week, and next month and for ever. Any time you go on the roads in Thailand, in any way, you take part in a game of roulette.

Nice to see all the ex accident investigators are out again.

Nice to see the usual inane comment from those who fail to recognise what a discussion on an internet forum is all about.

Well no, its not nice, its boring... if you don't expect to see comments, read the news !...

Nice to see all the ex accident investigators are out again.

Nice to see the usual inane comment from those who fail to recognise what a discussion on an internet forum is all about.

Well no, its not nice, its boring... if you don't expect to see comments, read the news !...

You are quite correct about inane comments. Most of the comments on this thread are inane, due to the lack of that little thing called evidence.

Nice to see all the ex accident investigators are out again.

Nice to see the usual inane comment from those who fail to recognise what a discussion on an internet forum is all about.

Well no, its not nice, its boring... if you don't expect to see comments, read the news !...

You are quite correct about inane comments. Most of the comments on this thread are inane, due to the lack of that little thing called evidence.

Valid point, but this is simply a discussion forum... people throwing about their opinions and experiences...

We're not lawyers, the outcome of our discussion has no impact on any proceeding... it is however interesting (sometimes entertaining) to see the views of others on such topics, with or without evidence....

Many have witnessed similar events or seen the repeated reports, with varying degrees of accuracy many can draw reasonable conclusion... in this case - Speed is clearly a factor... who hasn't seen busses driving recklessly in Thailand ?

If we don't see another Bus / Mini-Van fatality within a week I'll be surprised - these accidents are almost predicable they are so frequent.