Khon Kaen Zoo apologises for deadly crash that killed 5, pledges to pay compensation

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KHON KAEN ZOO
Zoo operator apologises for deadly crash that killed 5, pledges to pay compensation
Jitima Janphrom
The Nation



Khon KAEN facility shut as police launch probe

KHON KAEN: -- ZOOLOGICAL PARK Organisation director Benjapol Nakprasert, along with Khon Kaen Zoo head Thewin Ratanawongsawat, held a press conference yesterday to apologise for the tram collision which killed five people and injured 55 others on Sunday.

The zoo, located 500km northeast of Bangkok, will be closed for five days as police probe the two-tram collision, with the investigation findings expected this month, Benjapol said. The Khon Kaen Zoo will resume services on Saturday.

The zoo and the company operating the trams have set up a committee to investigate the crash.

"This is the organisation's severest incident and we apologise for what happened. We will be responsible to those affected and will be stricter on privately-run internal transport services," Benjapol said, adding that the zoo would handle the funeral arrangements for those killed.

Benjapol said 25 victims were being treated at hospitals and the organisation would pay Bt100,000 compensation to the families of each person killed, plus cover medical expenses of the injured.

The organisation would this week check on services and safety regulations at its seven zoos and one project that use trams to prevent another accident occurring, he said.

An initial investigation by police found that the accelerator on one tram got stuck, with the driver losing control going down a hill and running into another tram.

A private operator runs the zoo's 10-tram service on a three-year contract and the speed limit is 20km/h, Thewin said, affirming that the zoo would cooperate with the police probe and submit the two trams involved in the accident to police.

Injured tourist Narirat Thassanapak, who came with her family to conduct a morale-boosting rite at the scene of the accident yesterday, said everyone in her group of six was injured with her aunt sustaining a severe head injury. The family has been told to prepare for the worst.

"I never thought that a family vacation would end in horror. I still feel frightened even now. I understand it was an accident but I don't think I would sit in a tour tram like this for a very long time," she said.

Khao Suan Kwang superintendent Colonel Pichit Deeya said police filed charges against tram driver Surachai Lertmai, 38, for reckless driving causing death and injury.

As Surachai was not deemed a flight risk and backed by a company that is cooperating with police, he was granted bail for a Bt100,000-asset deposit.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Zoo-operator-apologises-for-deadly-crash-that-kill-30263897.html


-- The Nation 2015-07-07

[keetoot]

Your not safe anywhere in los anymore.

[HeijoshinCool]

Do they really have physical evidence that the accelerator stuck, or is this just more police supposition?

I mean, really, five people dead in a vehicle that should have governors on it … come on.

[Somtamnication]

7 zoos? Wow! Surely they can afford more than 100k for the dead victim's families?

[Jimjim1968]

It was an accident due to lack of maintenance, which means it was a preventable accident.

[aussieinthailand]

It was an accident due to lack of maintenance, which means it was a preventable accident.

100,000 is not compensation, that's an insult,,,,,,,,, it's not even one years salary at minimum wage..........

Second if the accelerator pedal did stick as reported why then is the driver being charged in stead being counselled?

wouldn't the tram company have to have insurance? and if so why is the so-called pay out per death so small and insulting?

[Horseman]

hmmm why blame the driver if the tram was faulty ... these trams are only supposed to move quite slowly ...... I have been to this zoo and used the golf carts to get about,,, the hills are very steep and the theory of a jammed accelerator seems very likely ..

[Sydebolle]

A tram runs on tracks and/or on its separate "tramway", a dedicated lane - but always on tracks. With a speed cap of 20km/h (bicycle speed) it boggles the mind to hear, that anyone got killed and 30 were injured.

The rest about the investigation committee and the insulting compensation - which is a joke in its own right - well .....
Last not least; the bail of THB 100'000 does really reflect the gravity of the incident considering that any insurer covering a vehicle owned by an alien strongly recommend a bail bond of THB 300'000 for any incident (without fatalities) which is regularly taken up by the authorities. An alien scratching a car in Big C's parking lot - bail bond THB 300'000; roaming through a zoo littering the non-existing tram track with dead bodies and injured a mere THB 100'000 - both happened!

What all these clowns do not realise is that news is bush firing around the planet; I for one picked up this story when I looked up at zoo opening times in Berlin - hence deal with this tragedy professional and swiftly. Everything else makes Thailand look even worse

[Borzandy]

"Khon Kaen Zoo apologises" why, it's too late. even monkeys, and wild animals are less dangerous than Thai drivers.

[circusman]

It was an accident due to lack of maintenance, which means it was a preventable accident.

Thanks for your eye witness reporting. You were at that zoo at the time of accident weren't you?

[Bung]

I love how the zoo and company running the trams have set up a comittee to investigate......Themselves!!

Same as the zip line company at chiang mai zoo!

The answer? Not our fault! Bad spirits did it!

Incredible! There should be a health and safety government department set up to investigate this, not the people running the show, nor the police who will accept bribes! Trams built in somchais backyard to carry 50 people and no certification.

Paltry compensation offered, likely less than 1 million in total!

[slapout]

after incident studies made by responsible safety concerened industries have found that 97%_+ of so called accidents are preventable

just another example of how some human involvment is goig to lead to injury or death in all that they touch,or are responsible for all sectors of operation.

[canarysun]

It was an accident due to lack of maintenance, which means it was a preventable accident.

100,000 is not compensation, that's an insult,,,,,,,,, it's not even one years salary at minimum wage..........

Second if the accelerator pedal did stick as reported why then is the driver being charged in stead being counselled?

wouldn't the tram company have to have insurance? and if so why is the so-called pay out per death so small and insulting?

considering most of the Thais that i know only earn 300 baht a day then 100,000 baht is a realistic pay out in compensation.The sad thing is the amount of accidents every day on the roads and now on a slow Zoo Tram.

i have always joked that " obviously Thailands health & safety officer died 30 years ago " but sometimes it is very true..........

respect to all.

F.J x

[ratcatcher]

As others have pointed out, these are definitely not trams. They are merely small custom made buses with open sides to be used strictly on zoo property. The massive payout of B100,000 per dead body is incredible.

The profligacy of some of these private companies is stunning.

[Laughing Gravy]

Yes a very sad and what sounds a preventable incident/accident. I am curious to know how they work the compensation out here. I would say the rest of the working life's salary plus 20% should be the minimum, although I doubt it.

The 55 injured should also be compensated but I would not hold my breath.

[IamNoone88]

Err, sorry about that. Stuff happens, not our fault, promise we'll try harder next time. Your cheque is in the post. Thanks for coming.......

[northernphil]

I would of thought that open buses used only in a zoo would either be electric or use a very low geared petrol engine. These things shouldn't be possible to go fast under any conditions. Just maybe there are apes at the zoo who could drive better , just a thought.

[Jimlove]

Yeah ahh that we killed your Mom, Father or child - accidents happen everywhere (like apo will inform about) but why do they happen here so often and why are so many tourists getting killed in Thailand ... ?

People dont come here to risk their life cause some dopped-up zoo-driver like to speed as he does it on the road or some idiotic Company dosent maintain their zipline or bungee-jump or Jetski or Tourist-bus or ..... and it goes on and on and on and .....

btw 100,000 B is an outrage for killing other people cause of gross negligence

[wabothai]

I hate to say this again but Thailand is 3rd world, allthough they are masters in hiding it.

[manarak]

I hate to say this again but Thailand is 3rd world, allthough they are masters in hiding it.

Your statement is factually incorrect, but what you wanted to say is that Thailand is an underdeveloped country