Truck crash in southern Thailand kills 8 students, driver

[ddavidovsky]

To the 50% who seem to have forgotten what compassion is, you will probably die angry and alone.

To the other 50% of posters, thanks for saying what needs to be said. Rest in Peace.

Dark humour is a way of dealing with tragedy and cynicism is a way of expressing outrage. It all contributes. It's not necessary for everyone to parade their compassion in a politically correct way.

[Happy Grumpy]

More carnage on Thai roads...When are they going to wake up?

Not only they.

There's a thread in the motorbike forum where posters are on about taking their young children on their motorbikes and driving among the Thai.

Stupidity obviously isn't a Thai only trait.

[little mary sunshine]

So sad and today is Mother's Day. When are the Thai

People going to wake up and insist on safer drivers and

Vehicles for,their children. Mass protests by all families

Affected by these criminals and the OWNERS of the Mini

Van companies should start TODAY. BUS COMPANY

OWNERS and Transportation Owners should be held

CRIMINALY RESPONSIBLE for the actions of their

Employees!!! Only then will we see less carnage on the

Roads in Thailand

[timber]

When I was in Hanoi I thought the driving conditions were worst than Thailand, but there were less problems with traffic flow. The

driver would allow for other drives take the right of way. In Thailand the drivers are a lot more aggressive to be first or whatever.

The won't give and take for the sake of safety.

[Just1Voice]

I travelled a lot in Namibia and never saw as much carnage on the roads as we see in Thailand.. About time they claimed the top spot !

Sad but true.

They only count the dead at the scene of the accident, if you die on the way to hospital you only get listed as injured.

I wish someone would prove this often repeated chestnut just one time to me about this dead/injured thing. I doubt anyone really can. And I don't mean "a policeman told me" or "an ambulance guy said so". I mean some real proof.

I don't know if it's true or not but there are so many thing here that are told as fact that are actually urban myths.

I've asked to see some sorta proof on other such threads and no one has done it yet.

You want some proof. Try the link in aptley's post. Or how about this. I have a cop in the family, a Senior Sergeant Major, who works patrol on a CBR with his partner. I questioned him about this, and he confirmed it. They ONLY count the dead at the scene. If someone dies on the way to the hospital, or after they arrive at the hospital, they are NOT counted as dead from the accident.

Will that do for you?

Edited August 12, 2015 by Just1Voice

[bluebluewater]

^ Your "cop in the family" story doesn't mean a thing. Just a story - maybe it's true, maybe it isn't. Hardly proof.

Believe it you want to. I need a bit more.

Now I'll go take a look at that link . . .

And now having done so the article also repeats what has often been said in regard to dead/injured. Once again, that is not proof.

Edited August 12, 2015 by bluebluewater

[Jim walker]

Shocking story regarding Thailands roads and drivers once again and once again its the children who suffer and die and being transported in a truck not even a bus with seat belts, hope whoever organised this childrens death run in a truck is lynched by the parents as the chances of him ever being prosecuted are slim in Thailand, RIP to the diseased children taken far too soon never had a chance to experience life because a driver falls asleep and who obviously should not have been driving.

[Scott]

Years ago, I complained about a student who drove a car to school. He was very young and could barely see over the steering wheel. When he left the school, he had a lot of his friends ride with him. He was entering a very, very busy and fast moving road leaving the school and he obviously did not know how to drive.

The school administration was not concerned and when I suggested that maybe the policeman who helped to direct traffic could stop him, it turned out the police officer was his uncle!

A couple of weeks ago, two students I know left a school on a motorbike with no helmet and tried to get across a very busy road. The bike was hit and both have been in a coma since. One is expected to live, the other isn't.

No attempt by the schools to stop this sort of stuff. It's very sad.

My condolences to the families. What a horrible Mother's Day for the families.

[FinChin67]

I travelled a lot in Namibia and never saw as much carnage on the roads as we see in Thailand.. About time they claimed the top spot !

A Finnish guy was just shot dead there when he was reared by another car. There is a swift justice so maybe that helps?

https://www.namibiansun.com/crime/finnish-man-dies-in-city-shooting.82704

Edited August 12, 2015 by FinChin67

[mcfish]

What is the alternative? Pick ups loaded with workers for example are a common site but how else can they get to work when the daily wage barley covers basic necessities let alone a car or even a motorbike for transportation

[Just1Voice]

^ Your "cop in the family" story doesn't mean a thing. Just a story - maybe it's true, maybe it isn't. Hardly proof.

Believe it you want to. I need a bit more.

Now I'll go take a look at that link . . .

And now having done so the article also repeats what has often been said in regard to dead/injured. Once again, that is not proof.

There are none so blind.....

You have WHO and the UN telling you. You have cops by the droves telling you. What more damn proof do you want????

I have no more time for frigging idiots who can't see what's right in their faces.

[Assurancetourix]

More carnage on Thai roads...When are they going to wake up?

When they will change their religion ;

in thai bouddhism live or die , where is the difference ?

[The Deerhunter]

I travelled a lot in Namibia and never saw as much carnage on the roads as we see in Thailand.. About time they claimed the top spot !

Quite seriously, Thailand may well be in second spot only for the reason that deaths that do not occur at the scene are not counted. Get away from the scene alive in any shape and die away from the scene and it is not listed as a road traffic death.

Alcohol, drugs, speed (the other kind) insane driver selfishness, suicidal "me first" passing maneuvers and appalling vehicle conditions. We often see "falling asleep" as the cause. Undoubtedly it is the true cause in many cases but I wonder if it is not a polite euphemism for one of the other causes in many cases. Saving face again?

P.S. We have 150,000 cops apparently all needing new Sig handguns. Can none of this apparent 150,000 police enforce some of the more obvious road rules?

Edited August 12, 2015 by The Deerhunter

[The Deerhunter]

I travelled a lot in Namibia and never saw as much carnage on the roads as we see in Thailand.. About time they claimed the top spot !

A Finnish guy was just shot dead there when he was reared by another car. There is a swift justice so maybe that helps?

https://www.namibiansun.com/crime/finnish-man-dies-in-city-shooting.82704

Ah, but is that correctly or incorrectly counted as a road death?

[FinChin67]

I travelled a lot in Namibia and never saw as much carnage on the roads as we see in Thailand.. About time they claimed the top spot !

A Finnish guy was just shot dead there when he was reared by another car. There is a swift justice so maybe that helps?

https://www.namibiansun.com/crime/finnish-man-dies-in-city-shooting.82704

Ah, but is that correctly or incorrectly counted as a road death?

Starts to be OT maybe but I would count it as a road death I would even hang these on nearby trees as a warning.

[lvr181]

R.i.P. to all of the Innocent lives lost.

And condolences to the deceaseds families

Unfortunately this scenario goes on and on and no one in authority is prepared to do anything about it!

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

this is not just about enforcement of the traffic laws, although we all know that enforcement does not exist. Proper enforcement and penalties would help but they need to have a real and effective education campaign.

This should start at all levels of school to educate the children and then it should extend to radio, TV and other media and advertising to educate he masses on road safety and the effects that this carnage has on the people directly affected as well as the impact on their families etc.

This may take a generation or more to see any real impact but this has been done around the world with huge improvements in road safety.

[mango66]

Who wonders ??

Thailand just after namibia -

Thats the rank they earn !!

[Jimlove]

Several studies have found that Thailand has one of the highest traffic fatality rates in the world. A World Health Organization survey ranked it second worst after Namibia.

I have to call BS on that ... Thailand is a clear #1 in road killing for this reason :

Death in ambulance and later in hospital is not in Thai road killing statistics

Congrats Thailand, you are the #1 in road killings ... You must be proud

[Jimlove]

If my child had been killed cause some moron fell a sleep driving the children, no doubt I would a long way to punish that person ...

He will get of with 2,000B fine ... Ridiculous jungle country

[sawadee1947]

I know this is News, but it's boring now.. As it's an everyday fact here in Thailand....

when I came into the country years ago I was shocked when I read those reports.....now it's only a yawn left. Business as usual...RIP

[xjbond]

More carnage on Thai roads...When are they going to wake up?

The driver never did "wake up".

[bluebluewater]

^ Your "cop in the family" story doesn't mean a thing. Just a story - maybe it's true, maybe it isn't. Hardly proof.

Believe it you want to. I need a bit more.

Now I'll go take a look at that link . . .

And now having done so the article also repeats what has often been said in regard to dead/injured. Once again, that is not proof.

There are none so blind.....

You have WHO and the UN telling you. You have cops by the droves telling you. What more damn proof do you want????

I have no more time for frigging idiots who can't see what's right in their faces.

OK - you go play with your cop

[Maggusoil]

I travelled a lot in Namibia and never saw as much carnage on the roads as we see in Thailand.. About time they claimed the top spot !

Sad but true.

They only count the dead at the scene of the accident, if you die on the way to hospital you only get listed as injured.

I wish someone would prove this often repeated chestnut just one time to me about this dead/injured thing. I doubt anyone really can. And I don't mean "a policeman told me" or "an ambulance guy said so". I mean some real proof.

I don't know if it's true or not but there are so many thing here that are told as fact that are actually urban myths.

I've asked to see some sorta proof on other such threads and no one has done it yet.

Here's a news article that mentions it when comparing Govt and WHO stats.

http://asiancorrespondent.com/131679/thailand-road-deaths/

A very interesting article. Obviously properly designed crash helmets will save lives, but surely the step before that is to prevent the accident. I have done a lot of driving in Thailand both in and out of the city and an experienced professional.

I somewhat regret to say that more in evidence in areas out of the main urban roads, is what can only be described as very poor logic.

Even where I drove professionally in Australia, I sat for an Advanced Driving Course, for limousine driving.

I think they should be mandatory for all drivers. Everywhere.

If it is a question of cost and considering most of these fatalities are people on motor bikes, then the instruction should begin in school where a lot of the students arrive on motor cycles, not only without crash helmets, but three and four and even five on one motorbike.

It just goes to show. Age is not a barrier to the ability to ride a motorbike or drive a car, its the intelligence and or training, to make sensible decisions regarding riding or driving. That is sorely lacking in this country. It seems to be part of the psyche. Immensely frustrating.

Penalties are also inadequate. If people have enough money to waste on alcohol, then they should have enough money to pay the consequent fines. Disinsentives are necessary.

Perhaps Thailand could bring in a tiered alcohol resistance code. So people like myself who can consume large quantities of alcohol could be road tested while inebriated. Some people have a much higher tolerance and can maintain safe driving practices even when sozzled.

They get a certificate for being able to consume a certain level of alcohol before driving.

I have thought about that for many years. When i was young and we used to consume vast quantities of everything, I always got the job of driving everyone home. They all knew I was the safest and best. This will invite some comment I bet.

[selftaopath]

I travelled a lot in Namibia and never saw as much carnage on the roads as we see in Thailand.. About time they claimed the top spot !

Sad but true.

They only count the dead at the scene of the accident, if you die on the way to hospital you only get listed as injured.

They are trying to avoid the top spot and be known as "The Hub of road Deaths"

I sincerely hope the label for Thailand as "The Hub of Road Deaths" catches on world wide. Maybe then something will change. Maybe.

[Blitzkrieg Bob]

More carnage on Thai roads...When are they going to wake up?

They will not wake up. It's not about 'waking up'. It culls the 'Useless Eaters' as Henry (The Human-Sauage) Kissinger once noted. Killing the poor on the road helps keep the population in check. If you're human cargo in the back of a truck or on a motorcycle, you fit the criteria for 'Elimination via Thai Transportation Services'. Human rights don't mean a whole lot here. There has been plenty of press on that lately, and the government response has pretty much been the equivalent to a shoulder shrug.

Ever see a VIP go by in a motorcade of about 30 vans, multiple motorcycles, police cars: The Top of The Food Chain don't worry at all about getting killed in a road accident. That's for the 'little people'.

BRAVO! Correctamundo, Connda!

[Brer Fox]

I travelled a lot in Namibia and never saw as much carnage on the roads as we see in Thailand.. About time they claimed the top spot !

Sad but true.

They only count the dead at the scene of the accident, if you die on the way to hospital you only get listed as injured.

They are trying to avoid the top spot and be known as "The Hub of road Deaths"

Correct, and taking it a step further, if a road victim is taken to hospital as a result of an accident and ultimately dies in hospital minutes, days, weeks or months later it can be counted as an accident and not as a "road" death because literally the death didn't happen on the road.

[apetley]

If my child had been killed cause some moron fell a sleep driving the children, no doubt I would a long way to punish that person ...

He will get of with 2,000B fine ... Ridiculous jungle country

The driver also died so difficult to fine. Hopefully he carried insurance. Edited August 12, 2015 by apetley

[petedk]

We have a school bus driver who turns up drunk. in the bus taking kids to school.

Who has to report this?

No one else will. So I do it. Do they care? Not sure yet. Will post.

I haven't read all the posts yet but i have had a similar experience.

To answer your question: They don't care.

Apparently the administration office confronted the driver and he denied it. Farang "Gohok". End of case!

[Truth4All]

So, so very sad. R.I.P. children.

I guess the driver is in a sense lucky he is not around to deal with the fallout.

Someday Thailand may come into the real world and outlaw children and all people in the back of a truck, but it will be many, many years down the road because people are too poor to afford proper transportation such as school buses. This is the government failing their citizens.

The driver would have fled the scene if he hadn't died-- it's the Thai way. Can't lose Face! Can't face reality or responsibility. The truck transport system works fine as long as the driver is a good responsible driver-- therein lies the problem. Thais are generally not good drivers. Many of those doing the hiring don't know how to drive, either. Making new laws is stupid--try common sense, first!