Six foreigners injured in high-speed Phuket taxi crash

[webfact]

Six foreigners injured in high-speed Phuket taxi crash
Phuket Gazette


Police have yet to press any charges. Photo: Winai Sarot

PHUKET: -- Six foreigners were injured in a high-speed, three-car smash on Thepkrasattri Road yesterday afternoon.

A taxi involved in the accident ran into one vehicle, which then crashed into a utility pole, before sailing across the median and colliding head-on into a taxi carrying a group of Indian tourists, explained Lt Suporn Muangkai of the Thalang Police.

The tourists, Anui Batra, Gaurav Singh, and Rohit Vaishnava, and their driver did not sustain any life-threatening injuries in the incident. Nonetheless, they were all taken to Thalang Hospital.

Alexander Petrov, Alexandra Novikova and Sofia Petrov, the Russians who crashed their vehicle into the utility pole, were taken to Bangkok Hospital Phuket to be treated for minor injuries.

Full story: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Six-foreigners-injured-highspeed-Phuket-taxi-crash/62284?desktopversion#ad-image-0


-- Phuket Gazette 2015-11-05

[LivinginKata]

High speed taxis - no surprise there.

[webfact]

Five people injured in three car Phuket collision
Eakkapop Thongtub


After hitting a Toyota SUV, one of the taxis crossed the central reservation and hit a second taxi travelling in the opposite direction.

PHUKET: -- Five people were taken to hospital yesterday afternoon (Nov 4) following a three car collision on the south and northbound sides of Thepkassattri Rd in Thalang.

Thalang police were called to the scene of an accident involving three vehicles on Thepkassattri Rd just before the Saladang junction in Thepkassatri sub district at 1:30pm. It was reported that five people including some tourists had been injured in the accident.

Police arrived at the scene with an EMS unit from Thalang Hospital to find two wrecked taxis smashed head-on in the middle of the southbound side of the road, on the northbound side as a Toyota SUV with its rear crashed into a light pole set in a ditch.

Police were told that three Indian tourists who were in one of the taxis had already been taken to Thanlang Hospital, they were named as Anuj Batra, 36, who had suffered a broken leg; Gaurav Singh, 35, and Rohit Vaishnava, 38, who had both suffered scratches and bruises.

The two two taxi drivers had also been taken to Thalang Hospital, they were named as Sakrin Sukkaid, 32, who had suffered a broken leg and Somporn Pirom, 48, who had suffered scratches to his body.

Full story: http://www.thephuketnews.com/five-people-injured-in-three-car-phuket-collision-54824.php


-- Phuket News 2015-11-05

[lee b]

I can't belive it ! I thought that all taxi drivers abide by the rules...........

[strawpanda]

Seat belts?

[LivinginKata]

Seat belts?

Last taxi I used from Bangkok airport afew months ago had no back seat belts. I commented to the driver, he laughed at me and drove on at high speed.

Edited November 5, 2015 by LivinginKata

[godden]

will those taxi's be back on the road next week.

[SOTIRIOS]

...trying to impress the foreigners with their driving skills again....

...left an impression....in their foreheads unfortunately.....

...and forget the big tip buddy....

[AhFarangJa]

will those taxi's be back on the road next week.

Not both of them, but should be able to make one good one by, say, Sunday evening.

[Jimi007]

I thought Bangkok Taxi drivers were bad. Phuket Taxi drivers are worse and way more expensive! I've been in a few taxi rides here that were really scary! But they had loads of Buddhas and amulets on their dash boards! So no problem! I guess not, I didn't die...

[cracker1]

Not been to Phuket for a while but these taxis in the photo's look like Bangkok Taxi's ?

Can you Phuket dwellers confirm you have these coloured taxi's providing services in Phuket...................and do they use meters ?

[oncearugge]

Not been to Phuket for a while but these taxis in the photo's look like Bangkok Taxi's ?

Can you Phuket dwellers confirm you have these coloured taxi's providing services in Phuket...................and do they use meters ?

They are based only at the airport. They are not permitted to pick up fares anywhere else .

They do have "meters"

[cracker1]

Not been to Phuket for a while but these taxis in the photo's look like Bangkok Taxi's ?

Can you Phuket dwellers confirm you have these coloured taxi's providing services in Phuket...................and do they use meters ?

They are based only at the airport. They are not permitted to pick up fares anywhere else .

They do have "meters"

Thanks for your prompt update.

[LivinginKata]

Not been to Phuket for a while but these taxis in the photo's look like Bangkok Taxi's ?

Can you Phuket dwellers confirm you have these coloured taxi's providing services in Phuket...................and do they use meters ?

They are based only at the airport. They are not permitted to pick up fares anywhere else .

They do have "meters"

Not true at all. They are not just airport based. Progress has been slow but now that Grab Taxis are in operation perhaps (perhaps) some progess to break the taxi mafia is being made. The very few times I have used these meter taxis, the meter was turned on.

[Jimi007]

Not been to Phuket for a while but these taxis in the photo's look like Bangkok Taxi's ?

Can you Phuket dwellers confirm you have these coloured taxi's providing services in Phuket...................and do they use meters ?

They are based only at the airport. They are not permitted to pick up fares anywhere else .

They do have "meters"

I've had them pick me up at my house and take me to the airport as well as from the airport to my house, they did turn on the meter, but it came to about the same price as they asked...

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Did the full article mention whether the two taxi drivers were able to collect their respective fares from the tourists, after they all arrived at the hospital???

After all, there are bills that have to be paid, and taxi rides in Thailand aren't free, ya know!

Kind of the same as the alleged Pai rape victim the other day being asked to pay for her rape kit test at the local hospital after being taken there.

[Jimi007]

Did the full article mention whether the two taxi drivers were able to collect their respective fares from the tourists, after they all arrived at the hospital???

After all, there are bills that have to be paid, and taxi rides in Thailand aren't free, ya know!

Kind of the same as the alleged Pai rape victim the other day being asked to pay for her rape kit test at the local hospital after being taken there.

When have you ever paid a taxi fare before you arrived at your destination? I never have. I really rather doubt the hospital was their planned and agreed upon destination...

[JHolmesJr]

Taxis need to have their speed electronically limited.

[Jimi007]

Taxis need to have their speed electronically limited.

That won't keep them from passing on the left, which they all do. Most of the taxis are privately owned, so I doubt your idea could be enforced.

[Johnnyngai]

Scary.

[springheeled jack]

it doesn't surprise me to read that Thailand has been rated 2nd highest country in the world for road deaths one reads almost daily road fatalities caused mostly by speeding drivers who are apparently brain dead oblivious to the world around them ,I am afraid Thailand will have to live with the stigma of being a country of drivers who have no regard for peoples lives or remorse .

[NamKangMan]

it doesn't surprise me to read that Thailand has been rated 2nd highest country in the world for road deaths one reads almost daily road fatalities caused mostly by speeding drivers who are apparently brain dead oblivious to the world around them ,I am afraid Thailand will have to live with the stigma of being a country of drivers who have no regard for peoples lives or remorse .

And to think, Phuket is marketed as "A World Class Tourist Destination."

Where's the safe mass transport of tourists that should exist in a truly "World Class Tourist Destination?"

[macahoom]

Taxis need to have their speed electronically limited.

That won't keep them from passing on the left, which they all do. Most of the taxis are privately owned, so I doubt your idea could be enforced.

Passing on the left?

It's perfectly legal to pass on the left when there are two lanes travelling in the same direction.

From the Thai Traffic Act, B.E. 2522 (1979):

Section 45 (400-1000B)

[No driver shall overtake another vehicle from the left-side unless:

a. the vehicle to be overtaken is making a right turn or has given a signal that he is going to make a right turn.

b. the roadway is arranged with two or more traffic lanes in the same direction.]

[Jimi007]

Taxis need to have their speed electronically limited.

That won't keep them from passing on the left, which they all do. Most of the taxis are privately owned, so I doubt your idea could be enforced.

Passing on the left?

It's perfectly legal to pass on the left when there are two lanes travelling in the same direction.

From the Thai Traffic Act, B.E. 2522 (1979):

Section 45 (400-1000B)

[No driver shall overtake another vehicle from the left-side unless:

a. the vehicle to be overtaken is making a right turn or has given a signal that he is going to make a right turn.

b. the roadway is arranged with two or more traffic lanes in the same direction.]

I've been in taxis and seen them make their own lane where there isn't one on the left, haven't you?

[LivinginKata]

That won't keep them from passing on the left, which they all do. Most of the taxis are privately owned, so I doubt your idea could be enforced.

Passing on the left?

It's perfectly legal to pass on the left when there are two lanes travelling in the same direction.

From the Thai Traffic Act, B.E. 2522 (1979):

Section 45 (400-1000B)

[No driver shall overtake another vehicle from the left-side unless:

a. the vehicle to be overtaken is making a right turn or has given a signal that he is going to make a right turn.

b. the roadway is arranged with two or more traffic lanes in the same direction.]

I've been in taxis and seen them make their own lane where there isn't one on the left, haven't you?

Yes, I've seen that, and also passing on the right when there is no lane (in the same direction) ...

[stevenl]

Taxis need to have their speed electronically limited.

That won't keep them from passing on the left, which they all do. Most of the taxis are privately owned, so I doubt your idea could be enforced.

Passing on the left?

It's perfectly legal to pass on the left when there are two lanes travelling in the same direction.

From the Thai Traffic Act, B.E. 2522 (1979):

Section 45 (400-1000B)

[No driver shall overtake another vehicle from the left-side unless:

a. the vehicle to be overtaken is making a right turn or has given a signal that he is going to make a right turn.

b. the roadway is arranged with two or more traffic lanes in the same direction.]

I've been in taxis and seen them make their own lane where there isn't one on the left, haven't you?

In Spite of that, macahoom's information is good and for many I suspect new.

[grumpyoldman]

Did the full article mention whether the two taxi drivers were able to collect their respective fares from the tourists, after they all arrived at the hospital???

After all, there are bills that have to be paid, and taxi rides in Thailand aren't free, ya know!

Kind of the same as the alleged Pai rape victim the other day being asked to pay for her rape kit test at the local hospital after being taken there.

When have you ever paid a taxi fare before you arrived at your destination? I never have. I really rather doubt the hospital was their planned and agreed upon destination...

Funny you should say that Jimi. Two years ago jumped in a metered cab at the airport, first thing the driver did was pull into the LPG place just outside the airport and ask for the fare. I'm all "what 60thb' as that was on the meter. Told him I'd pay him when we got to my place. The guy slammed his door, was muttering to himself, came back in the cab, looked at what little change he had in the ash tray, slammed the door again.

I told him to take me back to the airport which he did, where I got a cab that had some fuel in it............