Bus carrying Chinese tourists plunges off cliff

[Bakseeda]

Just wonder if any passengers in the front seat or at least the tour guide, asked this mad driver to slow down...

Yeah....... Why don't you go ask them.....

[Canuk23]

crickey ! speeding no doubt .....

Yes he hit a pickup in Chiang Rai and was running away !!!

I dont trust any of those bus drivers anymore, had to tell a mini van a few weeks ago

to stop so I could get out he was racing with another mini van to get to the customers first.

Never again.

[siamcrut]

...........hit and run.......and murder......

...wonder how soon he can get back to work.......

Probably soon, in a different province....

[bark]

Updates please. Had folks traveling in that area.

Why don't you call their mobile phone ?

[tuanku]

This is one of the reasons why, if you are working in the tourist industry, it is so hard to convince Malaysian and Singaporean groups to come to Thailand. Never mind that Malaysian tour buses frequently leave the road and kill people too.

[northernphil]

Hey guys, I know it is morning but still took 21 posts for someone to notice "the bus was fleeing after colliding with a car in the Danmae Kajan area of Chiang Rai." Why bus companies hire these moron drivers is beyond me..... think they are driving an F1 race car? And structural integrity of buses on par with cheap aluminum beer can. RIP victims

My thoughts too. Where do they get brake fail from ? Driver hits a car, the car gives chase , the driver then causes another car ( the Swift ) to hit a power pole . I won't travel by big bus nor Mini bus , I had to once from Chumpon to Ranong , never again. If the driver survives let him be interviewed by the media and get it posted everywhere. Then in the slammer for manslaughter. I can't imagine what the passengers thought as this idiot starts to panic, the outcome was inevitable .

[sweatalot]

This is now getting a larger audience. In the past hour it was reported on Al Jazeera news hour. It also mention that Thailand has one of the worlds highest highway traffic death tolls. That ought to make some ears twitch.

It’s also continually running on the tickertape at the bottom of the screen on the Al Jazeera news bulletin every hour!

But I wish somebody like the BBC (such as panorama or something similar) or even Al Jazeera would do a one hour feature on traffic accidents in this country and try to analyse why Thailand is the second most dangerous country in the world for traffic accidents? and why Thai drivers are so impatient and inconsiderate and what can be done to help change their attitude?

There are so many questions that can be asked and addressed in a feature program and the Thai government certainly wouldn't like that concentrated worldwide publicity. In the face of the volume of cars on the roads now and the number all these dreadful traffic accidents why doesn’t the Thai government seem interested in raising driving standards? I mean the driving test here is an absolute joke and a farce compared to so many other countries. Why does nothing ever get done? Why doesn’t the minister of transport appear in public from time to time and express his horror and indignation and express determination to improve standards and curtail this carnage?

and they have plenty of cases to discuss. Just look at how many appear regarding Thailand on this Al Jazeera website

http://www.aljazeera.com/Search/?q=bus%20crash%20in%20Thailand

It is not necessarily the the fault of this or any government. The prime responsibility lies with the police for not doing the job that they are paid to do and the Dept of Land Transport for not holding proper driving tests.

If the law as rigorously enforced without fear or favour then there would be less happenings like this, but unfortunately TiT and nothing much will change.

"It is not necessarily the fault of this or any government" Not true

For sure it is the fault of previous governments who made the Thai police what they are (and what they are not: an honest an capable institution that enforces the law) . Ant it will be the fault of this government, too if they do not what they can to change this.

Edited December 21, 2015 by sweatalot

[tuanku]

The Thais don't care about traffic fatalities.

Mai own rai.

It happened to someone else, why should they care? It happened to Farang, so double sure they don't care. At least half of the pictures of dead farang in the media have some fat Thai or silly womangirl smiling in the photo. This is something you would never see in a civilized country. And if you did, you can be sure that person would be immediately fired.

Thais don't respect human life. Period. On a different note, if they did, they wouldn't pimp out all their girls to prostitution.

Not so - Thais do care, they just don't react to it in the way Westerners expect. Also they spend much less time and effort anticipating what might happen which is partly why there are so many avoidable accidents here.

As for your "girls" comment, I don't know where you have been to form that opinion but it is a hugely incorrect and insulting generalisation.

Your post is both misogynistic and racist.

[Kru Baa]

This is why I try to never let a Thai drive me anywhere, not that it's much safer having them driving all around you in every direction, but it is at leas slightly less scary.

[thequietman]

You can clearly see that the roof wasn't cut off by emergency services but it did in fact, break off. The reason is that they increase the height of the roof here so they can squeeze in a few extra seats. Joining the roof with the bus again is done with the thinnest of metals and in some cases wood.

Look at it again, serrated edges. This is a well known fact known by "law enforcement' here in the land of kickbacks. Do they care? Like F@@k they do !

Sickening. Disgusting. Evil...................... welcome to Thailand guys and gals. Where everyone checks in but many do not check out.

[bheard]

Hideous, the irresponsible nature of Thai bus drivers is notorious. I have been in buses racing each other.

Thai roads, square metre for square metre, must be some of the most dangerous real estate on the planet!

[ebonykap]

Interesting that the driver wasn't killed. He must have had a huge amount deposited in his karma bank!

RIP all the lost souls and a speedy recovery to the injured (except the driver perhaps?)

[siamcrut]

Lunch break is over, let's get back to work....

[canuckamuck]

Interesting that the driver wasn't killed. He must have had a huge amount deposited in his karma bank!

RIP all the lost souls and a speedy recovery to the injured (except the driver perhaps?)

Not as much as he deposited in his seat.

[djlest]

They pay peanuts to drivers and get monkeys - Thailand should have strict driving enforcements for all taxi and public bus drivers, and stop letting any Tom, Dick or Isarn on the roads as they clearly are angry and repressed when behind a while, but all smiles and krap when they are in public... You can always tell a countries true demenour when you look at their driving. Social graces can be duplicated from an early age to pretend to be polite, but driving etiquette shows someones true colors..

[pbeieio]

crickey ! speeding no doubt .....

Which one, Yabba, Ice or both????

[Doc46]

Rip for the tourists,Can't say much about the police and government .For sure as shit they all have to replaced with people who care & do something about all the rogue drivers,all the non caring no hopers we have now need to be locked up.

(<> Deleted> ain't gonna happen)

[Asiantravel]

It’s also continually running on the tickertape at the bottom of the screen on the Al Jazeera news bulletin every hour!

But I wish somebody like the BBC (such as panorama or something similar) or even Al Jazeera would do a one hour feature on traffic accidents in this country and try to analyse why Thailand is the second most dangerous country in the world for traffic accidents? and why Thai drivers are so impatient and inconsiderate and what can be done to help change their attitude?

There are so many questions that can be asked and addressed in a feature program and the Thai government certainly wouldn't like that concentrated worldwide publicity. In the face of the volume of cars on the roads now and the number all these dreadful traffic accidents why doesn’t the Thai government seem interested in raising driving standards? I mean the driving test here is an absolute joke and a farce compared to so many other countries. Why does nothing ever get done? Why doesn’t the minister of transport appear in public from time to time and express his horror and indignation and express determination to improve standards and curtail this carnage?

and they have plenty of cases to discuss. Just look at how many appear regarding Thailand on this Al Jazeera website

http://www.aljazeera.com/Search/?q=bus%20crash%20in%20Thailand

It is not necessarily the the fault of this or any government. The prime responsibility lies with the police for not doing the job that they are paid to do and the Dept of Land Transport for not holding proper driving tests.

If the law as rigorously enforced without fear or favour then there would be less happenings like this, but unfortunately TiT and nothing much will change.

But don't you think that it's the government's fault that things like not having a proper vehicle inspection, where all vehicles come through?

Pointing out the Land Transport offices is good, but then let some heads roll and kick those out who close both eyes when they receive some cash to let an old bus pass all inspections.

Then look at the boss of all Land Transport Departments in Bangkok. You might find out that it's an Army general who's got nothing to do with the topic, because he's a soldier.

Then you'll sooner, or later find out that the number one, also called the good general, will be responsible for not being able to enforce existing laws in the country he seems to rule right now.

Somehow, you'll have to start at the top and work your way through. The cops are only a little part of the ongoing problems. IMHO -

I do agree with you but this has been an ongoing problem for many years and through many governments, none of whom had bothered to do anything about it which is why Thailand is in the position it is in now. To me it is unfair to blame the current government for all the problems over the years and TBH I don't think it would make any difference whichever party is in power, be it Thaksin, Democrat, coalition of smaller parties or the military.

Something HAS to be done and I hope that the rot has not set in too deeply for Thailand to come back to a relatively normal country where the police can be trusted and respected, the army stays in its barracks, corruption is minimal and politicians are honest.

It won't happen in my lifetime as I am 71, perhaps in my wife's as she is only 50 but certainly in my 12 year old son's lifetime.

I believe you are confusing blame with reminding someone who is meant to be in charge to take responsibility? It’s not about which political party is in power -it’s about the position of the most senior person responsible for all activities regarding road usage and road safety.

If you’re saying something has to be done then who is going to implement it ? The first thing to do is identify WHO exactly is responsible for identifying the different components of the problem and then taking swift action. And if the one person who is in charge doesn’t implement them then at least they can be held to account or if necessary replaced. But it’s clear someone is not doing their job properly.

The very fact that so many people on this thread disagree with whose responsibility it is illustrates part of the problem. The different departments involved will just go on passing the buck. If as you said in your post number 44 ” The prime responsibility lies with the police for not doing the job that they are paid to do and the Dept of Land Transport for not holding proper driving tests “. Then the police will merely blame the Department of land transport and the Department of land transport will blame the police? none of these people will put their hand up and say it's my fault and it's my responsibility.

There has never been a public face attached to this continual carnage and I think it’s high time that someone’s face as being the person in charge is attributable to this dereliction of duty so they can be readily identified by the Thai public and international observers.

Edited December 21, 2015 by Asiantravel

[Jim walker]

The bus was fleeing after colliding with a car this just says it all, RIP to the deceased shocking how the Junta allows uneducated unqualified morons like this to drive a public service vehicle

Governor Pavin Chamniprasart rushed to the scene and inspected the wreckage. Looking for some spares for his bus, why do people in his position do this as it is of no help whatsoever unless he was looking for the driver to check his driving qualifications .

[Jeremy50]

I drove by this accident this afternoon seeing the 11 bodies covered. Saw emergency vehicles coming still an hour later. I drive this route regularly. The gov't talks endlessly about how to decrease the rising number of fatalities. But they never talk about the most important issue: Teaching drivers how to respect the lane markings and no passing double yellow lines. I swear that 90% of the people driving go from shoulder to the other side of the highway from corner to corner! It makes me sooooo angry.

I understand that this accident was a brake failure, and vehicle maintenance is also a big issue. But they just don't push how important those lines on the road are!!!!! If you drive mountain roads and expect others to stay in their lanes then you are putting your life at risk.

That Thai style of driving up or down a mountain road is bizarre. Why can't they hold the lane? All the way into the cycle lane on the left hand bend, then all the way over to the fast lane on the right hand bend, crossing over 4 white lines with every bend. Stupid as &lt;deleted&gt;.

The '10 deadly days' whatever that means, is coming up. Next year another 20,000 people will be killed, that's more every year than were killed on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.

The silence from the government on this issue is deafening.

[Nobb]

Another black mark on Thai tourist drivers. Maybe after 14 dead they will start to drug test tour drivers just for tourist safety. He hit car are runs putting all his passengers in danger. Hope they test him for drugs and alcohol. No tourist is safe traveling in Thailand!

[Jackin1960]

I used to drive this route Phayao to Chiang Mai every week and I don't remember a time when I did not see a car or truck that had just driven off the road saw 3 on one trip.

[SooKee]

Absolute tragedy. Bad enough when people lose their lives in a genuine accident (e.g. unavoidable adverse set of circumstances). But for this!!!!

Mind you, I'm sure the carnage on the roads will be dealt with once the much higher life threatening priorities such as not allowing sunbeds and umbrellas on the beaches of Phuket etc have been addressed!!!

Sent using Tapatalk

Edited December 21, 2015 by Pick of Penang

[TKDfella]

Yes, the BKKP reported that the bus hit a pickup but the bus driver didn't stop and the pickup gave chase. The bus apparently increased speed, hit yet another vehicle and then went out of control whereupon the bus, although injured escaped and fled the scene. The article doesn't state whether the bus driver was found or gave himself up. Perhaps if he'd stopped the first time the people would still be alive. What a tragic waste of human life and, it seems, all because of one driver. If it is true then they ought to...well I don't know. No punishment seems fitting. 20 years on each count?

[mankondang]

I drive this road regularly. It is a road with many steep hills and sharp bends In some areas there are two lanes some with crash barriers. Other parts of this road are narrowish single lane. Unfortunately, some drivers drive at the same speed and care on the single narrow lane sections as they do on the double lane parts. The driver in question was fleeing, and being chased by, a car he had collided with, then hit another prior to the accident. He should have the book thrown at him.

There are many one day bus tours that leave Chiang Mai, take this road, and visit the White Wat, Chiang Rai, Mae Sai, Cheng Seng cross by boat back and fore to Laos, and return to Chiang Mai that night.

That begs the questions.

1. How fast would you have to drive to accomplish this ?.

2. How often does the same fatigued driver do this drive, every day ?

My condolences to the families and friends of the diseased. A full and speedy recovery to the injured.

Also, spare a thought for the members of the rescue party, who have to constantly be subjected to the trauma of experiencing the carnage caused by others.

Edited December 21, 2015 by mankondang

[peteregion]

This is one of the reasons why, if you are working in the tourist industry, it is so hard to convince Malaysian and Singaporean groups to come to Thailand. Never mind that Malaysian tour buses frequently leave the road and kill people too.

Nonsense. Many flights in and out of KL and Singapore to Thailand (Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai, etc) are full and had to be book well in advance, even budget flights.

[lee68]

Yes, the BKKP reported that the bus hit a pickup but the bus driver didn't stop and the pickup gave chase. The bus apparently increased speed, hit yet another vehicle and then went out of control whereupon the bus, although injured escaped and fled the scene. The article doesn't state whether the bus driver was found or gave himself up. Perhaps if he'd stopped the first time the people would still be alive. What a tragic waste of human life and, it seems, all because of one driver. If it is true then they ought to...well I don't know. No punishment seems fitting. 20 years on each count?

If you read the article,the bus driver was injured and was taken to doi saket hospital were he was under police guard.

[lee68]

I drive this road every other day and its a pretty dangerous road, lots of blind bends with idiots coming round them on the wrong side of the double yellow lines, why they do this i will never figure out.out. Ive lost count over the years the amount of accidents ive seen on this road and ive been driving it for 10 years.

And you cant just blame the road its the idiots driving on it that just cant stay in one lane.

RIP to those poor people who came on holiday and are never going back to there loved ones because of an idiot trying to run away from an accident.

Like most on this forum, i never use buses or vans, i only drive my own car and thats scary enough,and ive been driving here 18 years and it just gets worse.

[arunsakda]

Just read the article and skipped to bottom of thread. Sounds like a bus driver fled a non injury accident in a panic and caused multiple deaths. He should have just stopped and dealt with what amounts to an insurance issue.

Please tell me I'm wrong. Hope the tourists have travel assurance cover.

Edited December 21, 2015 by arunsakda

[Benmart]

Horrible and tragic. The inability of those entrusted to ensure public safety is as tragic as he accident itself.