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Bus carrying Chinese tourists plunges off cliff


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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.

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 -wai2.gif

Here I disagree with you.

The government doesn't do vehicle inspections at all. That is the responsibility of the Dept of Land Transport as is the driving test. They are a civil service Dept and it doesn't matter WHICH government is in power it is st the responsibility of the civil service. Now theoretically it is quite simple to sack the Minister of Transport because he is a political appointee but to sack the head of the DLT is another matter entirely as he is not a government appointee . It is possible to move him to an inactive post but to actually sack him you will have to come up with a really cast iron case and even then it may take several years to do so.

The police are similar but, pardon my pun, they ARE a law unto themselves and though again it is possible to sack the top guy who is really a political appointee the ones below will at most get moved to an inactive post.

I suspect that the only way to fix it would be a night of the long knives and wholesale arrests but that may turn out ugly as most policemen are armed and the other problem is where to find enough honest cops to run the police afterwards. Besides where would you put all the cops and civil servants as there is not enough room in the jails now.

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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 -wai2.gif

Here I disagree with you.

The government doesn't do vehicle inspections at all. That is the responsibility of the Dept of Land Transport as is the driving test. They are a civil service Dept and it doesn't matter WHICH government is in power it is st the responsibility of the civil service. Now theoretically it is quite simple to sack the Minister of Transport because he is a political appointee but to sack the head of the DLT is another matter entirely as he is not a government appointee . It is possible to move him to an inactive post but to actually sack him you will have to come up with a really cast iron case and even then it may take several years to do so.

The police are similar but, pardon my pun, they ARE a law unto themselves and though again it is possible to sack the top guy who is really a political appointee the ones below will at most get moved to an inactive post.

I suspect that the only way to fix it would be a night of the long knives and wholesale arrests but that may turn out ugly as most policemen are armed and the other problem is where to find enough honest cops to run the police afterwards. Besides where would you put all the cops and civil servants as there is not enough room in the jails now.

"After a night of long knives" jail space wont be necessary wink.png

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Like some of the others I drove past the scene yesterday afternoon about 3pm. Basically a good road and good weather but more reckless drivers than usual, poor lane discipline and insane overtaking. All accidents waiting to happen.

Not all of the road is good, there are some quite dangerous bends up at Khun Chae National Park. Badly cambered, have corrugations where turns are being made, double lane suddenly constricting into one.

Have driven that road many times and seen quite a few accidents. Almost all of them have been caused by the factors you mention. All one can do is drive as defensively as they can, and try to keep out of the way of the idiots.

I wonder how the Green Bus accident record ( routine service ) compares with the tour bus operators.

I don't disagree that there are easier roads to drive on but there are far more dangerous ones with less margin for error that I have driven on in Europe, USA, NZ and Australia that don't have anything like the accident rates roads here have. The overwhelming difference between those countries and here is the drivers which is clearly reflected in the fatality rate.

As you point out defensive driving is the best approach but given they can come from any direction at any time and at any speed it is at times difficult to work out how to stay out of the way.

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Like some of the others I drove past the scene yesterday afternoon about 3pm. Basically a good road and good weather but more reckless drivers than usual, poor lane discipline and insane overtaking. All accidents waiting to happen.

Not all of the road is good, there are some quite dangerous bends up at Khun Chae National Park. Badly cambered, have corrugations where turns are being made, double lane suddenly constricting into one.

Have driven that road many times and seen quite a few accidents. Almost all of them have been caused by the factors you mention. All one can do is drive as defensively as they can, and try to keep out of the way of the idiots.

I wonder how the Green Bus accident record ( routine service ) compares with the tour bus operators.

I don't disagree that there are easier roads to drive on but there are far more dangerous ones with less margin for error that I have driven on in Europe, USA, NZ and Australia that don't have anything like the accident rates roads here have. The overwhelming difference between those countries and here is the drivers which is clearly reflected in the fatality rate.

As you point out defensive driving is the best approach but given they can come from any direction at any time and at any speed it is at times difficult to work out how to stay out of the way.

Staying out of the way of those that drive predictably like Thais is easy. It's the "out of control" idiot on his way to an early funeral pyre, that is hard to avoid sad.png

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I believe that everyone is wearing their hearts on their sleeves as they comment but isn't it time to face reality?

Until family members of the "privileged few', and those related to senior administrative staff are killed in similar incidents, then diddly-squat will happen to improve road safety for the commoner.

It's nothing to with logic and a sense of nationhood! (primarily because there isn't any)

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Like some of the others I drove past the scene yesterday afternoon about 3pm. Basically a good road and good weather but more reckless drivers than usual, poor lane discipline and insane overtaking. All accidents waiting to happen.

Not all of the road is good, there are some quite dangerous bends up at Khun Chae National Park. Badly cambered, have corrugations where turns are being made, double lane suddenly constricting into one.

Have driven that road many times and seen quite a few accidents. Almost all of them have been caused by the factors you mention. All one can do is drive as defensively as they can, and try to keep out of the way of the idiots.

I wonder how the Green Bus accident record ( routine service ) compares with the tour bus operators.

Agreed that you can blame the idiots, but the government holds it fair share of the blame for doing nothing to decrease the carnage by enforcing traffic laws. That means getting out on the road in a police cruiser and pulling people over for committing traffic violations instead of only using the cruisers to escort VIPs. Actually, the government's tolerance for this type of driving behavior really saddles them with the lion's share of the blame, imho. The carnage is exasperated by the lack of enforcement of really dangerous driving like excessive speeding, passing on blind corners, and failure to maintain a lane (such as swerving from lane to lane on a 4 lane highway), and failure to yield the right-of-way. Road blocks are a band-aid on a severed arm. The Minister of Transportation should resign in shame.

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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 -wai2.gif

Here I disagree with you.

The government doesn't do vehicle inspections at all. That is the responsibility of the Dept of Land Transport as is the driving test. They are a civil service Dept and it doesn't matter WHICH government is in power it is st the responsibility of the civil service. Now theoretically it is quite simple to sack the Minister of Transport because he is a political appointee but to sack the head of the DLT is another matter entirely as he is not a government appointee . It is possible to move him to an inactive post but to actually sack him you will have to come up with a really cast iron case and even then it may take several years to do so.

The police are similar but, pardon my pun, they ARE a law unto themselves and though again it is possible to sack the top guy who is really a political appointee the ones below will at most get moved to an inactive post.

I suspect that the only way to fix it would be a night of the long knives and wholesale arrests but that may turn out ugly as most policemen are armed and the other problem is where to find enough honest cops to run the police afterwards. Besides where would you put all the cops and civil servants as there is not enough room in the jails now.

I don’t know which country you are from and perhaps you have been watching too many episodes of “ Yes Minister “ but in which universe is a government minister subservient to a civil servant department head? blink.png

are you implying the head of of the Dept of Land Transport In Thailand is not answerable to the Minister of Transport?

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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.

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 -wai2.gif

You know, in my opinion there is only one problem in the Thay society, it is still the "Mai Pen Rai" way of thinking, from high to low, as long this people can not change there way of thinking, this will be happen, again and again.

Because this happens with civil servants, police officers, and the normal population.

It can only improve when the awareness is there, and that will take many years, and last but not least, somebody will teach them about that.

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Welcome to Thailand, same crud different day, I've never seen so many selfish, unconscious, incompetent idiots on the road as here in Thailand. 90% of them can't drive, 90% speed, 50% are drunk, many are unlicensed, uninsured, unregistered and un-roadworthy and no one gives a flying doo doo! Don't expect to die of natural causes in Thailand you will most likely be murdered on the roads or by violent crime!

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quote

Asiantravel

I don’t know which country you are from and perhaps you have been watching too many episodes of “ Yes Minister “ but in which universe is a government minister subservient to a civil servant department head? blink.png

are you implying the head of of the Dept of Land Transport In Thailand is not answerable to the Minister of Transport?

I am from the UK and no, I have not been watching too many episodes of "Yes, Minister or even Yes, Prime Minister" but.......

As I said earlier the Minister of Transport is just a political position and as such he can be replaced at any time and does not even have to be qualified to hold that job. He has very little effect on the way that things are run in the DoT. You have to think of any government Ministry in any government as being similar to a supertanker. It is very slow to respond to control, it takes a long time to turn in any direction and it takes forever to stop.

Think back on the last PTP government whose Ministers were supposedly the best of the best, each Minister having been chosen personally (or allegedly) by the PM. Yet every 6 months or so there was a cabinet reshuffle where some ministers stayed, some swapped jobs and some where replaced.

What difference did it make to the civil service who are actually the people who run the country? Nothing at all as they keep their jobs and listen to the next Minister.

If you don't believe me ask yourself who runs the country when there is a caretaker government, or no government during the transition period? Does the country cease to function, do no government bills get paid? Who do you think pays the salaries of ALL government employees, who if they were not paid could simply not do anything? Do you think that the country would function?

Who gets paid by the country? How about the police, the army, the doctors and nurses at the public hospitals, the police fire department, the civil service the people who run the airports, customs and excise, the immigration police, the judges and the courts and every other single government department you can think of.

While civil servants are not fireproof especially at the the senior levels they are very hard to remove legally.

I am sorry but I have been going off the original topic.

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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.

I am telling you, being in this business, that many groups from Malaysia and Singapore have a blanket ban on tours to Thailand.

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These accidents are going to be more common place as the amount of these huge buses increases in Chiang Mai.

Today on Canal Rd there was a massive double decker and the complete idiot of a driver was attempting to weave this behemoth in and out of traffic like your typical suv driver. Beggars believe what goes on between the ears!

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These accidents are going to be more common place as the amount of these huge buses increases in Chiang Mai.

Today on Canal Rd there was a massive double decker and the complete idiot of a driver was attempting to weave this behemoth in and out of traffic like your typical suv driver. Beggars believe what goes on between the ears!

I was behind one on the Canal Rd today also. They seem to think the right lane is their personal space as he would never move over except to undertake.

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Quote from news report. ""2015 study on global road safety the World Health Organisation found that Thailand had the world's second most dangerous roads with 36.2 fatalities per 100,000 people". If this is correct then there will undoubtedly be more of the same until the authorities do something which they undoubtedly won't.

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Well Well Well and still operating.

PETALING JAYA - Weerapan Tour and Travel Limited, the owner of the bus involved in the bus tragedy in which 13 Malaysians were killed and nine others were injured, was also implicated in a similar dreadful accident two years ago.

A double-decker bus carrying Thai visitors to a temple in the Chiang Mai district plunged into a ravine at Lampang, killing 23 of its 38 passengers, on Oct 23, 2013.

- See more at: http://news.asiaone.com/news/malaysia/chiang-mai-bus-crash-bus-firm-also-involved-2013-accident#sthash.6UjrH12e.dpuf

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Very sad event RIP to the people killed.

This is Thailand and I always thank my lucky stars when

I finish my holidays and get back to Canada alive.

I do have a great visit every time I come to Thailand, but I never

forget that if I take certain tours, my life can be in danger

over here, in Asia.

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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 .

The Junta allows like all the "democratic" governments before - they cannot in not time correct every mistake that has been made before.

This said - this should be on their list and I hope it is

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crickey ! speeding no doubt .....

The report stated ...Rescue worker Uthai Pollaharn said the bus was fleeing after colliding with a car in the Danmae Kajan area of Chiang Rai....

So I would image the driver was in fact speeding

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Licences revoked after tour bus crash

The Nation December 23, 2015 6:01 pm
THE LAND Transport Department Wednesday cancelled bus driver Somporn Bualuang’s driving licence and suspended his boss’s tour bus licence following the deadly accident in Chiang Mai’s Doi Saket district on Sunday that killed at least 13 people.
Somporn faces the charge of reckless driving causing others' deaths and injuries after he crashed the bus into another car, hit a power pole and fell off the moutainous road, resulting in the deaths of 13 Malaysian tourists and one Thai tour guide, and leaving 12 people, including himself, injured.

Land Transport Department chief Sanith Phromwong Wednesday revealed that besides revoking Somporn's driving licence because he drove carelessly and caused tragic several deaths, the department had also ordered the Chiang Mai Provincial Land Transport Office to immediately revoke the business licence of the tour bus operator.

"The company failed to regulate its bus driver from exceeding the speed limit," Sanith said, adding the department would also follow through if the wounded and the deceased persons' families had received aid.

Sanith also affirmed that for the upcoming New Year, the department would strictly inspect bus drivers and bus conditions to ensure safety. Urging bus operators to keep a close eye on their drivers, he warned that they might be held responsible and their licence cancelled if any road accident happened because of the driver's carelessness or the condition of the bus.

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Licences revoked after tour bus crash

The Nation December 23, 2015 6:01 pm
THE LAND Transport Department Wednesday cancelled bus driver Somporn Bualuang’s driving licence and suspended his boss’s tour bus licence following the deadly accident in Chiang Mai’s Doi Saket district on Sunday that killed at least 13 people.
Somporn faces the charge of reckless driving causing others' deaths and injuries after he crashed the bus into another car, hit a power pole and fell off the moutainous road, resulting in the deaths of 13 Malaysian tourists and one Thai tour guide, and leaving 12 people, including himself, injured.

Land Transport Department chief Sanith Phromwong Wednesday revealed that besides revoking Somporn's driving licence because he drove carelessly and caused tragic several deaths, the department had also ordered the Chiang Mai Provincial Land Transport Office to immediately revoke the business licence of the tour bus operator.

"The company failed to regulate its bus driver from exceeding the speed limit," Sanith said, adding the department would also follow through if the wounded and the deceased persons' families had received aid.

Sanith also affirmed that for the upcoming New Year, the department would strictly inspect bus drivers and bus conditions to ensure safety. Urging bus operators to keep a close eye on their drivers, he warned that they might be held responsible and their licence cancelled if any road accident happened because of the driver's carelessness or the condition of the bus.

I hope this is the future here with crazy driving.

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BP reports driver of bus trying to flee another vehicle that was giving chase after being hit by the bus.

You just can't make this stuff up. And they wonder why after decades of life in Thailand I only read non-fiction.

Apparently, the companies insurance ran out the day before.....the driver of the bus (who didn't have a license) had a minor fender bender with a car on the highway prior to the crash and did not stop,the car involved took chase of the bus,the driver attempted to "out-run" the car,in the process the bus hit a truck and then a pole and went off the road.

The license of the tour company has been revoked,this is the 3rd accident in the companies history. The company has been ordered to pay each victim's family 1.2 million baht.......nope,didn't make this up,just report from Thai-media......fiction,non-fiction....???.....Tragic = fact.

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Wow! Why is everyone so fast to jump to conclusions. People act like this can't happen anywhere! Driving a multi ton double decker van through a highly congested area while fleeing from a hit and run is TOTALLY normal behavior! This has NOTHING to do with the rampant corruption in Thailand, and the frequency with which it happens is IRRELEVANT! Even if this sort of thing is 10 times more likely to happen in Thailand, or the UK, means absolutely nothing. Rates are so unimportant.

This driver just had a bad day, and his brakes went out at a very untimely moment. Nothing to see here. Seems fairly likely the people on this bus had bad karma, and this was due to happen.

What to take away from this: Happens everywhere.

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