Horrific bus crash in Korat leaves 4 dead, 25 injured, driver flees the scene

[webfact]

Horrific bus crash in Korat leaves 4 dead, 25 injured, driver flees the scene
Thaivisa Reporters


Image: Khaosod.co.th

NAKHON RATCHASIMA:-- 4 men have been killed and 25 others injured when the bus they were travelling on crashed into a truck in Korat during the early hours of Friday morning, reports Thaivisa News.

The crash occurred near the weighbridge on the Friendship Highway as the bus travelled from Bangkok to Roi Et.

Thai media reports the bus, which was operated by the Saphan Roi Et Tour Co. Ltd., was speeding when it crashed into the back of an 18 wheel truck just after 2am.

The front of the bus suffered extensive damage as a result.

Passengers said they heard the driver shouting that the brakes had stopped working. However, when emergency services attended the scene, the driver had already fled and police are currently searching for him.

The four men who died were reported to have been killed instantly such was the impact of the collision. The other injured passengers were transferred to Maharat and Nong Song Hospitals.

The driver of the truck which was loaded with asphalt said he was turning onto the weighbridge when the bus struck his truck.


-- 2016-03-18

[webfact]

Four die in bus crash in Korat



KORAT: -- Four people were killed and 25 others injured after the bus they travelled in from Bangkok to Roi Et rammed at the rear of a truck queuing up for check at a weight check station on the Friendship Highway in Non Soong district of Nakhon Ratchasima province early Friday.

The tragic accident happened on Kilometre markers 168-169 on the highway.

Highway police said the interprovincial bus driver fled the scene after the fatal accident which badly tore apart the left front body of the bus.

Those who died and were injured were seated on the left side of the bus, police said.

All were admitted to Non Soong hospital in Non Soong district and Maharaj hospital in Korat.

The police said the 18-wheel trailer with asphalt loads was at the rear of a number of trucks waiting for weight checks at the station when the bus rammed at its rear.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/155749


-- Thai PBS 2016-03-18

[colinneil]

When oh when will the Thai government wake up and require all buses fitted with speed limiters, to stop this daily carnage.

[Thian]

When oh when will the Thai government wake up and require all buses fitted with speed limiters, to stop this daily carnage.

Or when will the Thai step up and tell those drivers to drive according the trafficlaws? It seems they don't care at all.

[Roomuck]

When oh when will the Thai government wake up and require all buses fitted with speed limiters, to stop this daily carnage.

Decent brakes might be helpful also.

With that amount of damage to the bus the driver was lucky to be able to run for it I reckon.

[Briggsy]

When oh when will the Thai government wake up and require all buses fitted with speed limiters, to stop this daily carnage.

Or when will the Thai step up and tell those drivers to drive according the trafficlaws? It seems they don't care at all.

You are transferring Western concepts to a non-Western society. Doesn't work.

Point of being in authority here is to line your own pocket, elevate your social status and your family's and to create an invisible protection shield against any form of attack, legal, physical, financial, you name it.

This applies to all those with power, politicians, police, civil servants, military, anyone who could improve this appalling road safety record.

[jerojero]

Driver yelling brakes don't work, then immediately drives into back of a 18wheeler? Brakes completely failed at that exact moment. Don't buy it.

[jonclark]

Driver yelling brakes don't work, then immediately drives into back of a 18wheeler? Brakes completely failed at that exact moment. Don't buy it.

With you on that one.

Most drivers leg it as they are under the influence of something to help them stay awake on those long night journeys and need to get it out of their system before handing themselves in.

[Fookhaht]

Well there goes my theory that the safest place to sit is anywhere on the left side of the bus. Had always heard that the most dangerous place was right behind the driver. Those were probably the lucky ones in this case.

Edited March 18, 2016 by Fookhaht

[leeneeds]

Combination , no training, no understanding of the responsibility.

exhaust brakes never used or fitted or maintained,

mass + speed and the increase in distance needed to slow down ,pull up,

speed, condition of the bus and the drivers alertness, 2am - 4am REM sleep time,

running away sounds like an eight year old.

Standard to achieve a safe commercial driver certificate has to be learnt and earned,

How do you make the DMV minister/ department liable for this tragedy that keeps repeating,

they seem to be so blinkered and incapable of the simplest of rule enforcement, and a basic standard of competency

that would save lives,

A true blight on the LOS,

R.I P.

[jamesbrock]

How terribly sad. RIP to the dead, best wishes for the injured.

[brling]

When oh when will the Thai government wake up and require all buses fitted with speed limiters, to stop this daily carnage.

Decent brakes might be helpful also.

Nonsense, as usual, Mr. apologist, but you will always blame the bus and never a Thai.

[Radar501]

The driver took his bus to the mechanic and said, "The brakes don't work. Can you fix the horn?"

[NCC1701A]

At first I thought this was the story from a few days ago. It is endless.

RIP.

[ratcatcher]

When oh when will the Thai government wake up and require all buses fitted with speed limiters, to stop this daily carnage.

Decent brakes might be helpful also.

With that amount of damage to the bus the driver was lucky to be able to run for it I reckon.

"Decent brakes might be helpful also."

A decent driver might be even more helpful?

[Just1Voice]

"And in the latest news, today's bus death total leaped to 4 more! Rest assured Thailand, we WILL reach the #1 Ranking sometime this year!"

[NCC1701A]

"The police said the 18-wheel trailer with asphalt loads was at the rear of a number of trucks waiting for weight checks at the station when the bus rammed at its rear."

and more poorly planned highways with trucks lined up back onto the "highway". like the u-turn lanes and the line of cars stopped in the fast lane waiting to turn right.

[nong38]

Perhaps what the authorities need to do is take all public service vehicles off the road until they have a licence that says they are safe to be operated on the public highway. No licence no job/income. Yes I know its inconvenient, so is death and leaving the job to others has not worked so a shock is required.

Seat belts to be fitted, working and in use or passengers get a fine.

Checked and maintained on a regular basis with who is responsible for the checking and work.

Spot checks of public service vehicles.

Well thats a start, some in the Land Transport Ministry can now get a good idea bonus and do the job they are paid to do.

Edited March 18, 2016 by nong38

[mcfish]

New survival plan. Right side of bus in an isle seat

[jamesbrock]

Perhaps what the authorities need to do is take all public service vehicles off the road until they have a licence that says they are safe to be operated on the public highway. No licence no job/income. Yes I know its inconvenient, so is death and leaving the job to others has not worked so a shock is required.

Seat belts to be fitted, working and in use or passengers get a fine.

Checked and maintained on a regular basis with who is responsible for the checking and work.

Spot checks of public service vehicles.

Well thats a start, some in the Land Transport Ministry can now get a good idea bonus and do the job they are paid to do.

Bonus for doing their job? It's much easier, and infinitely more lucrative to take bribes from transport operators to not do their job.

[Just1Voice]

Guy show up at the license bureau and says, "I want to be a bus driver."
Official asks: "Do you have any qualifications?"

Guy things for a minute, then smiles big and says, "I'm Thai!"

Official, "Thank you, sir. Here's your license."

[DM07]

"The front of the bus suffered extensive damage as a result."

The font?

The front!

Have a look at the picture and define, how far "the front" reaches back!

[ttthailand]

Again !!!

[ballpoint]

What a pity it wasn't this asphalt truck in the left hand lane on the highway out of Bangkok in Ayutthaya Province last Sunday afternoon

Edited March 18, 2016 by ballpoint

[huangnon]

At first I thought this was the story from a few days ago. It is endless.

RIP.

Depressingly true. Happens here so often that you stop noticing after a while. Groundhog Day

[Thian]

I know how to stop this:

Starting from tomollow: Anybody who can film a bus driving over the max. speed and uploads it to the government gets a bonus of 10.000 baht which the driver will have to pay.

Easy as that!

[JaiMaai]

New survival plan. Right side of bus in an isle seat

Sit near the front - the bus will rear end someone else.

Sit near the back - the bus will get rear-ended.

Sit in the middle - the bus will get t-boned.

Take your pick and roll the dice.

[Roomuck]

When oh when will the Thai government wake up and require all buses fitted with speed limiters, to stop this daily carnage.

Decent brakes might be helpful also.

Nonsense, as usual, Mr. apologist, but you will always blame the bus and never a Thai.

Did you read the article brling? Immediately before the accident the PASSENGERS said the driver was screaming the brakes didn't work. Do you think they were trying to cover for him? Doubt it, otherwise they also wouldn't have dobbed him in for speeding.

I looked at your profile to try and figure why you have this seemingly intense hatred of Thais. 90% of your posts have the word " apologist" in them.

This post was hardly an apologist post. I wasn't claiming whoever fixes the brakes wasn't Thai! But now I think about it, you are probably right, it most probably was a Burmese mechanic.

Thanks for reading and for your replies to my posts.

Edited March 18, 2016 by Roomuck

[NCC1701A]

and if they spent as much time with proper maintenance and training as they do with the incredibly elaborate airbrush paint jobs and decorative LED lights which do nothing on these buses, maybe we could cut these stories down to once a month instead of once a week. fiberglass death traps.

[dageurreotype]

When oh when will the Thai government wake up and require all buses fitted with speed limiters, to stop this daily carnage.

Not just buses. They should be mandatory for all vehicles.