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

[Scouse Twoccer]

ive travelled in this bus about 4 months ago, i sat next to the driver because the bus was full, and i noticed a big warning signal that the brakes ECU unit wasnt working and the bus should stop immediatly. instead the driver drove 120 130 KMH and said to me there was no problem.

SO IM SURE THE BRAKES DIDNT WORK

But you were wrong, weren't you? The brakes must have worked otherwise the bus would not have been able to stop, don't you think?

How were you able to sit next to the driver in a position that allowed you to see the alleged details on his warning lights? These buses all have an enclosed single seat cab that is accessed from the drivers door. Were you sitting on his knee?

Since when do buses with this lack of sophistication have an ECU for the brakes?

[atyclb]

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.

typo. should read "decent brains might be helpful also"

[ExpatLife]

I have taken day and night buses countless times South and North, and I have to make a long journey to Laos next month, really going to try and avoid buses this time I think.

[seedy]

Derogatory Rant and post Discussing politics removed

[Chicog]

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.

You are assuming he was intelligent enough to know the braking distance of the bus while speeding.

[SOTIRIOS]

....bad..bad.... bus.....so bad......

....what are the criteria for being a bus driver......are there any even.....

...a good grasp of reality does not seem to be one of them.....

[cumgranosalum]

A sad event - almost more sad is the fact that it seems no-one will learn a thing from it.....

Firstly anyone looking at the damage to the bus will see how badly they are built - there is absolutely no crash protection there at all.

"killed instantly such was the impact of the collision" - this is rubbish - I doubt if the impact was really that great - it is just the build of the bus that makes it so bad.

One wonders if trying to exaggerate the violence of the impact is something to do with deflecting the blame away from the bus manufacturer.

Just how safe are bases? Well statistically, it's claimed that 80 people a day die on Thai roads, so they are clearly not in the majority.

[cumgranosalum]

Drivers of commercial/passenger vehicles often flee accidents, with good reason. Until their insurance rep turns up, they are at the mercy of the police whose first instinct is to lock up as many people as they can.......the insurance man will have his bail bond.

...and I hope all TV members have this included in their insurance - unless the prospect of being locked up for a few days doesn't bother you.

Edited March 18, 2016 by cumgranosalum

[cumgranosalum]

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.

You are assuming he was intelligent enough to know the braking distance of the bus while speeding.

As no drivers EVER drive within braking distance, here or in any other country, this has to be one of the most facile comments on the thread so far.

do you know what the distance is for a car? let alone a bus???

(do I hear a scramble for Google?)

Edited March 18, 2016 by cumgranosalum

[sandgroper2]

Every time there is a traffic accident, the same old same old comments. Do you just cut and paste? What is the point?

[Blackheart1916]

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.

Passenger side,aisle seat, 2/3 way down the bus.my favourite spot.

[MockingJay]

I know most TV members won't have any interest in nor would believe in the spirit realms, but did anyone notice the hundreds of orbs in the OP photo?

Think this incident was so violent, that it caused quite a stir "up there"... Have studied and photographed orbs myself for a long time and know that they are not simple light reflections.

RIP to the poor victims, and sincerest condolences to families and friends. Quick and thorough recovery to the injured. What an unnecessary avoidable tragedy.

Hope the bus driver will get the punishment he deserves (if not by the judge, then by Karma)...

Edited March 18, 2016 by MockingJay

[kannot]

It is so sad.

Out of interest how often do brakes" fail" on long distance coaches in Europe/UK/USA or on cars for that matter. My guess would be hardly ever, even if they are poorly maintained. Many of these buses are Mercedes. They should all be recalled if there is a design fault. As to the drivers and bus companies I think prosecutions for murder and manslaughter should be initiated. As I have said my family not allowed anywhere near a bus or a minibus. Not much I can do about a Mercedes travelling at 200kph except later on have the Luk Nong take care of the driver.

Ive got some bad news for you.................only the badge is "Mercedes" and even then most likely a fake. Why anyone wants a Mercedes is beyond me, Japanese cars outlast them many times over in all surveys of reliability

[kannot]

I know most TV members won't have any interest in nor would believe in the spirit realms, but did anyone notice the hundreds of orbs in the OP photo?

Think this incident was so violent, that it caused quite a stir "up there"... Have studied and photographed orbs myself for a long time and know that they are not simple light reflections.

RIP to the poor victims, and sincerest condolences to families and friends. Quick and thorough recovery to the injured. What an unnecessary avoidable tragedy.

Hope the bus driver will get the punishment he deserves (if not by the judge, then by Karma)...

Oh dear!!! re orbs id say "balls" was more descriptive

[gandalf12]

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.

Now you are being silly. That is never going to happen in Thailand. This is a sick Western concept of good drivers and well maintained vehicles. Just think about the driving test and you will see the error of your ways

[Fookhaht]

I know most TV members won't have any interest in nor would believe in the spirit realms, but did anyone notice the hundreds of orbs in the OP photo?

Think this incident was so violent, that it caused quite a stir "up there"... Have studied and photographed orbs myself for a long time and know that they are not simple light reflections.

RIP to the poor victims, and sincerest condolences to families and friends. Quick and thorough recovery to the injured. What an unnecessary avoidable tragedy.

Hope the bus driver will get the punishment he deserves (if not by the judge, then by Karma)...

Orbs? Get real. Don't you recognize snowfall when ya see it?? Edited March 18, 2016 by Fookhaht

[amdy2206]

I don't know what percentage of crashes are in the early hours of the morning but bet it is around 80%. Perhaps buses should have a curfew from 11pm till 5am to avoid the danger times!!!

[soalbundy]

"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!

opened like a can of sardines, he may have been speeding.

[Khon Kaen Dave]

This cretin will probably turn himself in to the police about 4 days later,when the booze,and or yabba has worn off.

[kennw]

A bus driver who runs away or anyone who does the same should automatically get 10 year in jail over and above any other sentance.

[springheeled jack]

it seems to be a never ending cycle of horror every week it appears to be either a van or a bus and its nearly always the brakes not the speed this driver has killed 4 people and injured many more he was in charge of a bus load of people he was responsible for those people he should be made to pay the penalty.

[cumgranosalum]

It is so sad.

Out of interest how often do brakes" fail" on long distance coaches in Europe/UK/USA or on cars for that matter. My guess would be hardly ever, even if they are poorly maintained. Many of these buses are Mercedes. They should all be recalled if there is a design fault. As to the drivers and bus companies I think prosecutions for murder and manslaughter should be initiated. As I have said my family not allowed anywhere near a bus or a minibus. Not much I can do about a Mercedes travelling at 200kph except later on have the Luk Nong take care of the driver.

Ive got some bad news for you.................only the badge is "Mercedes" and even then most likely a fake. Why anyone wants a Mercedes is beyond me, Japanese cars outlast them many times over in all surveys of reliability

None of these buses are built by Mercedes - they may have running gear or engines by Merc but that is the most you can expect. The bodies are slapped on by Thai coach builders. these buses have dangerously high centres of gravity and their bodies are as flimsy as a Wendy house.....

The vehicle didn't have to be travelling at any speed at all to incur that damage, it is just weak and flimsy bodywork.....and seating.

as for bus manufacturers - the world's biggest is Chinese - Yutong and they sell buses to Europe which means to EU safety standards. Most of the major bus and coach manufacturers are outside Europe now, but they are perfectly capable of making "safe" buses - it's just that the Thai authorities don't see the point.

Edited March 18, 2016 by cumgranosalum

[roquefort]

"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.

That is the scariest part about driving in Thailand. I've lost count of the number of times I've just managed to slam the brakes on when suddenly coming up behind a U turn queue in the RH lane.

It's absolute insanity but there is an obsession with putting U turns every few hundred metres on highways in this country.

[tingtong]

This week, I was in a bus accident near Pak Chong ( not far from Khorat, same road).

The bus drove in the standing lines, trashing 4! cars/pickups before coming to a still. Luckily not one injured.

Bus driver claiming the break didn't work..i felt he by mistake step on the gas initially, and had no space to correct it; was 100+ meters standstill on the road.

After police did the usual paint jobs and some pro photos by phones!, we were all told to get back on the bus to drive to the side to stop there!!

So, the bad brakes?, they were suddenly back and useable.

I decided not to wait for the bus to continue or not, driver and police both lost credibility with that move. True or not about the brakes.

[cumgranosalum]

"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.

That is the scariest part about driving in Thailand. I've lost count of the number of times I've just managed to slam the brakes on when suddenly coming up behind a U turn queue in the RH lane.

It's absolute insanity but there is an obsession with putting U turns every few hundred metres on highways in this country.

If tyou keep having to do that, you should seriously question your suitability to drive in Thailand.

[cumgranosalum]

As for brakes - that just sounds like phewey. Almost all buses have air brakes - the thing about air brakes is that their natural position is ON................the air "pushes" them into the "off" position so if their is any problem with the system at all, they just simply return to lock in the on position, the driver couldn't continue.vIn fact he probably couldn't pull away in the first place.

Edited March 18, 2016 by cumgranosalum

[stickyrice2000]

The bus accidents are too frequent in Thailand. This is scary.

[cumgranosalum]

"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!

opened like a can of sardines, he may have been speeding.

You don't need any speed at all to open them like a can of sardines... you could do it by hand.

[swerver]

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

And what will SPEED LIMITERS DO?????????

I just bought a new car more or less latest electronic equipped, it also has a speed limiter set at 120kph and the RPM RED ZONE set to CUTTOFF the fuel to the engine, I figured Ah finally the car manufacturers are getting on the job. Then after in-depth reading the owner manual being a retired rotating maintenance equipment engineer with 50-years in the profession to my great amazement I come across the section how to thinker with the DEFAULT settings including the SPEED LIMITER how to set it higher or even how to disconnect it altogether.

Contacted the Dealer and asked, "WHAT GIVE". The dealer answer, "If the manufacturer doesn't give this info the buyer or her/his "friends" will get into the system and while trying to figure out how to temper with the SPEED LIMITER they will in the process cause damage to the other electronic setting(s) many of which having to do with WARRANTEE. Sort of like APPLE and its iPhone being forced by Barack Hussein (Muslim name) Obama forcing Apple to install a backdoor in the iPhone so the Washington clique can get in to the info in the iPhone. More and more "We the people" are moving into the American New World Order era . Are you getting it????

[cumgranosalum]

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

People who think there is a single magic wand that will solve this problem are seriously deluding themselves.