Bus crash in Ayutthaya leaves 40 Thai and foreign passengers injured

[webfact]

Bus crash in Ayutthaya leaves 40 Thai and foreign passengers injured
Kwaang Siripoom


Image: dailynews

AYUTTHAYA:-- More than 40 people were injured when the tour bus they were travelling in crashed during heavy rain in Ayutthaya province early on Monday morning.

At 4.30am, Pol. Lt. Wutthipat Chuaykit from Ayutthaya police station received a report that a Bangkok-Chiang Mai tour bus operated by the Nakorn Chai Air company had lost control and hit a bus shelter on the Asia Highway road.

The accident took place between the kilometer 22 – 23 marker, right opposite Suvarnabhumi Technology Institut in the Hantra district.

Officers found 40 Thai and foreign passengers with a variety of different injuries receiving first aid treatment from rescue workers.

Mr. Chanchai Thuraphan, 60, identified as a driver told the police that the bus left Chiang Mai for Bangkok at 8:30pm on Sunday.

The driver allegedly told police that the slippery road service due to the heavy rain had caused him to lose control, resulting in the bus leaving the road and crashing into a passenger shelter on the side of the road.

The police filed Chanchai for driving with reckless manner and causing damage to others.

Investigations into the incident remain ongoing.


-- 2016-03-28

[docshock13]

"Blame it on the rain..."

Roads do get slippery, but driving to conditions is not taught at all in Thailand. Also possible that the bus had old/bald rubber.

Looks like the same co. involved in a crash a week or two ago where they vowed they would scold he driver responsible for killing his passengers. There have been so many bus wrecks lately, I can not recall which one.

Edited March 28, 2016 by docshock13

[FireMedic]

Anything other than "I was driving like an <deleted>" is the best excuse. I'm surprised he didn't blame the brakes failing and do a runner.

[colinneil]

NCA has just about the best maintained fleet of buses in Thailand.

Hard to believe it was poor tyres, more likely driver error, not driving properly due to weather conditions.

[impulse]

If it was anything like the short squall that hit my place around Asoke on Sunday afternoon, the bus may have been blown off the road. Only lasted half an hour, but the wind was impressive. And it came out of nowhere.

Edited March 28, 2016 by impulse

[Linesy]

NCA has just about the best maintained fleet of buses in Thailand.

Hard to believe it was poor tyres, more likely driver error, not driving properly due to weather conditions.

I think Has should be changed to Had the best maintained fleet, now they are getting old and well used and no sign of new replacement buses. Very tired looking interiors and the bogs stink so avoid the rear seats. But still the best buses in Thailand.

[Mister Fixit]

So, nothing to do with a 60 year old (whose reflexes would almost certainly be slower than a younger man) driving through the night with probably only a short break, if at all, getting into adverse weather conditions and rather than stopping to wait it out, carried on then lost control and was unable to recover himself in time?

Edited March 28, 2016 by Mister Fixit

[trogers]

Creative thinking - road was slippery from rain.

Logical thinking - road is slippery, has to reduce speed.

The Thai mind lacks the 2nd part of thinking, but excel in the first part when questioned by police.

[FloridaExport]

On the bright side, Thailand has been getting some rain for the past two days...

[steven100]

It was not the bus drivers fault !! it was the rains fault !! the rain made the road slippery .......

[brewsterbudgen]

Usually the most reliable and safest of all the bus companies...

[prestburypark]

8.30 pm start--accident at 4.30 am, did he have any rest breaks or was he pushing on tired and in bad driving conditions?

8 hours straight driving a bus is hard tiring work.

[Jeremy50]

Roads that have not been rained on for a long time will be very slippery when a downpour does come, due to the build up of oil, grease, rubber, dust, during the dry season. It's not hard to work out and anticipate. Well, maybe it is.

I guess none of these folks considered choosing the safety of a slow moving sleeping train, complete with comfortable bunk, refreshments, and a nice view from your comfy bed. Plus, a civilized arrival time right in the heart of Bangkok. No, sit up all night gripping the armrest as you hurtle down one of the most dangerous highways in the world.

[tomwct]

NCA has just about the best maintained fleet of buses in Thailand.

Hard to believe it was poor tyres, more likely driver error, not driving properly due to weather conditions.

I always thought they were the best, but lately they have had allot of accidents and death. I wonder if the government keeps

tracks of accidents and death per bus company? Also, I would never take an overnight bus with any bus company in Thailand.

Never travel at night and your chances of surviving are good. At night, your chances go down!

[Bobobirdiebuddy]

"It happened so fast that the brakes didn't have time to fail!"

[mesterm]

"Gold Class". Sure.

[Ricardo]

So, nothing to do with a 60 year old (whose reflexes would almost certainly be slower than a younger man) driving through the night with probably only a short break, if at all, getting into adverse weather conditions and rather than stopping to wait it out, carried on then lost control and was unable to recover himself in time?

"driving through the night with probably only a short break, if at all"

IME (which I admit was a few years ago) NCA do change drivers halfway, on this route. Quite right too !

[Prbkk]

So, nothing to do with a 60 year old (whose reflexes would almost certainly be slower than a younger man) driving through the night with probably only a short break, if at all, getting into adverse weather conditions and rather than stopping to wait it out, carried on then lost control and was unable to recover himself in time?

60=ancient. Put them all out to pasture or a Logan's Run solution. At least he didn't scarper like most of them do but stayed to face the music.

[trogers]

So, nothing to do with a 60 year old (whose reflexes would almost certainly be slower than a younger man) driving through the night with probably only a short break, if at all, getting into adverse weather conditions and rather than stopping to wait it out, carried on then lost control and was unable to recover himself in time?

60=ancient. Put them all out to pasture or a Logan's Run solution. At least he didn't scarper like most of them do but stayed to face the music.

Couldn't wade far enough through flooded ricefields?

[laolover88]

NCA do change drivers. And the Gold Class ones here are in pretty good shape. Does not change fact family not allowed on buses and "tour buses" minivans or whatever.

Wrong kind of rain?.

[khomlong1]

NCA has just about the best maintained fleet of buses in Thailand.

Hard to believe it was poor tyres, more likely driver error, not driving properly due to weather conditions.

[cnx355]

8.30 pm start--accident at 4.30 am, did he have any rest breaks or was he pushing on tired and in bad driving conditions?

8 hours straight driving a bus is hard tiring work

Last time I did the Chiangmai-Bangkok run with NCA , they changed driver at Khampaeng Phet bus station.

[khomlong1]

Yeah, You have to double your stopping distance in wet weather. This seems to be beyond most Thai drivers?

[SOTIRIOS]

...regardless...born and raised in Thailand.....not familiar with the weather and road conditions.....

...nonsense...

...had been driving for 8 hours......no second driver....what do you think happened....

...do you think he would admit to falling asleep and risk losing face.....and his job.......

[trogers]

Yeah, You have to double your stopping distance in wet weather. This seems to be beyond most Thai drivers?

They couldn't count one thousand and one, one thousand and two...to use the 2 and 3 seconds rule for dry and wet conditions respectively.

[diddygq]

Usually the most reliable and safest of all the bus companies...

I only and frequently take NCA (Nakornchai Air Bus) but seems like they've had a lot of crashes lately. I usually only take them from Bangkok to Khon Kaen (and vice-versa). They've always seemed professional. It's a 6 hour journey and they switch drivers half-way. Anybody else have negative/positive incite about NCA?

[ldiablo]

Happens everyday in Thailand.

Should be a section on TV specifically designated for

Bus crashes in Thailand

[torpedo1970]

Second time in a couple of weeks.

NCA has been the only bus company i would travel with in Thailand, they use to be the best company with the best maintained fleet of new buses. but now i do see that they have let it slide (pardon the pun)

Edited March 28, 2016 by torpedo1970

[Naroge]

"Blame it on the rain..."

Roads do get slippery, but driving to conditions is not taught at all in Thailand. Also possible that the bus had old/bald rubber.

Looks like the same co. involved in a crash a week or two ago where they vowed they would scold he driver responsible for killing his passengers. There have been so many bus wrecks lately, I can not recall which one.

The old article you refer to mentioned Nakon Chai Air, NCA, but for some reason they had translated wrongly from Thai to English. The correct name in the old article was Nakon Chai Tour.

[Naroge]

Second time in a couple of weeks.

NCA has been the only bus company i would travel with in Thailand, they use to be the best company with the best maintained fleet of new buses. but now i do see that they have let it slide (pardon the pun)

Not correct. The article last well was wrongly translated. Was in fact Nakon Chai Tour.