4 passengers burned alive in a van

[sanukjim]

Many Thai van owners to save money use cheap unauthorized installation of LPG risking their passengers to the extreme likelihood of an explosion and fire in a crash.Then they hire idiots that drive at high speed increasing the dangers".Hell why not ,No policing of the roads or highways" or proper inspections of vehicles..

Edited April 29, 2016 by sanukjim

[dirtycash]

I drive on the highway daily and the minivan drivers are without a doubt the fastest and most reckless of all the idiots on the road.

Totally agree with you there.

It is also one of the few jobs in the world where people who do it for a profession are worse at it than mere amateurs.

Think about it; when you make that much kilometers you would expect to become better and better at it like in any other job.

agreed +1

[FredNL]

And??? Not a word about all those 70 others that were killed on Thai roads yesterday.

Day in, day out, same same, not different in Thailand !!!

[Peterphuket]

A horrific van accident in Thailand? Shocking.

Yes! it is still shocking, no matter how many times it happens, and will happen, for sure.

But actuallly no point to comment anymore.

The Thai will not change his habbits, like alcohol while driving, speedy driving, on the wrong side of the way driving, open the door of the car without looking first, etc., etc., etc.

[NoshowJones]

Its a pity that this driver was not killed otherwise one road menace would have been eliminated. I really hope he would be killed very soon for the sake of public safety.

I expect hateful comments on this forum.. but this really is going too far.

We know nothing about the cause of this accident except what we are told by the media which in Thailand have an appalling record of just making shit up.

You hope he will be killed.... you are sick!

"You hope he will be killed.... you are sick!"

I am not going to comment on this incident, as I do not know the full facts, but I will say one thing.

I wish all drunk drivers and motorbike riders dead, and don't say I am sick. It is better them being dead than innocent people.

[Redline]

So, what will it take to change the driving situation?

How can a society that says it cares about it's people, not do something?

It's not even like they have to figure out how!!!

They already know. Well, I assume...

The police in Thailand only react, and they do so temporarily.

Talk about lazy. And, people and the government put up with it.

Why?

Edited April 29, 2016 by Redline

[dunroaming]

There is no incentive for the police to be more pro-active. Apart from the odd "initiative" for publicity purposes the police will do as little as possible unless it involves some sort of reward for them. As that attitude is mirrored throughout the various ranks nothing will change it

[crosthwaite]

A horrific van accident in Thailand? Shocking.

Songtao's, TukTuk's, Vans, Touring busses... there is a very large hoodlum subculture that spend all their time on the roads and believe they own them. And drive accordingly. There is no accountability, ever. Why change??

[Mansell]

I took minivan once to Bangkok.....never again. The dumb driver was doing around 120kph two meters behind a van where he couldn't see around it to have any idea if somebody was braking ahead.....also weaving into various lanes. I used to be paid a lot to drive an Aston Martin in England at high speed for hours on end. So I have a pretty good idea about driving fast safely. These guys do not have any training or not much in the way of brains, so now I take the big busses. But recently I was sitting on a bus a few seats back from the driver and he was using his ipad and checking things out while he was driving with the ipad balanced above the steering wheel. When his assistant came around my Thai wife told him I wasn't very happy with him driving like that. The young guy went back and said that the farang didn't feel safe....he immediately stopped what he was doing and started driving properly. We had already shot video and planned on reporting him if he didn't stop....that would have only been possible if we were still alive!

[bangon04]

How funny, the exact cause needs to be determined: simply: driving out of control too fast for road condition, driver should go to jail for a long time

From the OP: "The speeding van lost control"

Obviously not the driver's fault again. It was the van. Poor driver couldn't do anything about it.

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

Thais are not natural drivers, if you have ever observed standing bus passengers when the bus turns a corner they stay perpendicular to the bus and do not lean into the corner. I've also seen motorcycle riders pull up at traffic lights and not put a foot down and simply topple over. Also it all seems to be a big game of chicken with other vehicles, the bigger your vehicle the better.

It is pointless not expect these people to be able to drive without any tuition and testing.

[oldsailor35]

Thais are not natural drivers, if you have ever observed standing bus passengers when the bus turns a corner they stay perpendicular to the bus and do not lean into the corner. I've also seen motorcycle riders pull up at traffic lights and not put a foot down and simply topple over. Also it all seems to be a big game of chicken with other vehicles, the bigger your vehicle the better.

It is pointless not expect these people to be able to drive without any tuition and testing.

Only yesterday i was following a pick up which suddenly stopped with no warning. He was about to pass a parked car and another car was coming towards him. He obviously could not judge his road space so stopped . He would have had a bout 1 meter each side whilst passing the oncoming vehicle. I have seen this happen many times so wondering if there is something with Thai's sense of judgement.

[oldsailor35]

Are these LPG tanks actually inside the passenger compartment ?

[DrTuner]

Are these LPG tanks actually inside the passenger compartment ?

Doesn't much matter if it breaches. Which should never happen in a normal collision, probably a shoddy installation.

[kkup]

No doubt people were on the scene as the fire started and they watched them burn with their cameras out.

[kiwikeith]

I drive on the highway daily and the minivan drivers are without a doubt the fastest and most reckless of all the idiots on the road.

I have been in them when one idiot side swiped a car then a truck and then was chased by the car he hit and finally stopped.

Another occaision side swiped the back of a truck as he ran out of space overtaking.

I don't ride them now and when I see them coming behind me I get out of their way.

Sad that the government is more interested in attitude ajustment for ciriticism of the charter than Road reforms, these mine vans are aptly nicknamed Kami Kazi suicide vans.

[Happy Grumpy]

Ban all Thais from driving minivans.

The last word is, of course, needlessly specific.

[berybert]

Once again the driver gets away with it while others die due to his actions.

[bbbbooboo]

Hmmmm....another day of appaling carnage on Thai roads

[GOLDBUGGY]

One Negative aspect for wearing the Seat Belt.

[dcnx]

Honestly, don't know why anyone who knows better would ride in one.

I'm sure there is a gent or two who have been here for 80 years and never saw a speeder or a bad driver, but for the rest of us, we know better.

I don't know about you, but my life is too important to be put in the hands of a guy who watches gost movies with cartoon sound effects and believes his amulet/tattoo has made him immoratal. No thanks.

[Jack Garbo]

I drive on the highway daily and the minivan drivers are without a doubt the fastest and most reckless of all the idiots on the road.

So true.

Why not install speed limiters in vans, buses, pick-ups, trucks ?

That could safe thousands of lives.

High speed is useful, and safer, for overtaking. How about installing better trained drivers.

[ramrod711]

This calls for a crackdown!!!

Oh wait, the glorious General promised one of those some time ago. Oh well, this will be a new and improved crackdown.

This crap was going on when the General was still in boot camp. Thaksin, Samak, Somchai and Yingluck had no success either, in fact there were more "the driver fled the scene" reports when they were in charge. I have stated before, I will not ride in these vans. Overloaded, speeding, no maintenance and they fold up like cheap tin cans in accidents making it impossible to open the doors.

[ableguy]

I drive on the highway daily and the minivan drivers are without a doubt the fastest and most reckless of all the idiots on the road.

So true.

Why not install speed limiters in vans, buses, pick-ups, trucks ?

That could safe thousands of lives.

Get real how can you make money driving slow, the Thai baht is the only God in LOS. Life is so cheap here.