Here we go again - another kid falls to the tarmac from a school van

[webfact]

Here we go again - another kid falls to the tarmac from a school van



MAE SOT: -- Another clip of a young child falling from a school van was captured on a dash cam and posted online.

This time it happened at a right turn and U-turn in the town of Mae Sot in Tak province. Fortunately the little girl, aged about four or five was able to get up but was still in peril as she ran over the road reported Manager Online.

The driver hadn't even noticed that one of his passengers had fallen out. In fact he was too busy speeding to school.

The driver had jumped a queue of motorists waiting to turn, then raced across the road as the girl fell out lucklily avoiding cars as she got up and was aided by a motorcyclist. What appeared to be the van had finally stopped some 200 metres further down the road.

Last week a similar incident was caught on tape and Thais commenting online said there were many more such cases that went unreported. Many people said that action should be taken against the drivers in every case. Speed needs to be limited and drivers properly trained, it was said.

Source: Manager Online


-- 2016-05-31

[Bluespunk]

"Many people said that action should be taken against the drivers in every case. Speed needs to be limited and drivers properly trained, it was said."

Seat belts might help as well.

[colinneil]

When will the government put a stop to this?

So many times do children fall, get hurt,even die, falling from or being left in school buses.

Drivers never notice, too busy racing, speeding, chatting on the phone.

Never taking care of the children.

Make it the law for doors to be locked, not left open for children to fall out.

[Sunderland]

How many of these incidents do not even make the news because they are not on video.

Wake up society!!

[doremifasol]

What to say.......... I would bit the driver to pulp?

Lucky girl, lucky parents, lucky school.......

Thank God

[jaltsc]

"The driver hadn't even noticed that one of his passengers had fallen out. In fact he was too busy speeding to school."

From a previous article on TVF: "Office of Basic Education Commission (OBEC) advisor Sanit Yaemkesorn said the OBEC has formed Rescue Teams to handle disasters at schools nationwide."

With such inept employees, they have their work cut out for them. It will be difficult to handle disasters AT the schools, if the disasters that occur before prevent the students from getting to the schools in the first place.

Edited May 30, 2016 by jaltsc

[sjjmmi]

OMG was the door open or did she fall out the window?

[ramrod711]

Both the clips I have seen this week feature the child bouncing up and chasing the van. I can't recall being so committed to making it to school. Does anyone else recall the practice of children riding on the roofs of song taews being made illegal? It wasn't that many years ago.

[manfredtillmann]

if you squeeze 40+ of the little ones in a 12 seater van...

[Barnet]

Stereotypical stupid Thai male moron. ALL school minivan drivers pull stuff like this everyday. I'm planning on moving out of Thailand in the near future because of stuff like this. If I was planning on staying I'd have to force myself not to read stories like these as they infuriate me. Thank God the little girl was ok.

[SOTIRIOS]

...pathetic....

...and of no consequence to the driver.....

[goldenbrwn1]

"Many people said that action should be taken against the drivers in every case. Speed needs to be limited and drivers properly trained, it was said."

Seat belts might help as well.

What about the schools? Surely they are responsible for cramming as many kids in these vans as possible! It's all about the money for them,plus they are the ones hiring these drivers and responsible for the upkeep of the vans themself. My wife spends 4 hrs everyday mon to fri stuck in traffic jams or what not to pick up the two kids from 2 different schools across Bangkok. She knows they fill the vans to the brim and it's hot as hell in there and the drivers are not the best shall we say.

These are not cheap schools either!

Edited May 31, 2016 by goldenbrwn1

[CGW]

The "government" is more interested in buying new "toys" for the military than safe transport for kids! Sad!

The way kids are transported is an absolute disgrace, no wonder they resort to riding motorbikes to school. IF there was a decent public transportation system this wouldn't be necessary! Is this being discussed! All I read is the military need new tanks, helicopters and the like.....

Edited May 31, 2016 by CGW

[Gracas]

The little girl got up and ran off after the van just like this was part of going to school.

Barely big enough to carry the bag, then have to deal with out of control van drivers.

Very lucky indeed.

[JAG]

When the stupid **** (because frankly that is what he is) finally stopped the van, full of children, on a busy road, and left it to run back, he didn't even put the hazard warning flashers on!

[manhood]

Allways the same in Thailand: nothing has a consequence!!!!!!!!!!!

So why to stop their habit???? No reason for that!

Thats Thailand and the conequent follow up of the road map of a military junta!!!!!!!!!!

Oh my god!

Poor people of Thailand!

[Bluespunk]

"Many people said that action should be taken against the drivers in every case. Speed needs to be limited and drivers properly trained, it was said."

Seat belts might help as well.

What about the schools? Surely they are responsible for cramming as many kids in these vans as possible! It's all about the money for them,plus they are the ones hiring these drivers and responsible for the upkeep of the vans the self. My wife spends 4 hrs everyday mon to fri stuck in traffic jams or what not to pick up the two kids from 2 different schools across Bangkok because she knows they fill the vans to the brim and it's hot as hell in there and the drivers are not the best shall we say.

These are not cheap schools either!

All vehicles should have seatbelts. Schools I know of will not allow children on a bus without full provision of seatbelts.

[chainarong]

"Many people said that action should be taken against the drivers in every case. Speed needs to be limited and drivers properly trained, it was said."

Seat belts might help as well.

You said it Bluespunk, you'd think in this day n age students at least would be told to buckle up, even if half of the population is still coming to grips with the steering wheel , Amazing Thailand indeed.

[chainarong]

Allways the same in Thailand: nothing has a consequence!!!!!!!!!!!

So why to stop their habit???? No reason for that!

Thats Thailand and the conequent follow up of the road map of a military junta!!!!!!!!!!

Oh my god!

Poor people of Thailand!

I like that manhood, nothing has a consequence, say's it all.

[deckape]

Dash cam in LOS is worth it's weight in gold.

[Remi080]

Stereotypical stupid Thai male moron. ALL school minivan drivers pull stuff like this everyday. I'm planning on moving out of Thailand in the near future because of stuff like this. If I was planning on staying I'd have to force myself not to read stories like these as they infuriate me. Thank God the little girl was ok.

I can understand that, I live and work 16 years non stop here, the biggest upgrade I'v seen in those years are better car's and cooler mobile phone's, The rest of the crap is still the same like 16 years ago. Things just never change.

Children will die every day cause of lack of safety. My daughter at school could not use the drink water cooler because her friend died cause of electrocution for some cool drinking water. 4 months later that same water cooler was still there with some more tape around the cracked cable. And these things are never posted online, but it happen every day every where. Just lucky that it was on cam, 1000 more accidents with schoolkids every week all over Thai unreported. I feel sorry for those children and it make me sick. I hope the little one was fine. And that kind of stuff make me planning to leave with my family to.

[whatproblem]

Just can't be trusted ,never let your children in these buses ,too preoccupied getting the kids to school so they can sleep and drink the rest of the day ,Thais always in a hurry to sit down

[Tompa]

I often take our dogs to a park here in Chanthaburi that is also popular for many school van drivers to park during the daytime. On many occasions I've seen them playing cards, eating food and having having a drink (whiskey)! This is around lunch time so they are obviously waiting to pick up the kids at school later on. Absolute disgrace. I'm lucky that I got a car so I can leave/pick up my kids from school, unfortunately a lot of parents don't have any choice. The schools must be made responsible if they are the ones hiring these vans!

[sweatalot]

I'm not going to blame anybody here.

But I have to say that I was moved when seeing people caring.

This country has not only morons

[tuanku]

"Many people said that action should be taken against the drivers in every case. Speed needs to be limited and drivers properly trained, it was said."

Seat belts might help as well.

What about the schools? Surely they are responsible for cramming as many kids in these vans as possible! It's all about the money for them,plus they are the ones hiring these drivers and responsible for the upkeep of the vans the self. My wife spends 4 hrs everyday mon to fri stuck in traffic jams or what not to pick up the two kids from 2 different schools across Bangkok because she knows they fill the vans to the brim and it's hot as hell in there and the drivers are not the best shall we say.

These are not cheap schools either!

All vehicles should have seatbelts. Schools I know of will not allow children on a bus without full provision of seatbelts.

Schools should have child protection policies which should prevent children being supervised by a single (usually male) adult who in all probability hasn't been screened for offences against children, and who should be fully engaged in his driving, therefore unable to pay attention to what the kids might be doing . It is a bigger issue than just road safety. None of these vehicles should be operating without an additional screened and trustworthy bus monitor. Otherwise what is to prevent a bus load of children being abducted by a driver who is actually a child molester? Parents should be insisting on the publication (or creation) of their children's schools child protection policy and should be refusing any offers of "driver only" transportation. In any fee paying schools parents have all the power. Let them get together and press for improvements.

As an example, here is an extract from the Child Protection policy of a prominent Jakarta school;

Chaperones

On every bus there is a...........chaperone whose primary duty is to look after the children in the bus. The chaperone will meet children in front of the house, help store the school bags (for children in Year 3 and below) and ensure the child is properly seated with safety belts on.

The chaperones are trained in Child Protection, First Aid and Emergency Procedures. The chaperones will stay with the children under all circumstances.For children in Year 3 and below, the chaperone will personally take them to their classes. At the end of the school day, the class teacher will escort the student to the bus waiting area to meet their respective chaperone.

Discipline on the Bus

Chaperones are also trained to maintain discipline and order on the bus. Issues which require further disciplinary action will be referred to the Assistant Head of Primary / Secondary.

http://www.bsj.sch.id/199/bus-service-transport

[The Deerhunter]

Number one problem with Thai society. Lack of responsibility for any action taken. It is epidemic through every level of Thai society. That is why nobody gives a damn. "Nobody ELSE gives a damn so why expect me to?" Even when they catch people encroaching golf courses, hotels or shrimp farms on public land they only (sometimes, only eventually, when it gets to be unavoidable) punish the encroacher. Never any mention of which public servant signed off a shonky land transfer or lease agreement. There is never any requirement to accept responsibility for any action,whether it is racing while driving an overloaded school bus or being asleep on duty or in the shower when on duty in a boarding school dormitory that catches fire. Add fatalism or predestination to this and it makes any society a basket case. It means that, not only was it "not my fault" but it was going to happen anyway no matter how careful I was, so why bother, (no point in) even trying to be careful!!! I am only a relatively recent resident so forgive me if, to me it seems to be getting worse lately. Perhaps it has never been any better?.........

Does anyone actually know if the Jakarta school bus laws posted by another user are actually followed? Having rules is one thing. Having people who care about implementing or enforcing them is another thing altogether. We have heaps of rules here that are flagrantly disobeyed every day right in front of police and employment supervisors.

PS In answer to the question we were all thinking, it look like she may have fallen out of an improperly closed sliding door on the LHS of the bus. Overcrowding, no seatbelt use, probably not even in a seat, no one ensuring doors are closed properly and everyone securely seated etc, etc etc!!!

Edited May 31, 2016 by The Deerhunter

[ThaiFelix]

Both the clips I have seen this week feature the child bouncing up and chasing the van. I can't recall being so committed to making it to school. Does anyone else recall the practice of children riding on the roofs of song taews being made illegal? It wasn't that many years ago.

Still goes on in my area......and right past the police??

[nabbie]

Oh no, not again. Let pray there will be no third time....

[Bluespunk]

"Many people said that action should be taken against the drivers in every case. Speed needs to be limited and drivers properly trained, it was said."

Seat belts might help as well.

What about the schools? Surely they are responsible for cramming as many kids in these vans as possible! It's all about the money for them,plus they are the ones hiring these drivers and responsible for the upkeep of the vans the self. My wife spends 4 hrs everyday mon to fri stuck in traffic jams or what not to pick up the two kids from 2 different schools across Bangkok because she knows they fill the vans to the brim and it's hot as hell in there and the drivers are not the best shall we say.

These are not cheap schools either!

All vehicles should have seatbelts. Schools I know of will not allow children on a bus without full provision of seatbelts.

Schools should have child protection policies which should prevent children being supervised by a single (usually male) adult who in all probability hasn't been screened for offences against children, and who should be fully engaged in his driving, therefore unable to pay attention to what the kids might be doing . It is a bigger issue than just road safety. None of these vehicles should be operating without an additional screened and trustworthy bus monitor. Otherwise what is to prevent a bus load of children being abducted by a driver who is actually a child molester? Parents should be insisting on the publication (or creation) of their children's schools child protection policy and should be refusing any offers of "driver only" transportation. In any fee paying schools parents have all the power. Let them get together and press for improvements.

As an example, here is an extract from the Child Protection policy of a prominent Jakarta school;

Chaperones

On every bus there is a...........chaperone whose primary duty is to look after the children in the bus. The chaperone will meet children in front of the house, help store the school bags (for children in Year 3 and below) and ensure the child is properly seated with safety belts on.

The chaperones are trained in Child Protection, First Aid and Emergency Procedures. The chaperones will stay with the children under all circumstances.For children in Year 3 and below, the chaperone will personally take them to their classes. At the end of the school day, the class teacher will escort the student to the bus waiting area to meet their respective chaperone.

Discipline on the Bus

Chaperones are also trained to maintain discipline and order on the bus. Issues which require further disciplinary action will be referred to the Assistant Head of Primary / Secondary.

http://www.bsj.sch.id/199/bus-service-transport

The schools I know of have seatbelts for all, 2 adults [driver and bus monitor] present and follow the guidelines you highlight.

That's the ideal I know, however at the least, seatbelts would prevent incidents like this.

Edited May 31, 2016 by Bluespunk

[khunPer]

"Many people said that action should be taken against the drivers in every case. Speed needs to be limited and drivers properly trained, it was said."

Seat belts might help as well.

But wonder how a kid can fall out of a minibus van – hangig out an open window..? or was it an open slide-door..? – could understand those kids hangig on the back of a song thaew, can fall off...