Eleven Dead in Motorway Smash Between Pattaya & Bangkok

[Nicolas32]

11 died for no more then maybe 2200B with 11 passengers life is so cheap in Thailand it's shocking ..

[samuibeachcomber]

Innocent lives just snuffed out

Stay away from mini vans, it could be you next if you use them.

so true....stay away from mini bus travel,a disaster waiting to happen,drivers driving too fast and in a reckless manor,without any thought or care for their passengers.today its just as cheap to fly if ticket bought well in advance.I realise this cant be done bkk to pattaya.

[marrmrrs]

This country should hand its head in utter shame!!!... Its roads all lawless!!.. This is one of the reasons no one takes this country seriously!!

Vehicles that are unroadworthy, unlicenced drivers, bus drivers carrying the public with no formal training, infants riding on motorbikes!?!?..There is real driving test, and they still are up there with one of the top countries that have horrific death tolls!!!.. and nothing is done!!.. Shame on you Thailand!

[Kabula]

The last thing i would want to wear in an overturned and on fire minibus would be a seatbelt.

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Without a seatbelt the rollover inertia would eject you through a window and you'd be bouncing down the road. Or you would be breaking the necks of your fellow passengers.

I really miss common sense!

Mini vans will crush like a tin can.

And, many are overloaded with passengers and cargo which causes excessive tire wear and tread separation.

[tigermoth]

The whole transportations system in Thailand is one big shamble to say the least, it left to the operators of those

services to dictate what safety measures to implement and install on all vehicles servicing passengers,

as well as the design, build and emergency exits in case of such horrendous accident,

and as such, very little car or attention is paid for the minimum safety musts for the sake of safe traveling....

Agree. One has to only look at the appalling condition of the many public transport vehicles, particularly buses. There are also many taxis that are filthy, decrepit and sound like a faulty 2 stroke lawnmower on the road. Obviously not had a yearly checkup for a decade. How is this so? Owned by police or a relative?

[Usual Suspect]

Oh those poor folk trapped inside..RIP.

So many posts here all saying more checks are needed & more laws introduced...that's all pointless when in this country a fist full of Baht ensures the desired result, be it a roadside check, or an official annual vehicle check..it seems no laws are up-held here when it comes to vehicles & motoring.

The inferno we see here may be the direct result of a 'backyard' gas-conversion..but we'll never know..?

[chrissables]

The last thing i would want to wear in an overturned and on fire minibus would be a seatbelt.

----------

Without a seatbelt the rollover inertia would eject you through a window and you'd be bouncing down the road. Or you would be breaking the necks of your fellow passengers.

I really miss common sense!

Mini vans will crush like a tin can.

And, many are overloaded with passengers and cargo which causes excessive tire wear and tread separation.

Regarding being in an overturned and burning minibus, my comment stays the same.

[dodojero]

11 dead - 4 survivors climbed out the van! Why the hell let they sit 15 passengers in a van? As I know there are only 11 seats.

R.I.P.guys

[D3030]

There is a good reason I usually take the bus....?

You must be joking?

[sanukjim]

I drove back on the motorway from Pattaya yesterday. The speed at which some drive, the lack of lane awareness, tailgating and swerving in and out of lanes, makes it surprising that this sort of horrendous accident doesn't happen even more often.

Yes because they know that the highway patrol are useless in enforcing any speed or other highway laws and a lot of the drivers get their license after a phony diving school around the parking lot and one trip on a road.Four things come into play here,Lack of knowledge in any type of driving,Driving aggressively,No correct police presents or enforcement,,and the Thai attitude of Me First.

[impulse]

One more data point. Avoid mini-vans like the plague.

Jeez, that's sad.

[spacebass]

Mini bus industry is Mafia out of control.

[waldroj]

This tragedy only highlights Thailand's reckless desire to overtake Libya as Number 1 (2015 Global Status Report of Road Safety)!

[bogozy]

Last Year I want to travel from Mochit to Bangna BTS station. There was a minibus, direct drive to Bangna. Ok i seated, despite all of seat was occupied, the driver no start, pull out small boxes, and all square centimeters was fullfilled by additional passangers. Approximately about 5 people. If there was an accident, was absolut impossibile to escape, from the mass of bodies. So I decided it was may last travel in this system. Next time if the driver pull the small boxes, I get out.

[impulse]

There is a good reason I usually take the bus....?

You must be joking?

I have never had a bad ride in a scheduled city to city (full size) bus in Thailand. Maybe I'm lucky.

I will resist, kicking and screaming, ever getting into another passenger mini-van in Thailand.

[lvr181]

The Disaster Mitigation and Prevention Department of the Interior Ministry ,oh they have this department but they not use the prevention part ? Such a terrible way to die

Now the Thai CDC is involved in accident preventation (?) apart from words of advice I wonder what they will achieve? Nothing? I think.

If the PM is concerned about tourism about time he ORDERED his RTP to do their jobs properly along with all the other relevant Government departments (and dismiss those heads who cannot do it) to end this senseless slaughter on the roads (and on water)!

Drivers cause accidents, the weather etc is jut a contributory factor in 99.9% of the time!

Does the PM really care?

[D3030]

It's a good thing most of you don't watch Thai news..

After the fire was put out, van flipped right side up, and bodies removed..

There was a group photo of those that helped, with 11 yellow bagged up bodies in front of them..

That's how it's done in Thailand...

[owenm]

Almost every single day, another case of cowboy carnage. Minibuses are death traps and the cowboy drivers have no regard for passenger safety and speed to their destinatio, speedboat crashes again caused by cowboys. Responsibility for this almost daily carnage, has to go to the very top. When is PM Prayut going to get serious and introduce new legislation on safety measures to reduce these almost daily acts of stupidity. No 2 in the world for road fatalities. You have an opportunity to introduce tough measures, but like all previous governments, nothing changes. It's all in the too hard basket. Innocent people are dying needlessly due to government inaction for change. I'm sure that the international press coverage won't be helping tourism in Thailand, and insurance companies may separate Thailand from south-east Asia with higher premiums, because Los is no longer a safe destination for holidaymakers.

[bluegum]

Once again, a tragedy like this shines the light on 2 glaring inadequacies in Thailand - education and regulation.

I grew up with a simple mantra for driving - Speed Kills. It really is as simple as that.

TV adverts like this one have had an effect on me. Could they be used to good effect in Thailand?

[media]

[/media]

[ChrisY1]

Another example of a "safe gas conversion".......It's madness converting vehicles here to run on gas.....As I understand..there's no real regulation on these conversions....no policing and as always, the cheapest of materials used....the tanks just seem to explode at almost the slightest bump!

Just the sheer number of fire ball crashes in Thailand should indicate something very wrong!

But, as always....no-one cares about road deaths and the causes of them.....!

Edited June 11, 2016 by ChrisY1

[Stray]

There needs to be stricter controls on these mini buses, i.e. compulsory registration as commercial vehicle, annual checks & random checks of vehicle safety & operation, compulsory seat belts, passenger limit. Plus,there driver payment system needs to change, to force speed reductions by drivers. Some years back,was 1 of 12 passengers hurtling along on Bangna Express @ 170k p/h. Told driver to slow just laughed, reported to Police station & nothing occurred.

The Prayut Gov't needs institute program to more strictly control the minibus industry, it's a disgrace. Prayut espouses the principles of caring for Thai people, well, 11 Thai people senselessly lost their lives, so, Khun Prayut prove you care....do something!!

The last thing i would want to wear in an overturned and on fire minibus would be a seatbelt.

Real tough penalties for both drive and company if they are found at fault would save far more lives.

Do you honestly believe that everyone in the minivan was wearing a seatbelt?

Apart from the front seat passengers and driver, it is very rare for other passengers to wear seatbelts.

If everyone was wearing a seatbelt, perhaps they would have been able to exit the van, following the crash, as they would not have been hampered by multiple broken bones, concussion etc.

[Roomuck]

I drove back on the motorway from Pattaya yesterday. The speed at which some drive, the lack of lane awareness, tailgating and swerving in and out of lanes, makes it surprising that this sort of horrendous accident doesn't happen even more often.

You are correct, it is a high speed road.

I use this road twice, sometimes four times a week, 95% of drivers are ok, but the dangerous 5% are a problem.

I am constantly checking mirrors and trying to predict what is in front. Bad drivers include big buses, and one company in particular that I won't name but their buses are blue, crazy young blokes in pickups swerving in and out with some crazy maneuvers, minivan conveys and merc and bmw drivers who drive too fast and tailgate.

There are always patrol cars and cops on motorbikes pulling people over, but they usually hassle the big trucks that drive slowly anyway.

I have seen countless accidents on this road. Nearly always they are in the fast lane.

It is actually a very good smooth road with many lanes, which is a speedsters heaven.

When safe and have a clear road in front I sit on between 120-140 with no problems, but am still always looking in the rear view mirror as many do up to about 180-200 I estimate.(usually mercs and beemers)

[theoldgit]

Mini bus industry is Mafia out of control.

Seems that it was a school mini bus returning to Mini Buri following a seminar in Rayong District.

The driver was a 52 year old woman, and she survived.

A witness, in a following vehicle, is reported as saying "the right rear tyre of the mini bus exploded, causing it to crash into the central reservation before overturning and bursting into flames".

[eggers]

Eggers........

Think you're missing the point, many countries have compulsory wearing of seat belts, based on solid research. Sure there will be instances where the belts can't/don't save lives, but in majority of cases they work. So to protect people it's compulsory, same with helmets, not a matter of choice.

Helmet wearing is a choice in more enlightened countries. As it should be in all as it is a victimless crime.

Think that's nonsense.. name "the enlightened countries"??

A victimless crime??... I'm sure all patients in hospitals around the globe with varying degrees of head injuries as a result of motorbike incidences, would totally disagree with you.

Yes it is a victimless crime. If i decide to not wear a helmet, who have i victimised?

People in hospital are victims, but of what? Other road users bad driving, or possibly their own?

What countries, to start 50% from memory of USA, where in fact the fatality rate is the same with or without wearing a helmet.

Who have you victimised? Yourself!!

Read what I wrote! Isn't better to try to reduce accidents than leave to free choice...that's what essentially happens here!!

The USA is compulsory. Name other countries? Anyway enough said, 20 other people like my comments; you're just playing on words & I can't be bothered arguing nonsense, when 11 people are dead for no good reason. End of comments

Edited June 11, 2016 by eggers

[Roomuck]

Once again, a tragedy like this shines the light on 2 glaring inadequacies in Thailand - education and regulation.

I grew up with a simple mantra for driving - Speed Kills. It really is as simple as that.

TV adverts like this one have had an effect on me. Could they be used to good effect in Thailand?

[media]

[/media]

They do have safety ads on TV re speeding, texting, drink driving.

Here is one.

[Roomuck]

[callcharlie2001]

No one has mentioned the cargo that is usually placed in the doorway of the sliding door, blocking that exit. In a rollover those boxes would contribute to the injuries inside the van before trying to escape.

[Khun Paul]

It was stated in another report that a tyre burst, one wonders what was the state of the tyre before it punctured or burst, many buses I see have at least one or more tyres almost bald same as trucks.

Again bad maintainance and driver ignorance or just plain uncaring attitude is often the fault of many of these so called accidents.

[UdeBoCM]

What about installing tachometers in all public and merchandise transport vehicles? ...and having compulsory or random checks.

[Roomuck]