Video: dangerous minibus driver caught after Facebook shaming

[Honthy]

Another pratt in the paradise

[David Walden]

35 minutes ago, Familyaffairs said:

You are dead wrong about him not using his wing mirror. Wing mirrors in Thailand and mirrors on bikes are invariably turned inward as they come in handy admiring yourself, squeezing pimples etc. What else could they be for ?

Ahhhhh...your both wrong you cant squeese pimples doing 100KPH down the hi-way???.  I think. 

[toofarnorth]

That is a bus not a minibus nor a minivan , a minivan is a van with no windows in the side a bus has windows in the side be it mini . big or worst of all VIP buses .    There we go ,  the Aussies will disagree  as they can be very disagreeable and even call a pickup a ute.  

[DavisH]

Ex green bus driver maybe? Only even went on that once....crazy driver seemed high on yaba.

[tails]

Normal for Thailand and unacceptable for sure... but hang on let's not forget two things here...

 

1) bus drivers in cities all around the world rank very high in terms of occupational stress and mental health

(http://www.busvic.asn.au/images/uploads/links/A_Review_of_Mental_Health_and_Well_Being_of_the_Bus_and_Coach_Industry_-_January_2015.pdf)... and

 

2) when was the last time you saw a Thai driver 'let someone in' on the road?

 

Yeah the guy needs to get off the road and be suspended, but I argue that the root cause is well beyond this one driver. Do you want his job?

[George Graham]

1 hour ago, Estrada said:

Yes, they call them minibuses as they are smaller than the main bus fleets. There used to be an even smaller bus which they called the "Microbus".

Oh god thanks for that, it's so helpful

[JaseTheBass]

2 hours ago, fruitman said:

How can he steer a big bus like that if he's also on the phone? He should loose his license forever but i see many idiot busdrivers every day in BKK, also on the phone while driving. I never see police on patrol though so this is their fault.

 

Yes, but if you suspended people for being idiots here the whole country would be in inactive posts.

 

Oh. Hang on...

[Stargeezr]

Bsngkok is a big city with many buses and drivers.  I have seen some other people who drive like this bus driver

so what is the problem?  I have also seen many good bus drivers all over BKK, and I salute all drivers who

drive in that city every day and manage to avoid an accident.  I seen bad drivers all over the world, so why

don't you guys dis some other place by the way . Have any of you been to India, or Vietnam, or even

Cambodia?  I thought not, or I would  hear about those countries as well.

Just saying!

Geezer

Edited November 15, 2016 by Stargrazer9889

[Itay]

3 hours ago, colinneil said:

Just another maniac driver on Thai roads, never been taught to drive.

I am bigger than you, so get out of my way.

That is the MOST problematic issue! the tests go get licence here are so easy and simple... 

they expect you to learn on the road... and they do! with such high road fatality and a well oiled body shop garages...

that will not change unfortunately. i am buying my wife a TANK to go to work :)

[masuk]

3 hours ago, LotusBoy said:

Suspended for a month you say........so he will be back on the roads this fine morning then. TIT  beep beep......

Is there a demerit system in Thailand?   9 demerits and you're out!

 

3 demerits for using a phone while driving.+ a hefty fine.   It's over $500 in Canberra.

[toofarnorth]

Perhaps there should be an OP here about who are the best drivers in LoS .  I Have found over the years that truck drivers are about the best , ferlungs certainly have a lot more idea about driving here but maybe like me they get bad tempered at the way Thais drive , I do which makes me an aggressive driver but how can one relax at the driving out there ?  Worst of the lot .......minibus drivers.

[longtom]

21 minutes ago, Stargrazer9889 said:

Bsngkok is a big city with many buses and drivers.  I have seen some other people who drive like this bus driver

so what is the problem?  I have also seen many good bus drivers all over BKK, and I salute all drivers who

drive in that city every day and manage to avoid an accident.  I seen bad drivers all over the world, so why

don't you guys did some other place by the way . Have any of you been to India, or Vietnam, or even

Cambodia?  I thought not, or I would  hear about those countries as well.

Just saying!

Geezer

 

I'm sure one could read about India/Vietnam/Cambodia in the respective country forums. 

Just saying 

Edited November 15, 2016 by longtom

[lvr181]

"He also has to attend three hours of politeness training and good driving instruction." 

 

Is this a joke?

 

Politeness to who? How about three hours of driving instruction followed by a test to see if driver learn? If he show he learn then he can drive again - otherwise never drive again. If he pass and should he offend again then, once more, never allowed to drive again.

 

To the "authorities" - get real, get tough and stop being being laughing stock of world. Thai people and tourists have a right to expect safe driving in Thailand, not shameful (leading to death and injury) driving.

[Brer Fox]

2 hours ago, scorecard said:

 

These 71 buses (same size as in the video) are also along Ramkamgaeng with the same bad and dangerous driving behaviors, this road is jammed with traffic most of the day and many bus passengers waiting / alighting the many buses along this road and of the 71 buses, is the ) 

 

When a 71 comes in sight many of the people  on the footpaths step back. 

Entirely agree. I have ridden this 71 bus route many times on these orange buses. They are a larger version of baht buses but with fares which are the same as the normal Transit authority buses. In general the drivers are on the younger side and drive like madmen. They sometimes have their girlfriends sitting on the engine cover while they chat to them. Many have music systems with boom boxes that blast your eardrums out. I am not sure but I think drivers can hire/lease them out from the owners for set periods of time.

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, fruitman said:

How can he steer a big bus like that if he's also on the phone? He should loose his license forever but i see many idiot busdrivers every day in BKK, also on the phone while driving. I never see police on patrol though so this is their fault.

I was once in a similar bus to this one in central BKK, the driver was as erratic as this one which go my attention.

As I looked forward to see what the problem was, he was texting with both hands & steering with his knee under the wheel...
I managed to walk to the front & told him to stop so I could get off, as I glanced back about half the passengers followed me, the rest must have had a death wish or been immune to Thai drivers.

[Siamwhiteelephant]

I can see both wing mirrors are intact. ......unless it was an extra wing mirror another bus knocked off

[halloween]

2 hours ago, toofarnorth said:

That is a bus not a minibus nor a minivan , a minivan is a van with no windows in the side a bus has windows in the side be it mini . big or worst of all VIP buses .    There we go ,  the Aussies will disagree  as they can be very disagreeable and even call a pickup a ute.  

The first "ute" was designed by an Australian smart enough to put a fixed roof on what Americans called a roadster pick-up. Being simple folk with spelling inadequacies they were unable to pick the obvious difference when that design improvement was copied.

BTW both Ford and GM market utes as utes.

[Keesters]

Punishment was not harsh enough. This man had fare-paying public in his care...and he didn't care. His PSV license (if Thailand has such a thing) should be revoked forever.

[oldsailor35]

I heard a funny noise and then discovered that i used to have a wing mirror. Never got the chance to use it before so would like to have it back so that i can practice, that or 25'000 Bht.

[bark]

6 hours ago, alfalfa19 said:

brilliant defense, i must admit.  johnnie cochran would approve, if he were not dead

If the Mini Bus does not fit , you .......

[scorecard]

6 hours ago, MartinL said:

"He also has to attend three hours of politeness training and good driving instruction".

 

The 'politeness training' will consist of teaching him to continue to drive in this fashion while all the time saying 'kaaw thoht, khrap". 

 

As for the 'good driving instruction' - there aren't many Thais can teach him that. 

 

Years ago my Thai son went to a driving school in suburban Bkk, usual road signs plastered all around the front of the buiding. He asked to learn to drive and get instruction about the rules of the road.

 

Response form school owner; I can't teach you rules of the road because Thailand doesn't have such laws / rules, it's up to you. Son searched further until he did find a school which had books about the road rules with easy to understand drawings and good explanations of the meaning of the road signs. 

 

 

[thhMan]

They have a Politeness Training class?

 

Why not give him a real fine and a real suspension... That should fix his "Politeness" in a jiffy!

 

Its a pity that the Police work had to be done via Facebook...

[snooky]

One of the main problems with fast bus (?) drivers is that they are paid by a percentage of the fares they collect so they charge ahead trying to get more passengers.  Most westeern countries pay by the trip or hour - but then, we might see a lot of drivers sleeping along the way and not getting anywhere.

 

BTW, microbuses were about the same size as they ones shown here - they had a flat fee of 25 bt but guaranteed seating.  In 1997, I arrived back here and had to get to Suan Phlu to renew my visa the very next day so did that, exchanged some money at the bank and boarded a micro bus to get back home.  I paid my fare, for which you received a paper receipt - he started up, I took one step towards my seat when he slammed on the brakes.  I wound up on the floor and stepwell backwards, having landed on my left wrist which then dangled at an odd angle.  Kept the receipt, had my broken wrist operated on and after a lot of hassle they paid for all of my medical bills plus I received 50,000bt compensation.  All because it was a private company.  Had it been part of BMA, I would have been lucky to even had the medical bills paid.  I consider myself lucky even though my wrist still takes an unusual twist but functions OK.

Edited November 15, 2016 by snooky

[johnno2]

these orange buss drivers are pathetic. they swerve all over the place and don't think ahead. they will suddenly realise 10 seconds ahead that they have to get over to the left lane to drop off/pick up someone and just cut across lanes, no problem. my thai wife is always scolding me for blocking them off, she says just brake and let them go. 3 hours training isn't enough 

[metisdead]

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[Moonmoon]

Normal. about time for me to install camera to upload traffic road videos every day.

[Jonmarleesco]

At what point did a standard (omni)bus become a mini version?

 

12 hours ago, webfact said:

The driver was using one hand and the other was holding a phone. I see it every day". It was viewed half a million times and shared 5,000 times, reported Thairath.

 

One group who saw it were the overlords at the land department. They fined Thienchai 3,000 baht and ordered him suspended for a month. He also has to attend three hours of politeness training and good driving instruction.

A B3,000 fine and a month's suspension. What a farce. And where are the RTP in all of this? They are supposed to be maintaining law and order, and use of a mobile while driving was just one law he was breaking.

[gemguy]

That is the Thai drivers school "learning bus"..... and the student was failed because the driving conduct is not nearly aggressive enough.

Driving instructor cites the following reason for students failure:

# Does not slam on the brakes hard enough or often enough.

# When erratically swerving to the left or right the maneuver is performed "too gently"

# Failed to back up in the middle of traffic

# Used the turn indicators ( Note: Remind the mechanics to disconnect the turn signals )

# Unnecessarily used the horn to warn other people of possible danger.

# Failed to rev up the engine in a menacing manner and did not drop the clutch hard enough when the light turns green

# When waiting for the red light at an intersection the operator looked both ways before accelerating when the light turned green while always moving forward into the intersection with too much caution.

# Failed to block the intersection on multiple occasions when the opportunity presented itself.

# Gave way to smaller vehicles and failed to aggressively over take other vehicles and speed about recklessly.

# Swerved around dogs instead of ignoring them.

# Failed to aggressively cut off the required number of motorcycles per kilometer.

# Stopped at cross walks and allowed the pedestrians to cross safely.

# Failed to speed up when the light turns yellow.

# Failed to run any red lights

# Failed to adequately block the other lanes.

# When there was clear road ahead the operator failed to speed excessively.

# When there was bumper to bumper conditions the operator failed to drive at less than 1 meter distance behind the vehicle in front and refused to fight like hell for every inch of space and did not change lanes continually or often enough.

# Failed to abruptly pull a U turn in heavy traffic and cause any notable degree of momentary life threatening chaos.

# Tried to discuss the issue of a valid drivers license and vehicle insurance and asked too many irrelevant questions about the lawful rules of the road, causing undue stress to the passengers.

# Operator expressed unnecessary concern for road safety issues seen in his refusal to conform to the way everyone else drives and advocated by others while the operator does not understand the concept of : Monkey See , Monkey Do motor vehicle operators conduct.

# Failed to bribe the traffic police officers and threatened to call the police.

 

Note: I am about to run out of paper to continue the list but this student should not be allowed to drive...... period..........Complete FAIL

 

Cheers

Edited November 15, 2016 by gemguy

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

Thai buses (if not all Thai vehicles really) seem to be fitted with On/Off buttons rather than accelerator and brake pedals. I dare not think what causes the swerving, can you get power steering that only has full lock either right or left and a default dead centre? 

I think it's a design or manufacturing fault, since it can't be every drivers fault.

 

Edited November 15, 2016 by George FmplesdaCosteedback
typo

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

13 hours ago, halloween said:

MINIbus?

I think we are getting mixed up with the minivans, they have 16+1 seats and a driver with no standing room. There were green minibuses (those that remain have been repainted and are used as Soi buses) and the 25 seat bus like the 71, and then the large (conventional type) open bus and aircon buses that have about 40 seats.

Edited November 15, 2016 by George FmplesdaCosteedback
missing fact