Ten killed, two injured in double vehicle crashes in Buri Ram

Buri Ram - Two passenger vehicles crashed into a 18-wheel trailer which lost control and blocked the road late Wednesday night, killing ten and injuring two others.

The accident happened at midnight on the Chokechai-Dej Udom Road in Ban Nongman village in Tambon Nongki of Buri Ram's Nongki district.

Police said the lorry was carrying rice from Nakhon Sawan to Nakhon Ratchasima.

The truck apparently lost control because the road was slippery due to heavy rains, causing it to turn and block the road.

Police said a van with five passengers and a pick-up truck with seven passengers, which were rushing after the lorry, crashed into the lorry.

The pick-up truck crashed into the trailer part while the van crashed into the front part of the lorry.

Police said nine died at the scene and the pick-up truck driver, Siriwut Passada, 49, died at the hospital.

His wife, Oranuj Passada, 34, and their three-year-old son, Santiham, died at the scene.

The lorry driver fled the scene.

Source: The Nation - 7 December 2006

Maybe they should think about chaining bus and truck drivers to the steering wheel or maybe make it mandatory to paint their picture on the mudflaps instead of Al Pacino or Rambo.

Sadly, it seems like another situation of following too closely, which doesn't allow for any sort of necessary reaction time....

coupled with being a night-time situation and under wet, rainy conditions...

and depressingly, disaster awaits

to all involved.... R.I.P.

My expat friend told me that the primary qualification for being a truck or bus driver is to be an ex-con and connoisseur of ya-ba. True?

and be able to run like the wind

Mrs Robski told me whenever she gets the bus back home to see the folks, she likes to sit near the front so she can wake the driver up if he falls asleep! she wasn't making a joke.