"The driver was drunk" say tourists as Bangkok bound tour bus overturns in the south injuring seven

[smew]

Drunk driving: Fine him 500 baht and cased closed...Russian feeding fish 100,000.00 baht fine and 5 yrs hard labour LOS justice system

[smew]

9 minutes ago, prakhonchai nick said:

Once they establish whether the "driver" was drunk, he should be locked up for a minimum of 10 years...as an example to everyone else. No excuses accepted. The drivers job is to safely transport passengers from point A to point B, and any intervening places SAFELY. This it would appear he did not do!

You poor soul, you are so naive and daydreamer 

[biplanebluey]

5 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

I have seen cynics on here criticizing the use of the words 'drink driving' by reporters, on numerous reports.

Well, now you have it first hand !

Whats all this "first hand?" I see no pictures

[Surasak]

2 hours ago, darksidedog said:

Thai Public Transport drivers drunk. Thats not exactly news to most of us is it?

I wasn't driving, my mate was, but he has done a runner. Seriously? And I don't know his name. Classic.

In total contradiction to what the witnesses said.

The only thing that puzzles me is why the Police didn't apparently breathalyse him immediately.

One does not have to search too hard to see why Thailands roads are the second most dangerous in the world.

 

We all also know they do not like being second!

[darksidedog]

1 hour ago, djayz said:

Call me skeptical if you want to, but that story about his "mate" driving the bus doesn't wash with me. 

 

However, the super intelligent, ever watchful and profession RTP probably have a search cordon around the area looking for him!

This is probably not necessary, as the fella is undoubtedly a man of integrity, who is only wearing genuine, not knock off clothes, and is desperatley searching for the police station, so he can hand himself in.

[Cereal]

Am I the only one who finds the phrase "guzzling beer and swerving all over the road" hilarious?

[Card]

5 hours ago, smedly said:

anyone that uses public transport of any kind in this country needs their head looked at

So you think that driving your own car is any safer?

 

First, airlines are public transport and they are safer than your own car. I uses the big public buses all the time and never been involved in a smash in 20 years - but several very near misses in a car and minibus. I would reckon the big buses are safer than the minibuses - not safe I agree but in a smash would be a better bet than your own car. It's the minibuses that are the problem - small, unregulated and driven by maniacs.

 

I would say that sitting upstairs in the middle of a 24 or 32 seater near the stairs in a government bus with a seatbelt on is about as safe as you can get travelling overland in Thailand. Not exactly safe I agree but safer than your own car in a smash.

Edited February 24, 2017 by Card
Additional points

[Andrew Dwyer]

Am I the only one who finds the phrase "guzzling beer and swerving all over the road" hilarious?

Sent from my iPhone with the usual amount of sincerity and sarcasm [emoji4]

[jesimps]

1 hour ago, Lupatria said:

Isn't your in principle good idea a bit unrealistic? Assuming that none of the tourists speak enough Thai to explain in a phone call to a police station in an unknown location, what happens and where exactly you are, seems impracticable.

And there are enough examples what happens if you start arguing with a bus driver over his reckless driving, speeding, or being under the influence of whatever...

Quite right, it'd probably make the pillock drive faster while shouting abuse at you. I don't know what the best course would be, maybe ask him calmly to stop the bus and let you off. The sensible action is to go Nakhonchai Air if there's a service available. Other than that, hire a car.

 

[prakhonchai nick]

39 minutes ago, smew said:

You poor soul, you are so naive and daydreamer 

Day dreaming yes. Naive NEVER.

 

Thailand is still in the dark ages. There are laws that just need enforcing. Sadly they never will, and thousands of unfortunate people will continue to lose their lives every year.

 

Natives of most Western counties would demand action. Thais are too timid and  greng jai to say boo!

 

 

[tukkytuktuk]

By the looks of these photos it could have been a lot worse.

[Card]

10 minutes ago, prakhonchai nick said:

Day dreaming yes. Naive NEVER.

 

Thailand is still in the dark ages. There are laws that just need enforcing. Sadly they never will, and thousands of unfortunate people will continue to lose their lives every year.

 

Natives of most Western counties would demand action. Thais are too timid and  greng jai to say boo!

 

 

If you live in Thailand - why don't you do something? Or is it a case of 'not my business', 'the authorities won't listen', 'I don't speak Thai' or 'I can't be bothered'?

Edited February 24, 2017 by Card
Additional points

[evadgib]

'A big boy did it and ran away'  stopped working for me from the age of 10!

[Ceruhe]

18 minutes ago, Card said:

If you live in Thailand - why don't you do something? Or is it a case of 'not my business', 'the authorities won't listen', 'I don't speak Thai' or 'I can't be bothered'?

Because he is a farang? Thais know better already so they are wasting their time if they listen to him

 

So, yea....great story, a little twist to the common excuse for a change. Reading the few sentences just won't cease to amaze me and facepalm hard regardless though. His mate whose surname he doesn't know, brilliant.

[USPatriot]

3 hours ago, dotpoom said:

I havn't seen that myself and frankly don't understand why two words like "drink driving" should be critized.....

What really puzzles me about this story is the passengers on the bus are determined that the driver was "guzzling" booze all the way while driving the bus and swerving all over the road........could not one of them have called the police?.....not a mention if any of them tried to take some action.

I doubt if any have number for the police or if they know where they are.

[hawker9000]

3 hours ago, dotpoom said:

I havn't seen that myself and frankly don't understand why two words like "drink driving" should be critized.....

What really puzzles me about this story is the passengers on the bus are determined that the driver was "guzzling" booze all the way while driving the bus and swerving all over the road........could not one of them have called the police?.....not a mention if any of them tried to take some action.

No idea how many of the passengers were locals and how many tourists, but....    The average tourist, esp. a first-time tourist, might not even have their phone working and/or might not know that 9-1-1 works in Thailand (if indeed it even does at that particular location).  As for the locals, I wonder if most would be conditioned to make such a call.  Conflict-averse; loss-of-face; fear of defamation issues; acceptance mentality; all that.   As you say, not mentioned in the article - maybe someone actually did and for whatever reason (I can think of a few...) it's not part of the reporting.

[bander]

I bet the cops will blame the tourists for the accident.

Thais never do anything wrong as usual.

This driver is behind the wheel again in a couple of weeks after sobering up. 

[Card]

17 minutes ago, Ceruhe said:

Because he is a farang? Thais know better already so they are wasting their time if they listen to him

 

So, yea....great story, a little twist to the common excuse for a change. Reading the few sentences just won't cease to amaze me and facepalm hard regardless though. His mate whose surname he doesn't know, brilliant.

The same as 'the authorities won't listen' - exactly the reason why Thais don't bother complaining? So what's the difference between Thais not bothering to complain and farangs not bothering to complain?

[mercman24]

best excuse of the year so far, i believe every word he said, we all know they all look alike just like the chinese, many is the time i have been chatting up a lady and then realise she is not the one i know, (well, after a dozen jack cokes they all look the same ). lol

[ChomDo]

3 hours ago, thailand49 said:

Doing something I can understand,  as for calling the police, on the bus as a tourist, some unknown province, like every tourist has the number, speak Thai, and posted on the bus.

I was thinking exactly the same after reading all the comments here. Easy to say "why didn't anyone call the police"? I believe there's not too much the tourist could have done except to demand the driver to stop so they can get off the bus. 

[Cranky]

All lucky to be alive, apart from the driver and his 'mate'.

[Ocicat]

No no no. Got it all wrong. Brakes failed when he swerved to miss "pink" elephant.

[bander]

1 minute ago, ChomDo said:

I was thinking exactly the same after reading all the comments here. Easy to say "why didn't anyone call the police"? I believe there's not too much the tourist could have done except to demand the driver to stop so they can get off the bus. 

 

1 minute ago, ChomDo said:

I was thinking exactly the same after reading all the comments here. Easy to say "why didn't anyone call the police"? I believe there's not too much the tourist could have done except to demand the driver to stop so they can get off the bus. 

Good luck with demand the driver to stop and let you out in the middle of nowhere, best case scenario he will open the door and kick you off while driving. 

[sstuff3]

There is no way I would have just sat there and watched the driver drink and drive. At the very least I would have demanded he stop the bus so I could get off. I've exited taxis in Bangkok before because I felt unsafe by the drivers erratic behavior.  My safety comes first and foremost. Hard to believe no one demanded him to stop if they truly saw him "guzzling beer all the way"

[prakhonchai nick]

53 minutes ago, Card said:

If you live in Thailand - why don't you do something? Or is it a case of 'not my business', 'the authorities won't listen', 'I don't speak Thai' or 'I can't be bothered'?

Ha Bloody Ha

 

A voice in the Wilderness

It needs a protest by thousands---of Thais--not farangs!

[elgordo38]

7 hours ago, Panda13 said:

Great movie loved it. It always amazes me as to how passengers come forth and say he was drunk he was drinking but no mention of them trying to stop the guy not physically of course but to try talk him into stopping. Their fate/lives were in this jerks hands. Could they not find a breathalyser to check this guy? They seem to have money for all these fancy cameras being handed out to the arm chair police. 500 baht fine and he is good to go again shocking. 

[elgordo38]

4 hours ago, Briggsy said:

Private charter bus (semi-legal) not a regular service, probably Khao San Road-bound. Far riskier than a regular service run under government concession. Not that your average tourist would know this.

Give me a ticket on the cheapest ride going to Bangkok. 

[trainman34014]

500 Baht fine...report for work on Monday.  Oh; and don't do it again........Lol.

[CGW]

4 minutes ago, elgordo38 said:

Give me a ticket on the cheapest ride going to Bangkok. 

That will be a "one way" ticket I'm guessing?

[Wallander4]

Are drivers of minivans and buses recruited from a mental hospital or maybe rehab center for drunks ?