Driver killed, 10 injured as van crashes into truck in Bangkok
By The Nation

 

 

BANGKOK: -- A Surin-Bangkok passenger van crashed into the rear of a stranded truck on a Bangkok road early on Thursday.

 

Police said the accident happened at 3am near a U-turn on the inbound Ramkhamhaeng Road in front of Saphan Sung district.

Police said the van driver, Boonpha Somkaew, 52, was killed behind the wheel.

 

Ten passengers in the van were injured. Four of them were rushed to Nopparat Ratchatani Hospital and six others to Karunvej Hospital.

 

The truck driver, Tom Pilapong 35, said he was transporting electric goods to Nakhon Ratchasima and Buri Ram but his truck broke down at the spot about 20 metres before it reached the U-turn.

 

He said he had to park the truck in the far-right lane of the five-lane road. He said he had turned on the emergency lights and placed traffic cones to warn other motorists but the van was coming at a high speed and crashed into the rear.

 

Police said the van had left Surin at 8pm on Wednesday.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/breakingnews/30312790

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-04-20

Might as well call these minivans 'White Coffins' while Thais are in charge of them. 

Unfortunate spot to break down for sure, but if he is telling the truth, he did the right thing with hazard lights and cones. Some drivers here are just crazy whether their vehicle is restricted to 90kmh or not. I wish the passengers a speedy recovery and assume their well-being might well be down to the fact they were probably wearing seat belts.

but... but... but... GPS. seat belts. less seats... checkpoints. 

Hazard lights? Maybe.   

 

Cones? 

39 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

but... but... but... GPS. seat belts. less seats... checkpoints. 

Fewer seats.

Speed Kills !   The Guy had been driving for seven hours, must have been tired but was still driving at 'high speed' when he hit the truck.   Sober, drunk, tired, on the phone, picking their nose....they just can't get their foot off the throttle for any reason and that's what causes many of these Minibus accidents.

Unfortunate spot to break down for sure, but if he is telling the truth, he did the right thing with hazard lights and cones. Some drivers here are just crazy whether their vehicle is restricted to 90kmh or not. I wish the passengers a speedy recovery and assume their well-being might well be down to the fact they were probably wearing seat belts.

I'm pretty sure they are all very seriously injured. Hit a brick wall at 120kph even with seat belt is going to cause major internal and external damage.

3 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

but... but... but... GPS. seat belts. less seats... checkpoints. 

And speed limiters. And yes checkpoints where they actually do something.

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Police said the van driver, Boonpha Somkaew, 52, was killed behind the wheel.

At least a good new.

Unfortunately the van driver cannot claim the brakes failed!

 

Hope all the passengers make a full and speedy recovery.

Ok i have a guess here. Driver was tired Driver was drunk  Driver was speeding  Brakes  failed ( Dont you just love that one good old brakes failed) It goes on and on Really does anybody believe these Vans have past a roadworthy?

2 hours ago, dinsdale said:

And speed limiters. And yes checkpoints where they actually do something.

Sometimes there are checkpoints where they do something, the times when they collect tea money.

OUCH AGAIN THE MIND Boggles again 

Speeding + brain on automatic (ie not really paying attention) = death and injury. Speed limiters? Nah, too much trouble. As my wife says, everyone is going to die anyway. Thai logic.

No matter what you do them suicide van cowboys  They don't give a Flying Hoot they will claim the road they cut you off they do not care,Glad to see there is some Karma. I feel sorry for the passengers to have to put  up with the suicide cowboys as they have no means to any other transport.I blame the Government for the carnage around the country,They just do not have the balls to stop them.Get them book them put them off the road forever.

6 hours ago, Cuchulainn said:

Hazard lights? Maybe.   

 

Cones? 

I've notice many trucks with a few cones in their carry bins or tied behind the cab. Not all heavy transport drivers are useless. 

4 hours ago, dinsdale said:

And speed limiters. And yes checkpoints where they actually do something.

Speed limiters, no don't want - -  too much trouble to circumvent. 

4 hours ago, Borzandy said:

At least a good new.

Can't see it being good news, unless you have an extremely ghoulish outlook on life. 

Speed limiters, no don't want - -  too much trouble to circumvent. 

http://www.conrad-anderson.co.uk/products/view/sl177240104/wizard:speed-limiter

12500 baht just to buy one? Could be a bit cheaper from China but it it would stop working a week after warranty expires

AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN

33 minutes ago, cunningstunt said:

 

 

http://www.conrad-anderson.co.uk/products/view/sl177240104/wizard:speed-limiter

12500 baht just to buy one? Could be a bit cheaper from China but it it would stop working a week after warranty expires

AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN

 

in Thailand, stop working same day, sorry broken no fix. 

Cones?! Here? I'm sure he meant "a few leafy twigs". 

 

Speed limiters (we call them governors) would probably be more useful than GPS. Wonder who is actually monitoring GPS anyway.

Didn't realize that Songkran was over...?

3AM ? Drove from Surin? Not sure but probably fell asleep or close to, foot on the accelerator. Asleep for ever.

Hazard lights??? The tail lights on most trucks don't work to star with. Or they are blue or green or whatever. A crackdown on vehicle lighting is needed and I'm sure would save lots of lives.

The story of the truck driver about the "Hazard" lights might be true.
But my experience with most of these trucks is that they are invisible, even with lights "On", until you are 10 meters near of them.
Would be good to check the lights of the truck.

Not sure what actually happened. But, I have been in some of these vans where I was scared to death. Even the Thai's were scared. I avoid when possible.

I see the seat belts & GPS are working nicely.... just need a brain in the driver and it will complete the set.

Luckily the driver is killed and one road menace less to make our roads safer for the future.