One student killed, two hurt in Ratchaburi accident

[webfact]

One student killed, two hurt in Ratchaburi accident

By The Nation

 

A speeding SUV lost control and spun-out on a Ratchaburi road before it hit a pickup truck, killing one student and injuring two others, police said.

They said the accident happened at 7am on Phetkasem road near the entrance to Wat Don Krabuang in Photharam district.

 

Police said Sawika Kerdrit, 13, a seventh grader of Phota Watanaseni School, was hurled out of the pickup, which was modified to carry students, by the impact into a roadside ditch and drowned.

 

Another student, Krissada Wanboworn, 13, was severely injured as he fell off the pickup and his legs were run over by the vehicle. A third student, Saranrat Sriboran, was slightly injured.

 

The pickup driver, Chumphol Kaebamrung, 63, told police that he was collecting students at their homes and taking them to school.

Chhumpol said that when he was driving, a Mitsubishi Pajero that had been following him apparently lost control, causing it to spin before it hit the rear of his pickup.

 

Police arrested the SUV driver, Narit Wongsa, 58, and took him for questioning before laying charges.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30333838

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-12-13

[Dave67]

A pick up with bench seats I blame police for allowing all the shit that driving on the roads incompetence, lazy and corrupt (Obvious statement but it riles me when a kid dies)

[thenewgoo]

Kids, put in a position whereby their fate awaits. A society that seems to accept that. So sad.

[Psimbo]

8 hours ago, Dave67 said:

A pick up with bench seats I blame police for allowing all the shit that driving on the roads incompetence, lazy and corrupt (Obvious statement but it riles me when a kid dies)

I guess you've never been to Pattaya!

[Dave67]

2 hours ago, Psimbo said:

I guess you've never been to Pattaya!

I've been going to Pattaya for 20 years mate, I lived there between 2004 -2007 and been back dozens of times since, going for 3 weeks at Christmas, So are you used to kids dying then because you live in Pattaya? Get some facts before you post

[Happyman58]

I Keep saying it Make the cops do there job That is the only hope Thailand has to stop the slaughter

[TKDfella]

Not quite sure what to make of this one. The article says a '...speeding SUV...' while the pickup driver said the SUV had been following him. Were they both speeding? Did the SUV suddenly accelerate and try to o/take? Condolences to the dead girl's family. I hope the others recover.

[keithpa]

8 hours ago, Dave67 said:

I've been going to Pattaya for 20 years mate, I lived there between 2004 -2007 and been back dozens of times since, going for 3 weeks at Christmas, So are you used to kids dying then because you live in Pattaya? Get some facts before you post

I live inPattaya and am  used to kids dying  in traffic "accidents".  This is a fact.

[ratcatcher]

I don't think a lot of blame can be attributed to the 63 year  old driver of the school songtaew, except for the fact that it was very likely overloaded, as they usually are. This is where the police fail in their jobs, as usual..

Thousands of these small trucks converted to carry passengers in the rear are used every day the length and breadth of Thailand. Every village in the country has some sort of vehicle to get kids to school unless they go on their parent's vehicle, usually a motorbike.

The driver of the Pajero was obviously driving in a dangerous manner and collided with the rear of the pickup. Looking at these pictures it is not hard to see why more people aren't killed.

 

          

Pattaya baht bus.                                                        Thai school bus.

[Dave67]

34 minutes ago, keithpa said:

I live inPattaya and am  used to kids dying  in traffic "accidents".  This is a fact.

No sympathy for them then?

 

And I live in Ayutthaya

[samsensam]

19 hours ago, Dave67 said:

A pick up with bench seats I blame police for allowing all the shit that driving on the roads incompetence, lazy and corrupt (Obvious statement but it riles me when a kid dies)

 

the government tried, sensibly but tentatively, to ban people sitting in the back of pick ups but the public outcry , and the government's populist agenda,  was such that they backed down. basically thai people want to ride in the back of pickups irrespective of the massive amount of evidence that it is an incredibly dangerous and stupid thing to do.

 

...though had such a law been passed there is every possibility that the RTP would be too lazy, unprofessional and corrupt to enforce it.

 

and so people continue to die unnecessary. mai pen rai as they say in these parts.

[ratcatcher]

"basically thai people want to ride in the back of pickups irrespective of the massive amount of evidence that it is an incredibly dangerous and stupid thing to do."

 

Thai people don't "want" to travel in the back of pickups, more likely they have no option if they  want to get from A to B with friends or family where there are more than say 5 or 6 people. However, most of them sitting in the rear of pickups sit facing the direction of travel and often at the rear so that anytime the brakes are applied hard, they are thrown forward with major injuries. 

Millions of Thai  people ride motorcycles without helmets or helmets that are not fastened, which is a dangerous and stupid thing to do. If the school bus/songtaews are banned, maybe they can take over some of the 12 passenger vans that have been proved dangerous on the main highways.

[rwill]

10 hours ago, ratcatcher said:

Millions of Thai  people ride motorcycles without helmets or helmets that are not fastened, which is a dangerous and stupid thing to do. If the school bus/songtaews are banned, maybe they can take over some of the 12 passenger vans that have been proved dangerous on the main highways.

except you would probably see lots of scooters with 4-5 kids on them without helmets instead.  It's not really the vehicles that are dangerous, it's the drivers.