After the carnage that killed six: "negligent" driver fined 5,000 baht, dead get 30K each

[hobobo]

5 hours ago, RotBenz8888 said:

5000 Baht!!!! Now he has to work double shifts and go even faster to make up for the loss.

He was fined 5,000 Baht for negligent driving causing multiple deaths. But he should also be given a reward of 5,000 Baht for not running away!

(I am being sarcastic of course. He should do jail time and have his DL cancelled for a very long time indeed!)

[Teacherduck]

I was driving back to Ayutthaya last night and a bus was deviating from one lane to the other, speeding, so close to the vehicles in front any sudden stoppage would have been disasterous. And of course no indicators used, he owned the road, and where are the highway police, after dark never to be seen. I see so many trucks, cars buses and motorcycles with no or faulty lights, no wonder many accidents happen.  Now I know where the inactive posts are, highway police. 

[Stoker58]

Motorcycle, pickup and bus all driving too fast in the rain.

.

Shocking to think that your nearest and dearest could be just wiped out, and all you get is 30,000 baht. That would barely pay for the funeral.

[mike787]

YEP!  Here we go AGAIN!!!  Everyday!  Non stop!  Never changes...EVER!  Welcome to Thailand.

[natway09]

Where is the pick up driver that probably started all this?     Any cameras in the area ?

The drivers story sounds very feasible but was obviously going too fast for conditions.

So nothing changes now that the 7 deadly days are over,,,, business as usual

[Classic Ray]

First point. Bus and coach drivers sit much higher than car/pickup drivers, should easily be able to see the motorcycle collision ahead and anticipate the pickup swerving, especially if he was travelling at the right speed allowing the right gap between him and the vehicle in front.

 

Second point. Insurance payouts to victims are small because this is a poor person's problem. If they paid out adequate compensation, then premiums payable by the coach operators (rich people) would rise and cut their profits. Poor lives are cheap.

[thurien]

"...fine the negligent driver only up to 5,000 baht...

 

...family of each of the dead victims would get just 30,000 baht from the tour bus company

 

...The company have been fined 50,000 baht.

 

3 massive judicious steps, well- considered and also this case of Amazing Thai Traffic shall be closed

[rott]

5 hours ago, Reigntax said:

 

 

No 1 in beaurocratic ignorance.

Everyone must do their bit.

[hotchilli]

Considering the fine & jail time they tried to impose for smoking on the beach this sums up Thailands ridiculous road penalties... but will the officials ever try to update them.... nah !!!!

Expect another year of carnage & petty fines!

[ocddave]

12 minutes ago, natway09 said:

Where is the pick up driver that probably started all this?     Any cameras in the area ?

The drivers story sounds very feasible but was obviously going too fast for conditions.

So nothing changes now that the 7 deadly days are over,,,, business as usual

I would say I see 90% of drivers using dashcams, there should be coverage from almost every angle possible.....too bad the footage wasn't obtainable from all the drivers.

[ocddave]

7 minutes ago, Classic Ray said:

First point. Bus and coach drivers sit much higher than car/pickup drivers, should easily be able to see the motorcycle collision ahead and anticipate the pickup swerving, especially if he was travelling at the right speed allowing the right gap between him and the vehicle in front.

 

Second point. Insurance payouts to victims are small because this is a poor person's problem. If they paid out adequate compensation, then premiums payable by the coach operators (rich people) would rise and cut their profits. Poor lives are cheap.

I am sure he sped up like most Thai drivers, the quicker they get past the issue, the better. Not sure what goes thru the average Thai's brain while driving, but I am assuming its anything but logical/critical thinking.

[JAFO]

6 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

That puts into perspective exactly what a life is worth here.

Absolutely pathetic, and shameful.

Odd in that no amount of money paid out should have a bearing on ones opinion or do us westerners have a certain threshold dollar (baht) amount that makes an incident/accident more acceptable or that the fine some how justifies the assessment of the accident?

 

My point being, the fine for this driver should be the least of anyone concerns and honestly shouldn't even be posted. It should be about what really happened and was he at fault or not and what they plan on doing about it.

 

btw, I am not picking on your response but when they show fines and payouts it always leads to responses about "What Life is worth here" 

[metisdead]

A troll post commenting on the headline has been removed.

[ocddave]

3 minutes ago, JAFO said:

Odd in that no amount of money paid out should have a bearing on ones opinion or do us westerners have a certain threshold dollar (baht) amount that makes an incident/accident more acceptable or that the fine some how justifies the assessment of the accident?

 

My point being, the fine for this driver should be the least of anyone concerns and honestly shouldn't even be posted. It should be about what really happened and was he at fault or not and what they plan on doing about it.

 

btw, I am not picking on your response but when they show fines and payouts it always leads to responses about "What Life is worth here" 

If they fined the company and drivers until they bled the same way the people who died did, then maybe the companies and drivers would cleanup their act, otherwise its cheaper to just payout the measly amounts and champion on driving like idiots, with companies doing nothing to correct the issues.

[JAFO]

7 minutes ago, ocddave said:

If they fined the company and drivers until they bled the same way the people who died did, then maybe the companies and drivers would cleanup their act, otherwise its cheaper to just payout the measly amounts and champion on driving like idiots, with companies doing nothing to correct the issues.

The system in the states is basically the same in the big picture the only difference is insurance companies pay out more because there are attorneys that wait to attack. But the pay out no matter the amount does not ease the pain and suffering. However the driver if found guilty of negligence or was under the influence, etc does jail time. I say if the driver was at fault, then time for some jail. Taking ones freedom versus coughing up money is a far bigger deterrent IMHO.

 

[TonyClifton]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

And the family of each of the dead victims would get just 30,000 baht from the tour bus company that ran the service - Prayat Tour Co Ltd. 

Will they also get a refund for their bus ticket?

 

How about a swag bag full of goodies, as they do at the Oscars?

 

Coupons for Sizzler?  Perhaps a sterling silver photo frame so the family can view the departed in style?

 

 

[Youlike]

4 hours ago, Vacuum said:

Are you sure about that? If the quote below is true, I find him innocent.

 

 

Ever heard of keeping distance?? Especially when driving a huge bus in the rain at night..

[Kasset Tak]

3 hours ago, Vacuum said:

If true, a very strange place for the police to have an 'alcohol checkpoint'.

Not an alcohol checkpoint, the police sometimes use my friends road as a short cut instead of driving around (12km) on the main/public road, so the last time the police used that road my friend had driven his car off road as he was totally wasted... Today the cops aren't welcome to use that road anymore... now there are locked gates in both ends of the road!

[Aussieroaming]

5 hours ago, Lungstib said:

I understand there will be a lot of anger and blame throwing but as an ex-coach driver I am also looking to see if he really was to blame. If its true he was avoiding a collision he may not be guilty of much at all. The huge problem here is the lack of proper crash barriers and the stupid 'design' of Thai highways where deep ditches are positioned to the right of the fast lane to ensure buses overturn and roll once they leave the road. Its a common feature of many bus accidents and it can be seen on highways all over the country. Add in the fact that many roads have been elevated by 1m of red dirt and the drop off the road becomes a major reason for deaths after collisions that maybe wouldn't have caused serious injury. And that still leaves out the fact that buses are not built to withstand a roll and seatbelts are not mandatory.

Add to your comments the fact that the driver is 24 years old, not enough practical experience driving heavy vehicles in my view. Each reason compounds the risk of error and accident.

[TMNH]

6 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

That puts into perspective exactly what a life is worth here.

Absolutely pathetic, and shameful.

To minimalize a life with a price tag is not only grotesque, but it speaks volumes about the nonchalant attitude of this country. God help Thailand.

[Vacuum]

3 minutes ago, Youlike said:

Ever heard of keeping distance?? Especially when driving a huge bus in the rain at night..

Sure have, and I try to do it. But, in Thailand it's nearly impossible to keep an adequate distance, as the space you keep to the vehicle in front of you, will be replaced by another vehicle....

 

[smutcakes]

4 hours ago, worgeordie said:

"However, police have charged driver Pratchaya Wangliangklang, 24, with negligence causing death and detained him. "

OK ,but the Police have charged him ,innocent* until proven guilty. but he has a charge to answer.

*still think he is innocent,like lots of stories on here I suppose we will never find out.

regards Worgeordie

Amazing in this case they can have him charged and fined within 48 hours........ whereas others like the Benz driver smashing and killing at 150 KMPH + on video is still dragging on.....

 

He was not drunk, there are many lunatics on the road, and it is just a possible that someone else did something wrong as this guy did and perhaps he genuinely was trying to avoid another crash or crazy driving. Perhaps the police think this guy is a reasonable patsy to paste everything on and be seen to be doing something.

[TMNH]

Just now, Vacuum said:

Sure have, and I try to do it. But, in Thailand it's nearly impossible to keep an adequate distance, as the space you keep to the vehicle in front of you, will be replaced by another vehicle....

 

And your point? Thailand is no different from any other country where distances between vehicles are recommended for a reason. When people are driving with little or no skills or a simple ability to be cautious on the roads, then comes the carnage....and "if" a person is negligent in their driving ability, then get the f..k of the road because it's people like you who kill innocent people. Find another line of work.

[Vacuum]

11 minutes ago, TMNH said:

because it's people like you who kill innocent people

Strange, I've never had an accident on roads, ever!

[The Theory]

Changing traffic law with harsher penalties will affect many other things. Then Thailand won’t be a dream spot to many farang who came here to have an easy life. 

You can’t have everything in your favor. This is what it is, the way it is.

This is Thailand.  ????

 

 

[crazykopite]

Life is worthless in Thailand which is very sad had this been a farangthey would have been sued for millions and locked up in prison . RIP to all the deceased and prayers to all the injured .

[moontang]

My mom was a passenger in a car crash a year ago....she survived, but without even mentioning lawsuit, was given 250K USD, and all her medical bills were paid....and it was my dad, who was driving.

[Whip]

Cheapest life is human

[TonyClifton]

How much money do you suppose they make on one bus trip?  How many bus trips do they have to make to pay for one dead man, woman or child?

[ocddave]

51 minutes ago, The Theory said:

Changing traffic law with harsher penalties will affect many other things. Then Thailand won’t be a dream spot to many farang who came here to have an easy life. 

You can’t have everything in your favor. This is what it is, the way it is.

This is Thailand.  ????

 

 

Ah, Apathy....seems to work very well for Thai's.