Six killed, three injured in pickup-crane collision in Prachuap Khiri Khan

[Bangkok Barry]

3 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Many Thais possess little in the way of driving skills, and when you combine that with a lack of common sense, it can be a lethal combination. Many take risks that are unfathomable to the rest of us, and often those risks result in catastrophe. Hard to know who was at fault here. But, it would not be the first time a pickup truck loaded with people traveling at very high speed lost control and crashed. 

 

One of the biggest factors is the toy police. Nobody takes them seriously, and they adamantly refuse to engage in any sort of traffic safety or preventative engagement, such as pulling people over for reckless driving. The highway patrol rarely patrol the highways. And this extraordinarily inept administration just does not care about the common Thai people. A perfect storm. One that allows Thailand to continue having some of most dangerous road conditions on the planet. 

 

Perfectly put, and Post of the Month.

Every time I go out I am astounded at how utterly stupid so many Thais are when it comes to driving and safety. They have no ability at all to join the dots and realise that what they do could kill them and others. It is beyond any understanding. Really, how brain dead do you have to be to not know if you drive at night with no lights (sometimes even on the wrong side of the road), or pull out into traffic without looking, or overtake on a blind corner or hill, or speed on a wet road, or any other of the insane things so many Thai drivers do, and not realise the danger. It really is mind-boggling.

[Expat Tom]

It is truly sad no matter the reason or the blame. It just goes to highlight how dangerous this country is....unfortunately. 

[davidst01]

3 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Many Thais possess little in the way of driving skills, and when you combine that with a lack of common sense, it can be a lethal combination. Many take risks that are unfathomable to the rest of us, and often those risks result in catastrophe. Hard to know who was at fault here. But, it would not be the first time a pickup truck loaded with people traveling at very high speed lost control and crashed. 

 

One of the biggest factors is the toy police. Nobody takes them seriously, and they adamantly refuse to engage in any sort of traffic safety or preventative engagement, such as pulling people over for reckless driving. The highway patrol rarely patrol the highways. And this extraordinarily inept administration just does not care about the common Thai people. A perfect storm. One that allows Thailand to continue having some of most dangerous road conditions on the planet. 

well said. But its the speeding that is also the biggest cause. Crazy overtaking

[Bangkok Barry]

54 minutes ago, soistalker said:

And wasnt there a law that passengers cant drive in the back of a pickup? They must have been catapulted out of the truck bed.

Whether something is illegal or not has absolutely no relevance in Thailand.

[Chazar]

3 hours ago, Wiggy said:

In other words he was driving too fast.

I'd  say total  lack of  attention is   more of an issue.

[TMNH]

All of the carnage- not always  preventable. So "marginal" drivers are to blame? OR alcohol- involved? I suspect that many drivers are simply untrained....those who go through red lights.....those who violate whatever......those who have no clue as to proper road rules. They do not give a <deleted>.  and 'what" if any is the outcome? Nothing- none or little prosecution of natives who contribute to a death of either a tourist or expat. They seem to be immune.

 

And this has to stop if the tourism experts (I question that label) delve in marketing that has no recognition of the negative aspects spurned by visitors. Tuk-tuks......dual pricing....etc. And the junta helps how? What a blemish on the former King. The junta is BS- they have NO attributes nor any qualities  like the King. In other words....the Junta is a presence that needs to go elsewhere. They have no advantageous attributes. For whatever  reason, their lack of intelligence as a whole is not only undemocratic, but their intelligence speaks for itself. Idiots.

 

 

 

[redwhiteandblue]

3 hours ago, Wiggy said:

In other words he was driving too fast.

That's exactly right.

 

Whenever you are faced with unfamiliar surroundings, a new road, intersections, roundabouts etc. It's always better to slow down and 'proceed with caution' as the highway code says.

 

The idea of 'proceeding with caution' for most of these idiots is beyond their comprehension.  

[dallen52]

3 hours ago, Borzandy said:

Smart cop

But he was returning from a local market!!

Local..

So must have some familiarity with the road. 

Familiarity/complacency..

Speed.

Blind spot.

= Fatalities. 

[fullcave]

No mention of how many were seated in the back of the pick-up. TIT. 

[brianthainess]

I often see tractors, excavators, and other heavy slow moving construction type vehicles here traveling on the roads with no warning lights . in the real world where i came from it is law to have a flashing orange light visible from front and rear but TIT who gives a dam. It is unclear to me  from this report which vehicle was travelling in the highway.

[Vacuum]

2 hours ago, thaiguzzi said:

As for U turns - great idea - we should have them in my home country.

Yes, I see nothing wrong with them.

[hotchilli]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

the intersection created a blind spot for both parties and they could not see the other in time to slow down, resulting in the fatal collision

Is the intersection not controlled by something???

 

[Anythingleft?]

Yes, I see nothing wrong with them.

Nothing wrong with the concept just how they are used by a high percentage of drivers

Constant cutting across lanes to access them with no prior warning
Late and heavy braking when they arrive at them
Doubling and tripling up so that they block all view of oncoming traffic for the initial driver
Hanging the arse of their vehicles in the flow of traffic of the road they are cutting back from

Sure there are more but these are the most common causes of accidents that I can relate to regarding U turns........

Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk

[Humpy]

So what speed would the crane truck have to be doing to flip over like that at a blind spot ? !!

[meshborg]

In Thailand in Thailand...no road safety in Thailand.I got out while still alive.Never going back to that dangerous backward nation.

[Vacuum]

5 minutes ago, meshborg said:

In Thailand in Thailand...no road safety in Thailand.I got out while still alive.Never going back to that dangerous backward nation.

A couple of decades here, no accidents so far...

[shy coconut]

2 hours ago, HHTel said:

For someone who says they've been driving here for so long, I'm surprised by your comments.  Just to pick one.  U-turns (they do have them in my country but using a much safer design).  Most u-turns here are constructed in such a way that they are 'shared' by traffic travelling in both directions.  This means that, when making a u-turn, the chance is your view of oncoming traffic is blocked by traffic queuing or making a u-turn in the opposite direction.  U-turns are fine if there is a slip lane both for entering a u-turn and leaving it.  Sadly, this is not the case and results in lots of accidents. 

 

And as you seem the need to show your qualification, I've been driving here on bikes and cars for around 20 years.  As well as the UK, I've driven and lived all over the world.  In the UK, I've passed advanced driving tests and was a member of the IAM.  So I'm pretty au fait regarding driving techniques and road design!

 

The fact is that here in Thailand, there is no real driving test and no requirement for proper driver training resulting in untrained drivers on the road with very little knowledge of driving regulations and, it seems, zero common sense.

What kind of U-turns do we have in the UK?

 

I was trying to think if we had anything similar, we have a lot more roundabouts which

serve a similar purpose.

 

As for lacking common sense, isn't that the perception that someone doesn't do

something to the exact standards you expect?

 

With your impressive driving CV I'm sure you could criticise many aspects

of my driving, and I'm sure I could pick faults in yours in return, it is a fact

that every male driver on the planet believes that they are the best.

 

Have you ever heard anyone state that they, themselves, are not good drivers?

 

 

[Mak25]

5 hours ago, Prairieboy said:

Perhaps when approaching a 'blind' intersection the smart thing to do would be to slow down and proceed only when safe.  Oh, I forgot TIT.

 

Great idea ????. I once did exactly this and the guy behind me started to honk at me for slowing down ????.

[Chazar]

2 hours ago, redwhiteandblue said:

That's exactly right.

 

Whenever you are faced with unfamiliar surroundings, a new road, intersections, roundabouts etc. It's always better to slow down and 'proceed with caution' as the highway code says.

 

The idea of 'proceeding with caution' for most of these idiots is beyond their comprehension.  

Doesn't  matter what speed  you are doing up to a  point if you arent paying attention, speed  is often cited wrongly i.m.o.

Quite  often "lack of speed"  is  a bigger  issue as Somchai dumbo  pulls  out as  slowly as  possible forcing others to brake  hard,  his thinking of  course is if he does it slowly everyone will see him.

[Mak25]

4 hours ago, worgeordie said:

That's it, they went through the intersection without slowing down,

umpteen times in the past,so why would they slow down and

look this time,that's how they think,but this time a crane was

there !  

regards worgeordie

True, similar on railway crossings. Why would they look out for trains? It seems to me, many drivers only focus on what they actually see in front, but cannot anticipate any possible danger which could come.

 

I also understand the logic, I mean they are driving forward, why would they look left, right or in the mirrow behind them? That does not make sense.

[Bournville]

From the photo I don't see how there could be a "blind spot". Blind drivers are mostly at blame. It's a very wide road too!

 

So sad for the poor buggers in the PU truck. 

[spidermike007]

3 hours ago, connda said:

But the authorities are wonderful at making excuses.

"The intersection created a blind spot for both parties and they could not see the other in time to slow down, resulting in the fatal collision."
Oh Buffalo pucky!!!  Intersections are intersections.  The average Western driver negotiates an intersection, especially if unmarked, by slowing down and applying knowledge of right-of-way laws to negotiate the intersection. If they are marked, then they apply their knowledge of right-of-way and yield signage and give way to those with the right-of-way - while still proceeding with caution.

Thais, with their "I'm In Front so I Win" and "Me Me Me Me Me Only Me" attitudes combined with a complete lack on knowledge regarding right-of-way on the roads cause - carnage!  
"Damn the intersection and Full-Speed Ahead."  It's a self-correcting problem.  Unneeded tragedy due to aggressive driving and abject stupidity.  Even the cops drive this way and it's my observation that even they have no idea what right-of-way laws are.  It's an institutionalize problem that is baked right into the Thai culture and is not ripe for change anytime in the near future.
Personally I truly believe that outside of the engineers at motor vehicle departments and engineers designing the roads, no one other than those engineers understand right-of-way laws.

 

 

Astute observations. Total BS. It is all about saving face. And do you want to know what I think about that?

 

Face is no doubt, the greatest form of weakness, a human can engage in. Many will say it is societal, cultural, etc. No matter. It is the absolute and complete lack of the ability to introspect, and look within for the source of any problem, shortcoming, conflict, or issue. It is the polar opposite of spirituality, and therefore an absolute scourge on Buddha, and all of the precepts he taught. By practicing face, you are denying your spiritual heritage. You are refusing to man up. To take responsibility for your actions. If a man or a woman cannot, and will not take responsibility for their actions, the problems they create, the mistakes they make, and the issues they involve themselves in, what are they? Are they still an adult? Are they a complete individual, if they allow themselves to be limited by such infinitely small social convention? 

 

Who cares what people think of you? For those of us with high self esteem, it just does not matter. Sure, close friends and family. But strangers on the street? Who gives a rat's butt about this? It means nothing what they think, nor what they say about you. They count for nothing. They are just people, and people you do not know, nor will ever see again. Face is rife with self doubt, and by subscribing to this weakness, and man or woman is made a far lesser person. For those of us with high self esteem, we know who we are. What others think, what society thinks, what a guy or gal thinks, means less than zero.

 

Real men or women, simply own a situation, and take responsibility for their errors or mistakes. Small men, social deviants, or emotional adolescents deflect, obfuscate, attempt to confuse, and do everything in their power to deny that they made a mistake, or that they are responsible in any way, or on any level. They make up narratives about fake news, or alternative facts. Anything to avoid looking within, for the source of the problem. Anything.

 

[HHTel]

56 minutes ago, shy coconut said:

What kind of U-turns do we have in the UK?

 

I was trying to think if we had anything similar, we have a lot more roundabouts which

serve a similar purpose.

 

As for lacking common sense, isn't that the perception that someone doesn't do

something to the exact standards you expect?

 

With your impressive driving CV I'm sure you could criticise many aspects

of my driving, and I'm sure I could pick faults in yours in return, it is a fact

that every male driver on the planet believes that they are the best.

 

Have you ever heard anyone state that they, themselves, are not good drivers?

 

 

As you quite rightly state, most 'busy' u-turns have been replaced by roundabouts as the much safer option.  There are still some u-turns around in built up areas.  The ones I've seen are usually designed for traffic approaching in one direction.  For traffic approaching from the opposite direction, there is often an reciprocal u-turn but separated from the first one thereby not causing problems between traffic flows.

It is of course legal to do u-turns on any road in the UK providing, a) it's wide enough. b) your vehicle has the turning circle to complete and c) there are no signs or markings that prevent you making a legal turn.

 

Common sense as described in 'Wiki' is:

 

Quote

Common sense is sound practical judgment concerning everyday matters, or a basic ability to perceive, understand, and judge that is shared by ("common to") nearly all people.

Most 'common sense' comes with experience.  We know that if we hit our fingers with a hammer, it's going to bloody well hurt.  We wouldn't have known that as a 2 year old.  

In this country, it seems, nothing is learned from experienced mistakes and hence is repeated.  That's what I call a lack of common sense.

 

Much of it is to do with education in that students here are not encouraged to think (analytically) so rather than figure out the difference between a good decision and a bad one (common sense) they will continue in blind ignorance.

[JAYDOUBLEYOU]

The annual road ‘carnage’ shows clearly that Thai have no self-control.

The ONLY way to lower the road toll is simple. 

ALL vehicles must be fitted with a ‘governor’, that sets the maximum speed equal to the operator’s IQ.

This solution will see many, many Thai drivers ditch their cars and bikes in favour of walking.

In the meantime, “be afraid, be very afraid.”

 

[CanterbrigianBangkoker]

If you believe in 'Social Darwinism' you'd have to arrive at the conclusion that the horrendous deathtoll on Thai roads is simply this theory in function. Sad nonetheless, may those who died RIP. The utterly tragic and most difficult thing to accept is when children are involved in such accidents, young innocent lives simply shouldn't be lost in their dozens on a daily basis soley because of the total irresponsibility of the adult drivers of these vehicles. When will these people ever learn? ???? 

[malt25]

6 hours ago, thaiguzzi said:

Disagree with all the above.

Sure there are some idiots on the road, prolly more here than in the West, but generalizations like the above do nobody a favour.

As for U turns - great idea - we should have them in my home country.

Oh, and i've been driving here full time for 16 years.

And riding big bikes here full time for 16 years.

And riding the missus's Honda stepthru off and on for 19 years here.

"but generalizations like the above do nobody a favour."  I wasn't trying to do anyone a favour. I was merely stating an obvious fact. As far as your comment, some idiots, Me thinks you are being very generous.

[PomPolo]

Very very sad (I hope the pregnant lady and baby make it through it) but just another story of death and carnage on unsupervised roads where people would rather check their facebook status than look at road signs.

[StevieAus]

9 hours ago, GreenerGrass said:

The state of the pick up he must have been travelling at some speed! Horrific ammount of deaths on Thai roads, everyday of the week there are dozens of people killed and no one seems to give a toss?   Recently i read a news artical about horrific 3 deaths in total over a long bank holiday weekend in the whole of Australia, that's an hourly rate here! 

Yes but look at the level of enforcement in Australia by police patrols, red light and speed cameras, random breath testing together with big fines and loss of license, here they fine them and let them drive away , even with no insurance.

Also there is a proper regime of driver learning and testing, my Thai wife did her driving test over ten years ago in Sydney, then it took three years to get a full license, compare that with what happens here, where they are not even tested on the road and if you make a mistake try again.

[StevieAus]

5 hours ago, meshborg said:

In Thailand in Thailand...no road safety in Thailand.I got out while still alive.Never going back to that dangerous backward nation.

Yet you still using a website dealing with Thailand?

Sure you are not really missing the place?

[ttrd]

14 hours ago, Chazar said:

The  real  problems are  many, Thais are atrocious  drivers, road  layouts  are appalling, U  turns are  ALL death traps, total disregard for any road  rules, and selfishness.

Agree when it comes to the U-turns, but not your generalization when it comes to disregard of road rules and selfishness as this is not only a Thai issue -  rather based on lack of proper driving education ...