Phuket tour bus overturns in Krabi

[nabbie]

Very sad...

[beowolf2012]

What was the reason for the accident?

not telling what there make the accident to happen.

[jollyhangmon]

driver missing,

did they check under the bus ??

be sure, when his drug level will remain low,

he will show up again,

will say sorry,

he can't remember what hi did as he were in shock !!

... all possible of course, drunk, drugs, eh ... shock ... yeah well ...

However, that 'hit & run' behaviour all around is extremely annoying to say the least but know what i came to think especially in cases like that one concerning buses, bigger trucks, more people etc.:

It's simply the pucker-factor that spures them to a new 3 to 5km spurt record - and probably not without good reason.

They fear to get strung up the next solid treebranch on the spot (between experts known as 'speed-' or 'instant-trial'), especially if they really did pull stunts like speeding, risk overtaking and the likes prior an accident ... even more so if they have relaxed customers like me in the back - provided of course that one is still fit enough to actually grab 'em afterwards, hehehe ...

[cruisemonkey]

Why is this even news? Bus crashes happen daily. Driver doing a runner is normal.

Yeah, along with:

- tourist drowns off Phuket;

- ex-pat jumps to death from condo balcony in Pattaya; and

- mysterious death of tourist on Koh Tao.

[moonwolf]

Done that trip last year. Never felt comfortable during the trip. We took a plane back.

[hawthorne]

What about a campaign to our Embassies to forwarn of the serious dangers on the roads. Maybe our governments involvement in the travel warnings will have an affect on the traveling to Thailand in a way to have the Thai government do SOMETHING. I know this is a far fetched idea to think our governments will put its citizens first over diplomatic relations or trade agreements.

[akc1956]

Just shut the bus company down until they give the drivers name.

[changsinghleo]

Why ask for the drivers name? They don't give their real name, everyone knows that. Thus, they run to next bus station to get new job. New name, new crashing adventures. Anybody ever surmise that these guys do this for thrills? There are plenty of innocent fools jumping aboard these buses so the drivers manage to have a thrill a day. all at the expense of lives of uninformed tourists. Myself, been in Thailand upward of 15 years, travel a lot, but only twice by bus. First time thought it was accidental, second time I caught on to what was happening. All travelers need to be informed before purchasing a ticket that their lives are at great risk. It only would make sense.

[cardinalblue]

I have observed many farangs driving at risk behaviors here which they would never do in their home country...

Thai culture does influence how foreigners drive here and sadly not for the better...

[thhMan]

The blame must be placed on the military as they have taken on some of the roles that where pretended to be done by the Police.

So the lack of law enforcement should then be placed on the acting prime minister who controls the military

The bus accident could have been avoided if someone did their job instead of talking about it

[kiwikeith]

Well yet another senseless accident AND lo and behold the driver is missing. The injured well they were taken to local hospital and the Tour Company says absolutely nothing. What more can we expect from Thailands Thainess....common-sense and law enforcement ......in your dreams

Either the driver was on something or he was Burmese.

[meatboy]

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I think it may be a good idea if the Thais published a multi lingual Highway Code and had short public information broadcasts onThai TV on how to drive more skillfully. How to give way, overtake, etc at the moment they seem to make everything up as they go along.

The driving test should cover all this.

What does the Thai driving test cover ? Very little.

you forgot to mention,they have to learn to READ.

[Beng]

Unfortunately, it seems the bus operators here spend more money on fancy paintwork than vehicle safety and proper driver training.

[slipperylobster]

So many times people killed or injured on Thai roads!

Why do they have to dive so fast and erratic.

Seems though they have a death wish, pity they take others with them.

It's not just Thais, there were Farangs on a topic about driving in Thailand in yesterdays Thaivisa admitting to driving at around 140 Kph.

Driving fast is not dangerous, driving erratically is, we are all travelling at about 67000 miles an hour round the sun.

sure. add that to 140 kph and you get real problems.

[wabothai]

all due to too rapid of a growth of Thailand. Most can't keep up with it. Many times we even can't.

[northernphil]

I don't understand. All the photos of bus tours I see on travel agencies are upright...but the photo I see in this article is not. In fact, all the photos of buses in the news are laying on the side.

They are sleeping buses , a bit like the driver possibly.

Oh and these are not accidents ! Would you say a deranged pilot that purposly flies into a mountain causes an accident ? Accidents can be avoided !

[monkey4u]

Sorry DRIVE, they are not amphibians.

Are you sure ???

Mind you there are toads that can probably drive better

[northernphil]

Unfortunately, it seems the bus operators here spend more money on fancy paintwork than vehicle safety and proper driver training.

Yep and the only VIP is the driver as noted when you are on the Chiag Rai to Chiang Mai road and 2 buses get alongside.

[TomYumpoochai]

So many times people killed or injured on Thai roads!

Why do they have to dive so fast and erratic.

Seems though they have a death wish, pity they take others with them.

It's not just Thais, there were Farangs on a topic about driving in Thailand in yesterdays Thaivisa admitting to driving at around 140 Kph.

I regulary ride @150 your point is what? Is this a nanny state now?

[shaurene]

Is this another of the death traps. Made in Thailand buses? Too narrow, and too high.

Have you noticed the rear double wheels the most rear 2 have had the inside wheel taken off. I have driven behind so many coaches in Thailand and a great deal of the coaches have only 1 wheel on the back double wheels axel they do this to save rubber and save fuel I believe. Why are they not stopped by Police for this. The bus manufacturers have these double wheels on the rear for a particulat and safety purpose but they never get stopped and prosecuted. This is a ssafety issue. I have mentioned this many times. It is very unsafe and should be looked at.

[LivinginKata]

Is this another of the death traps. Made in Thailand buses? Too narrow, and too high.

Have you noticed the rear double wheels the most rear 2 have had the inside wheel taken off. I have driven behind so many coaches in Thailand and a great deal of the coaches have only 1 wheel on the back double wheels axel they do this to save rubber and save fuel I believe. Why are they not stopped by Police for this. The bus manufacturers have these double wheels on the rear for a particulat and safety purpose but they never get stopped and prosecuted. This is a ssafety issue. I have mentioned this many times. It is very unsafe and should be looked at.

Have to say that most buses I see on Thai roads do have double wheels fitted. I do not remembers seeing the inside wheels being removed on these large coaches.

[Jim walker]

Police are currently searching for the driver. Was he thrown so far from the accident with the impact, just another daily bus story from Thailand brake failure or bus falling over. Hope the survivors recover soon and learn a hard lesson about Thai buses.

[sawadee1947]

why to mention this accident? Just for statistics? Happens every day! Police and Army have other more important things to do (But what?) than to prevent accidents or speed controls...

[Thongkorn]

I would say the Missing driver used his breaks to much, causing break fade, which is usually the cause. Going to fast, then breaking hard, the breaks get hot and fade,

[thaibeachlovers]

These drivers are always anonymous -and the tour companies state they have no names. OK no problem. Arrest the managing director and senior staff and keep them locked up until such time as they reveal personal details of the drivers to enable him/her to be found. Charge- withholding information for starters.They would soon learn.

But this accident apart, it is high time the new government got serious about motoring offences. Nominal 100/200bt fines are laughed at, and prevent nothing. Lets have minimum fines of 5.000baht for ANY motoring offence. For those that say the poor Thais could not pay -they would not have to if they did not break the law! And if they had to pay once, chances are the majority would keep within the law in future

Did u already seen a policeman stop a bus which is over the speed limit ?

The speed limit for a bus or a coach is here, in Thailand ,80 km/h ;

I'm living here since eight years ; I never saw that but ALL the coaches, lign or tourism are always going faster than 80 km/h ...

DSCN4460_limitations de vitesses.jpg

Why is an empty pickup limited to 80? My wife's Hilux handles as well as a car.

Back home trucks are limited to 90 kph, but never seen one go that slow- not just Thailand.

[thaibeachlovers]

Is this another of the death traps. Made in Thailand buses? Too narrow, and too high.

Have you noticed the rear double wheels the most rear 2 have had the inside wheel taken off. I have driven behind so many coaches in Thailand and a great deal of the coaches have only 1 wheel on the back double wheels axel they do this to save rubber and save fuel I believe. Why are they not stopped by Police for this. The bus manufacturers have these double wheels on the rear for a particulat and safety purpose but they never get stopped and prosecuted. This is a ssafety issue. I have mentioned this many times. It is very unsafe and should be looked at.

Have to say that most buses I see on Thai roads do have double wheels fitted. I do not remembers seeing the inside wheels being removed on these large coaches.

Look harder at the picture. It is one of the buses with rear double wheels and a steerable rear wheel at the back of them. Quite normal setup.

[thaibeachlovers]

Is this another of the death traps. Made in Thailand buses? Too narrow, and too high.

Have you noticed the rear double wheels the most rear 2 have had the inside wheel taken off. I have driven behind so many coaches in Thailand and a great deal of the coaches have only 1 wheel on the back double wheels axel they do this to save rubber and save fuel I believe. Why are they not stopped by Police for this. The bus manufacturers have these double wheels on the rear for a particulat and safety purpose but they never get stopped and prosecuted. This is a ssafety issue. I have mentioned this many times. It is very unsafe and should be looked at.

You are incorrect. That is a normal set up on buses. Can't have double wheels when they are steerable, and there are non steering double wheels in front of the single rear wheel.

[thaibeachlovers]

I would say the Missing driver used his breaks to much, causing break fade, which is usually the cause. Going to fast, then breaking hard, the breaks get hot and fade,

I reckon it's more likely he was going too fast overtaking someone and went into the ditch. It's about time they put safety rails on all ditches. They are just death traps without.