26 Thai tourists killed in bus crash

[Spitfire]

26 Thai tourists killed in Malaysian bus crash

Kuala Lumpur - Twenty-six Thai tourists were killed and 11 seriously injured Monday when their bus overturned while travelling from a Malaysian mountain resort in the northern state of Perak.

The bus hit a road divider and overturned, killing 22 passengers at the scene, the official Bernama news agency reported, quoting police sources. Another four died in hospital, it said.

The bus was travelling down from the Cameron Highlands, which is popular with local and foreign tourists.

Source - The Nation

Comment - Very bad and sad crash, but from what I can gather that road/route is infamous for it's twists and turns, busy and many accidents along it apparently. Perhaps they should investigate what conditions the driver was under to have employment. It doesn't specify the nationality of the driver (I'm assuming he's Thai too), but for example, do they (Malaysian drivers) have to clock in a certain places along the route and stay within a given time frame, which is tight to make, from the bus company like here in LOS which is one of the major reasons you see the buses here going 'hell for leather' all the time? Maybe it was a Thai bus and tour company.

The other one, of course, is shoddy maintenance. I have spoken to bus drivers here and they say that the buses are not checked or maintained at all really until the time/distance, decided by the company owners, has arrived. Many complain that it is always a very long time and being a bus driver really is a dangerous job due to the attitudes of the company owners.

However, I'm sure it'll be put down to driver error (possible of course) as it's easier to just blame it on him rather than do a proper investigation.

[Randy Cornhole]

This story was in the BP as well. Very sad.

Speed prob the culprit.

[matthewnoel]

now they know how we feel.

[margaretcarnes]

A truly terrible accident. I was watching a film last week at the Jim Thompson house which shows that road down from the Cameron Highlands and it does look pretty dangerous. But while I do agree with Spitfire about the state of Thai tour buses - or any Thai buses in fact - I'm not sure that the driver would have been Thai? I thought (may be wrong) that they have to hand over to a Malay driver at the border.
Nevertheless a tragic accident that could probably have been avoided.

[fach3003]

doesnt sound good...
in my short time living here soo far (11 weeks)
the driving here amazes me how bad it is...
as i always say speed doesnt kill you...
its the deceleration that does it...

[Spitfire]

... in my short time living here soo far (11 weeks)
the driving here amazes me how bad it is... .

Yeah, not sure if you every get used to it either, basically it's a massacre and the roads are bloody dangerous, period.

Always surprises me how all these crashes happen you see on completely straight highways where some vehicle just ends up over-turned on the central reservation.

Not to mention there always seems to be far too many white outline drawings on the asphalt everywhere too.

[margaretcarnes]

We shouldn't I know but sadly you do become almost immune to it over time. Overloaded pickups in particular tip over regularly on the highways. People move house with a pickup - they carry goods to market in them - and they have no concept of simple physics. They don't secure big loads on trucks properly, and are only stopped by the MIB to check on the legality of the goods carried - not the safety of the load.
Worst of all IMO is the careful attention to how a tour bus looks rather than how safe it is. They are sparkly clean (labour to wash and polish any vehicle is cheap) but can have bald tyres. As long as they look good it's OK, and new tyres are expensive.
So many tourists - both farang and Thai - will confidently hop on a bus assuming it is OK because it looks clean and tidy. Check the tyres first. You might get a shock.
And always remember that those flower garlands hung from the rear view mirror are there for good luck. That is all that is needed in Thai speak to keep a vehicle safe.

[PeteC]

As an update, the Thai Air Force flew down two C-130's yesterday and brought all the bodies back. Pete

[margaretcarnes]

As an update, the Thai Air Force flew down two C-130's yesterday and brought all the bodies back. Pete

Acts of compassion like that really make me rethink Thai ways. They can get so much right, and that's one of those occassions.