Minivan, bus and road accidents

[PeteC]

Since Covid started the government, or the news services, have apparently conveniently used the opportunity to bury the almost daily reporting that we used to see.

With Covid decreasing, and the New Year exodus approaching, perhaps we'll start to see some meaningful stories and statistics once again.

Or, everything has improved miraculously and Thailand is no longer at the top of the worst list?

[buksida]

I'd reckon that road fatalities would have fallen since there is way less travelling going on. But ... the daily Thai TV news slot on driving lunacy is still as grim as ever.

[Big Boy]

Fatalities have been down for quite a while, but they are creeping up slightly now. The last 7 days have seen fatalities averaging just over 46 day. That is up by 5 a day on the previous week.

[Dannie Boy]

All I can say is that whenever I venture out on the highway, I still encounter the same number of reckless drivers trying to copy Hamilton and Verstappen!!

[PeteC]

1 tourist killed, 8 injured in van crash

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... -van-crash

CHIANG MAI: A van crashed on the way back down from Doi Ang Khang in Fang district, killing one tourist and injuring eight others on Monday morning, police said.

Pol Col Sanchai Panichkul, the Fang police chief, said the accident occurred at about 10am at kilometre marker 15 on a road leading to Doi Ang Khang, a mountain in Fang district of this northern province.

A police investigation revealed the Toyota Commuter van, driven by Theera Promree, 39, had come from Samut Prakan province, taking a group of people for a tour of Doi Ang Khang, a tourist attraction.

On the way back down from Doi Ang Khang, while negotiating a bend, the van slid off the road and crashed into a roadside ditch. The front of the van was badly damaged.

Nine van passengers were injured and rushed to a hospital by a rescue unit. One of them, Thanathorn Vacharatassanukul, 61, was seriously injured. He died later at the hospital.

Police were investigating to establish the exact cause of the accident.

[HHTel]

"slid off the road" - heavy rain maybe. Rain or no rain, many locals drive the same in both conditions.

[Big Boy]

Traffic has been manic around Hua Hin the last couple of days for the bank holiday, so I guess it is the same throughout Thailand, yet the last 2 days fatalities have been just 26 and 18 respectively. Seeing some of the maniacs out there, I'd have thought the numbers should have been going in the opposite direction.

[PeteC]

There may be at least 3 causes of what seems unrestrained driver exuberance.

1) A release from Covid restrictions.

2) The nice, cool weather.

3) New Year holidays fast approaching.

If I was in my 20's again I would probably be out zooming around with the top down and the stereo belting out 60's tunes!

[Dannie Boy]

Yes, but would you have been driving (reasonably) sensible, or like a lunatic?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[buksida]

Well, the govt is encouraging them to get back on the roads ... so let the carnage ensue ...
https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/22 ... -trip-mark

[PeteC]

Four killed in head-on collision

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... -collision (photo of a twisted mass of metal at link)

KALASIN: Four people were killed when a pickup and a six-wheel lorry collided head-on in Yang Talat district of this northeastern province on Tuesday night.

Pol Capt Natee Kunthawong, duty officer at Nakung, said the accident occurred shortly before 8pm on a rural road to Lam Pao dam between Khok Yai-Kham Maet villages in tambon Bua Ban.

Both vehicles were wrecked by the violent crash.

All four people in the vehicles were killed. They were Sarawut Phubanbai, 23, the lorry driver, Rathaphum Sethraksa, 40, the pickup driver, and two passengers in the pickup - Somjit Panya, 63 and Khamba Chaikhamming, 60.

Relatives of those killed in the pickup said Rathaphum was taking two workers to a construction site when the collision occurred.

Police were investigating.

[Dannie Boy]

Slightly off subject but recently I was watching a programme on Channel 5 in the UK called something like “Motorway Cops - catching the Speeders” and whilst the volume of accidents may be a lot lower in the UK than here in Thailand, the idiots are still there larger than life - some of the dashcam footage shown often defies logic, crazy drivers are everywhere and no matter how safe you may be, these idiots often involve innocent drivers going about their normal routines. Stay safe wherever you are!!

[KhunLA]

When bored I'll watch YT 'driving idiots' compilations, and it's scary. No matter how good you are, your defensive driving skills, the risk is always out there.

Head on swivel, comes to mind. Remember being told when learning to drive, if you're not checking all your mirror every 10 or 20 seconds, then you're not paying attention to your surroundings when driving. While taking in the 'big picture', check out those mirrors, especially when approaching stopped traffic. Leave yourself an escape route.

Relax, breathe, keep St Christopher close ...

[Dannie Boy]

Although I’m not an “Advanced Driver”, I did undertake advanced driver training including “defensive driving” techniques when I worked in Saudi Arabia. A lot of the skills I learned I practice to this day, basically every other car driver is not to be trusted, so as much as possible, keep a safe distance front, back, left and right - use your mirrors and look ahead (not just the car in front of you) constantly - overtake swiftly but not recklessly and above all, pray to your God/Buddha/Allah to keep you safe!!

[buksida]

Thai cop on big bike kills pedestrian on crossing
https://today.fox-24.com/news/72318.html

Article appears to be a dodgy translation, but its in some of the Thai news outlets.

The likely outcome? Cop will get away with it, junta will crack down on big bikes. After all, it was the bike that killed her not the asshole riding it.