Bus Safety

[parrot]

Food for thought for those considering a trip by double decker bus....from today's BP.

"Land Transport Department director-general Somchai Siriwattanachoke said double-decker buses were more popular among passengers than conventional buses. There are about 6,000 double-decker buses from a total of 160,000 buses nationwide. Of the 6,000 double-decker buses, only 447 have been certified by the Transport Co as meeting safety standards. "

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/3 ... questioned.

[downunder]

Stupidety reigns supreme, you would think the Authorities to be would take some responsibility to ensure that the Busses were roadworthy and then at least give the Customers a chance for a better survival rate, but that would be Logical. MAI PEN RAI

[Quanteen]

Stupidety reigns supreme

delicious

[BigBubba]

As a driver of commercial vehicles for the last 12 years of my working career I find this an appalling statistic! EVERY state in America has multiple "check points" for commercial vehicles. I've been through them literally thousands of times. There have been spectacular bus crashes in the U.S. also, but ever tightening standards have been imposed over the years. There's a marker on Interstate 71 in Kentucky that I passed several times a year that always reminded me of one of the worst. Story here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrollton ... _collision

Those double decker jobs just LOOK "top heavy" to start out with. Combined with softer suspension for that comfy ride, curvy 2 lane highways, people CONSTANTLY passing in unsafe situations, and incompetent drivers equals the perfect recipe for disaster. If Thailand is to ever rise above "3rd world status" this would certainly be a good place to start. Public safety should be a "no brainer". Reference the other thread about unsafe RR crossings. Then there's unlicensed and uninsured drivers, bla bla bla. Rant over.

[Jing Jing]

This past holiday I passed an Air Udon bus flipped on its side south of KK. Also while driving I noticed no buses or trucks with their lights given the rainy conditions. I guess safety is not important. Also most buses didn't move off the road to take on or discharge passengers - I guess they are in to much of a hurry. are Ignorance is bliss until the one fateful day, but the drivers are still in denial mode as to how the accident could have been prevented.

[Laan Yaa Mo]

I have taken the double deckers on a number of occasions. Last year, I traveled on Phetprasert VIP from Khon Kaen to Sukhothai without incident. This tour provides the most comfortable ride on any bus I have taken anywhere in Canada, the U.S., the U.K. or Asia. The seats recline to a position just short of a bed.

I took the same tour bus from Khon Kaen to Sukhothai on 11 July, and returned to Khon Kaen on Isaan VIP tour, which was not quite as comfortable as Phetprasert. I will be going to Mukdahan on Phetprasert in a few days, and returning to Kalasin on a Phetprasert double decker.

So far so good, but some of the comments here are making me a little bit worried.

[Khun Paul]

While we bemoan the drivers of the buses, even complain bitterly about the buses themselves, safety etc; I do feel we are missing the point com0letely, while any accident involving a bus is bad news for passengers and the credibility of those who are good drivers, let us not forget recently ithas been the incompetent behaviour of transport Authorities who admoit quite freely that only 477 out of 6000 buses are actually certified, and that driver standards are at best of a low standard with little or no checks made at anytime on the road, when you sit as i did some years ago at the traffic lights at Big @C @, ( I know sad bastard I am ) I watched in the space of two hours more than 20 odd commercial vehicles ( including buses ) go through a red light.
Now mormally that would not raise an eyebrow in Thailand by Thai drivers but to a mere mortal like myself i was worried, since then there have been inumerable deaths and accidents at tht very spot.
Buses seem to be maintained on an ad hoc basis and once in the evening i di walk arounbd the main bus staion ( had I been a UK police officer on duty ) I would have immediately stopped at leasty 30% of the buses with illegal tyres, some even had lights hanging off.

Enforcement is at best poor ( made even easier with the tea money paid, Transport, officals and Police are obviously ineffective and incompetent, Rules are made to circumnavigate and they are. Once I was stopped on the way to bangkok for going over 100k's, but the bus that passed me wasn't stopped at all, he was doing at least 120+ but I suspect no point in waving him down as he wouldn't stop anyway.

Until as such time and I fear we are getting very near to that point a major accident occurs killing dozens, down to the fault of a Bus company or its driver and they are also held liable for ALL costs, then nowt will change, even train travel is now a tad iffy.
me i drive my car or stay at home feel a lot safer.

[rick]

It really hits home when it is YOUR relatives who get killed, like in the Roi-et bus crash a couple of days ago.

[pienmash]

Bus company workers are to be trained in evacuation techniques in the future ,,similar to what the hostesses do on planes ( does anyone think the passengers will even listen ? ) ,, too late for the unfortunate people killed in this terrible incident ...

[semperfiguy]

Bus company workers are to be trained in evacuation techniques in the future ,,similar to what the hostesses do on planes ( does anyone think the passengers will even listen ? ) ,, too late for the unfortunate people killed in this terrible incident ...

I can sure tell you that I will not board another bus in Thailand without having a phillips head screwdriver in my carry-on bag. At the first sign of danger I'm going out my side window and avoid the stampede. That screwdriver is about the only thing that will shatter those windows. It's every man for himself!

[WBU ALUM]

I've been on four bus trips in 8 years. No more.

[Brian Davis]

We're often seeing off/meeting people on the overnight bus from Phen to Bangkok or vice versa.
It's not unusual to hear of some problem with the bus.
I did point out a bald rear inner tyre on one vehicle to the staff present, but got, of course, 'mai pen rai'.
The buses certainly don't hang about. I don't think they have two drivers. Wife's sister told us she and other passengers had to tell a driver to have several stops as the bus was swerving erratically and he looked as if he was falling asleep.
In returning from Udon one night, just down the road this way, I 'met' the bus. It was flying along,overtaking on a blind bend and I was coming the other way. I had no option but to slam on the brakes. You can guess my reaction. I was steaming, very close to turning round and catching him up. I wanted to give him a mouthful in front of the passengers (who should also of been concerned at his driving), but probably just wasting my time.

[trubrit]

Until they outlaw the common practise of fining the drivers for late arrival you will always get them speeding nearer to their destination . :-"

[Jing Jing]

Bus operators risk passenger safety for profits: expert
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/nationa ... 11193.html

[pienmash]

Well theres a supri ... tell me smmat i dint already know !!!!!!!

plain speak ,,,,,, these tour buses are and have always been death trips ,,, more so as the volume of customers increased and the owner operator time tables were treated as race days ,,, as TB says the drivers are on delay /late arrival penalties that mean alot ,, hence the 120km plus fast lane nutters trying to save the cut ,,,, the foreign press are right to highlight the problem ,,, now being covered up for tourist figure numbers ,,,,,,the fact is that a life is a life irrespective if a wealthy tourist or a poor Issan farmer visiting relatives ,,,,

been hear way too long to say .. life is cheap here ,, yes ,,, but so much should be done to prevent such bus/raod carnage ..

mash

[Khun Paul]

Yes agree, life is considered cheap, the introduction of tachometers and strictly enforced drivers hours as well as speed limiters would have an effect i am sure, however when you take the current Thai nationals complete disregard for any law relating to travel/ transport, coupled with the BIB's attitude to the fact that money will allow lax enforcement, then it ain't going to be sorted out in my lifetime I am sure.

[FrazeeDK]

busses are rarely stopped at all for any infraction... How many of you have been pulled over by the Highway patrol for "traveling too long in the passing lane"... How many of you have cursed a blue streak because that big bus is traveling at a sedate 100kph in the passing lane and just won't get over to let faster vehicles overtake?? Think they're stopped for being in the passing lane too long? It all boils down to who owns the companies that owns the busses... "Influential" people do.. Just like the big transport companies are owned by the same folks.. The cops won't enforce the laws, the Transport Department won't or can't enforce the laws.. If only 8% of the double decker busses are "certified" as safe why? And... since that certification can probably be bought, what good is it anyway.. Guess it boils down to buyer beware..

[Jing Jing]

Yes many buses abuse the road rules. Some are in the passing lane mostly because the other lane is full of holes and broken pavement. The ride in this lane is horrible and the bus would be in more danger. Additionally this lane is full of locals who are traveling well below the speed limit. I traveled on the highway this past weekend and I experienced the many problems that exist. In the left lane you are constantly trying to avoid holes. Also there are farm vehicles and dual lorries that are moving extremely slowly. In the passing lane their are idiots who are trying to drive at 150 .What is needed is a tollway built to 1st world standards. Forget the high speed rail.

What is more disturbing is the information in the Nation article. So should we patronize companies that use European made buses? or only use single deck buses - such as Nakhonchai?

[BigBubba]

ALL commercial drivers, in all countries, are under some type of pressure for delivery times, but the big difference is when safety is compromised. Whenever a dispatcher pressured me to hurry up with a delivery I would respond with "I can't do that safely", and I NEVER got a rebuttal. Mind you all these conversations were done by satellite text messaging and there was a record made.

In America about 80% of the big trucks on the road have speed governers, usually set at 65 mph. This was especially frustrating to the guys who came down from Canada, whose trucks were set at 100kmh (62 mph). A driver who receives any kind of infraction also counts as a "black mark" against his company. Enough black marks and then there are substantial fines, or loss of operating permit, in effect closing them down.

Having been in Thailand long enough to understand the work ethic of the average Thai, I also understand why bus company owners impose "fines" for tardiness. Yes, I know there are exceptions, but there just seems to be a lack of ambition by most of the work force. So I guess the solution to the problem is more complicated than us logical thinking westerners can comprehend?

[Laan Yaa Mo]

With the recent train and bus tragedies in Italy, Spain, Canada and Thailand, I am thinking of walking to the Lao border on the 1st. 555+

There was no-one but me getting the visa to Lao at the Embassy in Khon Kaen this morning. I spent the one hour waiting time trying to see if I could read the Lao newspapers provided by guessing at Lao words in relation to Thai. It was a futile but valiant exercise.