Thread: Toyota Vigo v tree - 18 dead

Ever wondered 'what if' when you see a pickup truck loaded/overloaded with people on the tray?
Here is the answer, and it is a very grim one.
What horror for police/rescue services to attend.
It'll be news for a day maybe, but as no one important involved, maybe not even a day.

***************

Buriram yesterday 6 Oct a Vigo loaded with workers from Laos left the road and hit a tree.
15 dead at the scene, 3 died soon after at hospital.
More still injured - either a total of 21 or 25 depending on which news source


Krobkruakao


Spring News TV

Article speculates 'driver fell asleep'
That would be 'fast asleep' in my uninformed guess looking at the damage

A nightmare.

Pickup trucks overloaded with people packed in the back as though they were chickens or pigs are a common site. Doubt anyone even thinks about providing safety for poor workers.

What a waste, but life is cheap in this part of the world so there's no reason to expect anything to change anytime soon... :/

16 dead in Thailand car crash

Police say at least 16 people have been killed when a pickup truck crashed into a tree on a rural road in Thailand's northeast.

Police Col. Suthee Setthawong says the pickup truck carrying a number of construction workers in the back slammed into a big tree next to a road in Ban Dan district in Buriram province on Monday, AP reports.

He said that 10 men, including the 24-year-old Thai driver, and 6 women, were killed, while at least five others were injured. The truck was also badly damaged.

Police believe the driver fell asleep while driving, he said. Police found a tablet of methamphetamine in his pocket and a bottle of alcohol next to his seat.
Buriram is 300 kilometers northeast of Thailand's capital.

Police found a tablet of methamphetamine in his pocket and a bottle of alcohol next to his seat.

Apart from checkpoints where police mostly sit around passing the time of day and sneakily positioned radar traps, their is little or no active policing of thailands roads.

Patrol cars dont exist and consequently drivers know they can break the laws with little fear of detection.

The blame for this and other accidents lies at the feet of the corrupt, inefficient and rather stupid thai police and those that dictate police policy and procedure.

Another day and another moment of carnage!!
What can be done to avoid this??
How about enforcing the bloody road laws!!

A pick-up can only be insured for 7 people max. That is, if the vehicle was insured other than for the compulsory Por Ror Bor policy? Taxexile patrol cars do exist but I've rarely seen them off of route 24, between Chok Chai and Nang Rong.

This fucking sickens me. The cops turn a blind eye as at least they are above the "labourers" in the back of the truck. In all my time here I have never seen one stopped, and I have seen a few crashed. But none this horrific.

Originally Posted by nigelandjan

Jeesus ! 21 or 25 on board !

Even at 50k's a pop that's more what I believe a Vigo should carry.

I'll let someone else flame me and correct my stupidity.

Thats a pretty solid effort.

I tried to google the limitations of passengers in a pick-up.
No definite answer, but was assured that all the rules referred to the
"competent officer" All we need to do now is find him.

Thailand is cheap to get around- bus companies, trains, minibuses (both regular routes, and informal), kids riding to school 3 on a moped, etc. None of these obey western standards, so more people die than in equivalent modes of transportation in the west. It also costs a helluva lot less- and in a developing economy thats important. Shit happens- it is built into the system. This will be no test case, because they were illegal workers from Laos- even when lil' Ms Hi-So caused a crash in which a number of uni students were killed in a mini bus on a Bangkok motorway, nothing changed either.

Feel asleep. Utter bollocks.

Buzzed on meth pills and whiskey. Probably didn't realize that you can't fly around corners with 25 passengers in the back like he can when he's by himself.

He likely 'fell asleep' is just some police BS to try and save the face of the Thai. The Lao victims don't deserve better. They're only Lao peasant labourers.

RIP.

It was only 3 weeks ago that this happened.

14 September 2013, Last upated at 17:59 GMT
Pick-up Truck Crash Kills 'Dancing Passengers'

(14 September) An intoxicated driver crashed his pick-up truck into a tree as his passengers were dancing in the back, killing 4 people.

The incident took place on Bang Na - Trad Road in Samut Prakarn Province.

According to witnesses, the vehicle was travelling at a high speed before crashing into the tree. Mr. Krittithi Raksanguan, 23 and Mr. Preecha Khamjaroen, 28, the driver and a passenger, are believed to have been killed immediately by the impact, as the bodies were found to be badly mangled inside the car.

The bodies of Mr. Ekrat On-Sri, 21, and another unidentified person were found on the road.

Meanwhile, Mr. Chayut Singh Purangkoon, 29, whom the witness had seen dancing on the vehicle′s rooftop, was severely injured from the accident.

Police investigation revealed that the victims worked together at Inter Express Logistic Ltd, in Bang Phli district, Samut Prakan province.

Prior to the incident, police said, they had been drinking heavily, before driving around with the company truck, with the music playing full blast. The passengers then reportedly started dancing on the back of the truck, before Mr. Krittithi, who had been driving under influence, eventually lost control of the vehicle and crashed into the tree.

It was raining heavily at the time of the accident, police added.
http://www.khaosod.co.th/en/show_ima...379162337l.jpg

I like the freedom to load revellers in the back of my truck too, it is of course incumbent upon myself to drive safely- but I couldn't do this except in the most remote parts of the west, such as the aussie outback. It's all very well to whinge about tragic outcomes- but would you be willing to change the system, and thus pay more for transportation, driving a car etc?

Originally Posted by Pragmatic

A pick-up can only be insured for 7 people max.

That's what I was told when I first bought one 8 years ago. Thinking about it now I think it's 5.

Originally Posted by sabang

It's all very well to whinge about tragic outcomes- but would you be willing to change the system, and thus pay more for transportation, driving a car etc?

Against the value of human life it is a no brainer , the only question is why you even think it questionable ?

Originally Posted by Pragmatic

It was only 3 weeks ago that this happened.

14 September 2013, Last upated at 17:59 GMT
Pick-up Truck Crash Kills 'Dancing Passengers'

(14 September) An intoxicated driver crashed his pick-up truck into a tree as his passengers were dancing in the back, killing 4 people.

The incident took place on Bang Na - Trad Road in Samut Prakarn Province.

According to witnesses, the vehicle was travelling at a high speed before crashing into the tree. Mr. Krittithi Raksanguan, 23 and Mr. Preecha Khamjaroen, 28, the driver and a passenger, are believed to have been killed immediately by the impact, as the bodies were found to be badly mangled inside the car.

The bodies of Mr. Ekrat On-Sri, 21, and another unidentified person were found on the road.

Meanwhile, Mr. Chayut Singh Purangkoon, 29, whom the witness had seen dancing on the vehicle′s rooftop, was severely injured from the accident.

Police investigation revealed that the victims worked together at Inter Express Logistic Ltd, in Bang Phli district, Samut Prakan province.

Prior to the incident, police said, they had been drinking heavily, before driving around with the company truck, with the music playing full blast. The passengers then reportedly started dancing on the back of the truck, before Mr. Krittithi, who had been driving under influence, eventually lost control of the vehicle and crashed into the tree.

It was raining heavily at the time of the accident, police added.
???????-?????????????

With a pivot and perfect dismount to finish. 8.9/10

There's nothing that can help these people develop, unfortunately.

Originally Posted by Perota

Originally Posted by boloa

Originally Posted by TonyBKK

What a waste, but life is cheap in this part of the world so there's no reason to expect anything to change anytime soon... :/

To true...
I got pulled up at a Police Check-point because the wife had forgot to put her seatbelt on and was fined 400 Baht.
I said to the Policeman 'what about the Pick-up in front ,it has about 20 people in the back ?'
He replied ' Mi pen ria ' !!!

Disagree with you. I don't know where you are but I can tell you between Bangkok and Korat, a road I drive on a regular basis, police stops are mainly for pick up trucks. Unless there was a speed check, I am never stopped but pick up trucks are almost always asked to stop by the side of the road for further check.

So do they fine pickups that have 10 people riding in the bed? Didn't think so.

25 people on a pick-up must be the norm?

Police found the pickup truck - modified to carry more passengers - was hired to take 25 workers from Bangkok to Ban Kantharom in Si Sa Ket's Khukhan district to celebrate Songkran.

https://teakdoor.com/thailand-and-asi...-accident.html

Originally Posted by noelbino

I tried to google the limitations of passengers in a pick-up.
No definite answer, but was assured that all the rules referred to the
"competent officer" All we need to do now is find him.

Most trucks are rated 1/2 ton, 3/4 ton or 1 ton and more in the US. There are some states that require this limit to be posted on the side of the truck and it will be held to that limit on road scales. I would think most Thai trucks are rated at 1/2 ton which means you can only carry a maximum of 1,120 pounds before given a big fine by the police.

That is about 10 average sized Thais.