Van Racing Ends In 4 Fatalities On Chonburi Motorway

[Hans Mann]

Four people were killed and another was seriously injured when a passenger van slammed into a roadside power pole while engaging in a car race with another van on the in-bound Chon Buri-Rayong highway in Chon Buri’s Muang district on Tuesday.

The dead victims included the driver of the passenger van shuttling between Chon Buri and Rayong, identified as Kraisorn Worasarn, 31, and his assistant. Kraisorn was crushed to death behind the steering wheel while his assistant who sat on the front seat next to the driver was thrown out of the van and died upon impact with the road surface.

Two women passengers and a male passenger were seriously injured. They were rushed to Burapha hospital but the two women, identified as Ms Kanya Katechirakarn and Ms Sudjai Srikaew, later succumbed to their deaths.

Eyewitnesses said that Mr Kraisorn engaged in a high speed race with another passenger van. However, when the van arrived in front of Bang Phra power station, it slid out of road and crashed into a roadside power pole.

Four killed and one injured in a car race accident - Thai PBS English News

[DJ Pat]

Do some of these minivans still race eachother to get the most passengers?

I like making a bit of money but I'm damned if I'm gonna risk death for a meagre living

[kingwilly]

The dead victims included the driver of the passenger van shuttling between Chon Buri and Rayong, identified as Kraisorn Worasarn, 31, and his assistant. Kraisorn was crushed to death behind the steering wheel while his assistant who sat on the front seat next to the driver was thrown out of the van and died upon impact with the road surface.

He won't be risking any more lives now.

[BobR]

The dead victims included the driver of the passenger van shuttling between Chon Buri and Rayong, identified as Kraisorn Worasarn, 31, and his assistant. Kraisorn was crushed to death behind the steering wheel while his assistant who sat on the front seat next to the driver was thrown out of the van and died upon impact with the road surface.

He won't be risking any more lives now.

That's a much better outcome than seeing the bastard allowed to surrender himself at his convenience and get off with a petty fine.

^^ My ex neighbor (retired Navy and a responsible person) drove one, he explained that the drivers rent the van by the day and the more passengers they can carry the more money they make. Makes sense since there is no way the owner could keep track of the receipts.

[baldrick]

and the more passengers they can carry the more money they make.

have you ever been on the provincial busses during a busy period when they break out the plastic stools and seat people in the aisle ?

[BobR]

and the more passengers they can carry the more money they make.

have you ever been on the provincial busses during a busy period when they break out the plastic stools and seat people in the aisle ?

The only bus company I'll ride on here is Nakonchai Air, and they are actually reasonably professional. Rode an old bus from Bkk to Chiang Mai once when I first came to Thailand, never again. The plastic seats would be better than standing, I guess.

[kingwilly]

and the more passengers they can carry the more money they make.

have you ever been on the provincial busses during a busy period when they break out the plastic stools and seat people in the aisle ?

Been on one in rural China that pulled out lengths of wood to place on the stools to create an entire bench seat.

[Warwick]

My ex neighbor (retired Navy and a responsible person) drove one, he explained that the drivers rent the van by the day and the more passengers they can carry the more money they make. Makes sense since there is no way the owner could keep track of the receipts.

Things may have changed. I ride the van regularly and at a number of stops a head count is done by the roadside ticket seller and noted on the drivers check list.

I heard a rumour that because of this and similar accidents, new regulations will be introduced concerning speeds and backed up by GPS tracking devices that will have to be fitted.

[DJ Pat]

I heard a rumour that because of this and similar accidents, new regulations will be introduced concerning speeds and backed up by GPS tracking devices that will have to be fitted.

I doubt it'll stop the speeding though, if the driver does the job and doesn't crash, all will be fine.

If he still crashes despite these regulations, they'll just give us the same reason why.

[Troy]

I have found the best mini bus rides are the ones where the owner is the driver. There are a few I know of in my area (family and friends of family and names they have provided when they are busy).

If you need to get someone on a timely basis then you hire the minibus on a daily rate and put bums on seats to offset the cost if you need to.

If you are in no hurry then you let one of them know you want to go down to BKK and they tell you when they are going (ie they have filled the bus) this can be 24 - 48 hrs depending on season.

During the New Year and Songkran festivals, I have seen these guys go back and forth with full loads (and little break between) in order to earn as much as they can. I have seen the toll of earning a living versus resting take its toll, even with the best of them.

The one guy I trusted most had two minivans and worked the seasonal stuff for 15 years, making good money. He lost his two sons (I was happy with their driving) due to accidents in which they were the innocent party...he had a nervous breakdown and is a shadow of the man I once knew.

Another guy is one I have always got on with very well, a complete loony socially and drinks like a fish when he comes to visit...but never within 12 hours of a drive...if he parks the minibus outside then it means eat and be merry and who needs the booze.

These are long distance trips though..they all hated the rat race of the BKK commute...

[BobR]

I heard a rumour that because of this and similar accidents, new regulations will be introduced concerning speeds and backed up by GPS tracking devices that will have to be fitted.

I doubt it'll stop the speeding though, if the driver does the job and doesn't crash, all will be fine.

If he still crashes despite these regulations, they'll just give us the same reason why.

I honestly don't think the elite in Government care, at all. Ironically the exact opposite of our home countries that micro-manage everything.