Train derails overnight in Hua Hin

**kingwilly** · 05-10-2009, 08:26 AM

Four dead as passenger train derails in Thailand

From correspondents in Bangkok, Thailand
From: AFP
October 05, 2009 11:59AM

A PASSENGER train has derailed in Thailand killing four people and injuring scores of others, officials say.

The overnight train, travelling from the southern Trang province to Bangkok, came off the tracks close to the coastal resort town of Hua Hin at around early this morning Thai local time, said.
Four people were killed in the crash, 26 were sent to hospital and many more were injured at the scene, according to Chatree Charoencheewakul, director of the Emergency Medical Institute of Thailand.
Police could not yet confirm details of casualties but Thailand's Channel 7 reported that more than 100 people were injured when six to eight of the train's 16 carriages derailed.

**withnallstoke** · 05-10-2009, 10:20 AM

Channel 7 news reporting 10 dead.

**English Noodles** · 05-10-2009, 10:31 AM

Originally Posted by withnallstoke

Channel 7 news reporting 10 dead.

That means nothing, just after the tsunami in 2004 when the BBC were already reporting deaths of at least hundereds and saying possibly thousands in Thailand, channel 7 were still saying that no deaths had occured in Thailand and that the country had missed the worst of it, they even had an 'expert' on saying that people should not cancel travel plans to the area as it was business as usual, flick to BBC and it was showing you images of total distruction.

**chitown** · 05-10-2009, 11:14 AM

This article has video, including an amazing Thailand vacation advertisement showing some beautiful clean vacation spots. Then after the ad it shows the real Thailand.

The ads are random though, and you night get one with some Intel commercial playing rock music and showing some Indian guy name Vijay walking through and office like a stud!

BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | Thai train in deadly derailment

A passenger train bound for Bangkok has derailed in Thailand's Hua Hin coastal resort district, killing at least seven people and injuring dozens more.
At least six of the train's 16 carriages went off the tracks amid torrential downpours.
The overnight train was travelling from southern Trang province when the accident happened just before dawn.
Rescue workers were searching for some passengers thought to be trapped, local media reported.
Police said they were investigating the cause of the incident, which happened at about 0450 (2150 GMT on Sunday).
"From the information we have now, seven were found dead at the scene. They were all Thais," said Police Colonel Krisna Jamsaweng, chief of Hua Hin's police station.
Forty-five people had been sent for treatment at two nearby hospitals, he added.

**aging one** · 05-10-2009, 11:48 AM

Tracks have only been repaired never upgraded in the last 25 years. These incidents are all too common place. Just a pity the state railroad of Thailand has turned into shit.

**dirtydog** · 05-10-2009, 11:48 AM

The nation has 10 dead. Bangkok post is taking its news from afp

**mrsquirrel** · 05-10-2009, 12:07 PM

Can't see how it managed to derail. Slowest train journey I've ever been on. Took 24.5 hours to Bankok and that was meant to be the exrpess one.

**Marmite the Dog** · 05-10-2009, 12:45 PM

What's the Thai word for 'maintenance'? ไม่เป็นไร?

**richie22** · 05-10-2009, 01:04 PM

I used to use this route a lot back in the 90's.I experienced 2 accidents The first was a serious one with the train hitting a truck on a crossing and the first 3-4 carriages bursting into flames.Luckily I was in one of the last carriages and was only trown out of bed.Kin scary though wandering around in field in the dark with every one screaming.The second one also involved a truck on a crossing but this time the train just pushed it out of the way.

**kingwilly** · 05-10-2009, 01:09 PM

Telephone number of Pranburi Hospital in Prachuab Khiri Khan

Telephone number of Pranburi hospital : tel 032 621 757 where injured passengers in train accident were sent.

**madjbs** · 05-10-2009, 01:25 PM

Originally Posted by aging one

These incidents are all too common place.

Really??? When was the last serious rail accident? They seem to happen very infrequently anyhow.

Accidents will always happen and the trains are certainly still far far safer than the overnight buses, which seem to kill people every few weeks.

**Happyman** · 05-10-2009, 01:41 PM

Originally Posted by mrsquirrel

Can't see how it managed to derail. Slowest train journey I've ever been on. Took 24.5 hours to Bankok and that was meant to be the exrpess one.

Most of the line from Sing to BKK has a 55 - 60 km/hr speed limit.
Track maintenance is minimal , rolling stock is abysmal , drivers and crew are a law to themselves and safety regs are ignored on a routine basis !!

How do I know this??

For the last 4 years before I retired I was based in KL handling insurance claims and derailment recovery for the joint insurers of both the Malaysian and the Thai system- They use common locos and rolling stock - just painted different !

In 4 years I had 15 claims

8 freight
7 passenger

All except 1 were as a direct result of non-existent track maintenance or staff disregarding regulations re - speed, signing on for a loco with defective instrumentation- sleeping! etc

The exception ?
The night train from Sing - Bangkok was passing through a jungle area near Gemas in Malaysia, and hit two Buffalo !!
It didn't help that the main headlights on the loco were not working but, even if they were, it couldn't stop in time as the buggers popped out of the jungle only a couple of metres in front of the loco .

**Dougal** · 05-10-2009, 01:42 PM

Originally Posted by madjbs

Really??? When was the last serious rail accident? They seem to happen very infrequently anyhow.

Far too frequent for me.

There was a similar accident two years ago at the station before Khao Tao, I posted some pictures on TD at the time. There were less injuries and fatalities on that occasion as the accident occured earlier in the morning. This one is almost on my doorstep.

**chitown** · 05-10-2009, 05:40 PM

Originally Posted by Happyman

For the last 4 years before I retired I was based in KL handling insurance claims and derailment recovery for the joint insurers of both the Malaysian and the Thai system- They use common locos and rolling stock - just painted different !

In 4 years I had 15 claims

8 freight
7 passenger

All except 1 were as a direct result of non-existent track maintenance or staff disregarding regulations re - speed, signing on for a loco with defective instrumentation- sleeping! etc

I will sleep better tonight with that knowledge.

**Happyman** · 05-10-2009, 05:46 PM

Originally Posted by chitown

I will sleep better tonight with that knowledge.

Glad to have been some help my friend - that's what forums are for.

**madjbs** · 05-10-2009, 06:23 PM

Is 15 claims in 4 years good or bad? Were they serious, or mainly just minor with no human casualties?

**goostewart** · 05-10-2009, 07:55 PM

^to be honest, it is bad, but not as bad as some places. The UK network has an equally poor record on derailments - mainly due to poor maintenance and over use. India is terrible. Thailand is worse than some, better than others.

**Happyman** · 05-10-2009, 08:56 PM

Originally Posted by madjbs

Is 15 claims in 4 years good or bad? Were they serious, or mainly just minor with no human casualties?

If I remember correctly there were about 20+ human casualties + the 2 buffalo !

**Happyman** · 05-10-2009, 09:00 PM

Originally Posted by goostewart

^to be honest, it is bad, but not as bad as some places. The UK network has an equally poor record on derailments - mainly due to poor maintenance and over use. India is terrible. Thailand is worse than some, better than others.

Get it in context please !

The peninsular route runs maybe 4 Passenger express units a day and the freight about the same .

Got any numbers for UK rail traffic ?

**mrsquirrel** · 05-10-2009, 10:58 PM

Originally Posted by Happyman

Got any numbers for UK rail traffic ?

Is that trains that actually arrive and aren't cancelled?

**Smithson** · 06-10-2009, 09:00 AM

Is it just me or do most of the accidents happen on the southern line?

I remember a few years ago there was a derailment (or maybe even several), it was found to be due to a conflict among high up officials in the SRT, possibly over catering contracts.

No charges were laid, but someone was moved to an inactive post.

The trains could be really great for tourists. I took my parents up to Nong Kai on the sleeper. There were four of us all together, lots of fun. It's a great way to see the rural Thailand.

**kingwilly** · 06-10-2009, 09:06 AM

Originally Posted by Smithson

The trains could be really great for tourists. I took my parents up to Nong Kai on the sleeper. There were four of us all together, lots of fun. It's a great way to see the rural Thailand

exactly.

but costs money to maintain.

easier to use dozens of mini buses and tour agencies.

**Smithson** · 06-10-2009, 12:01 PM

[quote=kingwilly;1188886]

Originally Posted by Smithson

exactly.

but costs money to maintain.

easier to use dozens of mini buses and tour agencies.

Think the problem is corruption in state agencies. There's also a perception that only back packers would take the train.

I'd imagine rail travel would use less fuel than road and much less than air. Trendy tourists these days are worried about their 'footprints'.

**aging one** · 06-10-2009, 12:39 PM

seems the engineer may have fallen asleep, as he ran the red stop signal 10 k before and never responded to radio calls.
Last may I took the international express to Butterworth with the family. The train in front of us derailed and we were bused from above Had Yai to Butterworth. Pain in the ass from the site to Padang. But smooth as silk once we got to Malaysia.

**Dancing Priest** · 06-10-2009, 01:34 PM

Originally Posted by aging one

seems the engineer may have fallen asleep, as he ran the red stop signal 10 k before and never responded to radio calls.

There's no 'dead man's handle' on many Thai trains and they should be there to prevent such a thing from happening.

Thai trains are like having teeth pulled anyway, I try to avoid using them because they take so bloody long.

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