behuman

Should you plan a cycling tour in northern Thailand, please acknowledge the following horrific accident: http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/gene...-killing-three

Despite Thailand being the most deadly country for traveling on the roads (after Namibia) I was still shocked.

Speed limits are never really enforced (small fines), real driving exams do not exist [redacted].

Please consider safe transfer options when traveling around the country. The minibus transfers are to be avoided at all costs. A reputable limousine (not in a minibus) service is affordable. And forget about cycling or renting a motorbike.

transpac

There are ~ 26,000 road deaths here anually, ~ 70-ish per day of which 70-80% involve motorcycles. These are just the DoAs and do not factor in those who later die.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxERs4tVAJA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BF8OmC8-Ey4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SC91D6oPOO0

http://hilight.kapook.com/view/119793

My personal favorite: https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152819320817713


I only drive during daylight hours but you still need to have your head on a swivel.


Tragic accident from February

Chilean's round-the-world record cycling quest ends in death on Thai highway

Juan Francisco Guillermo, who was trying to cycle 250,000km in five years, was killed after being hit by truck in north-east Thailand, police said

Sunday 22 February 2015 06.24 GMT


A Chilean cyclist’s attempt to set a record for biking around the world has ended with his death in a road accident in northeast Thailand, police said on Sunday.

Juan Francisco Guillermo, 47, was hit by a pickup truck and immediately killed Saturday on a highway in Nakhon Ratchasima province.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/201...n-thai-highway

transpac

The minibus transfers are to be avoided at all costs.

Back in 2010 an underage, unlicensed, scion of a very high status family, Orachorn "Praewa" Thephasadin na Ayudhya, managed to kill nine (9) people who were in the mini-van she ran into. She was "sentenced" to 48 hours of community service.

2010 crash girl driver sentence upheld

The Appeals Court on Tuesday upheld a two-year suspended jail term handed down by the Juvenile and Family Court on a woman, who was then 16 years old, who drove a sedan that crashed into a passenger van on the Don Muang elevated tollway, killing nine people, in 2010.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/lite/tops...entence-upheld

transpac

please acknowledge the following horrific accident


***Warning: Contains uncensored, graphic video from the scene of the carnage.***

https://www.facebook.com/ClipVideoth...type=2&theater


Rumors (yes, rumors) on Thai social media indicate that perhaps someone else may have been driving.

transpac

For those who enjoy streetfood:

Eight injured when pickup reveres to hit roadside foods stall

The Nation May 7, 2015 9:49 am

A pickup truck accidentally reversed and ploughed into a roadside Isaan foods stall on Thepharak Road in Samut Prakan's Samrong Nua district at 11:30 pm Wednesday, injuring eight patrons of the shop.

Police said the truck was driven by Nonglak Kaewkanya, 35, who fled the scene on foot. Police believe the woman has learned to drive recently and accidentally reversed the truck and stepped on the accelerator instead of the brake pedal.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/brea...-30259497.html


And in Bangkok, a chap mowed down three bicyclists killing one, did a runner, but turned himself in.

Another cyclist killed, 2 injured in Bangkok

For the second time in two days, a bicyclist was killed after a car rammed into a group of bikers, this time in Bangkok.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/gene...red-in-bangkok

Killer crash suspect surrenders to cops

The driver who disappeared after a crash that killed a cyclist earlier this week turned himself in to police Wednesday, claiming the shock forced him to run away.

http://bangkokpost.com/news/general/...enders-to-cops

transpac

And be careful at 7/11

"PVC pipe on sale today, aisle 1.5"

Another truck drives into a 7-Eleven (PHOTOS)

Despite people’s love-hate relationship with 7-Eleven, it seems to be the only convenience store they routinely drive their vehicles into.

While today marked the start of a quixotic boycott of the pervasive convenience store, this particular 7-Eleven in Chiang Mai was still packed with with shoppers … and their truck.

Inthanon Rescue Volunteers shared these photos after an Izusu D-Max plowed into a 7-Eleven at a PTT gas station there last night. No one was injured.


(Sorry, forgot the link, the photos are the best part.)

http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2015/05/0...-eleven-photos

transpac

3 dead, 29 hurt in Lampang bus crash

http://www.chiangraitimes.com/chiang...9-injured.html


The video is amazing: http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=a51_1432739930

dsquared37

And the guy and kid on the motorbike somehow didn't get hit... that's amazing unto itself.

transpac

The minibus transfers are to be avoided at all costs.


Seven died in passenger van crash

Seven passengers were killed and three others seriously injured when the passenger van they were travelling in from Sukhothai rammed at the rear of a 10-wheel truck on Asian Highway in Bang Pahan district of Ayutthaya on Friday night.

One survivor of the van crash known only as Kamlai told the police that all the victims are her relatives who are traders at Sukhothai market.

They took the van together to Bangkok to buy goods for selling at home.

http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/sev...-asian-highway

transpac

Reminds me of a Roadrunner cartoon.

Amazing that every power pole in Thailand didn't get pulled down.


Truck topples 47 power poles

SAMUT PRAKAN — A 22-wheel tractor-trailer struck a power pole in Bang Phli district, setting off a chain reaction that brought down 46 other poles, damaging 37 passing vehicles.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/gene...47-power-poles

DirtyDan

I've seen more accidents in the last year of living in Thailand than all my previous years combined. I will never get on a scooter - both times I've seen bodies scraped off the road were both attributed to the vehicle that crashed into the bike...

The first time I witnessed a motosai driver being doored (jackass on Sukumvit opened his car door without looking and split a motorcyclists leg wide open). I realised how dangerous this town is; called 191 emergency number and got AN ANSWERING MACHINE. Dialed 1669 and was connected to someone who could not speak English, luckily I handed the phone to bystander and they communicated on my behalf. Only took 40 minutes for the ambulance to work its way through the traffic...

On a positive note, I've learned that Thailand is moving towards the adoption of Good Samaritan laws meaning you can no longer be sued by helping someone in an emergency situation and also they will attempt to use a central emergency switchboard reached by good ol' 911. We'll have to see if that goes to the same answering machine the old service used.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/gene...ncy-number-911

tucknology

Besides graphic videos, I'd be interested in some specific safe transit options. What do you recommend?

transpac

I think it depends on the itinerary, then this will dictate the options, which can be roughly graded from potentially safe to potentially unsafe.

For example, air travel is probably one of the safest forms of transportation, but it may not be available to get across the street?

And trains here do de-rail quite often, but they go so slowly that no one usually gets hurt (forgetting for a moment all those people who get killed at crossings).

Motorcycles and mini-vans might be best avoided. Tuk-Tuks are probably OK, I've never seen one in an accident.

Private, charter buses may also be best avoided. Government buses are highly regulated, and a bit more safe.

Driving yourself can be challenging, I'd avoid driving at night and during inclement weather.

Ferries tend to sink relatively frequently, but if you can swim you should be OK (water is warm, no sharks).

Any transportation options in the four restive southern provinces are likely to be more dangerous.

Elephants are OK as long as they are not in one of those crazy mating periods (must).

behuman

[QUOTE=transpac;25246988]Ferries tend to sink relatively frequently, but if you can swim you should be OK (water is warm, no sharks)./QUOTE]

thank you, you made me laugh and thinking about the Koh Chang ferry

A safe transport option (beside avoiding the country altogether) are the (expensive) limousines from the big international hotels. Still value for money to stay alive.

transpac

Thailand ranked third among countries having highest road fatality rates

As a result, the country found to have the highest death rate was Libya, with a record of 48.4 per 100,000 people, followed by Iraq at 40.5.

Thailand was placed at number three, with a fatality rate of 38.1 per 100,000 people.

http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/tha...fatality-rates

http://thainews.prd.go.th/website_en...090010001/2/50