X-ing/PedestrianAccidents:Prachaub3Dead

[GWR]

Featured Frontpage. More details of the tragedy that claimed 8 lives in Yala Province.
Obviously, level-crossings in Thailand still need improvement; but the report suggests yet again that driver irresponsibility is a huge part of the problem:-

http://www.ktmrailwayfan.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=722

Frontpage Photo: Mr John for 2 Bkk.com:-

http://www.2bangkok.com/images/south47.jpg

[GWR]

Not sure I would withdraw the comment about 'driver irresponsibility', but the writer of this account says that 'Mr Ali' was rushing to beat the sunset. That almost certainly means that he feared some other fate was awaiting him. Perhaps he feared being stopped by the security forces or the rebels; or one of the goon squads employed by both sides.

[gwmss15]

Although this is a very sad thing to happen to the people in Yala. Some level or responsibility does lie with the driver of the van as he should have stopped and looked to see if there was a train. In Melbourne Australia this kind of accident occurs regularly at least once a month. And that’s at crossings with gates so some education on the dangers of railway crossings needs to be undertaken in all areas of Thailand to make drivers aware of the risk. And if the location is of poor viability or has a recent history of accidents then it should be grade separated.

However please don’t blame the train driver as it takes about 500 meters to stop a normal passenger train longer if it’s a freight train or loco hauled diesel service as it was in this case.

What do others feel about this?

[Yappofloyd]

^ you can access the last week of Post articles via the Recent Editions link.

Here is the article which is actually a letter written into Postbag and published on the 17/06/06;

Crash may not have been truck driver's fault

I'll never forget the morning of March 22, 2006. It was the day the Butterworth to Bangkok express hit a ten-tonne grain truck on a level crossing. Being back in Coach 13, all I suffered was a rude awakening. Others were less lucky.

As I surveyed _ and photographed _ the wreckage, it became readily apparent what had happened. The truck had come across the single track from the left, dodging around the half-barriers, when its cab had been hit square-on by the loco. The loco was on its side in a paddy-field, its undercarriage ripped away as it had ploughed over the truck's cab. The emergency services were already removing the luckless driver from what remained of the front. There was no hurry. What little remained of the truck's cab was receiving the same treatment, while the dead and dying were being freed from Coach 1. It was obvious that my continued presence would not help matters, so I removed myself from the scene.

Early reports regarding the cause of the disaster merely echoed my first impression; it was the truck driver's fault. But examining my photos later, it occurred to me that I might have been a bit hasty. I noticed something that, at the scene, had only grazed my subconscious and which, had I not spent five years with Siemens as a Road Traffic System Engineer, I would have missed entirely.

The half-barriers were down and undamaged. And the control box had been crumpled, undoubtedly by the back end of the truck as it had been swept past, by the loco. But this did not square with the reports I had heard, and continue to hear, which state that the truck driver was drunk, stoned, asleep at the wheel or just incredibly stupid.

It was 07.45 on a bright, clear morning. Nobody is incapable at that time. And whilst manoeuvring a fully laden 10-tonner round two half-barriers _ at speed according to one report _ across a single track, might not be impossible (I used to drive trucks, as well) it would hardly be easy. And the barrier was unscathed. Furthermore, wouldn't a man responsible for his own life, that of his passenger, his truck, not to mention its load _ representing perhaps six months' work for someone, possibly himself_ bother to turn his head a few degrees, thus enabling him to look down a clear, straight track, where he would have observed several hundred tonnes of train heading straight for him?

It just didn't add up. But another scenario did. I believe that when the truck driver approached the junction, the barriers were up. And he did what we all do when given the green light _ he trusted to luck. But on the morning in March, his luck ran out _ along with that of six other people. Then as the truck, after being hit, was slammed into the barriers' control box, destroying it, the power was cut to the barriers, causing them to safety-default and simply drop under their own weight.

But the dead are dead. So why does this trouble me? Because I have this recurring nightmare. In it, a widow weeps for her husband. Perhaps also, her eldest son. For the stigma that she and her remaining children must bear for life; that her late husband was a drunken/stoned/reckless fool who caused his own and six other deaths, plus injuries to some 50 others. And finally, for the fact that now she and her children have no income. The State Railway of Thailand are unlikely to entertain a claim from her _ from their point of view, her husband broke their train.

But was it really his fault? In the West, by now the autopsy results would have been in, along with the lab's report on the remains of the barriers' control box. Blame would have been apportioned and recommendations made. But this is Thailand. Public inquiries are expensive. And this one might just show that the fault lay with the barrier system, which according to an official I spoke with, are maintained by the SRT themselves, or their operator (half-barriers are usually automatic with train detector units, but one report claimed there was an operator). Which would be embarrassing.

But as far as I can establish, there has been no inquiry. Therefore, if nothing is done, a grave injustice may result. One that could have repercussions on an entire family for many years to come. As doubtless the only retired Road Traffic Systems Engineer on board that train that day, I felt duty-bound to investigate, but being also a stranger in a strange land, I think I have now followed this thing through as far as I can. Accordingly, I call upon the Bangkok Post, an organ I trust, to take it on and pursue the truth.

M J WILLIAMS

[qualtrough]

The author may well be correct, but in the paragraph above there are two big logical flaws.

1. "Nobody is incapable at that time (07.45)." Look, beer and whisky are breakfast beverages in Thailand. This past Saturday I brought my car into a shop to have some work done. At 08:00 a United Airlines van pulled into the lot and the credentialled driver got out, swigging from an almost empty large bottle of Singh. Not an unusual sight to anyone driving here. So the idea that the early hour means it is likely that the driver wasn't impaired doesn't fly.

2. "Wouldn't a man responsible for his own life, that of his passenger, his truck, not to mention its load ..." You would think so, but then how do you explain all the other stupid, senseless, and totally avoidable 'accidents' that take thousands of lives here each year? Wouldn't a bus driver with a cargo of precious human lives be extra careful? Sorry, but for whatever reason that logic has no application here.

I am not saying that the author's theory is untrue, only that these two arguments are very weak. Also, does he know that an autopsy was not done? Has he checked? Autopsies are not unusual here.

[ncr]

Mr. Qualtrough is spot-on.

[GWR]

Channel 7 just reported a very strange incident in Trang Province. A Canadian citizen was travelling on a Trang to Bangkok train. It appears that he was sitting on the roof of a coach when he struck a bridge girder, and was killed. Coachtop riding is rare in the south these days, and if it is done is usually more a piece of bravado than an attempt to ride gratis. And it appears that he was engaged in a piece of bravado. The footage showed his body and his passport, with the train pulling away from a station (somewhere) after a presumably delayed departure. There was also footage of his female travelling companion - perhaps also Canadian - talking to someone on a mobile and looking surprisingly unperturbed.

I don't have an up-to-date timetable, but I noted on an old one that Rapid 168 13:10 Kantang to Bangkok passes through Trang about 13:45. The slightly older bogies I saw in the footage looked like a Rapid.

[GWR]

Roof-riding still occurs on some freights from Padang Besar to Hat-Yai. This report reminded me of the Phil Abbey story from 1973 on the 'Smuggler's Express': -

http://www.geocities.com/songkhla.geo/SMUGGLER.html

On these local trains to the border sometimes there were nearly as many people riding on top of the train as were riding inside. Riding this super economy class was not without its hazards as spills off the roof were usually fatal.

The crew made an attempt at the first stop, Ban Phru, to clear everybody off the roof but it was futile. As soon as we started up, the roof riders made a dash for their perches. Consciences clear, the crew ignored the problem for the rest of the trip.

As the appointed hour for departure, 9:30, came close, the engine whistle gave a blast or two. People began running through the fence again and stood around the train. Customs officers walked the train, and got off. The engine whistled to start moving. At that instant the train filled with all the standees.

At the cut we stopped again and the same charade was repeated. At the last station before Haadyai, the roof riders were cleared off without fuss and we arrived back into Haadyai as if all was normal.

And in more recent times this: -

'Er Indoors and I went to Padang Besar to visit a friend who works for SRT there. He got us a free ride home in the guard's van of a freight. Funnier than hell to see the only local passenger arrangements, with folks on freight cars and reefers, ducking for each bridge. The driver even slowed down intentionally on the rail overpass south of Hat-Yai Junction to allow folks to throw off their contraband. It was also fairly obvious that the guard was collecting 'fares'. Whether that was all backpocket or whether SRT gets even some of this 'fare', I can't say.

http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showpost.php?p=2557&postcount=24

[Wisarut]

Canadian Farang's Dead on the Traing Express 84 (Trang - BKK) ... after crashing with the bridge between Phetburi and Rajburi while drinking Beer on the roof of Sleeper car ... :eek:

More details can be seen here:
http://www.matichon.co.th/khaosod/khaosod_detail.php?s_tag=03p0111111049&show=1&sectionid=0301&day=2006/10/11

[GWR]

Whoops! Only a few hundred clicks away and the wrong train! Still bizarre though!
:o

Not an excuse of course. My local informant tells me that it is not uncommon to leave out such key details during 'News in Brief' reports on TV, in the belief that you will be thus compelled to watch the main news. And, needless to say, the item you are really interested in gets blocked out of the main news by something supposedly bigger.

Thanks to Khun Wisaruth for putting us straight on that one.

[qualtrough]

Some of the main points from the article kindly referenced by Khun Wisarut:

The 22 year old Canadian's girlfriend said the couple had visited Phuket and then got on the train at Surat Thani. Her boyfriend had been drinking a lot of beer. Officials theorized that at some point he decided to climb up on the roof for the fresh air and that he was facing backwards and did not see the bridge beam that removed the top half of his head, probably in Petchburi. RR officials saw his legs hanging from the roof and discovered the body in Rachaburi. The girlfriend was crying next to the body.

[GWR]

Pattaya City News. Similar problem. An accident causes huge delays in vitally profitable freight movements:

http://www.pattayacitynews.net/news_13_04_50_2.htm

http://www.pattayacitynews.net/pic_webnews/13_04_2.jpg

Train crashes with car in Banglamung, two men killed, two seriously injured.

Police Major Winai from Banglamung Police Station along with Sawang Boriboon Rescue Workers were called to a level crossing in Soi Nonghin in Banglamung after reports of a train collision with a car was received. At the location rescuers dealt with two men inside the car who were baldy injured and taken to Hospital. Two others were killed in the crash between a Mercedes Benz and a train traveling from Rayong to Konkaen Province. At this particular crossing there are no barriers, only warning lights warn drivers of an approaching train. One of the surviving passengers in the car mentioned that no attempt was made by the driver to slow down as he approached the crossing. The dead men were named as Khun Wisit aged 33 and Khun Choochart aged 18. Their families have been informed of the accident and Police and rail officials are continuing to investigate the crash.

http://www.pattayacitynews.net/pic_webnews/13_04_2_5.jpg

[GWR]

Family of 4 survive after their car slammed into by speeding train

Chon Buri - A family of four escaped uninjured when their car was slammed into by a speeding train at a train cross in this eastern province at noon on Sunday.

The car appeared badly damaged and stopped next to the railway near a cargo train following the accident in Bang Lamung district at noon, police said.

The father, Arkom Sripaenphet, 31, told police that he was taking his three family members to a department store in Sri Racha when the accident occurred.

He claimed that he was slowing down when approaching the train cross but his car would not completely stop and move on to the railway and hit by the speeding train.

But the train driver, Chatree Pumphaijit, 49, told police that the car was apparently speeding up to try to cut the bow of the train but failed to make it through.

Police have not yet press charges against anyone yet because they would have to investigate more to decide which side was wrong.

The Nation


http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/read.php?newsid=30044736

[GWR]

http://www.pattayacitynews.net/news_13_08_50_3.htm

http://www.pattayacitynews.net/pic_webnews/13_08_3_6.jpg
[All Photos: Pattaya City News]

Amazing escape as car collides with approaching train

An amazing escape now from the train track located behind the Nong Yai Temple. Police Lieutenant Colonel Jiwatpong from Banglamung Police Station was assigned to the case and made his way to the location. He was met by the owner of a badly damaged Honda Civic, Khun Akom aged 31 who explained that his car had just collided with an approaching train. In total there were seven people inside the car, all family members, who were uninjured. He collided with train number 4113 which was on its way to Sriracha. Khun Akom explained that he approached the crossing point and failed to see the oncoming train due to trees obstructing his view. Luckily the car only clipped the side of the train and a full impact collision was avoided. A review of this crossing is now underway as barriers preventing people crossing when a train approaches, are not present.

http://www.pattayacitynews.net/pic_webnews/13_08_3.jpg

http://www.pattayacitynews.net/pic_webnews/13_08_3_2.jpg

http://www.pattayacitynews.net/pic_webnews/13_08_3_4.jpg

http://www.pattayacitynews.net/pic_webnews/13_08_3_5.jpg

[GWR]

3 killed when van hit by train in Phetchaburi

Phetchaburi - A van carrying six staff of Macro discount store was hit by a train a railway cross, causing three to be killed and three others to be severely injured.

The accident took place at 11:45 am in Cha-am district.

Police said the van was travelling to Cha-am to distribute leaflets to announce the opening of the discount store in Phetchaburi.

Police said the drive, who was among the killed, apparently did not see the incoming train, when he crossed the railway cross, which had no barricade.


http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/read.php?newsid=30051740

[GWR]

3 killed when van hit by train in Phetchaburi

Phetchaburi - A van carrying six staff of Macro discount store was hit by a train a railway cross, causing three to be killed and three others to be severely injured.

The accident took place at 11:45 am in Cha-am district.

Police said the van was travelling to Cha-am to distribute leaflets to announce the opening of the discount store in Phetchaburi.

Police said the drive, who was among the killed, apparently did not see the incoming train, when he crossed the railway cross, which had no barricade.


http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/read.php?newsid=30051740

Mutilated body of suicide victim discovered on train track in East Pattaya.

Police Sub-Lieutenant Pongsatorn from Banglamung Police Station was called to the train track in Soi Kow Tha Low at 2.30 on Saturday Morning to investigate an apparent suicide. At the scene he inspected the mutilated body of an unidentified Thai Man thought to be aged between 45 and 50. The position of the body parts suggested that the man had placed himself over the train track and he was then hit by a fast moving train which stopped after the collision. A Sawang Boriboon Rescue Volunteer mentioned to Police that he recognized the man who was helped earlier in the night and was prevented from throwing himself in front of fast moving cars. He was taken to his home but was in a distressed state and was adamant that he wanted to kill himself because he had run out of cash and could not pay back debts accrued over the previous year.

Some pictures with original report:
http://www.pattayacitynews.net/news_06_10_50_4.htm

[GWR]

http://www.pattayacitynews.net/pic_webnews/15_10_4_4.jpg
Pattaya City News[/I]]

[B]Woman killed as she collides with level crossing

Late on Sunday Night, Police Sub-Lieutenant Wirat from Banglamung Police Station made his way to a level crossing in Chat-Neow sub-district to deal with a fatality. At the scene, he inspected the body of Khun Chontishar who was killed when she apparently collided with a level crossing which had been activated due to an approaching train. Witnesses confirmed that she approached the level crossing at a high rate of speed and failed to see the barrier which she collided with. A post mortem examination is now underway to determine if the woman was intoxicated, which Police suspect was the cause of the fatal crash.


http://www.pattayacitynews.net/pic_webnews/15_10_4_3.jpg

[GWR]

3 killed, 10 injured when train hits kindergarten van


Samut Sakhon - A Bangkok-bound train hit a van of a kindergarten school, killing two 3-year-old children, and the babysitter of the van.

Police said 9 other kindergarteners and the van driver were injured and rushed to a hospital.

The accident happened near Thung Si Thong station in Bang Nam Jued district at 4 pm.

The van belongs to Sunflower [Tantawan] Kindergarten School in Bang Bon area.

Witnesses told police the van was speeding up to cross the railway but the incoming train hit into the van at the side of the driver.

The Nation


http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/read.php?newsid=30055091

[Wisarut]

More detail abotu this accident can be seen here:
http://portal.rotfaithai.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=1965

http://img65.imageshack.us/img65/1249/86552382tn4.jpg
[Photo:http://portal.rotfaithai.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=1965]
The above appears to be the level-crossing site of the accident at Thung Si Thong Station.

[GWR]

Well, to be honest, most of the frequent accidents along the whole stretch of the Eastern Seaboard Line are a result of frequent freight trains (note the empty BCFs in these pictures) and folks who won't accept fundamental level-crossing sense - a form of indirect suicide! (See earlier accidents on this stretch of line reported in this thread.) This one truly does seem to have been suicide: :D

Man throws himself under a train in Soi Kow Noi

Early on Wednesday Morning, Police Lieutenant Jirasak was called to the train track in Soi Kow Noi to investigate a case of suspected suicide. At the scene, body parts belonging to Khun Wirachart aged 37 were being gathered up by Rescue Workers. He had apparently placed himself over the tracks after a domestic dispute with his Girlfriend. The pair had driven to the location and tried to repair their relationship as they sat in the car. They were unable to clear their problems and both eventually fell asleep in the car. The victim’s Girlfriend, Khun Sawarak aged 27 woke up after commotion on the train track. A train had come to an abrupt halt after running over the body of the victim. Police have recorded the death as a suicide.

http://www.pattayacitynews.net/news_19_12_50_4.htm

[All photos below: Pattaya City News]

http://www.pattayacitynews.net/pic_webnews/19_12_4_2.jpg
http://www.pattayacitynews.net/pic_webnews/19_12_4_3.jpg
http://www.pattayacitynews.net/pic_webnews/19_12_4_4.jpg
http://www.pattayacitynews.net/pic_webnews/19_12_4_5.jpg
http://www.pattayacitynews.net/pic_webnews/19_12_4.jpg
http://www.pattayacitynews.net/pic_webnews/19_12_4_6.jpg

[GWR]

Burmese man loses an arm and leg after falling asleep next to train track

http://www.pattayacitynews.net/pic_webnews/17_01_3_3.jpg
[Pattaya City News]

A bizarre case now from the Banglamung Hospital, who admitted Mr. Chai aged 30, a Burmese National, on Wednesday Night, who had apparently fallen asleep next to a train track after drinking excess amount of alcohol. A train approached and due to his proximity the track, Mr. Chai was dragged under the train and in the process lost part of his left leg and right arm and also broke his right leg. The victim, a local construction worker confirmed that this was in no way a suicide attempt and he simply fell asleep by the track after a night of heavy drinking. He was later transferred to Chonburi Hospital for more specialized care.

http://www.pattayacitynews.net/news_17_01_51_3.html

[GWR]

Last night's TPBS news showed footage of a level-crossing accident near Sattahip (Ban Pluttaluang). A passenger train hit a pick-up truck and three people in the truck were killed. The train appeared not to have been derailed.

There is only one passenger train a day on that stretch. It arrives from Bangkok midday and returns about an hour or so later, after the crew have had a lunchbreak.

When I was there in about 2002, there were occasional fuel trains to the Navy Base. Khun Wisaruth's comments and photos since seem to suggest that the line is now rarely used (if ever) south of Ban Pluttaluang.

[GWR]

Last night's TPBS news showed footage of a level-crossing accident near Sattahip (Ban Pluttaluang). A passenger train hit a pick-up truck and three people in the truck were killed. The train appeared not to have been derailed.

There is only one passenger train a day on that stretch.

(But there are also freight trains from Mapthaphut passing through the Na Jomtien area.) The picture of the smashed up pick-up truck matches what I saw on TPBS.

3 dead and 5 seriously injured in train versus pick-up crash in Na-Jomtien.

http://www.pattayacitynews.net/pic_webnews/22_02_2.jpg
[Photo: Pattaya City News]

Police and rescue workers rushed to the scene of a serious accident which occurred on the train track in the Na-Jomtien area Friday Afternoon which resulted in the death of 3 people and a further 5 people were seriously injured. The accident occurred due a collision between a fast approaching train and a pick-up which was carrying 7 people plus the driver. At this particular level crossing, no barrier is present and the driver appeared not to slow down when approaching the crossing. Khun Paisan, the driver of the truck explained that 5 children, who were all seriously injured, were standing on the back of the truck and he was busy concentrating on them when he approached the crossing and failed to see flashing warning lights which indicated a train was approaching. The driver’s Wife, Father-in-Law and Mother-in-Law perished in the crash.

http://www.pattayacitynews.net/news_22_02_51_2.html

[GWR]

Death - by either suicide, assisted suicide or stupidity - on Pattaya's rails seems to be becoming almost fashionable:

Unknown Thai Man killed after he is hit by approaching train

Police Major Khunawoot from Banglamung Police Station was called to the train track in Soi Siam Country Club in the early hours of Sunday Morning to investigate a death. At the scene, Police inspected the body of an unknown Thai man thought to be aged between 45 and 50. His body was discovered lying face-down next to the train track. Rescue Workers made an initial inspection of the body and determined that he most likely died of a broken neck. Other injuries suggested he may have hit a train. Further investigations determined that a train driven by Khun Promwat aged 41 hit the man. The driver explained that he spotted the man apparently sleeping on the track. As it was dark there was no time for the train to stop and as the victim attempted to remove himself from the track he was side-swiped by the train.

http://www.pattayacitynews.net/news_03_03_51_3.html

[GWR]

Take a look at the last sentence. :rolleyes: More likely the pick-up driver was 'speeding' to avoid the scofflaw's indignity of having to wait for a slow train:

6 killed, 1 injured in train-truck collision


Rayong - Two men and four women were killed and a girl was severely injured when an oil tanker train crashed into a pick-up truck at a train crossing in this eastern province Wednesday afternoon.

The accident happened at 1:2 pm in Tambon Nongfam of Mabtapud district.

Five died at the scene and a woman died on her way to a hospital.

Police said the pick-up truck was crossing the road and was crashed into by the speeding train.

The Nation

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/read.php?newsid=30069889

[Wisarut]

Take a look at the last sentence. :rolleyes: More likely the pick-up driver was 'speeding' to avoid the scofflaw's indignity of having to wait for a slow train:


http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/read.php?newsid=30069889

More can be seen here:
http://portal.rotfaithai.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=2507

[GWR]

Killer crossings plague railways

AMORNRAT MAHITTHIROOK

Besides running in the red, the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) is troubled by accident-prone level crossings along its thousands of kilometres of track nationwide. The number of crossings illegally built by local people is also on the rise, but the SRT can do nothing to stop this kind of encroachment, said Siripong Pruetiphan, a railway traffic manager.

According to SRT figures, in 2006, there were 185 accidents involving trains and other vehicles at railway crossings, resulting in 53 deaths and 190 people being injured.

Last year, there were 327 accidents in which 45 people were killed and 143 injured.

During the first two months of this year, 72 accidents were reported between trains and other types of vehicles.

The figures exclude accidents involving other trains or animals and motor vehicles that crash into barriers at railway crossings.

In January and February this year, trains hit animals 91 times and road vehicles hit crossing barriers 101 times, while people threw dangerous objects, stones for instance, at the train 78 times.

Those incidents have led to huge losses for the SRT, both in terms of staff lives and financial damage, said Mr Siripong.

Mr Siripong said that countrywide there are 2,443 crossings, of which 1,908 were built with SRT permission and 535 by local administrations in remote areas for their own convenience.

Railway lines with too many crossings make journeys longer because train drivers must slow down every time they approach a crossing.

Because of the huge load, it takes a slow train quite a while to regain speed.

This also uses a lot of fuel, leading to higher running costs.

Mr Siripong said the number of crossings set up without permission keep increasing each year.

The SRT cannot control their number because the tracks are in an open environment. When the SRT tries to close a crossing the barricades are quickly removed by local people.

''Local people don't want to go an extra mile to make a U-turn at an official crossing,'' said Mr Siripong. ''People care more about convenience than safety.

''And many who die in train-related crashes at railway crossings are not from that neighbourhood.'' Most accidents at railway crossings happen in rural areas.

In many cases, the vehicle drivers involved in the accidents have ignored warning signals or railway staff.

Link may expire:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/16Apr2008_news03.php

[GWR]

Published on June 14, 2008
Strange things happened in the Land of Smiles yesterday

Twisted tales of blood and guts splattered the Thai-language dailies, but the political crisis was not overlooked.

..........

The Daily News reported the discovery of a severed right arm at Hualampong Railway Station. No one seems to know how the arm, reportedly female, got there. Authorities believe it was detached from its owner five days ago, but the fact that nobody has reported losing an arm to any hospital or police station has left the authorities clueless as to what to do next.

..........

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/06/14/opinion/opinion_30075489.php

[rodfaithai]

- Most of railway at grade crossing in Thailand are illegal crossing (not allowed by SRT).

- Most of these crossing are lack of sight distance, so driver could not see the train in advance.

- Most driver did not respect traffic regulations especially to stop sign also traffic signal. (red light running)

- Most of Thai local government lack of traffic engineer to look after traffic safety problem and other problem.

- According to SRT regulation, other people (local government) could not do any thing in SRT land/property such as correct safety issue at the crossings.

- The Thai government (PM) did not interested in traffic accidents problem.

- Even the former PM said "traffic accident is national Agenda", it's just a speech, not bring about any right counter measure.

- One of the HOTest training course in Thailand is "Building Inspection" but no one in the government ever talk about "road inspection" (Road safety Audit).
13,000 Thai people died on the road every year, but we rarely heard about who died from building collapse since big collapse in Korat long time ago. (may be more than 10 years)

etc..

So, road accident and Level-Crossings accident still exist now and forever.

[GWR]

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/06/14/opinion/opinion_30075489.php

Thursday, June 26, 2008
A disarming mystery

BANGKOK: As the international media has been puzzling recently over the mystery of why five dismembered human feet have washed up on the beaches of British Columbia over the past year – the most recent find being on June 16 – Thailand now has its own body-part puzzle to ponder: a severed arm found on the tracks at Hualamphong Railway Station in the heart of Bangkok on June 12.

After spotting the rather rotten arm lying on the track at 2:10 pm, a passenger notified station officers.

A closer inspection by police, a doctor and rescue volunteers determined that the missing limb was a right arm severed at the elbow, most probably from a woman.

From the decayed state and foetid stench of the limb, police believe it was severed from its owner about five days before its discovery.

The arm, blackened and covered in oil, had no tattoos, jewelery or other markings that might aid identification.

Maj Sirirat Kongthanajirakul, an inspector with the Railway Police, said the original owner was most likely a women owing to the size of the arm and the shape of the fingers.

As for how it found its way to the station, Maj Sirirat said that she didn’t believe the limb’s owner was murdered.

No attempt had been made to conceal the arm or hide its identity, so it was unlikely that someone had chopped it off and thrown it on the track in order to dispose of it, she explained.

A more likely explanation, Maj Sirirat explained, is that the owner was hit by the train. The force likely severed the limb, which got stuck to the train’s undercarriage – where it remained until it stopped in Hualamphong, where it finally fell onto the tracks.

Despite this hypothesis, police have not ruled out the possibility that the body part’s owner was an assault victim. Police have contacted all of Thailand’s train stations to check for any reports of recent accidents on the tracks.

When he was asked for a comment on the grisly find, Maj Gen Chokchai Deeprasert, commander of the Railway Police, said that he wouldn’t like to speculate because the incident had not been reported to him and he didn’t know all the details.

Source: Daily News

http://www.phuketgazette.com/queernews/index.asp?ref=2008627102518

[GWR]

http://www.pattayaone.net/news_08_07_51_4.html

Lucky escape for pick-up and its occupants as it narrowly avoids collision with train at level crossing

http://www.pattayaone.net/pic_webnews/08_07_4_5.jpghttp://www.pattayaone.net/pic_webnews/08_07_4_6.jpg
http://www.pattayaone.net/pic_webnews/08_07_4.jpghttp://www.pattayaone.net/pic_webnews/08_07_4_3.jpg
[All Photos: Pattaya One News]

On Monday Afternoon rescue workers were called to a small road near the Tamsamakee Temple in South Pattaya to deal with reports of a road accident at a level crossing. No one was injured in the accident which was deemed as a lucky escape for the driver of the vehicle and 4 occupants. Khun Tanaert aged 47, the driver, explained that as he approached the crossing, the barrier was not down and he assumed that no trains were approaching. In fact, a train was only meters away from the crossing and was approaching at high speed. Khun Tanaert saw the train and quickly reversed his pick-up off the track. The train clipped the front of the vehicle and although the vehicle sustained significant damage no one was injured. An investigation by the railway authorities is now underway into this faulty level crossing.
http://www.pattayaone.net/news_08_07_51_4.html

[GWR]

MCOT English Newsbar is reporting a level-crossing accident in Prachuab Khiri Khan in which there are 3 dead and 2 injured. Must have happened last night:

South-bound train collides with pick-up truck at Prachuab Khirikan, 3 dead 2 injured; Rail service expected to resume at 1 am