Crash and burn

The Dec 7 comment on the roadworthiness of double-decker buses, “Laxity on big buses causes threat to lives”, is commendable, but not quite correct.

In the crash the writer uses as the prime example at Songkhla last week. It can quite clearly be seen in the picture, the bus is on its right side and, if it had “tipped over”, it would be on its left side.

The bus has obviously crashed into the sala bus shelter after the driver lost control and has been overturned in the process with the wheels facing remains of the shelter.

This has nothing whatsoever to do with the 30-degree test, and is driver error plain and simple.

What the bus lacks, as they all seem to, is an emergency exit at the rear of the bus (usually the upper-deck rear window, the lower deck usually having a small door on the right at the rear too).

The writer is right of course that the design of buses should be safety approved before manufacture (including the 30-degree test).

The laws of the road should be enforced by the highway police.

What the writer misses here is that a much better standard of test should be introduced for passengers carrying vehicles (over eight seats) and heavy goods vehicles (trucks over five tonnes) with five yearly re-testing for drivers and two yearly for vehicles.

Also, let’s face it, regular and stricter tests for all vehicles with a motor are needed, and a strict test for people to obtain a licence to drive ordinary cars or motorcycles on Thai roads.

Until then we will continue to see the carnage every day. PETER FAIRLESS