Phuket Man Choked to Death By Bus Door in Freak Fatal Mishap
By Sert Tongdee Monday, March 18, 2013
PHUKET: A bus driver choked to death on Phuket when the automatic doors on his bus malfunctioned today.
The man was found still wedged in the door about 11.30am at the Boat Lagoon in Phuket City.
Investigators believe he started the engine and switched on the air conditioning before becoming caught in the door.
The bus, belonging to Sawat Travel, had been due to take tourist passengers from the busy marina in Khorkaew to Phang Nga.
It was the third day on the job for the man, named by police as Eakkarat Sarapon, 29. The bus was new and had been in use for a month.
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Comments
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How you can publish such of pictures like this ED where is the respect ? yea you will say the pic its far but come on !! you looking for Sensational have a Good Day
Posted by
ratatouille
on
March 18, 2013 13:18
Editor Comment:
We respect the dead and the living, ratatouille. Like all publishers who care, we make decisions on each set of circumstances, not from ''rules'' imposed by others. There are times when 19th century taboos need to be broken. What's more, we think the man's family will be keen to have as much pictorial evidence as possible when they sue the manufacturers of the bus. If you are offended, there are plenty of other outlets who follow your rules. Don't let yourself be shocked unnecessarily by Phuketwan.
New bus with NO safety override switches. Guess there are NO safety design laws in Thailand.
Posted by
Phuket_IOC
on
March 18, 2013 14:35
I am very sad to read someone should die during their normal work. I hope that an investigation is conducted to find the cause and measures are taken to stop this occuring again.
Posted by
Happy Farang
on
March 18, 2013 16:10
I discovered this little gem of information from a builder of vehicles. He did not want to be identified.
He told me, Put safety barkes or safety switch in vehicle only make more expensive to build. We not use in Thailand. Up to you if you want to use bus or car, safety no problem.
Well I was speechless and thanked him for his insight. No further input re: safety here, hard to find like hens teeth.
Posted by
Robin
on
March 18, 2013 19:40
Very tacky and in poor taste to publish a picture of the poor guy- going down market and tabloid Mr Ed?
Posted by
Mister Ree
on
March 18, 2013 20:04
Editor Comment:
Your opinion on matters of taste is not a consideration when we decide what to publish, Mister Ree. But you're entitled to have one. Our principles remain unchanged.
Ed, I have to say even the less intelligent amongst us can imagine what a person looks like dead in a bus door. Publishing of a picture is not necessary. By your own reasoning if you wanted to help the family your photos could have been kept private between PW and them. You are an English language publication so should cater for foreigners who do not on the whole like these insensitive pictures not the physical fact you are based in Thailand where less sensitivity is placed on photos in the public domain. Please don't reply just consider and hopefully act. A man has died here.
Posted by
Happy Farang
on
March 18, 2013 23:35
Editor Comment:
How odd that you made no mention of this in your first comment. We don't ''cater for foreigners,'' Happy Farang. Our aim is to make Phuket and Thailand a safer and more pleasant place to live and to visit for everyone. We make decisions based on the needs of all our readers and in this case, the photographs tells readers much in ways that words cannot. If the driver can die in this fashion, there's a dangerous lack of safeguards. The photograph conveys this accurately. A man has died - and our aim is to make sure it does not happen again.
The doors are nearly as good as the brakes on these buses, yet another innocent killed by poor build quality and shoddy maintenance. My deepest sympathies to the man's family I do hope they will be compensated by those responsible for this preventable tragedy.
Posted by
Scunner
on
March 19, 2013 01:20
Thank you for posting the photo. It would have been unbelievable had I not seen it. Seeing such a very freak accident reminds us that life is impermanent... therefore we should live as if such an incredible circumstance could happen to us as well! This life is so short... lets make the most of it and tastefully yet strongly remind people to follow that good philosophy as well.
Posted by
J
on
March 19, 2013 16:40
In contrast to some complainers, find it very informative to see that actual accident photo!
That is the passenger entrance side and is used by all who board the bus in the front.
In the rare occasions when I use a bus in Asia, as I try to have different transport possibilities if possible, I will be very careful when passing such bus-doors, after I have seen this now in a photo! Never thought of such a possibility of deadly accident. Think, the bus driver is outside, the key is inside the bus and a passenger by accident, in the usual struggle to force themselves in or out of the bus, shuts the door when you in a similar position as the bus driver was when the accident occured. Nobody inside the bus knows how to open that door in a hurry and you could be choked to death by that door in a short time!
Bus excursion, you pick up something from the bus alone, want shut the door or asked to do by the bus driver before leaving and ......!
Posted by
Alfred
on
March 19, 2013 16:43
The photo is an important part of the story as it shows the nature of the fatal injury. It is inappropriate to offer conjectures as to the safety features of the vehicle until the actual events are established and underlying health conditions are ruled out. The bus doors can be pried open and the pressure exerted to close the door is something an ablebodied healthy male can manage. There are other factors involved and it is suggested that one wait for the investigation results.
Posted by
Ryan
on
March 19, 2013 19:54
Not what id call a accident no safety ride switches , the hydraulic ram on the door just kept on going a accident waiting to happen be more accurate
this bus would not pass design rules in most countries, the cause of death will likely be listed as mechanical crushing the true cause is veh building on the cheap! condolences to friends & family.
Posted by
slickmelb
on
March 20, 2013 04:19
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How you can publish such of pictures like this ED where is the respect ? yea you will say the pic its far but come on !! you looking for Sensational have a Good Day
Posted by ratatouille on March 18, 2013 13:18
Editor Comment:
We respect the dead and the living, ratatouille. Like all publishers who care, we make decisions on each set of circumstances, not from ''rules'' imposed by others. There are times when 19th century taboos need to be broken. What's more, we think the man's family will be keen to have as much pictorial evidence as possible when they sue the manufacturers of the bus. If you are offended, there are plenty of other outlets who follow your rules. Don't let yourself be shocked unnecessarily by Phuketwan.