TOLLWAY TRAGEDY
What went wrong?
By Mayuree Sukyingchaorenwong
Wannapa Khaopa
The Nation

Investigation not conclusive as experts voice conflicting opinions about Monday
Things remained quite inconclusive as experts appeared to contradict one another yesterday over the Monday night smash-up on the elevated tollway section of Vibhavadi-Rangsit Highway, which killed eight people and injured six others.
The director of the Traffic and Transport Development and Research Centre, Dr Tawatchai Laosirihongthong, who led the investigation, told the Nation Channel's morning news programme yesterday that he had some new information:
1. The van showed no trace of being hit by the sedan;
2. The sedan has red paint on its side, suggesting that a third vehicle was involved in the accident; and
3. The van's door remained closed because the latch was twisted, hence it could not have slid open, suggesting the passengers flew through the shattered windows.
Meanwhile Maj-General Panu Kerdlarppol, deputy Metropolitan Police chief responsible for traffic, said the catastrophe most likely stemmed from reckless driving, because security-camera footage showed the sedan tailing the van, and it obviously couldn't brake in time when it was in trouble.
He said the collision impact appeared to be small, but it forced the van to lose control and start spinning, which made the door slide open and fling some passengers out to their death. He said the sedan was travelling far too close to the van, despite vehicles being required by law to keep a distance from other vehicles so they can brake appropriately.
He said the sedan driver had no licence.
Sattrawut Ponboon of the Asian Institute of Technology's Thailand Accident Research Centre said it had not determined the cause of the accident and was collecting evidence. Initial security-camera footage shows that the accident took place when the sedan was behind the van, before it lost control and started spinning, hitting a concrete wall and an electricity pole, and with no seat belts or airbags, the passengers were flung out. Yet it cannot be concluded how the accident took place, he said.
Meanwhile, another road-accident researcher who investigated the scene as well as the vehicles, and asked not to be named, said there was no evidence suggesting that a third car had been involved. The researcher also said tyre traces showed that both vehicles started spinning and maybe hit each other, the wall or the pole several times before overturning. The van had seat belts on all its seats.
Also, the researcher said security footage showed the van travelling in the centre lane with the sedan tailing close behind before hitting it, causing both vehicles to start spinning and then overturning. The researcher said key evidence was in the camera footage and the testimony of the sedan driver - provided it was double-checked by the police. If the sedan driver's testimony is in line with security-camera footage and other evidence, then it will be known what really caused this horrific accident, the researcher said.
Wisarut Bholsithi, research assistant at the National Electronics and Computer Technology Centre, was one of the injured and is being treated at Vibhavadi Hospital. He suffered injuries on his head, forehead and legs and bad bruises and has trouble breathing.
The victim recounted that he was on his way home to Chaeng Wattana from his office in Pathum Thani's Rangsit district.
"I was asleep and then I heard a loud bang, before the van started spinning. I saw many of the seats empty as I struggled to get out of the wreckage. Then I saw some injured passengers on the road and realised why the seats were empty."
He said he borrowed a rescue worker's mobile phone to inform his mother of his whereabouts. "I will never be able to forget what happened."
Wisarut said he was feeling better and expected to spend New Year's Day at home. "After this near-death experience, I will make merit on January 1 and pray that the next year is a good one."