friendphil

What a crap way to start a new year. Phuket's reputation is growing and it's not looking like somewhere I'd especially want to visit. Getting to sound like the wild old west.

Overall, the most deaths were reported in Bangkok with five casualties, while the highest number of the injured was seen in Prachinburi at 24.

With 94 deaths over the 2 days, the above statement makes no sense. What about some decent reporting, listing the fatalities by location?

Exactly---- "What about some decent reporting, listing the fatalities by location?"

On another note: in thinking about the road fatalities here in Thailand, it occurs to me that perhaps it's not a problem that is so fixable by government, unless in an extended campaign of driver education, testing, training, police patrolling and so on.

The driving habits, the celebrating of the New Year, riding in backs of pickups, and more-- all these are Thai ways of doing things that cannot really be readily changed overnight.

I don't know how effective the roadside safety checkpoints are, but I really wonder. Where I come from (the U.S., California), on a major holiday there are police and highway patrol out on the roads as an obvious presence to discourage speeding, etc., and to be on the scene quickly when accidents do happen. I don't know to what extent that happens here, but I haven't read anything about it being a strategy for cutting down on accidents and fatalities.

A sad beginning, for so many, for "Happy New Year". May all who drive drive safely. May all who travel be safe and protected. May all beings be safe, peaceful and happy.

Thanks guys. But I never donated to any charity yet. So what should I do?

haha.... start giving, and give big to make up for lost time!

Seriously, even if it doesn't help with a residency app, it might earn you some merit in the realm of kamma (cause and effect).

I'll be a permanent resident long before those who apply this year and I haven't and am not going to apply. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, but it will be permanent.

"sadhu, sadhu, sadhu"

Well-spoken.

Come on, dear journalist(s); if you use and abbreviation, please do those of us who are not privvy the favor of telling us what the abbreviation stands for. In this case, what is "ICT"? Thank you!

Interesting headline, but where's the story? Maybe if I followed the link and read more. The "beware it's dark side" part is what I was interested to learn about, but the story addresses that very little.

A post mentions the SMH webgsite... I'd like to have the URL-- SMH doesn't register, sorry.

I know some young friends of friends visiting Phuket now, and would like to be able to make them aware of any appropriate warnings.

Is this the first case of someone committing suicide by putting a plastic bag over their head?

No,there were several more a few years ago in Pattaya,but those guys even managed to tie their own hands behind their back.

Actually I think you'll find that hands were behind the back in handcuffs. Easy enough to do yourself and prevents self-removal of plastic bag.

I do hope you are being facetious.

Anyway, I would be very interested to hear the yacht owner's take on this... or anyone who knew the guy.

Also, how do the police rule out a robbery? Did they take an inventory beforehand?

I think it would help immensely, at least in the many schools such as the public school I have seen, if either English were an elective subject after the first several years, or if there were honors classes for the more interested and able students.

In schools such as this, by the time students are in Mathayom level, their abilities span a range from those who still do not know the alphabet and cannot read, to those who are fairly skilled. It's really not fair to either group to have them all in the same class. Those who are behind need remedial classes if they are going to learn. And those who are ready, willing and able to learn at an accelerated level deserve the chance to do so, and not be held back by the slower learners. I think best-case scenario, there would be remedial classes for those who haven't learned and need to catch up a bit, "normal" speed classes for the average learners, and "honors" classes for those that are interested and able to learn at an advanced rate.

I think a day a week for teachers and students to use English is a nice idea, but I seriously doubt it will be an effective way to achieve the goal in a few short years. It will take much, much more than that. Teacher incentives is something, that if taken seriously, would result in higher pay for capable teachers, and teachers that are getting results. Also, the all-pass system is clearly no incentive for students to learn.

I could go on, but...... Your turn.

I better no comment on that ...I feel sorry for the train driver as obviously the car drivers are to be blame ...one more time .... I rarely seen people stopping at red lights anyway ..... and I am not surprise at all , the sellfishness of Thai drivers is very well know ..

Sorry - you are not right there. This situation happens on a daily basis - the train driver knew that - or should have known that and therefore should have been prepared to stop.

however he is obviously not solely to blame.

blame in an incident like this NEVER rests on one party alone - yet time and again posters on TV have this urge to lay blame solely on one person - this is as stupid as it is unhelpful.

The fact is that rail crossings throughout Thailand are mismanaged; the railway authorities know this but don't see any reason to do anything about it.

As for the drivers - well it seems apparently daft, but they do not control the traffic ahead, and many will have seen the train one to a halt before. When planning for safety one has to assume the "public" are complete fools - the idea is to create a situation where an "accident" can't happen - there should be absolutely no way that a car - however daft the driver - could get onto a crossing - yet of course in Thailand this is NEVER the case.

One could argue that anyone with common sense would not cross the line until there was space on the other side, but you just have to read the posts on TV to see that stupidity is not the preserve of those attempting to cross the line on this fateful occasion.

Well said.

Seems like the word could get out, somehow, that renting these things is not wise. Take it to facebook! A page for safe tourism in Thailand would be very helpful. There, or where else?

pftt.... they deserve the stay at the Hiltons

What they deserve is a fair trial. Ever hear of an innocent man (or men, as it could be in this case?) being accused of a crime? I think it's actually fairly commonplace, and to jump to conclusions is not really fair.

'nuff said.

Sounds odd. Does that imply one is not legally the mother if they are not married to the father?

Dumb question am afraid to say, know the rules or find them out.

to the Op being on the BC is enough to let you stay, do as others have suggested.

There are really no "dumb questions"-- only dumb answers.

"Get medical insurance." Sounds like good advice, but I've run into difficulties finding it here in Thailand since I am over 65 years old. I guess the insurance companies think we old folks are a bad risk, even for accidents.

Anyone know any options for us old farts here in Thailand? Going home is not much of an option at this point, and there insurance is prohibitively expensive. I've been subscribing to the "wisdom of insecurity" instead.

The article doesn't really say what the role of Emergency Operations Center is.

Does anyone know what that might be, and what Phuket International Airport would be needing to do if they were to take on that role?

I thought perhaps I was a dummy for not knowing what or who "Kaidanren" is, but a search of this topic and a search of thaivisa forums came up with only one instance, that being in this editorial. So, I still don't know--- not that it is that important, perhaps.

I just appeal to the Nation's journalists to do a better job of offering a little background explanation in such instances, or of identifying what an abbreviation might mean when used in an article: nominal journalistic standards.

Thanks for listening!

Who, or what is "Abac"? And who, or what is "Dusit"?

I assume the the article means the polls were conducted "from" October 15 and not November 15.

Conducted by Rajabat Suan Dusit University, I was one of them btw.

Who, or what is "Abac"? And who, or what is "Dusit"?

I assume the the article means the polls were conducted "from" October 15 and not November 15.

Abac= Assumption University

Thank you for those posts.

As a journalism student, I learned that the first use of an abbreviation in a news story should be followed by the un-abbreviated form. Hard to guess, oftentimes, what a few letters might be for, and it's often nice for the reader ( ) to know.

BTW: I see now, 506 deaths due to the flooding in Thailand. That's up A LOT from the 446 I saw just a day or two ago. Amidst all this, a lot of suffering is going on. Somehow, the TV images and news releases aren't capturing that very real and tragic aspect of the flooding.

Who, or what is "Abac"? And who, or what is "Dusit"?

I assume the the article means the polls were conducted "from" October 15 and not November 15.

I've seen how Myanmar "Paves the way": by hands, one stone at a time. First they pour a little smattering of tar on the old road surface, then laborers arrange stones, by hand, about the size of footballs on the surface. Then a machine (yes, they actually do have a machine!) comes along to crush the stones.

I'll believe this paved way for democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi when I see it!

I wonder what the tally is now, of tourists dying in Thailand? Before I came, I remember reading what a safe place it is for tourists. That notion is certainly coming more and more into question.

Even if some of these tourist deaths are suicides, it does little to encourage the notion of Thailand as such a wonderful destination for tourists-- more to encourage the notion of it being a "final destination".

I am sick and tired of hearing about how much more I will have to sacrifice in this charade.

Fine. Some Phua Thai big wig decides he doesn't want the farmers in his province to have to suffer and orders the RID to ignore the meterologists and keep the water in the dams, thereby precipitating this crisis. Now, I am told I need to suffer even longer to pay for their political BS.

I'm pissed. Truly. There is over a million baht in damage in my house. I'll accept as much hardship as needed to get everyone out of this disaster, BUT PAY ME DAMNIT!!!!

30,000 baht for your screwup? What an insult. There is only one thing that can fix this Miss Bad Luck Yingluck. Money. Lots of it. Not your pissy 30k maximum either. Promise each resident of Western Bangkok another 200k for their additional 2 weeks of sacrifice, as well as real relief for everyone who was affected by your political crony's bad policy, and then maybe you'll get that patience you want.

Money is the only thing that will fix this. It was one of yours who created this crisis miss PM. You need to fix it. Don't ask me for patience. Mine has run out. I'm going to set up a yurt in the middle of Ratchaprasong intersection until you start being reasonable. If it is good enough for your precious red shirts, it is good enough for me.

And anyone who thinks I don't deserve to rant is someone who deserves to lose everything the way I have.

I am not entering the political discussion of which Gov't would have coped better with floods. Or how much money should be paid to people in compensation for their damages. But one issue has been overlooked here: HEALTH DANGER to people wading in sewerage infested water. The results will surely appear in all forms. Sooner rather than later. But the Gov't inaction in this respect is bordering on criminal. Huge numbers of people are forced to stay in BKK, live in inhuman conditions and risk their health and very lives, by being forced to KEEP TURNING UP FOR WORK, UNDER THE THREAT OF LOSING THEIR JOBS FOR NOT TURNING UP! This situation is directly manageable by the Gov't, yet they prefer to issue emotional pleas and slogans. They can make themselves look good and concerned on TV, but when people will start to die of contageous disease this once again be written off as 'accidents caused by natural disaster'. Thai people must realise that this coming new malady is not accidental, but a direct result of Gov't policy.

Many people in BKK would opt to go out of the city, if they were free to make such a choice without the risk of losing their jobs.

Ms. Yingluck, please, act quickly on this one, or take the blame for inaction in the near and certain future. :jap:

I Did actually see a pretty fair health advisory on TV yesterday. Probably, though, a very small percentage of people will see it. Also, I saw on TV a heart-warming video clip of rescue workers delivering a 12-pack of bottled water to a household. How far will that go towards a household's needs for clean water? Not far.

If Ms PM is asking people to be patient, she ought to be giving them some real tools to cope with their situations in the meantime, such as water filters rather than bottled water, ways to dispose of sewage, and health advisories that will reach people and give them information on how to survive this.

What a fine time to be inspecting canals! Ooofda. Any responsible government agency would be inspecting them regularly, and I'd think would have gone into action mode and actually done something about problem spots several months ago, if not several weeks ago. Well, if I am at all surprised, I suppose it's just that I haven't been in Thailand long enough.

PS.. and no, I'm not surprised.

What a fine time to be inspecting canals! Ooofda. Any responsible government agency would be inspecting them regularly, and I'd think would have gone into action mode and actually done something about problem spots several months ago, if not several weeks ago. Well, if I am at all surprised, I suppose it's just that I haven't been in Thailand long enough.

Here is a copy and paste from The Nation:

Bangkok governor orders evacuations of residents of 27 communities

October 22, 2011 6:03 am

Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra Saturday issued a warning for residents of 27 communities along Chao Phya River to evacuate immediately.

The governor issued the warning at 4:28 pm. He said residents of the 27 communities outside flood barriers should leave their homes immediately as the river is swelling.

(end of quote)

my comment: That's HOT news, of course. However, it grossly falls short of adequate information. Maybe the Governor didn't say, and the Nation didn't either: what are those 27 communities? Seems like essential information, to me.

I imagine I'm not the only one waiting to find out the answer!

Here are some good interactive maps of Thailand flooding--- though I don't know how up-to-the-hour they are being kept. Here is the link: http://crisislanding.appspot.com/?crisis=thailand_floods_en