Sittisan911

I feel sorry for the injured couple and hope they make a quick recovery. I also hope that whatever happened isn't blamed on the Thai people. If they were attacked, the attacker could be of any nationality including Thai. It is certainly not the attitude of the nation as a whole to harm any visitor to our country. On the contrary, I think most people would welcome visitors, for business or leisure. It's not fair to say that the Police can't help when help wasn't asked for. I've been attacked, mugged at gun point in the US. I've had a good friend murdered senselessly in Washington DC. I've known victims of other kinds of assault there as well, but I most certainly did not place blame on the country. Mishaps can happen in any country in the world and not just here. It's a good thing the injured pair went to Bamrungrad Hospital to get good treatment, or else we might start seeing complaints of sub standard hospitals too.

Crimes are terrible, no matter where they are committed. It's a bad reflection to look back on and it certainly doesn't help the country's image. But there needs to be fairlness in all this as well. Blaming Thais will not help, Stop stereotyping Thai people as ignorant culprits. It does nothing to promote good relations and don't let an incident like this tear up the relationship of the countries.

One should realise that electricity will kill. Your nationality, race, religion, political views, country, breeding or social status will not protect you.

One can only minimise the risk. This is done by enforcing electrical standards, training and consumer awareness. It starts with the government and electricity authorities and regulatory agencies and one must also have the understanding of responsibilities and duty of care. Also a country requires a

a effective legal system to enforce laws and regulations without fear or favour.

Thailand is ,like many countries, not a "western" one. One travels to Thailand at his/her own risk.

Remember, life is dear, death is cheap.

You're absolutely correct. I think most people, no matter what race they are, will know the danger of electricity. I also agree that enforcing electrical standards and consumer awareness is necessary. The only thing I can do as a Thai national is try to alert the proper authorities on what needs to be done. If you read Thai papers, watch Thai TV, listen to Thai radio, you'll realize there are quite a lot of Thai people with the same concerns and we love ourselves, our friends and family no less than you foreigners love yours. Not enough has been done obviously, but progress is being made. In Bangkok, with it's obvious traffic problems, there's a 24 hour traffic radio that not only alert drivers of scenes of accidents, but also call for proper authority to get there as quickly as possible. There are networks of people looking out to offer help and there are quick response crews working around the clock to try to maintain stability in this crowded city. They're not always the best educated, neither are they the experts with the problem solving know-how, but it is still comforting to know someone will try to help. By classifying all of us here as a bunch of stupid people without an education is unfair. I'm sure they all wish to meet your country's standards but like any venue of education, these things take time and money. Something not as readily available to them the way it may have been for foreigners. I read in an earlier thread that most Thais have no idea how to perform CPR. Why is that so surprising? Most Americans and Brits I know don't know how either. It's not rocket science, but it isn't something everyday people think of, no matter where they are. Sub standard buildings also exist in the western world, not just here. There are building codes here too and the enforcement agencies are the ones that should be responsible, not the people in the area. I have had my US residence leak and had electrical problems. I enjoyed my time there anyway. I didn't have to blame Americans for my mishaps. Not even after I've been mugged at gunpoint. It's about how you handle yourself more than how much Thailand can make a perfect world for you. I believe that an accident waiting to happen can occur anywhere and not just here. To travel here at his/her own risk can be said about any country. If there are certain things I detest or not wanting to be near, I usually just stay away from it. I know a lot of parts of Thailand that are full of helpful, friendly people in a very secure and safe environment, very close to some of the world's best medicare. It's not as backwards as many people think, and honestly, I feel a lot safer taking the Bangkok Skytrains and Subways than I do in many other cities. Please try to have a more open mind when looking at Thailand and try to enjoy yourself while you're here. Or you can try coming back a decade later and hope to find some improvements. Send information regarding your concerns to the proper channels instead of bitching about it here if you really, truly want to help.

As a Thai citizen I can certainly understand the concerns foreigners may have regarding safety and the public service nightmares that can cause tragic events like this.

I think, and it's only my personal opinion, that many things need to be improved here drastically to make Thailand reach the same level of sophistication you foreigners expect from living in paradise. I know there are lots to be done and honestly, a lot has improved from before. 20 years ago and 10 years ago, things are worse. Things are being continuously improved but at a snail slow pace and it bothers Thais living here too. However, throwing nasty comments in here will not make things improve. All it shows is how much you actually hate it here. How much more superior it is to live elsewhere and "Thai people" are merely a bunch of stupid idiots who has no intention of improving the ways we welcome you foreigners here. It's perfectly ok to not like living here and it's perfectly ok to wish the conditions here are better. I've been reading so many threads here that shows borderline hostility to this country, it's way of life, as well as the mentality of the people here. It shouldn't be stereotyped as the typical Thai attitude because it certainly does not reflect the honest truth. I have known through my years abroad and here that every country, every city, has problems of their own. This ranges from simple crimes to full scale riots, not all of these are always handled expertly and without any glitches. It never made me hate a place and ridicule its people as if I am superior than they are. That's a form of prejudice in my view.