Jeremy50

Politician's son wants a lambo, so what's he gonna do? Scania buses will last years longer than the Chinese crap, but why should these idiots be interested, they can't even think weeks ahead. Volvo and Scania will be safer, but since when has road safety been of importance in Thailand.

Lets hope these tourists only experience 'Thainess' lite, and not the full strength version.

Westerners wear a seat-belt in case an accident will happen.

Thais do not wear wear a seat-belt believing an accident will not happen.

Westerners wear seat-belts because it's the law, and respect the law.

Thais do not wear seat-belts because they have no respect for the law or their own safety.

I think if Westerners didn't have to wear them, many wouldn't.

Some Thais wear seat belts, some don't.

Do you want Thailand to have the same laws as Western countries?

If it did, then it wouldn't be the Thailand I love. I prefer to have the right to drive without a helmet if I want and I rarely do wear a helmet.

Would you like to have to wear a bicycle helmet that Westerners have to?

Would you like not to be able to take your kids for a ride on your motorbike?

Would you like to be fined for drinking a bottle of water when driving?

Would you not like to be able to answer your phone whilst on your motorbike?

Or maybe you just want to change some of the laws to suit yourself.

Oh lord.

For me the driving here is one the most 'un-Buddhist' things about living in this country. "Me me me, I'm first! I most make it to my destination mili seconds faster than you, out of my way! I'll kill you or die trying to be first!" It makes a mockery of all the lucky charms they plaster all over their cars.

This is a very interesting point. Getting to your destination as fast as possible then having absolutely nothing to do.

You forget facebook.

Once again the '7dangerous days' mentality, letting everyone off the hook to get their head back in the sand for the rest of the year. Only a massive year round campaign with the compliance of the population and expert help from abroad will reduce the exorbitant death rate on Thai roads. Meanwhile look forward to the next '7 deadly days' at Sonkran, by which time another 5000 people will have died.

I would guess people who are murdered then staged to look like suicide happens more times here than we'd like to think. RIP.

Why would they leave the hand tied....dead giveaway....

Sending a message. 'We are still here'.

[stupid complacent tourists will just keep on coming anyway.]

Yes I agree with the others that said, something have fueled the anger of the street vendors.

Okay no excuses of beating up the guy but at least they didn't use knifes.

Be polite and respectful and this is very unlikely to happen.

Yeah right, be polite, respectful even if someone is bothering you non stop. You could add to the list "be submitted and a total pussy".

Gosh some expats have totally lost their balls.

My grand father's expat neighbor was attacked after he was badly bitten by a men dogs and, after he denied paying for pay for the hospital bills, he reported the fact to the police.

Just because you have never had problems with locals it does not mean others don't. Besides, being a tourist in Thailand does not require one to be informed of every behavior a local may find "disrespectful".

In normal countries if a vendor bothers you just tell him "take a hike pal".

If tourism to Thailand requires an instructions manual it's not the tourist wrong, it's a country gone crazy.

In other words: Thainess.

Well said. Walk firmly and with strength and purpose. Be proud of who you are. Don't take sh>t form the locals, at the end of the day they couldn't give a toss about you, unless they are on your payroll. Thailand is proudly racist, and nobody it seems is telling them how bad that is.

Education is the Key! The majority of Government Secondary schools here in Thailand promote their students to Break the Law.

The governors, Thai teachers etc. allow the students to come to school on their motorbikes without wearing helmets,no licenses and allow them into the school grounds, sometimes 3-4 persons on one bike. Surely this is root of the problem, and could be easily addressed. I've always said "Life is very cheap in Thailand".

Thais are terrified of criticizing either themselves or other Thais, this is also part of the problem, and why the roads will become increasingly more dangerous as they fill up with more and more vehicles. All Vietnamese motorcyclists now wear helmets, why not here?

The 'PM' spoke of a 10 K bike route during his address. I love bike lanes, but how is this small project going to be of interest to the Thai people? Did he mention the catastrophic road death toll, and what he is going to do about it?

I've driven around a lot in the last few days between the north West and Bangkok. I'd say that driving is "normal' - the main problem is the delays caused by police checkpoints - can anyone please explain what either they think they are doing or are supposed to achieve???????

Sorry .... no idea. Can speculate: this is how lazy BIB get bribe money easily. Up here in "the boonies" their tactics are dangerous e.g. 2-3 lane highways w/ vehicles going ???? 80 to unlimited speed forced to come to a screeching halt b/c of these blockades. Quite alarming to many safe travelers. Why aren't the "police" out on the roads where much mayhem takes place?

A dead motorist is unable to pay a bribe.

Have Europeans play the role of administrators. This was done in Thailand over 100 years ago in ministries governing logging, railways, etc. Working day in day out under European management would lead to much more competent and effective performance by civil servants.

Meet me at six on the verandah old chap and we'll have a few gin and tonics and discuss the natives.

Just joking, but Orwell's Burmese days came to mind.

The best expat/sexpat book ever written. Mr Florey can be seen in foreign bars all over Thailand, drinking his last before he goes home to blow his brains out.

It will be very cold in Sweden at moment,i would not look

forwards to returning as well,but i would not go to such

an extreme, RIP young fella.

regards Worgeordie

If all you can manage is such a banal and thoughtless comment, it's probably best not to bother.

It's the meaningless annual propaganda exercise as with Songkran.

Mind you the BIB don't mind drunk drivers as the on the spot ' fines ' are far more lucrative than those for no helmet, licence etc.

To be forgotten about for the rest of the year when nearly all of the 24000 will die. When will anyone here wake up?

Expect all currencies to crash except the Thai Baht.

The GMS seems like ASEAN lite, but also seems to undermine ASEAN by being the local club.

Look at the picture. The flags are arranged alphabetically, by English titles...hmm, a little cross cultural contamination seeping in it seems. From left to right (a Western sort, too -- woohoo) it's Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam -- straight up anglicized alphabetic procession.

Interesting.

Yep, The Mekong had some bad luck ending up passing through this little lot.

Apparently he moved to Thailand two years ago so travel insurance wouldn't be applicable.

However, health/accident insurance should be taken out by everyone living here, if they don't have the funds to self insure.

Totally agree but there is a limit on the payouts of all insurance policies. This is why he needs to get back to the uk where he will be taken care of by the NHS

Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought I read quite recently that British expats were no longer entitled to NHS treatment once they'd left the uk for more than 6 months ?

Anybody from anywhere is entitled to emergency NHS treatment, at any time. An ex-pat holding a British passport has as much entitlement as a Pole, Muslim, Paki, Scouser or tramp.

..............and is as it should be.

.....................and look at them for 80 percent of the time.

Asking the police to actually enforce laws instead of sitting in a tent at the side of the road watching tv for 7 days would be a start.

I wonder who makes those tents that appear at the side of the road and even in the middle of the road at all festive occasions. They must do well. As must the makers of red plastic chairs.

why buy 2 bottles of whisky 30 mins before you plan to kill yourself?

The answer is obvious. Though one bottle would be enough for most people.

So, Thai villagers can vote to eject someone from their village, presumably led by some chump of a headman. The only things missing are a set of stocks, a ducking stool, and a 20 foot wicker man.