richard_smith237

I don't think there is a need to be or 'feel local'... We can just be ourselves though - that means assimilating, getting on with those around us, enjoying ourselves and fitting in as part of our community in which ever area we live with with those whose lives we overlap with. Thailand has a huge diversity and there is a significant difference in 'everything' (wealth, education, attitudes etc) across the spectrum of Thailand... We are very likely to find ourselves in close alignment with many somewhere along that spectrum - but that also depend on exposure and openness. At some point in Thailand, I stopped caring whether locals accept me or whether I fit in... and found that just like anyone else - everyone fits in somewhere... I'm happy here, I call it home... I know I'm not a local, but I can feel 100% comfortable in most settings and social environments here, more so than some of my Thai friends. I'll never be Thai (unless legally and going for citizenship), but as far as feeling like a local is concerned - I don't think its important at all. ... So long as we are comfortably relaxed in our surroundings and are happy calling Thailand home, then thats good enough for me.

ChatGPT response below shows this is a global issue Prompt: How many children are accidentally run over in their driveway by their parents each year world wide ? Accidental driveway runovers, also known as "backover" incidents, where children are run over by vehicles in driveways, are a significant safety concern. While precise global statistics are challenging to obtain, some estimates and data from specific countries can provide insight into the magnitude of the problem. United States: According to data from KidsAndCars.org, a non-profit organization dedicated to preventing injuries and deaths of children in and around motor vehicles, there are approximately 50 backover incidents involving children each week in the U.S. This equates to around 2,600 incidents annually. Many of these incidents result in injuries, and about 50 to 60 of them result in fatalities each year. Australia: Data from the Australian government and safety organizations like Kidsafe Australia suggest that around 7 children are killed each year and 60 are seriously injured in driveway runovers. New Zealand: Information from Safekids Aotearoa indicates that on average, five children are hospitalized each year due to driveway runovers. United Kingdom: The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) reports that driveway runovers are a significant risk, although specific annual figures are less frequently reported. Considering these figures from developed nations, it is clear that driveway runovers are a serious issue. However, global statistics are more difficult to ascertain due to variations in reporting practices and the availability of data in different countries. If we were to extrapolate from available data, considering the populations and vehicle use in different regions, it's reasonable to estimate that thousands of children are affected by driveway runovers worldwide each year, with a significant number of fatalities and injuries. For the most accurate and comprehensive data, more extensive and coordinated global studies would be required.

Wrong.. my opinion is that I understand how this 'can' happen... and I can do so without the sanctimonious judgement. You have applied an over simplified perspective of a situation, of course, parents should make sure they don't run over their children. But you have applied a 'perfect world' ideology where no one ever miscommunicates, makes an assumption or a mistake. Why do you think its law in some countries (such as Australia) to put a fence around their swimming pool ?... Its because infants, toddlers, children drown in them when they are momentarily un-supervised - i.e. in situations whereby one parent thinks the other is watching them etc... Its a tragic facet of life and this story that an assumption has been made with tragic consequences. Its very easy with hindsight to suggest 'should have / could have'... but that is rich - People are fallible and you seem to have commented from this perfect world ideology which makes you somewhat of a hypocrite IMO as with certainty, as a parent you will have made mistakes and dodged a bullet through nothing other than blind luck, the same as most parents... (if they are being honest with themselves).

Of course you do... (did)... 100% of the time... ....You never saw the infant with your wife 5 or 10 mins before hand and thus assumed they were still with your wife before the car moved off... Hmm.... you've doubled down on this BS too much now...

A tragic accident... a mistake, a miss communication, an assumption mum had the baby... Again, your point is one of significant sanctimony. Then you are arguing that the vast majority of road users (and parents) - are stupid inconsiderate drivers as you'll be hard pushed to find anyone, or any parent who gets in their car and checks underneath it, or immediately behind the wheels etc... Perhaps we all should - but with that your suggestion lies with in the realm of being completely unrealistic. Anyway we are going around in circles now... ....its been an interesting debate and yes I agree we perhaps should all be a lot lot more careful to avoid tragic mistakes... but we also need to judge others with a element of realism, not the degree of sanctimonious judgement you have presented here.

Stop moving the goalposts , that situation isn't being discussed or the topic I think its the thin end of the same wedge... who is responsible, when, and what can be a genuine accident vs parental negligence...

Probably the same reason I don't check the condition of my tyres every time I get in my car, same reason I don't check my tyre pressures weekly etc... It may be laziness or inconsideration - but then that would be to levy the same accusation of every driver who also does not check under our the car before driving off... ... The most accurate reason would be complacency.... we all become complacent when carrying out every day tasks... The vast majority of people just get in their car and drive away with caution, they do not take these extra steps (to check under the car) that you suggest... Yet you have stated you would... ... but you don't drive and have no idea what checks you would make every time you get in a car... this is the fallacy of your argument - its based on something you imagine, not experience.

On that... if I'm driving down the highway... and a child runs out - whose fault is it ? the drivers or the parents ? In the drive way, reversing out... we have a reversing camera etc - but I do not check under the car or behind the wheels etc... I think it is unrealistic to expect every driver to check under their car, immediately behind their wheels etc every time they get in a car and drive - on this point I think you have lost your grasp on reality.

Yawn - disappear pathetic irritant... you don't have to read the thread if you don't like the discussion. This is a valid debate regarding parental responsibility... While I disagree with Nick's comments - he has as much right to voice and debate his opinion as anyone else... Your comment is nothing but noise... as usual.

Wow - hyperbolic gaslighting... you seem to have no concept of reality.

Given your unrealistic responses that surprises me - its nice that you are protective, we all should be. But there is also being realistic - and you seem unable to comprehend that a tragic accident can simply be that, a tragic accident, through miss communication or a misunderstanding. Honest mistake on my part as a parent... dinner with InLaws... They both went to the bathroom at the same time, and my Son at about 3 years old for some reason wanted to go with them and 'wash his hands'... So we let him go with his grandparents to the bathroom (about 100m away, in a community mall, but the walk to the bathroom was outdoor and near a road). Grandfather thought he was with Grandmother, Grandmother thought he was with Grandfather... My son walked back to the restaurant on his own... only about 100m from the bathroom. That was one of those situations that worst case scenario could have ended tragically... I was so livid I had to get up and leave the restaurant... More gas lighting...

Yes, it was sarcastic , not to be taken literally So you expected it to read like you are not a complete moron ??? We get that its sarcastic.. yet it was still a wholly unintelligent response !

Of course I am cautious... But no, I don't do a walk around my car and check what is underneath or immediately under the wheels... neither am I likely to, this is something people just do no do every time they get in their car... As for the rest of your gaslighting - ignore for being a stupid and transparent point scoring tactic.

Of course you would... 100% of the time !!... more sanctimonious horse shyite !! The father reversed out of the drive-way believing the mother was supervising the infant... There is of course fault, but this is a tragic accident... the mother took her attention off the child for a short period, any parent knows thats all it takes... ... look back on photos of infants who've made a mess in the pantry etc.... got hold of colouring crayons and 'done a job' on the wall paper etc... The tragedy here is that moment of inattention lead to this death... I think most parents at some point have breathed a huge sigh of relief that a 'moment of intention' that could have resulted in tragedy did not. I recall driving to a restaurant... my sister had arrived just before me... Suddenly my 2 year old nephew darted out from behind a parked car into the road... fortunately nothing happened... that didn't matter my sister was beside herself so upset with 'what could have happened'... It was just a moment of inattention... Any parent would recognise this - you are simply proving you have never had children either and that your sanctimony extends beyond your experience with all of your 'should have / could have' bo!!ox..

Deleted - (forgot that I'm not giving this thread oxygen)

Erm... very odd comment, what makes you suggest that ? The part below is a little misleading, but thats just an extremely poor and rather irrelevant translation that they were both wearing traditional clothing. ... The son was 38 years old...

Facetious... you won't be tied down to a response becase you know that would force you to double down on your unrealistic position.... .... I won't call you a liar because you are refusing to answer the question which would either force a lie or force you to admit your comment was virtue signalling sanctimonious horse shyite.

Thats the the way I see it... This is just a tragic accident... and with 20:20 hindsight he'll regret not 'doing that check' for the rest of his life... but being realistic, this sort of check (under & immediately behind the car) is not something any of us carry out when we get in a car... .... I'm sure there will be some posters who say they do, but all the time, 100% of the time ? When being honest with ourselves... when reversing out of the house (or a parking space etc) the potential risk of reversing over something we haven't seen is present for all of us.

So you don't even drive a car... your sanctimony extends further. Allegation of being a liar retracted - you do not drive, so and have no idea that you'd be as complacent as everyone else is... Your virtue signalling and sanctimony is deeper than initially thought. So... answer this... IF you did drive... WOULD you first do a walk around of the car, check underneath the, check immediately behind the wheels etc... 100% of the time you get in a car and reverse out of your house, reverse out of a parking space etc ??... Or like everyone else, would you just get in a drive ?

In an ideal world, agreed.... However, this would be unrealistic in Thailand as there simply are not the facilities. BUT.... I do agree with your point... there are a number of things which 'should be taught at regular schools in Thailand' that aren't... - Water Safety - Electrical Safety - Road Safety - First Aid These can all be taught in the class room - at least in principle.

As tragic as the consequences are, You've doubled down on your silliness... When was the last time you drove ? IF by this response you are stating that 100% of the time you get in a car and reverse out of your house, reverse out of a parking space etc... you first do a walk around of the car, check underneath the, check immediately behind the wheels etc... .... then I'm calling you out as a liar !!... No one does these checks... I don't believe you do either. I agree that with stories such as this, with 20:20 hindsight we should check... but when being realistic, no one looks under their car or immediately behind the wheels etc... Should the Dad have checked where the baby was before moving the car... Yes, but, he thought the baby was with the mother - thats an incredibly easy assumption for him to make and in this example a tragic one.

So we are to believe that after biting one policeman, fighting others, destroying objects at the police station the Police did not lay their hands on him... It was a female (his Wife) who beat him up and put him in intensive care... This is definitely an example of... "do you know how to tell they are lying?"..... Ans: "Their lips are moving" !!!

Then don't post sensationalist headlines... Your headline should have been 'stinky fish found in bin'... .... would people open the thread then ?... of course not, which is why you posted 'possible body in bin'... the media themselves are bad enough for posting 'attention grabbing false headlines' without posters doing the same....

Yeah... 'cos the people leaving unmarked / unlit holes in road construction are completely blameless ??? I recall up in Phitsanulok area, highway 12 towards Petchabun the were widening the road some years back. The road just 'stopped' with a 1.5m drop... where they had not yet widened it. No markings, the road just went from 4 lanes (two each way) to 2 lanes (one in each direction)... every morning in the local news there were a few cars that had simply driven off the road at night - it kept on happening, yet no 'official' though to put lights up at road works. I recall driving (Krabi area) at night about 25 years ago... in the pitch black I was unsure of a slight 'flickering' up ahead, something strange, I slowed right down... I was able to stop and then noticed CD's hung from a small branch marking road works... no lighting again... For such reason I do not drive outside of cities / towns at night. For the same reasons (one of) I do not ride my motorcycle at night.

Some outstanding sanctimonious virtue signalling that...... Almost every time either or my wife reverses out of our driveway we don't look under the car or immediately behind the wheels.... (we have a reversing camera). So... Are you telling me that 100% of the time you get in a car and reverse out of your house, reverse out of a parking space etc... you first do a walk around of the car, check underneath, check immediately behind the wheels ???