stevenl

Thanks steven. The sensational PG title confused me. Ok, then so how long does it take to go from 'alert' to 'warning' ..... Was that not the problem in 2004 when the appropriate government dept in Bangkok was alerted and then failed to act with a public warning.

That would be decided in the black box of Thailand government decisions. As I said, I don't fully trust it, and that includes the whole process, giving a warning clearly ahead of time with ample escape time, etc.

In 2004 it was known just minutes ahead of time a tsunami was on its way. That was the first in living history, no nobody had any idea how serious that would be, there was no alrm system in place, so no chance to get anubody away from the beach at all.

I accept that in all likelyhood they will payout for your medical expenses and other asociated loss, however, if the day comes when the various travel insurance companies receive so many claims from tourist for tuk tuk related injuries, than the travel insurance companies may deem catching a tuk tuk a high risk and an activity they will no longer cover, so, if you decide to catch one, you will have no insurance if something goes wrong.

They already do this with many adreneline sports.

Could happen, but you'll know ahead of time because of the exclusion on the policy. As long as there is no exclusion it is covered.

And I rarely see any reports of tuktuk accidents with tourists, so chances of this happening are very small indeed. The chance of a general exclusion because of negative travel advisory for tuktuk travel is also very small but more realistic.

So, lets say we follow what we are trained at and our consiousness, and stop to assist, how to avoid to get blamed?

My advice would be, never even consider it if you are alone in your vehicle

Photo scene before leaving your vehicle

Stop and park your vehicle before accident scene and photo again including your vehicles position.

Call local cops 191 and/or HWP 1193 depending on what kind of road.

approach scene and try to find out if ambulance has been called. If victims have Insurance try to redirect to Bangkok Hospital Ambulance as it reduces the risk for victim.

Looking for more risk?

First aid. Shock is not uncommon, so talking in victims assumed language, yeah Im not good at Russian.

and again, Thai law needs 2 witnesses against you and you are done, so never stop without having your own witness

Thanks.

Had our 'phone line cut off for a TOT bill of 389bht. Which had never been delivered

No warning,no courtesy,just cut and bugger you attitude when we paid the bill.

Still no parcel from France,still no cards from England .

No True Move programme .

Can't really blame TOT, after all you know you have to pay each month. If no bill then I just go into TOT and tell them my number. And pay.

They don't normally cancel services after one month non-payment as well. I am sometimes behind because I recieve the invoice late (or not) and don't always check I have received it, and simply pay 2 invoice at the same time. No problems at all.

Yes, first I heard about this when I read the Gazette. Not much of an advance warning system ....

And it was supposed to be that way. It was an alert, not a warning. A warning means the towers would (or maybe should, I don't fully trust it) have louded, an alert means only people on the several lists have been informed. E.g. poeple who who need to know because of their profession, and people who applied for this.

I believe your travel insurance will cover you if your tuk tuk is involved in an accident and you are injured. Normally, insurance companies insist on the driver of the vehicle to be licenced and not under the influence of intoxication liquor or a drug. Who knows if these tuk tuk drivers are licenced? Who knows what the insurance company will say if they are not licenced?

Nothing will happen, because those clauses on the policy are only directed towards the driver of the vehicle, not towards the 3-rd parties, like passengers or other people involved in an accident caused by the driver. This means the insurance company will pay in full, and may try to get reimbursed by the person under the influence. If the dirver were to be not licensed the same would apply.

Whilst your actions are noble, they also put you at financial risk, and possible physical danger, that also places your Thai girlfriend at financial risk and physical danger.

Would be interested why he put his girlfriend in fysical and financial risk.

There is a (small) risk to his own finances, sure, but don't the positives outweigh the negatives? IMO Kenny did the right thing, maybe not the wisest though.

I am assuming Kenny is like most farang on the island and supporting, financially, his Thai girlfriend. Possibly even sending some money up to Issan every money as well.

If Kenny has to pay 1 or 2 million baht to a Thai family, to secure his release from gaol, because their husband/father etc is dead from a motorbike accident, but the family blames Kenny for the way he administered CPR as the cause of death, not the accident itself, would that not hit Kenny's household budget, to some degree? Maybe some assets like pick-up truck, condo etc would have to be sold. Does that not effect his, and his girlfriend's lifestyle? Hence, financial risk to the girlfriend as well.

The physical risk comes from the mob mentality that arises around an accident like this. Emotions are high, adreneline is flowing. A farang getting involved could be like waving a red flag to a bull, so, his girlfriend gets involved to try to "talk down" the crowd and get Kenny to safety. Is she not at risk of physical danger during a confrontation that could turn into an assault? Hence, she is at pysical risk of being assaulted as well. Of course, she would have to be with him at the time he saw the accident and stopped to render assistance.

Extremely far fetched opn both accounts.

Rain just started here in Kata.

Dropped a friend off at the airport 17.00 and it started raining up there 16.45.

Yes, much more rain there. Rawai is in my experience even dryere than Kata.

Whilst your actions are noble, they also put you at financial risk, and possible physical danger, that also places your Thai girlfriend at financial risk and physical danger.

Would be interested why he put his girlfriend in fysical and financial risk.

There is a (small) risk to his own finances, sure, but don't the positives outweigh the negatives? IMO Kenny did the right thing, maybe not the wisest though.

Forecast has improved even further, no reason at all anymore to stay home.

sad but from pictures there is a 0% chance the girl wasnt speeding and cutting cars by crossing over in the heavy oncoming traffic as they always do. Drive there everyday and the students are a million time worse than the average thai.. they're too busy taking off their helmet while speeding and holding a cellphone after every light to know if they are vehicules coming to squash them

RIP.

'his' indicated a male BTW.

From this article a quote from the Phuket Provinical Police commander:

“After the fight at Rachada pub I issued official letters to the the superintendents of all eight police stations in Phuket, including Phuket City, Patong and Chalong, ordering them to strictly enforce closing times at nightlife venues in their areas of jurisdiction,” he said.

The closing-time crackdown would have been issued even if the Rachada pub stabbing had not taken place, he stressed.

A new provincial police inspection unit will be making surprise inspections across the island to ensure compliance with the order.

Latest it says gusts up to 25 knots.

Put it this way, Vietnam will be booming with tourist, who will return for their holidays, and who will one day retire there, while we will still be reading about tuk tuk driver bashings, jet ski scams, drink spiking, robberies, fatal motor vehicle accidents, extortion, timeshare rip offs etc in Phuket.

5555

Try 20 years. The boarders only really opened up in 1990.

Yes, to package/organised tours, but backpackers, including myself, were there already before those 20 years. And as I wrote, it starts with the backpackers.

Sure it will have an effect on Thai tourism, but slowly slowly. At the moment Burma is receiving virtually no tourists, in the future first backpackers will come, slowly followed by more adventures travelers, and after that the package tourists. Same as tourism in Vietnam is developing slowly slowly.

"Same as tourism in Vietnam is developing slowly slowly."

Have you even been there????????

Yes, several times, starting from over 25 years ago. And tourism development there is the same as in many places all over the world: first 20 years very, very slowly, then 5 years a bit faster, then 5 years again faster. I would say Vietnam is in the second 5 years now, but Burma still has to start with the first 20 years.

Tourism in Vietnam is not developing slowly, it is developing at break-neck speed.

I couldn't believe how many European tourists were in Na Trang when I was there three months ago compared to only two years ago. There are many westerners opening up hotels, beach-clubs, bars and restaurants. There is only one chance to "get in on the ground floor" and many westerners are taking that chance.

At the moment it is going fast, after a very, very slow startup, as always, as everywhere. Tourism there started 30 years ago, so still a long way to go before they reach Thai numbers.

Sure it will have an effect on Thai tourism, but slowly slowly. At the moment Burma is receiving virtually no tourists, in the future first backpackers will come, slowly followed by more adventures travelers, and after that the package tourists. Same as tourism in Vietnam is developing slowly slowly.

Sorry to say this but I am totally oblivios to accidents here.I saw 3 in the space of 10 mins on my way to the airport the other day.

I did stop once many years ago and nearly got beat up by a group of Thais who appeared on the scene later thinking it was my fault and demanding money.

So now I leave it up to them.

Sadly that is sound advice. Don't stop or get involved. If the mob smells money then it's your fault and plenty of 'witnesses' will state that.

The lad had no idea what to do but great that he stopped and came back,he had no one to call who was Thai and the girl refused all help from everyone, the best thing to do was to go as she was not badly hurt just a very bruised ankle, I am assuming she was on the phone to her husband or bf, if he had stayed with no one Thai to turn to it could have been bad for him, husband or bf would have not been best pleased, we tried to help her she refused help from me and the other Thai's!! so in the circumstances I think it was good advice for him to go!!

It's a sad state of affairs when you feel you can not stop to help anyone, god forbid it's you that is involved in an accident and everyone rides on by!!

I think you acted correctly by stopping and offering help, and disagree with advice not to do so.

I do agree with KBB and others that the advice to the offender to go on his way was not a wise one though.

Now, if we had proper, affordable, public transport, it would not be as dangerous to ride a bike, then no one would need a car, then the car parking wouldn't be a problem, but it all started with the Thai authorities not creating a proper, affordable, public transport system.

Everybody, all over the world, wants their own car. Nothing to do with lack of public transport. The same goes for driving after drinking, has nothing to do with public transport.

Sorry, I lost you after this, you started off again with the same things you call 'facts', but which are not factual at all, just your opinion.

It is an international school gig...probably teaching math/science.

Main recreation would probably be fishing. Hope to buy a boat suitable for my son and I. Would also like for us both to get diving certifications.

I really appreciate the input. I was a little concerned because there is alway talk of the expense of Phuket.

Thanks!!!

fuel, electricity, food in grocery store, clothes and shoes, bikes and cars all cost the same in Phuket as the rest of TH

90k a month is approx what we use, 2 adults and one 4yo, one car and some bikes, owned house

and we dont live like kings or queens

I'm in the same position as you with one more child, I would really be interested in a break down of your expenses, I live very well on half that, and I eat out with the family, and drink.... you have school fees , maids, what?

Yes, I was thinking the same, but did not want to make it too personal.

Yes it is EVIL to charge interest at 10% per month, but he is doing the very same as every local money lender in all of the villages around here.

Sounds like some of his clients have found a good way to default on their repayments.

Bit of a dipshit to get involved in loaning money out to locals - he is probably lucky he didn't just get shot!

There are a few around my place that ended up on the bonfire for loaning out cash when the repayments became too much,

The thing is here though, some Thai must have set him up in the first place - you just don't walk into a town and set up as a moneylender - someone MUST come and ask for the loan in the first place.

Idon't condone him, I think he probably got suckered in to what he thought was a great deal in these days of low interest rates.

I was approached 3 years ago by a Thai (They all think we are multimillionaires) wanting to borrow 100K from me so he could loan it out in the village and we would split the 10% interest 50/50 - let's just say I didn't take him up.

Smart of him then to not lend to locals.

Que?

According to the article he was only lending to countrymen of his partner, Fillipino's i.e.

Yes it is EVIL to charge interest at 10% per month, but he is doing the very same as every local money lender in all of the villages around here.

Sounds like some of his clients have found a good way to default on their repayments.

Bit of a dipshit to get involved in loaning money out to locals - he is probably lucky he didn't just get shot!

There are a few around my place that ended up on the bonfire for loaning out cash when the repayments became too much,

The thing is here though, some Thai must have set him up in the first place - you just don't walk into a town and set up as a moneylender - someone MUST come and ask for the loan in the first place.

Idon't condone him, I think he probably got suckered in to what he thought was a great deal in these days of low interest rates.

I was approached 3 years ago by a Thai (They all think we are multimillionaires) wanting to borrow 100K from me so he could loan it out in the village and we would split the 10% interest 50/50 - let's just say I didn't take him up.

Smart of him then to not lend to locals.

Wonder how many Thais have been arrested lately for loan sharking? Interesting how they are going after farengs, and holding them up to scrutiny. Meanwhile, the Thai private (no license) loan business is thriving, and nobody gets arrested, or even scrutinized. Fascinating police work.

Don't have any numbers, but have seen quite a few reports of Thais getting arrested for this lately.

I have read more of these reports. Apparently all it takes is one lender to go to the police and they seem to take action (don't know how often somebody reports these practices and no action is taken).

And yes, mainly Thai lenders are apprehended, foreigners (wisely) seem to stay away from this. Good money though, up to 10% per month.