Bangkok Barry

After posting, I saw that others pulled you up on the same thing. That might tell you something, if you're listening.

You'd think that, once they recover, the pair might not drive on the wrong side of the road again. And I'd lay odds that they will, because if they crash again they'll claim it was just meant to be.

A son of the family across the road from me died when he rode his motorcycle into a pole by the side of the road, as Thais have a tendency to do, and ripped half his face off. The next day I saw his brother roar off down the road on his own bike, no helmet, wrong side of the road, having learned absolutely zero about the dangers. You cannot help these people. They are simply too stupid to live. As long as they don't drive into me I really don't care.

Yes. Or both.

They would later summon the suspect and victim for further questioning. As usual, actually going out to arrest the attacker doesn't occur to them. You know, like police do in other countries.

Did you read the link?

Six people in the pickup suggests that some were sitting in the bed of the vehicle. It's against the law because there are possible consequences, but in Thailand nobody cares about anything. No personal responsibility, no law enforcement. And so people die. As for the soldier, just another corrupt Thai in uniform. Nothing unusual about that.

I agree with all you say, 100%. Thailand - Hub of Apathy. Which is why the country is so backward in so many ways. Nobody really cares about anything. Certainly not enough to actually address any problems.

These accidents happen, are common and part of life. And it is your responsibility to take care to avoid as many hazards out there as you can. Most times you win, very occasionally you lose. Just suck it up and move on.

Why did you voluntarily risk your life? Just curious.

To compare, what is the number of gang related/violent killings in Thailand last year? If you are going to compare countries then give both figures, not one. Sixty isn't too bad though. That number die on the roads every day in Thailand largely due to incompetent police and poor standards needed to get a license. I'd say because of that Thailand wins in not being a civilised nation. You know, with its anarchy on the roads.

Be wary of, not avoid, is the practical way to go.

As a tourist from a highly civilised country, perhaps he had no idea of the brutality that is so often seen or read by those who live here. Basically, he was living on a different planet by being here.

He thinks it will be his last visit to Thailand. Oh, really? Now, there's a surprise.

What would you have done when you saw what he did?

Not working that way in the other direction though, is it. Passports are needed for Brits and they've been waiting up to 16 hours to board a ferry because 1 - the ferries can't cope with the demand and 2 - the French are studying everyone's passport with the attention usually only seen by immigration officials in Thailand, where they slowly examine every page.

He suspected that the driver might have fallen asleep wasn't paying attention at the wheel. There. corrected it.

Not just this. Today's AN headlines, same as yesterday, same as the day before: Hunt For Policeman Who Killed His Father-In-Law, Three Others In Surat Thani Two Trailers Collide and Burst into Flames in Chonburi, No Injuries Poorly-Lit Construction Site Near Incomplete Pattaya Football Stadium Concerns Residents More Details Released on Fatal Minivan Accident in Chonburi that Killed Eight People One Russian Tourist Dies in Motorbike Accident in Phuket, Brother Survives Phuket Taxi Drivers Face Legal Action After Fighting Over Customers Chinese Man Arrested at Phuket Airport for Illegally Working The only one missing today - so far - is jealous man kills ex Thailand - Hub of Deja Vu News Stories

Because the guns they carry are their own personal property. They have to buy their own. They are not supplied by the Force. Thailand is - different.

I've watched quite a few abandoned building videos, and they are always interesting. In many cases, apart from the dirt and decay it's as if the people are still there. Beds made, dishes to wash in the sink, even tv's and other furniture still there, and even expensive cars in the garage. I suspect that in some cases the owners had to flee the property in a hurry because the authorities were on their tail for criminal activity.

My sister-in-law has recently returned back from Hungary where she was living with her Dutch husband, as she has a young (14yold) son here and thought it would be a good idea to be here to raise him instead of leaving it to us. She was given a five-year visa there. All her husband had to do was show he had the means of support for them both. The visa cost 15 Euros. She asked if that was per month. No, it wasn't.

The IO at my local office suggested I have a retirement extension rather than marriage and I told him I wasn't retired. He said I didn't need to be, which suggested to me that I was able to work with a retirement extension. Perhaps he should have added that I can, except in Thailand. Anyway, I'd rather keep the 400,000 handy for them to check than 800,000, for the inconvenience of spending two hours instead of one at their office. Gathering what they need once a year is hardly a hardship. But each to their own.

It staggers me they have no idea at all that by driving like that they could be five seconds from death. They have absolutely no clue. I mean, how moronic can you get?

I'd agree.

I understand retirement to mean you no longer work. As it is understood all over the world, except Thailand. Not a difficult concept. Another English word that the Thais don't understand but use anyway.