Songkran Deaths: 2 Teens Killed in Fall From Pickup in Uthai Thani

4 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

Authorities noted that the driver and front-seat passenger were not present at the scene when emergency services arrived.

I have words... but they're unprintable

Very sad, I feel saddened when songkran approaches because we all know that there will be death on a huge scale, I have had to go into town during this songkran and nearly had my screan smashed by a huge bucket of water thrown at my pickup while passing another pickup stopped in the middle of the road having a huge water fight with people on the side of the road.

I drove extremely carefully and had to stop many times because of children running out onto the road throwing water, one man walked out in front of me, his back towards me and stumbled drunk as I gave him a small toot and he got a fright I had him covered I had slowed to a crawl, keeping my eyes peeled for children and bikes, I'm sure if I drove fast I could have easily hit a child or an adult or bike.

I stayed home through most of it.

Rest in peace all those who suffered, and I sincerely hope that this madness can be brought into some sort of control, sadly all us expats have never seen change.

I see teenagers and younger kids riding on the edge of trucks all the time. I know in the US you can not ride on the side of the bed and if seen you receive a nice size ticket and even jail time.

My condolences. Very sad.

It is sad but also terrible when people, especially those so young, lose their lives in such a tragic way. May the two girls, who had their whole lives ahead of them, rest in peace. My condolences to their families.

But this accident also shows how Thailand works; you have to wear a seatbelt inside the vehicle, but the loading area is a lawless space, on which one more still fits.

I see on a daily basis those drivers who have passengers, whether it be a tuk tuk driver, a taxi driver, a van driver, a driver with the rear of their pickup loaded with workers or just any regular pick-up owners with passengers in the bed of the truck, driving like absolute maniacs with not a care in the world for those on board. One would think that these drivers would want to be extra cautious because they are now responsible for the lives of their passengers, but in Thailand it is quite the contrary. It simply makes no sense to me, and it's not just a one off. This problem is endemic throughout Thailand, and it is absolutely demonic. I have lived in Thailand now for 16 years, and by the end of each day I generally have a headache from shaking my head back and forth at all the chaotic nonsense that I observe. I have resolved to staying in my home most of the time to avoid seeing all of the ignorance and stupidity that abounds in this place.

This tragedy displays two characteristics of life in Thailand I find unbelievable.

1. Treatment of the poor. They are regarded as disposable, not subject to any measures designed to protect them, such as prohibition/enforcement of safety laws. Leads to unsecured passengers, no child safety seats, no pavements (because only the poor use them) and multiple/under age riders/no helmets on motorcycles.

2. Trust in. Karma/Buddha for your fate. May be connected with 1. No need to drive safely or work safely as you will be protected by your amulets, and if there is a problem, it was meant to happen. I will never understand this.

26 minutes ago, Classic Ray said:

This tragedy displays two characteristics of life in Thailand I find unbelievable.

1. Treatment of the poor. They are regarded as disposable, not subject to any measures designed to protect them, such as prohibition/enforcement of safety laws. Leads to unsecured passengers, no child safety seats, no pavements (because only the poor use them) and multiple/under age riders/no helmets on motorcycles.

2. Trust in. Karma/Buddha for your fate. May be connected with 1. No need to drive safely or work safely as you will be protected by your amulets, and if there is a problem, it was meant to happen. I will never understand this.

Number 2 is so very similar to the Middle East attitude. "Inshallah". "If God wills" or "God willing". When I worked there pretty much every morning they'd be a totally mangled wreck at the side of the highway. Commenting on it at work universally got the same "inshallah" reply.

1 hour ago, BerndD said:

But this accident also shows how Thailand works; you have to wear a seatbelt inside the vehicle, but the loading area is a lawless space, on which one more still fits.

Sadly, the economically viable alternative is to put them on scooters, which is probably only 10x as hazardous as the back of a pick-up (instead of 20-40x as hazardous as riding inside with seat belts).

1 hour ago, cdulaney said:

I see teenagers and younger kids riding on the edge of trucks all the time. I know in the US you can not ride on the side of the bed and if seen you receive a nice size ticket and even jail time.

But this is Thailand. A few years ago the government ordered no riding in the bed of pickups during Songkran, and there was such a huge outcry by those who felt it was their right to play Russian Roulette with their life that the government backed down.

It has always astonished me that there is zero awareness of danger, not only on the roads, in Thailand. Thais seem unable to link the dots and appreciate that if you do A then B might happen. How they drive, killing someone over slamming a door etc.

I took this photo of kids riding from school. The school didn't care, the driver didn't care, the parents don't care, the kids don't care, the police don't care. There is no common sense or law enforcement, and so people die. Up to them, I suppose. It's their country.

2 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

I took this photo of kids riding from school. The school didn't care, the driver didn't care, the parents don't care, the kids don't care, the police don't care. There is no common sense or law enforcement, and so people die. Up to them, I suppose. It's their country.

That's easy to say, and it would be nice if they could all afford 4 wheels, 2 tons of steel and seat belts. But that's tough on a typical Thai family salary.

They look a lot safer than kids their age riding 3 up on a scooter. And that's where they'd be if they weren't in the bed of a pickup.

I'm an advocate of the safest mode of transport I can afford. I'm fortunate that I don't have to make such dangerous concessions. Most of us are. I can't afford an uparmored limo with a special forces driver, but neither do I have to scoot around, taking my life in my hands.

Farm-boy pickup truck likely poorly maintained, probably speeding, low-teen girls in the back of the truck with everything more likely than not merely tokenly secured, driver did a runner and that usually indicates high or drunk but will surrender later etc. etc... so many red flags. Indifferent parenting to allow 13-15 year-old teen girls to get into that situation at that time of night.

Darwin takes no prisoners on this planet. For decades folks have been warned about unsafe driving and also the importance of wearing seat belts and also about the dangers of riding in the back of pickup trucks.

Such is life.

9 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

victim, aged 15, died at the scene, while a 13-year-old later died in hospital, with one other injured.

This is so <deleted> sad, so many beautiful Thai people dying, what a bloody waste.

The world and myself doesn't understand

The driver probably fled so that he could sober up before facing the consequences of his actions.

Not as tragic, but this also happened (watch until the end). The kid looks out cold.

6 hours ago, kiwikeith said:

Very sad, I feel saddened when songkran approaches because we all know that there will be death on a huge scale, I have had to go into town during this songkran and nearly had my screan smashed by a huge bucket of water thrown at my pickup while passing another pickup stopped in the middle of the road having a huge water fight with people on the side of the road.

I drove extremely carefully and had to stop many times because of children running out onto the road throwing water, one man walked out in front of me, his back towards me and stumbled drunk as I gave him a small toot and he got a fright I had him covered I had slowed to a crawl, keeping my eyes peeled for children and bikes, I'm sure if I drove fast I could have easily hit a child or an adult or bike.

I stayed home through most of it.

Rest in peace all those who suffered, and I sincerely hope that this madness can be brought into some sort of control, sadly all us expats have never seen change.

But the statistics indicate that the road death (and injury) tally is little different from any other week of the year . . .

We don't know how many people died during Songkran, it's very likely that this kind of thing is under reported.

57 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

We don't know how many people died during Songkran, it's very likely that this kind of thing is under reported.

True. As you well know SpiderM... the death toll is only those who died at the scene, not who died later in hospital or anywhere else... it's a creative way to massage the figures and you are correct with that post. That also doesn't included those who died as a result of arguments/conflict in the village or elsewhere, overly indulging in booze or drugs in their euphoric endeavours etc. and just popping etc.

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

We don't know how many people died during Songkran, it's very likely that this kind of thing is under reported.

I analyses the fingers by month and year some time ago with AI.

The dangerous days are largely mythical. Some years they are bigger than normal days and sometimes higher.

So sad these young people died and the driver and passenger fled the scene without checking on the young passengers or calling for help.

Hope the police ensure these cowards do jailtime.

23 hours ago, cdulaney said:

I see teenagers and younger kids riding on the edge of trucks all the time. I know in the US you can not ride on the side of the bed and if seen you receive a nice size ticket and even jail time.

In NZ riding in the back of a pickup has been banned since the bad collision on a motorway in Bangkok saw several people catapulted over the edge and plunge to their death, NZ reacted to that and banned riding in the back of pickups. It's totally dangerous in any pick up or country.

18 hours ago, BangkokHank said:

The driver probably fled so that he could sober up before facing the consequences of his actions.

I wonder how many drivers of water and people laden pickups get checked for alcohol while cruising the streets, as they will on Sunday. I imagine many driver will use only one hand to facilitate a beer in the other!

20 hours ago, Sir Dude said:

True. As you well know SpiderM... the death toll is only those who died at the scene, not who died later in hospital or anywhere else... it's a creative way to massage the figures and you are correct with that post. That also doesn't included those who died as a result of arguments/conflict in the village or elsewhere, overly indulging in booze or drugs in their euphoric endeavours etc. and just popping etc.

20 hours ago, Sir Dude said:

True. As you well know SpiderM... the death toll is only those who died at the scene, not who died later in hospital or anywhere else... it's a creative way to massage the figures and you are correct with that post. That also doesn't included those who died as a result of arguments/conflict in the village or elsewhere, overly indulging in booze or drugs in their euphoric endeavours etc. and just popping etc.

20 hours ago, Sir Dude said:

True. As you well know SpiderM... the death toll is only those who died at the scene, not who died later in hospital or anywhere else... it's a creative way to massage the figures and you are correct with that post. That also doesn't included those who died as a result of arguments/conflict in the village or elsewhere, overly indulging in booze or drugs in their euphoric endeavours etc. and just popping etc.

Sadly accurate assessment and of course condolences to all those who have died in the "celebrations"

I hope they at least throw the book at the driver and passenger. Multiple charges await them. Especially the main one leaving the scene after an accident and the accident caused the death of now two young girls who are now angels.