Another needless death from selfishness! But still no arrest as car blocks ambulance path

[nong38]

I am told the fine for the offence is 500bts which is to be increased to 5000bts but that is really not enough is it, take away the licence and crush the car would be a start.

[snowgard]

A big and strong front bumper and a law to use it will help a lot for ambulance cars. Who not move to the side will be pressed out of the way!!! And NO Compensation for this idiots!!!

[Curt1591]

"heart patient" and "siren wailing" don't belong together.

[maddox41]

In Australia we are taught to pull over its common knowledge what if your family member was in the back of the blood bus 

Thais have a odd way to show resect

 1) don't use your foot to close a door 

2) never step on money 

3) wai to every temple they pass buy 

4) say ka or khrup every 100 times  in a sentence 

But when it comes to empathy they are ruthless 

They don't care  there are on another planet wihen it comes to  thinking 

But told by the government they are the most amazing people on the planet 

Opps sounds like America Lol

[speckio]

if this happened in the united states the driver would be crucified end of story... everyone gets out of the way for emergency vehicles.. people start to pull over immediately after hearing sirens in the distance

[digger70]

5 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

You're not comparing apples with apples.  The Emergency Services in Britain are operated by the Government and regulated but in Thailand they are either Private Company run Services or Volunteer Services with Charity Funding and all are unregulated with regard to what Vehicles they use and the standards that apply to those Vehicles.

Well than there is something Very Wrong . The government Must Set a Standard  For What to use and or what colour. They Should be. All The Same than the Public knows for sure what's what.not just a van with a siren .one can put a siren in any vehicle and expect other road user to move over and let them pass.Like Unmarked Police cars with a Siren.

[Swimman]

Whilst not seeking to defend the blocker I believe it would be difficult if not impossible to say the person died as a direct result of the ambulance being blocked. Such uncouth, selfish behavior is not unique to Thailand as a quick internet search will demonstrate. 

[observer90210]

The regretable dogma of the Thai drivers......"I, me, my...."

[Media1]

A failed government 4 years of nothing but self gain and self praise. The police chief must be fully audited and obviously removed..I recommend the new government build another jail for the VIP uniformed.customers

 

[BwindiBoy]

4th world country

[laislica]

1 hour ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

There was always a degree of manners on the roads in the UK though. 

 

It's nothing to do with enforcement here in Thailand, it's a cultural problem as I said and it will be impossible to remedy. 

 

We can clearly see that enforcement here doesn't work, during Songkran tens of thousands were arrested and many vehicles impounded. Result = worst casualty rates ever.

 

 

But the biggest difference is that our culture got vehicles when they were low powered devices and not so many of them at that.

 

In Thailand and other developing countries, as soon as they can borrow enough, they can buy an automatic vechicle which is hugely powerful and danm near drives it'self!

It only has to be pointed in the direction you want to go and press the go pedal!

No need to learn hill starts or necessary gear to use for long down gradients etc etc.....

No need to look in a mirror when you pull out or change direction because everyone drives like this and we are all looking out for each other are we not?

 

IMHO, it's human nature to push boundaries and get away with what one can. We learned this as children.....

Only when the boundary is firmly held in place are those boundaries respected, although, often times, grudgingly....

 

Some of us oldies complain that the youth of today have no respect for anything, and some of us blame their parents for letting them get away with it.....

 

The behaviour of the public changes very quickly when a new law is introduced and enforced, even more rapidly if enforced with prejudice!

 

Educate by all means, use the TV and newspapers before, during and after the Thai soaps.

Then PROSECUTE and roll out harsh penalties to ALL - equally!

 

Use the fines to pay police a proper wage and give them proper training.

Prosecute police who accept bribes.

Confiscate vehicles and crush them.

 

Of course, many won't like this because it will become a Nanny State and you can't get away with anything anymore..........

Everyone will become responsible for their actions.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[essox essox]

the driver should be charged with manslaughter end of story....

[fullcave]

8 hours ago, phetpeter said:

most Thai's are concerned that these so called ambulance, lowered suspension, fat wheels , belching smoke from there big bore exhausts, just using the lights to look good or what!

No, these are the privately owned pick-ups the volunteer rescue workers drive, the ambulances are stock and properly marked.   

[Norbert Halfwit]

Hospitals need to start using high end black Mercs with Government plates. Not only would the BIB ensure their route was closed to all traffic, they would also block the side streets and then salute them as they sped past.

[pedro01]

9 hours ago, phetpeter said:

The big problem is the 'ambulance'! Is he going scene or coming from? plus most Thai's are concerned that these so called ambulance, lowered suspension, fat wheels , belching smoke from there big bore exhausts, just using the lights to look good or what! When a true standard for theses emergency ambulance to set, same lights , sirens etc. Then a hotch pot of secondhand trucks and vans can be used to clean up and have no need for sirens etc, then it will be easier to enforce. We know a bright yellow ambulance in the UK is an emergency vehicle, lights flashing , sirens going,  here who knows is it lunch time?

 

Or you could just get out of the way just in case.

 

Instead of worrying about your over-inflated ego and under-inflated underpants.

[PEE TEE]

9 hours ago, colinneil said:

Why has the driver of the white car not been arrested?

Surely the cars number plate was visible on the video.

A thought i have just had, maybe the driver is a policeman/woman or a so-called hi-so, just a thought.

because no one cares ( unfortunately )

[Sadanava]

1 hour ago, digger70 said:

Well than there is something Very Wrong . The government Must Set a Standard  For What to use and or what colour. They Should be. All The Same than the Public knows for sure what's what.not just a van with a siren .one can put a siren in any vehicle and expect other road user to move over and let them pass.Like Unmarked Police cars with a Siren.

So, you make a difference between rich and poor? as this is what foundation medical teams attend too, those whom cannot afford a private treatment. This month it is just enforced that all people can be treated for free for the first 72 hours, if it is classified as a emergency, giving ambulances more space to pick up victims and patients. however most are still selective at the call center and request insurance cards. poor people are thus left by these foundation medics and their vehicles.

[ujayujay]

9 hours ago, phetpeter said:

The big problem is the 'ambulance'! Is he going scene or coming from? plus most Thai's are concerned that these so called ambulance, lowered suspension, fat wheels , belching smoke from there big bore exhausts, just using the lights to look good or what! When a true standard for theses emergency ambulance to set, same lights , sirens etc. Then a hotch pot of secondhand trucks and vans can be used to clean up and have no need for sirens etc, then it will be easier to enforce. We know a bright yellow ambulance in the UK is an emergency vehicle, lights flashing , sirens going,  here who knows is it lunch time?

BS. You are in Thailand, not in UK............just clear the Track for Ambulance!

[shoregold]

10 hours ago, phetpeter said:

The big problem is the 'ambulance'! Is he going scene or coming from? plus most Thai's are concerned that these so called ambulance, lowered suspension, fat wheels , belching smoke from there big bore exhausts, just using the lights to look good or what! When a true standard for theses emergency ambulance to set, same lights , sirens etc. Then a hotch pot of secondhand trucks and vans can be used to clean up and have no need for sirens etc, then it will be easier to enforce. We know a bright yellow ambulance in the UK is an emergency vehicle, lights flashing , sirens going,  here who knows is it lunch time?

It was already stated they had critically ill heart patient in the ambulance!!!!!!

[maxcorrigan]

I don't know if this has been brought up in this thread, and something i can't vouch for, but in previous postings people have said that ambulances here will bypass closer hospitals to deliver the patient to a hospital that pays them the highest fee, as i said this is something i have read before and can't vouch for, and in no way excuses these selfish driver who will not give way to ambulances!

It might also have some bearing why the police do not prosecute these selfish drivers, although i doubt that!

Edited April 20, 2018 by maxcorrigan
dialogue

[Letseng]

10 hours ago, janpharma said:

"Me, me, me!...Only me first!...The road is mine!"...Thainess on the road...

This is not unique to Thailand. I have seen the very same behaviour on a recent trip to Germany. Sometimes rescue services have to walk half a mile to get to the injured because of spectators blocking the rescue path. A fireman got a fine for dousing one of the blockers with water. Not only Thailand has shortcomings. The proud West is no better. 

[Russell17au]

I am not defending the police here as I do not know what action they have or have not taken in trying to find this white car owner but the problem that I have experienced is that I have had visits from the banks and the police because the owner of the house where I live from 3 years ago has not changed their address on their bank details and on their drivers license or the registration of their vehicle. As late as April 10 there was a delivery of mail for the previous owner which included banking and another traffic infringement notice all of which I sent back to sender. Like I said I do not know if the police have tried to find the owner but the owner has changed address and not changed their details at their bank or at the LTO

Edited April 20, 2018 by Russell17au

[maake55555]

 

There were a few things I was going to say about some of the responses to this topic, but decided against it,  response #8 and others take the cake, so will pass. 

[Jonmarleesco]

15 hours ago, webfact said:

a red Suzuki Swift with a nurse passenger and medical emergency staffer driving blocked an ambulance last month.

Not much hope that others will move out of the way when even the so-say professionals prove so pig ignorant.

[Happyman58]

Was thinking the same Col.Looking at the white car it looks like the driver is some importance  Not a cheap standadrd car( Cop,  Army General, Doctor, Judge,) That is the way i am thinking

[AntDee]

People are so consistently incompetent that it's difficult to place blame. The following all contribute to problems like this:

 

1. Poor road awareness 

 

2. Generalized selfishness such as driving on the lanes intended for emergency vehicles (like those seen in Bangkok on bridges and overpasses) 

 

3. Thais tend to drive like they walk (changing direction/lanes too frequently/unnecessarily) 

 

4. Poorly designed roads and signage 

 

5. A generalised distrust among Thais of other Thais. A couple posters mentioned that some too often vehicles that look like emergency vehicles aren't. 

 

6. Thai drivers are NOTORIOUS tailgaters, driving terribly close to one another leaving no room to maneuver out of the way. 

 

7. Generalize apathy and fatalistic attitudes about life and death. They just don't care. 

[The Teacher]

22 hours ago, mikebell said:

Selfishness on Thai roads is the norm - we have the statistics to prove it.

Yes, it is proven time and time again. With zero police action because they only want to take care of crime that pays

[captspectre]

what is the thai police excuse this time? they can plainly see the license plate, is it one of their own or some gutless  big bucks thai?

 

[Buzzboy05]

I drove ambulances in Aus, most important to get to accident quickly to commence help than to scare patent with sirens etc to hospital.Always allow ambulance  through.

[superal]

18 hours ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

Disagree. We were never like that in the UK or Ireland mate, ever.

 

The problem is almost entirely cultural, and lack of enforcement only symptomatic of that and only part of the bigger problem.

 

The belligerence, arrogance, overwhelming ignorance, selfishness, immaturity, recklessness, disregard for the law, lack of responsibility, unwillingness to learn, etc. on the roads here will never be solved unless they confiscate all cars and go back to the buffalo.

 

Folk think I am joking but that is the only solution.   

 

 

The majority of Thai drivers are selfish and this behavior is often reflected in their personal life / way  of living .   But this is the norm for them and they know no different .  

I tried to explain to my lady that in the UK a motorist can be penalized for 

1/  Driving without due consideration to other road users 

2/ Driving without due care and attention 

" but this is Thailand " she replied , enough said .

You are right as it is a cultural thing across the board . The changes have to come from the top but for some reason this is not happening . Thai behavior can be infuriating at times when compared to western standards but I have learnt to go with the flow as otherwise life spent opposing their ways would be a stressful existence .

( but i still f & blind occasionally when driving but almost never blow the car horn & count to 10 ) .

As most of us know , your best friend when driving here is the dash-cam .