Slightly off subject but, in a world where obesity is an ever growing cause of ill health, what is wrong with children cycling to school?  Apart from the obvious health benefits, cycling would also address the issues of affordability, mentioned above, and racing also mentioned.  

4 hours ago, geriatrickid said:

As much as I like to criticize, consider that in a family where both parents must work, or there is a single parent, there is no other way of getting the child to school. It's not right, but I can understand why a kid would take a motorbike to school.  I rode my bike to school starting at age 8 and had to navigate some heavy traffic and did not wear a bike helmet.

Where are you from? 

3 hours ago, Psimbo said:

I feel sorry for the driver of the car, who should not have been put in this position in the first place.

 

What car would that be ? No cars mentioned in the story.

 

Also, you'd think someone would have the respect and decency to clean up the road a bit.

 

Until Thailand recruits a police force then this kind of thing will happen again and again and again.

we rode bicycles or walked to school and where ever we wanted to go, in many cases that could be several kilometres but it appears thais are too lazy to ride a bicycle/walk when they can ride motor bikes illegally and get away with it and have there parents blessings. While this is sad it shows how stupid these kids are, racing in traffic areas, thai laws and police really are pathetic not to restrict/police this, as said, the parents should be held responsible for allowing him to ride

 

2 hours ago, AsiaHand said:

He probably has been ridding since he was 7 and the odds finally caught up with him.

Oh, i must have missed that! Well, that will make it alright then.

9 hours ago, Get Real said:

Really? A 12 year old motorcycle rider?

yeah he was a really well educated rider at this age......

Hideous photo...RIP

 

Thailand will never be a first world country until it can set and enforce basic laws. 

you can only blame the government for this. the life of children is much more important to the civilised world

The "motorbike disease" strikes again! If they'd been on bicycles maybe the temptation to race would not have been so strong. And don't give me this "It was too far to pedal a bike to school excuse". If distance were legitimately too far to cycle, motorbikes are several times more dangerous than either bicycles or school buses.

11 hours ago, Get Real said:

Really? A 12 year old motorcycle rider?

There even younger on Samui. They crash all the time.  God help you if you hit one, they'll hang you up when you stand.

Just now, FitnessHealthTravel said:

There even younger on Samui. They crash all the time.  God help you if you hit one, they'll hang you up when you stand.

Yes, I know there are younger children driving a motorcycle, but what I hang up on is how anybody in their right mind can give them the name motorcycle rider.
Even if a 12 year old boy is sitting driving a motorcycle, he is no rider in my eyes.

It’s all part of the prevalent attitude that nothing can go wrong, thinking about it will make it happen, and Buddha or whoever will protect us.

 

It’s why multiple people travel on motorbikes, no one looks before pulling out or changing direction, helmets are very optional, and parents and police don’t feel the need to take any action to keep children safe. 

 

It it is also why more motorcyclists die in collisions here than anywhere else in the world. 

6 minutes ago, Classic Ray said:

It’s all part of the prevalent attitude that nothing can go wrong, thinking about it will make it happen, and Buddha or whoever will protect us.

 

It’s why multiple people travel on motorbikes, no one looks before pulling out or changing direction, helmets are very optional, and parents and police don’t feel the need to take any action to keep children safe. 

 

It it is also why more motorcyclists die in collisions here than anywhere else in the world. 

No its not its nothing else other than crass stupidity

While agreed it's a bad idea to turn a 12 y.o. loose on a motorbike...growing up in rural central Florida, I drove a 70cc "minibike" and  100cc Kawasaki motorcycle starting at 13. All of us did. Some even had larger ones. Fortunately, none of us youngsters had any serious accidents, though a few had some really serious motorcycle accidents when they were older and of legal driving age. One lost a leg and one was killed.

 

Also had a lawn mowing business starting at 12. Used my grandfather's "riding mowers" (John Deere and Snapper) whenever possible. Beat the hell out of any push mower, even a self-propelled model! In those days, we could get a beginners driving license at 15, but had to be accompanied by an adult to drive. Could drive solo at 16. We all started driving at 14. Not city driving, granted. 

I blame the parents, what were they think to let their 12 year old child on the roads with a motorcycle.   What absolute idiots they should be charged.

Here's a suggestion:school buses. And not kids hoping on overcrowded  songtows. Real school buses run by a school district. Has worked for 70+ years in America. No need for Thailand to reinvent the wheel just do what works. 

 

On Tuesday, May 15, 2018 at 11:02 AM, Just1Voice said:

His parents should be charged with "Child Abuse" and sentenced to the maximum the law allows.

 

I think the parents have suffered enough . Saying that has it made them any wiser .

On ‎15‎/‎05‎/‎2018 at 11:16 AM, geriatrickid said:

there is no other way of getting the child to school

There's always a way...……...