Video: Three dead as Pajero driver who fled scene revealed as top forestry official

[mserror]

Newton's first law. It operates in Thailand too; all vehicle occupants continue at that velocity until they hit something, usually not a seatbelt.

[KhaoYai]

Not taking anything away from this, the Pajero driver is an idiot but I'll bet nobody in the Toyota was wearing a seat belt.  the crash dosen't look that violent, I've walked away from far worse but it looks as if at least the driver was thrown out of the car.  Every time Thai people get into my car I have to tell them to put their seat belts on - front and back.  Its very much the norm in farangland and its just automatic to me.

[Chongalulu]

Nearly always fleeing the scene is a true indication of the cowardly and selfish attitude ingrained in the culture. No real deterrent in law simply endorses that whereas leaving the scene of an accident in most civilised countries is a serious offence. 

[Lacessit]

He apologised, so that's alright then.

[catman20]

30 minutes ago, Top Chef said:

3 counts Involuntary Manslaughter, Reckless Driving and fleeing the scene of an accident....15 years no excuses

 

it will be more like 15 wais 

[spidermike007]

A truly horrifying video. I am not sure if the Vios had time to stop. I see this kind of moronic behavior all the time. Usually I look in my rear view mirror and see nobody behind me. Which means if he had waited two more seconds, he could have made the maneuver safely. Always astonishing when I see that.

 

I was driving recently in the left lane, on a highway, and put on my signal to turn left. I had not turned to look behind me, as I typically do, to make sure the bike lane was entirely clear, but signaled my intent to turn, as I slowed down. As I turned a motorbike gently tapped the rear of my car, and went down. I think he was not looking or was going too fast. Not sure. Anyway I immediately stopped when I realized someone had hit the car and gone down. Ran back to the highway I had just turned off of, and there was a rather large young teen on the ground making some terrible noises. His brother was on the other bike, and he was hysterical. They knew I was the driver of the car, and not being entirely certain of the circumstances, I waited there until the ambulance, and then the police came. Fortunately I have a good Thai friend who I called up, and she came down to the scene within 10 minutes. Finally the cops showed up. By that time only the brother remained there, and I guess he gave his account of what happened. I waited for the police to talk to me and they did not. Finally my friend approached the cop, and it turned out they did not think I had anything to do with the accident. I told them I did. That he had tapped my car with his bike. I wanted to take responsibility for the kid, in case he was seriously hurt. I was devastated thinking I had caused this harm, even though it did not appear to be my fault. My friend ended up following them to the hospital, and advised me to come down and meet her, after she checked up on him. Fortunately it turned out that the kid was ok, just shook up, and some swelling. He was about a 230 lb, 12 year old without a license, or much driving experience, but he did have the wisdom to be wearing a helmet, which can make all the difference in the world, if you hit your head hard enough on the pavement, which I believe he did. To this day, I am thankful that nothing terrible happened.  

 

The point of the story is that men take responsibility for their actions, and do not flee the scene of a crime. That is for punk cowards. Half men. A man child without emotional development, and people with no regard or respect for others. Imagine fleeing the scene of a crime where people died due to your negligence? It just boggles the mind to consider. Forget about the penalties. There are none in Thailand, from what I understand, for fleeing the scene of a crime. Not if you are later caught, or turn yourself in. But, the moral and ethical ramifications of harming, of being responsible for a death, or in this case three deaths, and then leaving the scene? Wow. 

[dallen52]

7 hours ago, Dmaxdan said:

Yet another example of a gutless Thai driver who will never understand the huge responsibility that goes with owning and operating a motor vehicle.  He should be banned for life.

 

Also, 7 people, including a child in a Vios travelling at high speed?  Brain dead morons. The carnage will continue for ever and a day.

These guys should be in the Olympics. 

They're all brilliant at doing a runner...

[toofarnorth]

Did I miss something in the last 70 pages ?   If it was 7 in the Vios 2 would be flying , my Vios seats 5 and had 5 seat belts ,  maybe there was a small child sitting on a lap of the front passenger.     All dead because of the Pajero driver though.

[dallen52]

19 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

He apologised, so that's alright then.

Err.

Sorry.

I just killed three people.

And legged it..

 

What part of the brain isn't working?

[Lacessit]

1 minute ago, dallen52 said:

Err.

Sorry.

I just killed three people.

And legged it..

 

What part of the brain isn't working?

You don't have sarcasm in your vocabulary?

[Crossy]

Although it's difficult to really be sure from the video it seems the Vios was in the middle lane before it entered the frame. When it did enter the frame the driver had already seen the Pajero and was on the anchors (I see brake lights I hope).

 

He had three ways to go, (left, straight and right) two of which would likely have resulted in some swearing and brown underpants, sadly he chose the third option and three people died ?

 

My driving instructor again, "If you don't know which way to go, go nowhere". Stand on the anchors and hang on for the ride, if you see an out, go there, otherwise ...

 

 

Playing a spot of devil's advocate here.

 

How many of us have not been in the position of the Pajero driver? Forced to do a u-turn on a busy highway, looking across the passenger seat (with or without passenger), possibly view further obscured by right turning vehicles and perfectly positioned (not) road signs with fast-moving opposing traffic. You start to move and a vehicle suddenly enters your sightline, you stop and it whizzes past, no accident.

 

Equally, how many of us have been in the position of the Vios driver? Rolling fast, apparently clear road, suddenly a vehicle starts to turn across you, the driver sees you and stops, no accident.

 

I have certainly been in both situations, more of the second, but certainly several of the first. I really, really hate u-turns.

 

[Formaleins]

7 hours ago, BEVUP said:

The Vios didn't even attempt to brake

I reckon if he just hit the brakes & hit the Pajero there may of been less deaths

But speaking of the deaths the driver wasn't wearing a seat belt as he/she was thrown out the window like a bullet & you can see the body coming back down

"I reckon if he just hit the brakes & hit the Pajero there may of been less deaths"  Even an extremely skilled driver would have found it difficult to deliberately crash into another vehicle, let alone some of the morons driving here. The natural instinct is to veer away from the immediate danger, not to weigh up the pro's and cons of taking a side swipe at the other car or weighing up the odds of going off the road, i'd like to see you try it!

[0815]

The Pajero driver did not pay attention to the traffic, big mistake.
Doing a wide u-turn to the very left lane instead of turning on the middle/right lane isn't that wrong I think - if lanes are free, bcoz the fast traffic will come from behind on the middle/right lane. Or am I wrong ?
The Vios driver - with 6 passengers! - made a major mistake, to go left into the line of the Pajero instead of going on the free right lane.
Did he watch the traffic ?? Maybe in the very last moment when one of his passengers started screaming...
But doing a runner, causing the accident or not, is not the way to do Sir !
Rest in peace...

[wealthychef]

8 hours ago, rooster59 said:

He fled in a panic but called the cops afterwards.

... after being outed on social media.  If he had not been caught, would have hid under a rock probably like any other coward.  

[The Theory]

8 hours ago, rooster59 said:

He said he never saw the Vios coming and by the time he did it was too late. He fled in a panic but called the cops afterwards.

???

of course after you saw the video.

 

[TKDfella]

1 hour ago, todlad said:

Explain to us why the Vios driver was to blame.

Try post #48

[wvavin]

We know that nothing is going to happened to this government official. Period!

[SpeakeasyThai]

8 hours ago, steelepulse said:

Were no seat belts involved?  Doesn't look like the vios was traveling at excessive speed and I would think airbags and seatbelts would have saved everyone involved.

Classic TV arm chair expert. No doubt many more on this thread. ..... sigh.

[sambum]

Post #3 "Doesn't look like the vios was traveling at excessive speed"

 

Post #4 "Also, 7 people, including a child in a Vios travelling at high speed?"

 

I suppose it all depends on your interpretation of "high speed", but it certainly slammed into that tree!

[ttrd]

6 hours ago, thequietman said:

My god, that's bad driving from the Vios. Seriously, loads of room and time to make any other manoeuvre than that.

Obviously, the Pajero in the wrong but doesn't look too concerned about it. He's connected, so that's an end to that. 

A serious accident with an unneccessary and sad outcome obviously as a result of 2 nonattentive drivers with their focus elswere...

 

RIP

[phetpeter]

Again another car driver, speeding  moving across 3 lanes to undercut the turning SUV, looks like the front when onto the soft edge and thus causing the car to lose steering, but this time finding a tree. so sad, if he had braked slightly he could have easily gone round the back in his lane. But, it does seem that he had other plans?

[Lacessit]

6 minutes ago, sambum said:

Post #3 "Doesn't look like the vios was traveling at excessive speed"

 

Post #4 "Also, 7 people, including a child in a Vios travelling at high speed?"

 

I suppose it all depends on your interpretation of "high speed", but it certainly slammed into that tree!

In a road safety presentation by a traffic policeman in Australia a long time ago, I still remember his statement "In an argument between a car and a tree, the tree almost always wins".

[blackcab]

7 hours ago, VocalNeal said:

 

These large SUV's have the turning circle of a bus plus people hug the inside before turning thus increasing the projection into the oncoming lanes. In my small truck I can do a U-turn using one lane. My staff when driving need two lanes

 

He is driving a Mitsubishi Outlander. The turning circle is something like 10.6 metres. A Mercedes C Class has a turning circle of about 11.2 metres.

 

https://www.caradvice.com.au/compare-specs/qu915a-mitsubishi-outlander/

 

https://www.mercedes-benz.ie/content/ireland/mpc/mpc_ireland_website/enng/home_mpc/passengercars/home/new_cars/models/c-class/w205/facts/technicaldata/models.html

[KhaoYai]

Again, not absolving the Pajero driver at all but on reflection, this is a U turn area. There are lots of warning signs as you approach a u turn and usually an amber flashing light.  Those warnings are there to advise you to take extra care.  The Thai government is not without blame either - 3 lane highways carrying the amount of traffic they do these days, are no place for these damned dangerous u turns.  They are outdated and totally unsafe - if Thailand wants to have as much traffic as it does, travelling at the speeds they do, the roads need proper junctions etc. Never mind building new roads everywhere, make the existing ones as safe as possible first.

[phetpeter]

2 hours ago, Psimbo said:

Always baffles me the inability of Thai drivers to manage a u-turn properly. Maybe they think full lock damages the steering! Why is it that I can manage to turn into the correct land but they struggle to turn in THREE lanes! I can see how he drove off without realising it though.

If you have sat through the Thai driving video, the driver of the SUV was correct, moved across into the nearside lane or into the slip if there is one, Not turning into the fast lane or middle lane, The nearside lane is where all drivers are or should be aware of joining traffic from turns both left or right. Thats why most muppets never leave the right hand lane, even through they are breaking the law.

[digger70]

It's OK now he did go to the cops ,,, they let him go to leave the country ,,, He caused the accident ,,,

[dictater]

On 5/8/2018 at 11:13 AM, Get Real said:

No! He is a danger to Thailand, because he deals with human trafficking and that there is proof of that.
The only thing you are doing is making up a side story totally without proof, and putting the blame on things that are not included in the case or in the news.

It would have been better to state that this was another good work done to get rid of the garbage in Thailand.

 

7 hours ago, Vacuum said:

This is very easy to say, sitting in front of your lap/desktop.

I assume that the commenter and everyone else here also drives and has also encountered situations like this, most of us on a regular basis, and so, therefore, has some experience to base his comment on. The accident shows all aspects of the self-centered driving that has made Thailand the world's leader in vehicular deaths.  

[kannot]

I think they should also hold the govt responsible for these death trap u turns they're an abomination

[TechnikaIII]

He doesn't care. .. and will buy his way out of it. Purge his bowels and live the next day as though nothing happened. Would you expect any different? Government Forestry and/or wildlife official, are just the official labels for "elephant poacher".

[ELVIS123456]

I havent read all the pages, but my response/advice to anyone in the same/similar situation is to hit the other car/animal.

Trying to swerve away like that can lead to what happened to the driver and his/her passengers - and the other car/animal will just run away.

 

I did some advance driving course years ago, and if a collision is imminent and unavoidable in this situation you should aim for the other car - behind the engine.

I would probably have breaked a lot earlier anyway, but given the other vehicle (or animal) has gone in front of me, I would have hit it if braking would not have worked.

The reality is that there are 'immovable objects' on the side of the road and if you are unlucky to hit them (or you roll over), you and/or your passengers might be dead.

 

Sorry to be so 'ruthless' - but that is what I was trained to do - I have only ever done this for animals (and I do hope that never changes)..

The number of people who are killed/injured by swerving to avoid a collision with another vehicle/animal is a lot higher than people know.

 

These U Turn bays in Thailand are stupid and this is always a possible occurance when driving here.

And I will always put myself and my passengers ahead of anyone and anything else.