Finn Killed In Tuk-Tuk Head-on Smash

[george]

Finn killed in head-on smash

SAMKONG, PHUKET: -- A Finnish man was killed in a head-on collision between a tuk-tuk and a pickup truck on Yaowarat Rd shortly after 1 pm today. His companion, a Finnish woman was also injured in the accident.

The pair were traveling in the back of a tuk-tuk driving past Steak Samkong restaurant, when the accident occurred. The Finnish man, whose name has yet to be released by police, was sent to Vachira Phuket Hospital, but died on the way, a nurse in the emergency ward of the hospital said.

His companion, Raija Helena Engberg, was sent to Bangkok Hospital Phuket to be treated for a broken leg.

Despite having to be cut out of his tuk-tuk with “jaws of life” hydraulic cutting equipment, The driver of the tuk-tuk, Payao Junjue, sustained no serious injury in the collision.

The driver of the pickup Lanju Saechiw was also unharmed in the incident, Maj Sarit Butnongsang, an Inspector at Phuket City Police Station said.

“We are now investigating the cause of the accident and establishing the identity of the victim,” Maj Sarit added.

--Phuket Gazette 2007-02-14

[Pattaya_Fox]

One reason why I don`t like Tuk-Tuks is the safety aspect or should I say the lack of it. You are sat in a cramped space and in a major accident would have little chance of escaping without injury or worse.

Some of the tuk-tuks are so small.............and seem to be getting even smaller as I observed when I recently visited Phuket and therefore trying to get out of the vehicle after an accident could be very difficult.

RIP to the deceased.

[Mai Krap]

The driver must have had a very good amulet!

[pampal]

The driver must have had a very good amulet!

Or two

[mbkudu]

The driver must have had a very good amulet!

Or two

Most likely three.

[sohb]

I think four, three is no good.

[Mai Krap]

Maybe he had 9 or even 999 amulets? One can't buy to much luck!

[Scott]

My condolences to the friends and family of the deceased and his lady friend injured in the accident.

[baabaabobo]

I don't think the amulets worked... The Tuk Tuk driver just died.

Condolances to all families involved.

Two killed in head-on smash

SAMKONG: A Finnish man and a Thai tuk-tuk driver were killed in a head-on collision between a tuk-tuk and a pickup truck shortly after 1 pm yesterday. A Finnish woman and Thai man traveling in the tuk-tuk were also injured in the accident.

The Finns were in the back of a tuk-tuk driving northbound past Steak Samkong restaurant on Yaowarat Rd when the accident occurred.

The Finn, identified as Eero Untamo Malim, was rushed to nearby Vachira Phuket Hospital, but was dead on arrival, a nurse in the emergency ward said.

Tuk-tuk driver Payao Junjue was still alive when he was cut out of his vehicle with “jaws of life” hydraulic cutting equipment, but died at Vachira Hospital about 4 pm.

Mr Malim’s companion, Raija Helena Engberg, was taken to Bangkok Hospital Phuket to be treated for a broken leg. A man traveling in the front passenger seat of the tuk-tuk also sustained a broken leg.

The driver of the pickup, Lanju Saechiw, was unharmed in the incident, said Phuket City Police Inspector Maj Sarit Butnongsang.

Police are still investigating the cause of the crash and have not charged anyone with a crime, he added.

To see picture/s related to this story, please go to http://www.phuketgazette.net/news/index.as...6&display=1 Brought to you by:

The Phuket Gazette

[khunandy]

RIP....Just a holiday gone wrong..we are always at the mercy of tuk tuks and motocye transport. have you ever tried telling/asking a Phuket Tuk Tuk to slow down. Yaaaa Baaaaa my friend.

Edited February 15, 2007 by khunandy

[Mai Krap]

About the amulet or amulets, Oh well better luck next time around.

Sorry Im not much on sympathy, Ive arrived on scene to many deaths here in Thailand. I dont know how many people Ive told to avoid tuk tuks, they are dangerous and in Bangkok more exspensive than a aircon meter taxi for farangs. Im sorry for the loss of life but I have no idea what makes one want to ride in tuk tuks outside of being poor and having no choice.

[Lithobid]

About the amulet or amulets, Oh well better luck next time around.

Sorry Im not much on sympathy, Ive arrived on scene to many deaths here in Thailand. I dont know how many people Ive told to avoid tuk tuks, they are dangerous and in Bangkok more exspensive than a aircon meter taxi for farangs. Im sorry for the loss of life but I have no idea what makes one want to ride in tuk tuks outside of being poor and having no choice.

"The driver of the pickup, Lanju Saechiw, was unharmed in the incident, said Phuket City Police Inspector Maj Sarit Butnongsang.

Police are still investigating the cause of the crash and have not charged anyone with a crime, he added"

Still investigating!!!! Isn’t it Obvious!!!! Or so I thought.

I really couldn't believe this the first time I read the article a few weeks ago. Being a teacher, I thought I'd ask my adult students, who was at fault. I brought the article into class and we went over it, and at the end of reading, the class had a unanimous decision that it was the pick up trucks fault. I said "EXACTLY!!" in exuberance, and WHY? I asked. And it was unanimously agreed upon, that the pick up was at fault, not because it was driving in the wrong lane, but because it killed more people than the TUK TUK.

After adding this rule of the roads to my brain, isn't it kind of dangerous to have a "who's ever hurt worse" clause in the traffic laws, especially in a Buddhist country where death is considered a release into a better life.

[Phil Conners]

Roads on Phuket are death traps and one of the reasons I stay well away from the Island.

[ThaiGoon]

After adding this rule of the roads to my brain, isn't it kind of dangerous to have a "who's ever hurt worse" clause in the traffic laws, especially in a Buddhist country where death is considered a release into a better life.

I'm a Buddhist and I don't know what you are on about. Yes, we believe in reincarnation, but believe me, it's not "a release into a better life." That largely depends on Karma, i.e. what you do in this life.

Also another thing that bugs me and I wanna get out of my chest is that, no Buddhism has absolutely nothing with why some Thais drive crazy. It's all up to the individual. If someone is a stupid and reckless individual, then he/she will dive stupidly and recklessly. It's got nothing to do with Buddist teachings. In fact, if that person is actually a decent and practicing Buddhist, he/she should realize and know how much Buddhism treasures life(all kinds of life too) and he/she will not do anything that potentially could harm other people's lives.

The way some farangs tried to associate Buddhism with some reckless driving behaviors in Thailand has really dumbfounded me. And they spoke as if they knew Buddhism too.

[Mai Krap]

Also another thing that bugs me and I wanna get out of my chest is that, no Buddhism has absolutely nothing with why some Thais drive crazy. It's all up to the individual. If someone is a stupid and reckless individual, then he/she will dive stupidly and recklessly. It's got nothing to do with Buddist teachings. In fact, if that person is actually a decent and practicing Buddhist, he/she should realize and know how much Buddhism treasures life(all kinds of life too) and he/she will not do anything that potentially could harm other people's lives.

The way some farangs tried to associate Buddhism with some reckless driving behaviors in Thailand has really dumbfounded me. And they spoke as if they knew Buddhism too.

Once again Thaigoon completely misses the mark on a post. I guess he has never ridden in the back of truck that has a munk in the passengers seat, talk about your invincible drivers, thats as good as it gets! Happened to me on Mittrapop Highway and man did we fly, me and the poor canon fodder in the back were left with dirty droors and white knuckles after a very intense ride.

[Tony Clifton]

Nothing to do with Buddhism.

It's in-your-face selfishness combined with stupidity, a total lack of courtesy for others on the roads, total lack of driver education and complete lack of traffic law enforcement by PATROLLING the roads, not standing on the side of the highway or sidewalk.

You pull these stunts on Western roads and you'll look over your shoulder hoping a cop didn't see you or that someone used his cell to phone them. Here, no one gives a sh!t Thai drivers don't have that sense of paranoia because they know they won't get caught or are simply unaware of their dangerous driving. Truck and bus drivers are the worst. It never takes more than 5 minutes when leaving your house before seeing a stupid driver followed by a series of near misses.

[ThaiGoon]

Exactly, Tony.

And Mai Krap, a monk in the back of a truck talking about "invincible drivers" has as much to do with Buddhism as Catholic priests who molest children do with Catholicism.

[Lithobid]

Exactly, Tony.

And Mai Krap, a monk in the back of a truck talking about "invincible drivers" has as much to do with Buddhism as Catholic priests who molest children do with Catholicism.

Well, I have to agree with Mai Krap on this one Thai Goon. Though as a buddhist myself, I completely agree with your earlyier statements about the religon, and that's the path of belief and practice that I follow. But you can't help but notice how certain conditions in Thai society, have led to the current dangers on the road.

(1.) Strong buddhist religion- I've worked here for nearly 2 years, and I can't tell you how many times a thai has said to me "Mai ben Rai, I go see buddah" when I ask them about something dangerous they are doing. Or my other favorite response is , "it's ok, I'll goto my next life."

(2.) Lack of Money, I'm sure that there are a lot of thai's if they had the money, would not be ridding 4-5 on a motor bike without helmets. With that being said, how else can you explain a overwhelming gross negligence on the care of childrens well being.

(3.) No Cops!- Sure drive like a maniac, no cops going to stop you, unless you aren't wearing a helmet.

Thai goon, In an idealistic societey your view of buddhism is the same as mine, and I wish it were in practice 100%. Unfortunatley, we don't have that, and people use religon as a crutch. Though comparing all this to the molestation of catholic children dosen't make much sense. That dosen't have anything to do with the religon, perhaps exorcism would be a better comparison.

[ThaiGoon]

Well, I have to agree with Mai Krap on this one Thai Goon. Though as a buddhist myself, I completely agree with your earlyier statements about the religon, and that's the path of belief and practice that I follow. But you can't help but notice how certain conditions in Thai society, have led to the current dangers on the road.

(1.) Strong buddhist religion- I've worked here for nearly 2 years, and I can't tell you how many times a thai has said to me "Mai ben Rai, I go see buddah" when I ask them about something dangerous they are doing. Or my other favorite response is , "it's ok, I'll goto my next life."

(2.) Lack of Money, I'm sure that there are a lot of thai's if they had the money, would not be ridding 4-5 on a motor bike without helmets. With that being said, how else can you explain a overwhelming gross negligence on the care of childrens well being.

(3.) No Cops!- Sure drive like a maniac, no cops going to stop you, unless you aren't wearing a helmet.

Thai goon, In an idealistic societey your view of buddhism is the same as mine, and I wish it were in practice 100%. Unfortunatley, we don't have that, and people use religon as a crutch. Though comparing all this to the molestation of catholic children dosen't make much sense. That dosen't have anything to do with the religon, perhaps exorcism would be a better comparison.

Those Thais who used Buddhism as an excuse for their stupid and reckless behaviors are the equivalent of white Christians in America who used some texts in the Bible to justify their personal bashings against gay and black people. These people's behaviors don't have anything to do with the real teachings of their religions. I don't blame Christianity for racial segregation and hate crimes in America, because I understand that those are not what Christianity is really preaching. It's just the twisted way that sick and stupid people interpreted their religions. The religions themselves got nothng to do with it. I hope you got my point this time.

[atlastaname]

About the amulet or amulets, Oh well better luck next time around.

Sorry Im not much on sympathy, Ive arrived on scene to many deaths here in Thailand. I dont know how many people Ive told to avoid tuk tuks, they are dangerous and in Bangkok more exspensive than a aircon meter taxi for farangs. Im sorry for the loss of life but I have no idea what makes one want to ride in tuk tuks outside of being poor and having no choice.

The answer is because , assuming nothing tragic happens, they are fun and different to what we are used to. I am all for the air con taxi and take them frequently , but once or twice a week at least i would take a tuk-tuk for the fun of it even though they are , except for the shortest of journeys , dearer than a taxi!!