SOURCE: Pattaya People: March 12th 2007

Car and Motorbike Accident

At 10.30 pm on 10th March, the Dongtan Police was informed that an accident between a car and a motorbike occurred on Jomtien Beach – in front of Rim Had Jomtien Condominium, and someone was injured.

At the scene the police found a Meo motorbike and 15 meters away was a Honda Jazz car. A foreign man was found lying on the floor, crying in pain. He was immediately taken to Bangkok Hospital Pattaya by the Sawang Rescuers.

Miss Chuanphit, aged 38, driver of the car, was taken to Dongtan Sub-station for questioning. She told the police that she came out of the condo and when she made her turn, she heard a loud crash. She quickly got out finding a foreigner on the road, so she and local residents helped him before she called the police.

The security guard of the condo told the police that Miss Chuanphit probably didn’t see the bike coming and the bike was driving fast so he couldn’t brake in time, which caused the crash.

The Bangkok Hospital Pattaya stated that the injured man’s condition is extremely serious since broken ribs are poking into his lungs.

The police must wait for the injured man to recover before making further questioning

The security guard of the condo told the police that Miss Chuanphit probably didn’t see the bike coming and the bike was driving fast so he couldn’t brake in time, which caused the crash.

and of course the police will measure skid marks on the road , and check the brakes of the car , and breathalyze the driver in order to make an accurate assessment of what actually happened.

and shouldnt the car have to stop and look first before pulling out from the condo , seeing as traffic on the main road has priority.

The security guard of the condo told the police that Miss Chuanphit probably didn’t see the bike coming and the bike was driving fast so he couldn’t brake in time, which caused the crash.

and of course the police will measure skid marks on the road , and check the brakes of the car , and breathalyze the driver in order to make an accurate assessment of what actually happened.

and shouldnt the car have to stop and look first before pulling out from the condo , seeing as traffic on the main road has priority.

Actually, it isn't so far fetched that she could have looked but the guy came up so fast that she didn't see him.

its not farfetched , he may have been going fast and may have been drunk , but judging by the way most drivers here pull out of sideroads and gateways without looking do you really think it is likely.

Could be both

Could of been a case of $$$ signs impaired her vision.

In general most of the Thai lady drivers I see are glued to their mobile phones when driving and dont have too much time to look at whats going on around them

That's true.

In general most of the Thai lady drivers I see are glued to their mobile phones when driving and dont have too much time to look at whats going on around them

what's the law concerning the use of mobile phones while driving in Thailand ?

In general most of the Thai lady drivers I see are glued to their mobile phones when driving and dont have too much time to look at whats going on around them

what's the law concerning the use of mobile phones while driving in Thailand ?

Maintain a distance of 2" or less from the car in front when using your mobile whilst driving.

The security guard of the condo told the police that Miss Chuanphit probably didn’t see the bike coming and the bike was driving fast so he couldn’t brake in time, which caused the crash.

Security guard at 10:30pm still awake? Anyhow, as he probably knows Miss Chuanphit, he did the right thing and got her side of the story straight for the police. Unfortunately the farang, when he recovers, will have no such assistance with his side of it.

In general most of the Thai lady drivers I see are glued to their mobile phones when driving and dont have too much time to look at whats going on around them

what's the law concerning the use of mobile phones while driving in Thailand ?

Law?

The law of the jungle here in Thailand (regardless of the law on the books) is:

If anyone pulls out in front of you, and you hit them, it's your fault. You should always be driving in such a way that you can always stop if someone pulls in front of you. Worse, if you hit them (or are hit by the puller-outer), and you are farang, it's double jeapoardy: you are at fault without question.

Last week, I was going down a four-lane expressway near Khon Kaen, and I noticed a car facing my direction in the turn lane, waiting to turn in front of me to a side road. He waited until I was within about 15 meters, and he did it--he pulled directly in front of me. I hit the brakes and laid rubber right up to within a meter of his side door. He continued on without even a look at me. I was lucky. Had I hit him, I would have been at fault.

Do a search on TV and read the related horror stories, of collisions and fault. Get rid of all notions of the western "right of way," start thinking like a Thai, and it will perhaps save your life.

The law of the jungle here in Thailand (regardless of the law on the books) is:

If anyone pulls out in front of you, and you hit them, it's your fault. You should always be driving in such a way that you can always stop if someone pulls in front of you. Worse, if you hit them (or are hit by the puller-outer), and you are farang, it's double jeapoardy: you are at fault without question.

You are wrong. My husband was indicating for a right hand turn and as he started to turn some farang guy came speeding up the road and hit his truck. Damage to the truck was not too bad but the farang only paid half the damages. And this was a police decision.

Apparently the farang guy thought it was ok to overtake since he thought my husband was merely overtaking the motorbike in front of him rather than actually slowing down for a turn.

The law of the jungle here in Thailand (regardless of the law on the books) is:

If anyone pulls out in front of you, and you hit them, it's your fault. You should always be driving in such a way that you can always stop if someone pulls in front of you. Worse, if you hit them (or are hit by the puller-outer), and you are farang, it's double jeapoardy: you are at fault without question.

Last week, I was going down a four-lane expressway near Khon Kaen, and I noticed a car facing my direction in the turn lane, waiting to turn in front of me to a side road. He waited until I was within about 15 meters, and he did it--he pulled directly in front of me. I hit the brakes and laid rubber right up to within a meter of his side door. He continued on without even a look at me. I was lucky. Had I hit him, I would have been at fault.

Do a search on TV and read the related horror stories, of collisions and fault. Get rid of all notions of the western "right of way," start thinking like a Thai, and it will perhaps save your life.

Fault? always the farang?

Not true:) Thankfully ... get in a wreck ... first thing is to call your insurance company! They don't want to pay out so will do their best to determine who actually was at fault

You are illustrating the exceptions. I am talking about the rule of thumb. Stay in Thailand a little longer, and you'll come my way in your opinion.

Another example. I was in the exact same situation poster sbk described (which, by the way, was a totally different scenario as what I described earlier.) Read the post again, sbk.

Scenario: Waiting to turn right with my signal on. A Thai driver came up behind me, crashing into me, damaging both vehicles. Before the police could come, a kangaroo court of about 35 Thai convened on the spot. I was required to make immediate payment to the Thai person who hit me for damages. (Who's going to argue with crowd justice?)

When the police finally came, everyone had dispersed including the Thai person who hit me and witnesses. The police shrugged their shoulders at my damaged bike and pathetic-sounding story, and took off.

The law on the books, the police, the insurance companies be damned. That's reality in Thailand. Get used to it.

Toptuan, I've been here 18 years. Does that qualify as being here long enough to know better?

LOL ... sbk ....

apparently my 4 years of living here ... learning the language etc ... and 6 years of longish stays before that don't count so why should your 18 years ?

Toptuan, I've been here 18 years. Does that qualify as being here long enough to know better?

You've led a sheltered life sbk...gotta get off that island once in a while! I notice jdasia has surrounded himself with a watery moat and hoards of farang tourist/expats as well.

There's BKK, the farang enclaves, and then there's real Thailand. I'm talking about the latter.

Toptuan, I've been here 18 years. Does that qualify as being here long enough to know better?

You've led a sheltered life sbk...gotta get off that island once in a while! I notice jdasia has surrounded himself with a watery moat as well.

Excuses excuses top.

anyway, I guess we've hijacked this thread enough by now

Any word on the condition of the man on the motorbike or is it like most of these Pattaya news stories, no follow up?

Toptuan, I've been here 18 years. Does that qualify as being here long enough to know better?

You've led a sheltered life sbk...gotta get off that island once in a while! I notice jdasia has surrounded himself with a watery moat as well.

There's BKK, the tourist traps, and then there's real Thailand. I'm talking about the latter.

555

yeah kinda rough ... living on an island ... travelling all over ... weekends in BKK driving .... (well driving outside of BKK ...) but of 4 years living here --- 3 years in BKK ... 6 mos each in Phuket and HuaHin

and again ... the farang is only at fault automatically if he is silly

Toptuan, I've been here 18 years. Does that qualify as being here long enough to know better?

You've led a sheltered life sbk...gotta get off that island once in a while! I notice jdasia has surrounded himself with a watery moat as well.

Excuses excuses top.

anyway, I guess we've hijacked this thread enough by now

Any word on the condition of the man on the motorbike or is it like most of these Pattaya news stories, no follow up?

He has not been seen at the closest ATM by the hospital yet as far as anyone knows. Of course police escort

will be provided. They should have a way to add these bang-ups to the hospital fee, would save everyone alot of grief.

In general most of the Thai lady drivers I see are glued to their mobile phones when driving and dont have too much time to look at whats going on around them

what's the law concerning the use of mobile phones while driving in Thailand ?

The Thai road laws are the simplest in the world.

Thai and Farang involved in accident, Farang is at fault and pays compensation to Thai and tea money to BiB.

Simple.

What don't you understand?

In general most of the Thai lady drivers I see are glued to their mobile phones when driving and dont have too much time to look at whats going on around them

what's the law concerning the use of mobile phones while driving in Thailand ?

The Thai road laws are the simplest in the world.

Thai and Farang involved in accident, Farang is at fault and pays compensation to Thai and tea money to BiB.

Simple.

What don't you understand?

Have you been in a wreck here? I have. What you're saying is not true. Well.......maybe in a tourist area.

I was in a wreck two years ago.

I was stopped at a stop sign when a motorbike driven by a young lady with her two year old daughter on board tried to make the turn too fast. She lost it in some gravel and slid into the side of my car, damaging the door and her motorbike and breaking a leg on each of them.

Unfortunately the front of my car was about one meter past the white line denoting where the stop sign was, even though I was still a good 20 feet from the crossing road.

Yup, you guessed it. My fault since the front of my car was ahead of the white line, even though she hit me behind the white line. Cost me 10,000 baht to the police to do the paper work in an expeditious manner and an additional 60,000 to the motorcycle driver. I saw her slip the police 10,000 as well.

And all of this while I was STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN!!!!

Yup, you guessed it. My fault since the front of my car was ahead of the white line, even though she hit me behind the white line. Cost me 10,000 baht to the police to do the paper work in an expeditious manner and an additional 60,000 to the motorcycle driver. I saw her slip the police 10,000 as well.

And all of this while I was STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN!!!!

You routinely carry 70,000 baht in cash on you?

I'd hate to read about you on another thread--getting robbed and thunked on the head (or worse)!

The reason 9 out of 10 time people are cheated out of money in this country including in car accidents is because they don't have the common sense not to be cheated. ChuckD you should have called your insurance company. I don't drive in this country and even I know that's the first thing you do when you have a car accident in Thailand.

YOU ALL SEEM TO HAVE FORGOTTEN ABOUT THE INJURED GUY.....HOW IS HE ANYBODY KNOW ?????