4 hours ago, steven100 said:

lets not forget the young boys lives that was sadly taken away because of someone else, is that considered fair …. certainly not and nothing, nothing will bring back those boys …. sad for their family also.

 

RIP …. sadly missed, never forgotten

Of course they’re forgotten...just as soon as another load are tipped into the back of a pickup.

8 hours ago, webfact said:

One 13 year old was found dead under the wheels of the van. Another 12 year old died later in hospital. 

So that's only one road death in the statistics then.

3 hours ago, dcnx said:

16 kids in the back of a truck. 
 

Blame the teacher, blame the parents, blame the school.

But mostly blame the low average IQ.

8 hours ago, neeray said:

So much for that Government idea of outlawing pickup boxes as people carriers!

 

All brawn, no balls.

(only have balls when hiding in an army tank)

(or sitting behind a desk at immigration)

28 minutes ago, nchuckle said:

But mostly blame the low average IQ.

In reality it's a combination, IQ is important along with some other factors usually culture reasons: people do what they believe is normal, usual or acceptable behaviour.

Edited December 30, 20196 yr by ParkerN

30 minutes ago, nchuckle said:

Of course they’re forgotten...just as soon as another load are tipped into the back of a pickup.

 

You're right. Short little span of attention.

9 hours ago, webfact said:

The pick-up driven by a teacher was carrying 16 boys aged 12 to 15 in the cab of the vehicle and in the back. 

Teacher should be struck off and school sued for putting children in harms way 

Pull out all stops to save them when twelve boys stuck in a cave with the whole world watching.  Don't give a sh*t about saving lives when no one is watching.  When will the international media discover this 'story'.

Edited December 30, 20196 yr by mngmn

I understand the outrage from ,I guess mostly Europeans, as they probably have had no knowledge of it prior to arriving in Thailand. It wasn't that long ago riding in the back of pickups (or utes as we call them) was normal practice in Australia. Banned now though. 

16 People on a Pickup Truck.....only one Word: INSANE!!!

8 hours ago, samsensam said:

oh yes, i seem to recall a teacher taking his students into a dangerous cave complex

They were under the charge of their football coach. Probably not a teacher but, irresponsible behaviour anyway.

8 hours ago, Sticky Wicket said:

It's hard to believe that this country functions at all

Oh! It functions without any effort however you have to compete with the most dangerous drivers (drivers is used very poorly here) in the world, which is confirmed every day 24/7.

6 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

They just never learn.  Would any responsible 'Teacher' carry 16 young boys on a Pick-Up Truck ?

 

RIP those lost.

Well, there didn't seem to be a problem when a football coach and 12 youngsters went into a cave prone to flooding, as a jolly jape, then got trapped.

 

When they got out, they were treated like celebrities. Personally I would have administered a therapeutic kick to the jaxie. Not to diminish the work done or the people who did the work to get the little sods out.

 

In Thailand, nothing surprises. The capacity of Thais to be stupid or incompetent no longer amazes me. Putting 16 kids in the back of a pickup is just one more piece of evidence - as if any were needed.

 

 

Edited December 30, 20196 yr by ParkerN

disgusted that some on here just say they are forgotten.  Maybe in your mind but not in mine.

I think you overreact thai thinking big time …..  you think they just forget and say … nevermind  ?

sometime farang need to wake up and stop criticizing, …. why did you come here ? to whinge and criticize ???????

 

3 hours ago, Khun Paul said:

Absolutely, sadly the teacher is UN EDUCATED,  in how to drive and why one may ask, was a Mini van NOT used 16 boys ?????-

In one word COST

a mini-van costs money, the pick-up owned by a teacher is free.

This is Thailand..... reality!

2 hours ago, steven100 said:

disgusted that some on here just say they are forgotten.  Maybe in your mind but not in mine.

I think you overreact thai thinking big time …..  you think they just forget and say … nevermind  ?

sometime farang need to wake up and stop criticizing, …. why did you come here ? to whinge and criticize ???????

 

 

If you are happy here then good for you. If someone else is less happy with the BS, then perhaps they resent the Thai culture rather more than you do, which might mean they've actually been paying more attention.

 

But none of that justifies or excuses the persistent sneering tone in those of your posts that relate to what someone else thinks. You might well think that your tolerance of Thai foibles makes you a better person, but I doubt anyone else does. Perhaps you'd be happier somewhere else.

 

My two-pennyworth

Edited December 30, 20196 yr by ParkerN

2 hours ago, ParkerN said:

Well, there didn't seem to be a problem when a football coach and 12 youngsters went into a cave prone to flooding, as a jolly jape, then got trapped.

 

When they got out, they were treated like celebrities. Personally I would have administered a therapeutic kick to the jaxie. Not to diminish the work done or the people who did the work to get the little sods out.

 

In Thailand, nothing surprises. The capacity of Thais to be stupid or incompetent no longer amazes me. Putting 16 kids in the back of a pickup is just one more piece of evidence - as if any were needed.

 

 

Not forgetting of course the signage at the cave entrance warned against entering 1  month hence - so who is to blame? 

Farang are to blame!

 

A Thai could never be so stupid...

3 hours ago, steven100 said:

disgusted that some on here just say they are forgotten.  Maybe in your mind but not in mine.

Maybe not in your mind, but Thais won't think about it when they hop with 15 people on a pickup tomorrow.

Because they are sure something like this can't happen to them.

Of course there will be a few exceptions, but this is how most of Thais think.

14 minutes ago, jackdd said:

Maybe not in your mind, but Thais won't think about it when they hop with 15 people on a pickup tomorrow.

Because they are sure something like this can't happen to them.

Of course there will be a few exceptions, but this is how most of Thais think.

 

very true.

 

Unfortunately.

On a personal note...I see trouble ahead. Last week I told my Thai gf that everyone in my car, when I'm in it, whether I'm driving or not, must wear their seatbelt. Today her daughter ( a 30 year old nurse!!) had to be reminded to put it on every time after we'd stopped somewhere. Just now I've said that if someone doesn't want to wear their seatbelt then they do not travel in my car with me. It may cause a future problem with next door's 15 month old lad, because his grandparents don't have a child seat, but I've only had his grandma in the car three or four times since he was born anyway ( grandma 'takes care' of him on a daily basis), so perhaps it won't arise for a good while yet.

The seatbelts obviously only IMPROVE one's chances of survival.

8 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Blame the populous, the government tried to implement this but the cry from the public was loud and clear

LEAVE US ALONE TO DO WHAT WE WANT!!

So they got their wish... so now they can live with the consequences!

Yep - this....  A couple of Songkrans ago I believe. The announced that traveling in the back of a pickup was illegal and would be enforced - there was outcry !

 

8 hours ago, hotchilli said:

If the parents cared they'd ask about travel arrangements... they don't.

Unfortunately, there is no safety education and often no alternative. The majority of parents never even consider that riding in the back of a pickup could be unsafe. 

 

8 hours ago, hotchilli said:

If the kids were worried they wouldn't get in the back tray.

Can’t blame the kids, most are too young to know any better. This is definitely the responsibility of those who ’should be’ responsible for their wellbeing. 

 

8 hours ago, hotchilli said:

If the teacher cared they wouldn't drive, but they do.

Because there are no consequences, the don’t mind risking the lives of others, cos ‘it won’t happen to them'

 

8 hours ago, hotchilli said:

They can all sit back and blame themselves... too late for the deceased.

Agreed, Blame must be spread across a culture which seems not to concerned about this issue, but blame must particularly lie with those in positions of decision making power who do little to resolve this issue beyond making media announcements from time to time. 

 

Given the ‘position of decision making power’ almost every Westerner I know has ideas how to improve this situation. Whether this implementation would be followed by a system which is generally apathetic from top to bottom remains to be seen. 

 

 

16 minutes ago, BRUFC said:

On a personal note...I see trouble ahead. Last week I told my Thai gf that everyone in my car, when I'm in it, whether I'm driving or not, must wear their seatbelt. Today her daughter ( a 30 year old nurse!!) had to be reminded to put it on every time after we'd stopped somewhere. Just now I've said that if someone doesn't want to wear their seatbelt then they do not travel in my car with me. It may cause a future problem with next door's 15 month old lad, because his grandparents don't have a child seat, but I've only had his grandma in the car three or four times since he was born anyway ( grandma 'takes care' of him on a daily basis), so perhaps it won't arise for a good while yet.

The seatbelts obviously only IMPROVE one's chances of survival.

I have exactly the same rule in our car.... the daft thing is when the in-laws go in our car they put their seatbelts on automatically. When they are in their car (and I am around) i.e. when leaving our house, I have to remind them !

 

My Wife is onboard with child-seats, always has been. It has been fortunate for us that we have witnessed a couple of arguments between friends (Western guy and Thai Wife), my friend caught his wife arriving home with their child (about 1 at the time) on his mother in-laws lap (while the wife drove). He hit the roof...  His Wife and MiL were angry with him for his reaction - I thought he ‘under-reacted’ !!! I told my Wife, in the same situation, if I can’t trust my wife to be safe, I’d be making preparations to move back home (where the law is enforced). I’ve never had to have such concerns and ‘most’ of my friends are in a similar situation where their Wives fully accept and fully understand the concept of safety. 

 

Unfortunately, many in Thailand are not as fortunate as ‘us’... they may not have a car and don’t have the same education with regards to safety - so its difficult to judge. May we have been doing the same thing 60 years ago in Western Countries before we learned better? - the difference being the information is now out there whereas before it wasn’t... Thus, do as we say, not as we did !... 

 

Tragic all around and sadly there will be a lot more.

 

 

 

 

I recall they passed a law declaring it ilegal to carry passengers in the back of pickups.  Doesn't seem to be working to well.  The teacher broke the law by putting them in the back which resulted in the deaths.  The teacher should do jail time.

They have a hive mind.

 

When my wife came to Australia she quickly learned that she would have to accept individual responsibility for her driving behaviour.

 

However when we are back in Thailand she quickly reverts to the default "hive" position.No other member of the family has ever left the "hive" except a former sister-in-law who lives in Germany,visits Thailand once a year and gets out of there after about three head shaking weeks.."mein Gott!"

So much for the law banning carrying people in the back of pick-ups. Might as well use the paper it is written on as target practice at the local gun club. Those tents beside the road just are complete waste of time. Sorry they get the cops lots of overtime sitting there doing nothing But one good thing when i go for my walks in the morning past this tent there is this cute little lady cop who gives me a wave every morning. Now that is one good feature i can say about those tents.

On 12/30/2019 at 9:18 AM, keith101 said:

The driver of the pickup should be charged with dangerous driving causing injuries and death if what the driver of the van is factually correct in her statement .

We all know that is the normal thing to do keith That is what he should be charged with but he wont be. Maybe 1000 baht fine and say sorry to families and a wei and he will be teaching again Monday the 6th and driving to work also. But This is all based on evidence from the van driver. We shall see

23 hours ago, Sticky Wicket said:

It's hard to believe that this country functions at all

It doesn't function for many people. 

3 hours ago, ubon farang said:

So much for the law banning carrying people in the back of pick-ups. Might as well use the paper it is written on as target practice at the local gun club. Those tents beside the road just are complete waste of time. Sorry they get the cops lots of overtime sitting there doing nothing But one good thing when i go for my walks in the morning past this tent there is this cute little lady cop who gives me a wave every morning. Now that is one good feature i can say about those tents.

she will be demanding to see your passport soon mate, beware. 

You can't make riding in the back of pick up illegal here, not yet. I remember as a kid riding in the back, no problem.

I took a group from the village to visit a guy in Prison. Probably a 3-4 hr ride with 5-6 in the front and another 4 people in back. I never thought of passing unless I'm 100% sure no oncoming traffic. Even with nobody in the back I'm crazy safe or try to be. As for seatbelts, rarely use them unless see coppers ahead. My 8 yr old never had a car seat here, she used to like seating on the console between front 2 seats. It's the tattoo above the visor and the flowers on the mirror that keeps me safe, and the gray matter between my ears.