Tourists on a motorcycle: Australian couple killed in horror collision in Krabi

[mike787]

Oh, dear...here we go again...another road death followed by infinite useless narrative...

Edited February 4, 2020 by mike787

[shy coconut]

25 minutes ago, mike787 said:

Oh, dear...here we go again...another road death followed by infinite useless narrative...

And here you go again adding to it...

[chrissables]

21 hours ago, Denim said:

 

For a start it should be illegal ( and enforced ) to rent any motorcycle to someone who cannot show a valid driving licence from their own country for the vehicle they are wanting to hire, in this case a motorcycle. This should be backed up by an international driving permit also endorsed for motorcycles. In addition , prospective renters should produce an insurance note from their own country that covers them for motorcycle accidents. Also the people renting out the motorcycle should have their vehicles appropriately insured. Decent helmets should be supplied with the vehicle in varying sizes and the police should come down hard on anyone, Thais or locals , taking a laissez faire attitude to the law. Loose fitting footwear , like flip flops , should also be illegal.

 

Sigh .................. way to sensible and draconion for

'my pen ry ' Thailand where money takes priority over road safety. 

 

The pick up driver is also a apparent victim here. His vehicle is smashed up and he has accidentally taken the lives of two people. Something that he won't forget in a long time.

 

So as we all know , these little life and death vignettes are here to stay for the foreseeable future.

like flip flops , should also be illegal............snowflake alert <deleted>!

[CelticBhoy]

To save petty arguments, if would be nice if a reporter just spoke to the riders of the other motorcycle involved and printed their side of the story. That should clear up any speculation, methinks.

[Ventenio]

23 hours ago, saakura said:

RIP, horrific tragedy. Tourists from western nations should be banned from riding scooters and motorcycles in Thailand as they would have no idea of the dangers on the roads here.

They do have an idea.  They just don't think it through, which is why they ended up in Thailand in the first place thinking about renting a bike.

 

even if banned, they will say, after a few drinks or smoking, "I'm OK mom."

 

They don't have the patience to find alternative, safer, transportation.

 

i've talked to many, they don't listen

[Crazy Alex]

All too common terrible news. Westerners, please be aware when on the highways in Thailand. Get rid of that who cares vacation mentality and PAY ATTENTION.

[newnative]

'Tourists-on-a-motorcycle'--a recipe for disaster.  They need to be banned from being able to rent motorcycles.  For their own good.  And, MY good.  I don't want tourists on motorcycles that they likely don't know how to ride properly driving on streets that they are unfamiliar with.  

[cornishcarlos]

I don't see any skid marks from the pick up, could be good ABS or maybe he reacted as fast as most do here ??

Also, perhaps something at the side of the road made the tourists swerve into the on coming pick-up, a dog leaping out at them for example ??

Looks like it was an unlucky day for everyone concerned.

 

[Dumbastheycome]

16 hours ago, phantomfiddler said:

From the position of the vehicle, and assuming this was the position at the point of impact as indicated by the chalk marks, it would appear that the motorcyclist was completely at fault, driving in the centre of the wrong lane. Unusual since I believe Aussies drive on the left side the same as U.K. and New Zealand.

The driver of the pickup has stated this couple were in the company of another  motorcycle. It may be that this couple attempted a blind follow through pass behind the other and the timing was against them?

RIP regardless.

 

[DoctorG]

20 hours ago, dyertribe said:

With those names I wonder if they are Austrian rather than Australian?  They are germanic names.

Thanks to old croc's later post it seems that you (and I) are proved correct. They were indeed Austrian.

[Time Traveller]

23 hours ago, saakura said:

RIP, horrific tragedy. Tourists from western nations should be banned from riding scooters and motorcycles in Thailand as they would have no idea of the dangers on the roads here.

Yes, because thai people never have accidents. 

Congratulations, I think you've won the internet dunce of the day award

[Time Traveller]

16 hours ago, webfact said:

Two Australians killed in bike accident

By The Nation

 

 

 

Two Australians were killed when their motorbike was involved in a crash with a pickup truck in front of the entrance to the hot springs in Klong Thom district, police in Krabi province were informed on Tuesday (February 4) .

 

The deceased were identified as Michael Benk De, 54, and Hei Delin De, 53.

 

 

 

The pickup truck driver said that the two tourists were riding along with another car, presumably their friends when it crashed into the pickup truck.

 

Police are investigating and collecting evidence.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30381566

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-02-04

Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking Thailand news and visa info

 

This story says it's Australians. The topic header says it's Austrians. Embarrassing thais still don't know the difference between those countries. 

 

[tinca tinca]

23 hours ago, saakura said:

RIP, horrific tragedy. Tourists from western nations should be banned from riding scooters and motorcycles in Thailand as they would have no idea of the dangers on the roads here.

do you know where australia is ??

[Moonlover]

On 2/4/2020 at 8:40 AM, bluesofa said:

I think to be fair we need to reserve judgement until we know all the facts clearly.

Since when did the sleuths of TVF do that?

[tifino]

2 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

On 2/4/2020 at 12:40 PM, bluesofa said:

I think to be fair we need to reserve judgement until we know all the facts clearly.

Since when did the sleuths of TVF do that?

ummm, whenever someone re-enacts the event? 

[Scott]

A post was reported and removed.  

 

[Almer]

17 hours ago, Olmate said:

Nice but damage is to the front of the scooter!

I agree with   Olmate,    With or without glasses it is hard to believe the damage to the front of the bike was caused by a rear end shunt

[Tarteso]

R.I.P

[Tchooptip]

8 hours ago, Traubert said:

Congratulations.

 

And the feller coming the other way?

 

 The first thing to learn driving a motorbike is avoiding (before braking) it must be a reflex, and since a motorbike is not very wide we usually have the chance to avoid... if we are not absent-minded... and if we know how to drive a motorbike, how many people master a motorcycle trajectory with precision? Very few. I see it every day in the bends, this is why I pay great attention of the motorcycles which precede me before overtaking, or not,  in each bend they find themselves in the middle of the lane when it is not quite to the right of the lane. So OK all these people have no chance of being able to avoid anything on their trajectories very quickly and precisely ????

Besides, I learned to do only one thing at a time on a motorbike... it is to drive the motorbike ????because I am not suicidal. Many people when two on a scooter slow down accelerate depending on the landscape they are looking at, when they are two or more motorcycles they get closer to talk side by side, it is incredible, they seem to think they are alone on a deserted road I see that every day on Samui's roads, not to say less than 50% wear a helmet! By the way old expats are not better with helmets, most do not wear any!  For the majority it is the baseball cap the visor behind or nothing at all, not even glasses. which on motorbike is an additional heresy.

   

 And the feller coming the other way?" said you

If despite all my time has arrived I would be like everyone else but in the meantime, with much more luck than most of this poor unconscious.

And on this site, some bikers know how to drive a motorcycle without being distracted and they do not feel any more in danger than I do because in Thailand the radar is never in standby mode!

 

I add that nobody escapes his destiny like that at least my conclusion will satisfy you ????

 

 

[Moonlover]

20 hours ago, bluesofa said:

20 hours ago, Olmate said:

Nice but damage is to the front of the scooter!

 

20 hours ago, bluesofa said:

That's fair enough, so it does seem it was a head-on collision as stated.

In the original report, there was no photo of the bike.

Oh yes there is. Go take a look at #32. This was very clearly a head on collision with pick up being on the correct side of the road.

[yogavnture]

On 2/4/2020 at 8:16 AM, saakura said:

RIP, horrific tragedy. Tourists from western nations should be banned from riding scooters and motorcycles in Thailand as they would have no idea of the dangers on the roads here.

slowly foreigners gonna know the rules of the road here. the bigger vehicle here has the right of way.  not like in europe.  u drift into other lane.  your life will end

[tandor]

21 hours ago, bluesofa said:

While looking at the picture I can see the result.

It's unnecessary to resort to rudeness by asking if I'm blind, and getting all the facts to get a clearer picture.

 

In the report it quotes only the pickup driver: 'He said that the couple were riding with another couple on another motorcycle when the deceased pair rode into his lane and there was a collision.'

 

There is another possibly (although unlikely) that the motorcyclists could have been driving in the same direction as the pickup, but in front of it. The motorcycle driver could have braked hard for whatever reason and the pickup ploughed into them at high speed.

 

Hence my comment about waiting to know the facts regarding the accident, not just making a judgement on an horrific accident and the statement of the driver alone.

 

...well regardless of what you all speculate..none of you know where the point of impact was, only where the vehicles came to rest or where they have been moved to. To establish that you have to examine the scene or use a video clip, or rely on witness statements to assist in making any decision.

[NoshowJones]

On 2/4/2020 at 8:16 AM, saakura said:

RIP, horrific tragedy. Tourists from western nations should be banned from riding scooters and motorcycles in Thailand as they would have no idea of the dangers on the roads here.

I am not saying that western people should just be able to walk in and rent a motorbike, but if a person who is used to riding a motorbike in their own country and has genuine common sense and always uses it, they should be reasonably safe.

[NoshowJones]

On 2/4/2020 at 8:33 AM, bbi1 said:

Just tourists? Why not just ban all foreigners from riding scooters & motorcycles in Thailand.

Are you serious?? What a nonsensical post. So I should not be allowed to ride my motorbike here in Thailand?

[samuttodd]

Driving on the wrong side of the road.   They won't do that again.

[NoshowJones]

On 2/4/2020 at 11:11 AM, Lacessit said:

There is a safe way to negotiate Thai traffic with a scooter. Drive as far as one can get on the left, and don't go above 40 km/hr. Use mirrors constantly.

From the look of the front of the vehicle involved, I'd say neither of the first two conditions were satisfied.

I am not going to be riding on the left if I want to do a right hand or U turn ahead. Depending on road conditions, I will be out on the right hand lane in plenty of time.

[NoshowJones]

20 hours ago, balo said:

Tourists who are not used to Thai roads should not ride bikes. RIP. 

If they are experienced at riding motorbikes in their own western country and have good common sense, they

should be reasonably ok.

[geriatrickid]

On 2/3/2020 at 10:50 PM, ThreeEyedRaven said:

I think not. If you look at the photo, there is a body still on the roof of the vehicle, with another on the tarmac in the foreground. There is also much debris on the floor around the impact point.

Fair enough. I  was not present so obviously, I do not know. I made my comment based upon past experience of seeing drivers attempt to mitigate their responsibility by moving their vehicle.

 

Let's say the motorcycle did cross lanes, one should be asking why. Austrians drive on the different side of the road as Thais, so maybe they were confused. OR; did the driver in front of the Austrians cut them off, stop suddenly, did their tire deflate etc.?   Honestly, I don't see an older couple intentionally driving recklessly. 

 

Edited February 5, 2020 by geriatrickid

[gk10002000]

14 hours ago, Time Traveller said:

This story says it's Australians. The topic header says it's Austrians. Embarrassing thais still don't know the difference between those countries. 

 

In some fairness to them, I am from Rhode Island here in the USA, but when I tell many fellow Americans that, some say: "Oh I too have relatives in Long Island".  Siiiiigh.  Granted Rhode Island is pretty small but it ain't part of New York.

[mike787]

21 hours ago, shy coconut said:

And here you go again adding to it...

...and so do you....nice job mate...