Drunken Motorcyclist Wraps Himself Around A Pylon...

[libya 115]

SOURCE: Pattaya City News: April 18th 2007

Young Soldier killed in drunken road crash in Sattahip.

A road accident now from Sattahip District which occurred in the early hours of Wednesday Morning. Police Sub-Lieutenant Raiwat from Sattahip Police Station attended this accident which resulted in the death of a solider based at the Sattahip Navy Base.

It was apparent to Police that excessive amounts of alcohol was the most likely cause of this single vehicle crash as a strong odor of whisky was evident from the dead man and his injured colleague who was later transferred to Hospital.

Witnesses mentioned that they saw the bike drive erratically at a high rate or speed along this fast stretch of road and the driver was seen to lose control of the bike and collide with a street pylon as he approached a sharp curve.

The injured Soldier, Private Saranyoo aged 22 is expected to fully recover however he is now coming to terms with the death of his friend, Private Surapon aged 23 who was thrown from the bike and died at the scene.

[scottishjohn]

From the Scottish Sunday Post Today. Was it in the local press

22 April 2007

THAI HORROR

EXCLUSIVE Drink-drive Scot under house arrest for killing binman

By Norman Silvester

A SCOTS drink-driver is under house arrest in Thailand accused of crushing a binman to death while four times the limit.

Gordon McCarry, 24, piled into the back of a refuse truck in Pattaya at high speed, severing the 50-year-old worker's legs.

The man, who had been standing behind the truck picking up a bin, died in hospital 24 hours later.

Holidaymaker McCarry was held in cells overnight before being released on bail. He has had his passport confiscated and cannot leave the country.

He has admitted drink-driving but may face further charges over the man's death.

McCarry, of Partick, Glasgow, had been in the resort with his twin brother David and was staying with relatives. Last night his mother Rona Griffiths, 55, said he faces months of uncertainty before finding out what he is charged with.

She added: "Gordon has pled guilty to the drink-drive part of the charge and been fined around £70 but we do not know what is going to happen with the other charges.

"He says he wasn't drunk the night the accident happened but had been drinking the previous day. He is not a drinker normally.

"He had gone for a holiday with his brother and decided to stay on because he was enjoying himself.

"He is on bail but has been told he cannot leave the country. David has since come back and is in a daze over what has happened. Gordon himself can't take it in and finds it difficult to talk about what happened.

"My partner Chris and I were due to go on holiday to Spain this week but had to cancel because of the uncertainty over Gordon.

"It is difficult to get answers from the Thai authorities because things move so slowly out there.

"We are all beside ourselves with worry. Our worse fear is that the Thais will send him to prison."

McCarry was cruising around Pattaya in a hired Honda Jazz car when the fatal crash happened in the town's Jontien Beach area on April 1.

His breath test reading was 211 milligrams - more than four times the legal limit of 50.

A witness said: "The driver came at high speed as if he did not even see the truck. It smashed right into the rear, which had this man standing behind."

A Thai newspaper report claimed McCarry was initially too drunk to give a statement to police, who were alerted by staff at a nearby store who saw the crash.

It's understood the car was a write-off but McCarry only suffered minor cuts and bruises.

Police in Pattaya last week launched a crackdown on drink driving following a spate of incidents involving drunk tourists.

Penalties have been increased - in future first time drink drivers will be given community service and probation rather than just a fine.

SUNDAY EMAIL

[leisurely]

I can remember that happening recently. It was reported on this board.

Poor old mum may have to cancel her holiday to Spain. AH! It would be interesting to get an update on what is happening, I feel sorry for the bin man and the way this story was reported in the Scots press is very slanted.

[cdnvic]

"My partner Chris and I were due to go on holiday to Spain this week but had to cancel because of the uncertainty over Gordon.

"It is difficult to get answers from the Thai authorities because things move so slowly out there.

"We are all beside ourselves with worry. Our worse fear is that the Thais will send him to prison."

They act as if they were the real victims here.

Hope that idiot wound up in jail.

[PhilHarries]

He has admitted drink-driving but may face further charges over the man's death.

"He says he wasn't drunk the night the accident happened but had been drinking the previous day. He is not a drinker normally.

His breath test reading was 211 milligrams - more than four times the legal limit of 50.

He admitted drink driving but then mummy says he wasn't drunk, look at the breath test figure, and is not normally a drinker. She's going for the sympathy vote back in Jocksville.

He wasn't drunk the night of the accident but had been drinking the previous day. His breath test was FOUR times the limit. As I remember the original report the accident happened in the early hours of the morning so that statement could be true. He drank like a fish up to midnight and then went for a high speed drive round Pattaya.

I don't know what to hope for as the outcome of this. If he's jailed, possibly the best option for sending a message out to similar idiots, he'll not be able to make reparations to the bin man's family. If he's freed on the production of a wedge of cash, that puts a price on a man's life and sends out the message you can get away with anything in Thailand if you part with a little cash.

I bet she's pictured all distraught sitting by the phone hankerchief in hand waiting for news of her poor little boy. Next thing she'll be petitioning the Scottish parliament to make representation to the Thai authorities at the highest level to have poor wee Gordon pardoned.