Car Accidents

[chuang]

HI there, two days ago my Thai friend's car had an accident/collision with a motorcycle in Chiangmai.

The police and insurance company have be informed. The motorcyclist is now recovering in hospital with a fracture leg.

Now he is demanding 100,000 Baht and he will close the matter.

I wonder if this is how they settle an accident in Thailand, is he demanding too much, should my friend pay, if so how much.......... or if not all, then what will happen.

Appreciate your advice and comments...Thanks

[Neeranam]

No, your friend shouldn't pay - his insurance company should.

[Maigo6]

Insurance should pay, that is what it's for.

If your friend was at fault then he may well have to pay the motorcyclist or be charged by the Police for whatever offence occured, then pay.

Most cases are negotiable between the 2 concerned parties.

[paulsmithson]

Met a nice old lady here, She had been knocked down whilst crossing the road. Her shattered leg never recovered and now is bent in two places. Her compensation 20k baht!!!

[draggons]

This one's a very sore point with me. The missus got twated by a drunk driver on the 31st march, totaled my pick up.

We're still having to pay the instalments on the truck and it'll be two months till it's on the road again, Every time I bring it up, ie why's the <deleted> not having to pay for a hire car etc I just get reminded that this is Thai. If we want to take the pri*k to court we could wait two years for the outcome.

It's pi**ing me off big time.

[richard_smith237]

That would wind me up greatly.

The driving standards here and generally terrible and the only way to get anywhere is to 'not care if I crash' which is pretty irresponsible, but sometimes its the only way to pull out of a side street. At some point this will only outcome in a crash.

The Crash happened some years ago (on Petchaburi Rd Bkk - I took photo's and was 100% confident I was not at fault. Back at the police station I was informed my insurance will have to pay and I am at fault. I rejected that. And slowly went over what and how the crash occurred. My story differed from the other driver. After hearing his story – I challenged it showing the police the photos. The other driver changed his story 3 times. The Police man told me he had never had a simple case like that challenged so strongly. We were referred to another area, where a decision was made based on a visual inspection of the cars alone (no crash description was necessary).

The next morning we visited the police station and I was told that as I didn't accept full responsibility for the crash only my half of the crash was my fault, and the other guys half of the crash was his fault. It was then I found out that the other guy had no insurance which was why, if it was his fault the repairs to my car would not have been covered.

Upon leaving the station the other party told me that it was his 5th crash in 3 months, I felt like throttling him.

Motorcycles take huge risks and liberties with their lives. Sometimes I am simply amazed that I did not hit one. I am very, very weary of pickups, particularly the delivery or work pickups who’s drivers are generally quite frankly dangerous. They all look the same, zoned out, 1000 yard stare, mouth open, and not too sharp – simply looking at them and thinking of them in control of a speeding over weight vehicle worries me.

I think back to school days in the UK and think of some of those guys behind the wheel and that worries me too - but here it seems there is far less concept of consequence.

Edited May 8, 2007 by richard_smith237

[Crossy]

- but here it seems there is far less no concept of consequence.

I've lost count of the near misses I've had with M/Cs. Nearly all at the same place, they go happily buzzing through red lights straight across in front of me, I look very carefully now, I know if I hit one it will probably be my fault

[qwertz]

Respect! I admire the nerve of anyone driving in LOS. I'd be terrified. I even get scared in taxis there.

[Crossy]

Respect! I admire the nerve of anyone driving in LOS. I'd be terrified. I even get scared in taxis there.

You'd really love Delhi then, particularly in one of those green and yellow 'auto-rickshaws' (the city has 140,000 of them), total madness (thank buddah, I have a driver).

Another month and I can come home to the missus :P