Opinion: Viral outrage over Dr Kratai’s death will change nothing, personal responsibility will

[webfact]

 

By Cod Satrusayang

 

Thailand is understandably enraged over the death of a young doctor who lost her life at a crosswalk when a biker failed to stop and ran her over.

 

That rage reached a crescendo after it was revealed that the biker in question was an off duty policeman.

 

Tensions have been high for the last year or so because of other cases where people with/in power were perceived to act with impunity including another policeman who was caught on CCTV summarily executing a drug suspect with a plastic bag.

 

Full story: https://www.thaienquirer.com/36856/opinion-viral-outrage-over-dr-kratais-death-will-change-nothing-personal-responsibility-will/

 

-- © Copyright Thai Enquirer 2022-01-24

 

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[Enzian]

The Romans had a term for it:

sine poena nulla lex

Without punishment there is no law.

[John Drake]

Quote

That is not to say the state is not problematic, lax enforcement of the law exacerbates a terrible driving culture while a corrupt judiciary does more harm than good in public perceptions on high profile cases.

But the state shoulders only half the blame, the other half falls squarely on us. Living in a society with a laissez faire attitude towards rule-obeying has bred a culture where corner cutting has become the norm.

The crosswalk I use to walk to the other side of Phutthamonthon Sai 3 to get to a market and Lotus has zero effect on cars, trucks or motorcycles. In fact, it seems  that some drivers speed up if they see you in the road. It's 50 meters from a police station.

[digbeth]

the one thing the police loves doing is extorting collecting fine I wouldn't mind if they camp out behind every crossing and red light and nab all drivers

[yeahbutif]

2 hours ago, digbeth said:

the one thing the police loves doing is extorting collecting fine I wouldn't mind if they camp out behind every crossing and red light and nab all drivers

So can someone explain why they don't .do as above? Are they scared they will be shot..

[BobBKK]

Such a shame. And a Police officer! will he go to jail?  be fired? you know the answer.

[zyphodb]

3 hours ago, BobBKK said:

Such a shame. And a Police officer! will he go to jail?  be fired? you know the answer.

Given who he killed he'll be locked up eventually, how long for though is a different matter. 

[1duckyboy]

"Personal responsibility" for Thais, the land of blaming darkness, curve in road, wet road ,brake failure and my new favorite, mini-sleep?

[OneMoreFarang]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

the death of a young doctor

Obviously it is sad that the young doctor was killed by a reckless biker.

But how about if he would have killed a factory worker or maybe a homeless person? I guess that wouldn't be top of the news.

 

When will Thais learn that they should obey traffic lights and zebra crossings all the time? For doctors, for factory workers and even for homeless people. They all have the right to cross the street at a zebra crossing and no driver or rider is above them - even with a luxury car and/or an influential job. 

[brewsterbudgen]

6 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Obviously it is sad that the young doctor was killed by a reckless biker.

But how about if he would have killed a factory worker or maybe a homeless person? I guess that wouldn't be top of the news.

 

When will Thais learn that they should obey traffic lights and zebra crossings all the time? For doctors, for factory workers and even for homeless people. They all have the right to cross the street at a zebra crossing and no driver or rider is above them - even with a luxury car and/or an influential job. 

I think they will learn in time.  Maybe in the next 20-30 years.  Although by then hopefully everyone is using driverless vehicles.

[trainman34014]

Tragedy here is that most people don't seem to want to learn and just think all their actions are good ones.  Responsibility and Accountability when things go wrong just doesn't seem to be in their mindset.

 

As far as road safety is concerned things are going to get a lot worse before they get better; it's already happening with all these Unlicensed Battery powered 'Bikes' and 'Scooters' that are running around and seem to multiply every week. These people are out on the main roads with no License required, No Tax, No Insurance etc etc and they silently creep up behind you without a 'beep beep' when you are on a normal Bicycle.  As more Electric Cars and ever more of these Two Wheelers get on the road there will be more accidents, more deaths and more injuries.  And what will the so called 'Police' be doing........still Zzzzzz of course !

Edited January 24, 2022 by trainman34014

[billd766]

7 hours ago, digbeth said:

the one thing the police loves doing is extorting collecting fine I wouldn't mind if they camp out behind every crossing and red light and nab all drivers

There is one at the junction of Sukhumvit road and Soi Nana and it is right outside of the police and actually has pedestrian traffic lights as well. I have never seen many people knocked down but I have seen some close shaves. The police box has police inside and it has a/c as well. The police rarely go outside of the box.

[Lacessit]

Pedestrian crossings with traffic lights are SOMETIMES obeyed by traffic. If the crossing has no lights, I don't know why they bother spending money on paint and signs.

[grego49]

5 hours ago, BobBKK said:

Such a shame. And a Police officer! will he go to jail?  be fired? you know the answer.

Already gone into the munkhood where they usually hide,,,

[tomyami]

even thought it was a cop he was driving a stolen ducati he took her phone back to the police station when it rang it was the hospital wondering why she was late for her shift

Very sad someone with much to give who is taken by RTP finest lowlife members

[djayz]

The main problem here is 1) the driving "test" is a complete and utter joke! The vast majority of drivers and riders here probably don't even know what a zebra crossing is or the reason behind it. Problem # 2) "Me drive car/ride motocyc, you walk. Me more high you. Me go first. You low-so" mentality. It must change. Teach them the rules of the road and change this mindset. Thirdly, make it possible for people to file reports against those who endanger the lives of fellow road users without fear of reprisal or being sued for defamation. Finally, get the BIB up off their ar$e$ and out on the streets patrolling and following up on reports of wrong doing. 

This pointless loss of life will never end unless something changes. 

RIP Dr. Kratai.

Edited January 24, 2022 by djayz

[Aussieroaming]

RIP Doctor. I'm surprised that a Thai would step onto the pedestrian crossing and expect traffic to stop or yield after spending a lifetime of living with Thailand drivers lack of acknowledgement of the purpose of pedestrian crossings. Most likely the poor Doc misjudged the speed of the oncoming bike and thought she had more time to cross and then got struck. I will guess that the bike was travelling at speed and caught the Doc off guard, or she thought the bike would swerve around her.

 

 

[arithai12]

6 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Obviously it is sad that the young doctor was killed by a reckless biker.

But how about if he would have killed a factory worker or maybe a homeless person? I guess that wouldn't be top of the news.

 

When will Thais learn that they should obey traffic lights and zebra crossings all the time? For doctors, for factory workers and even for homeless people. They all have the right to cross the street at a zebra crossing and no driver or rider is above them - even with a luxury car and/or an influential job. 

I think it's top of the news because there is actual footage.

Let us hope this tragedy serves a purpose and people start to respect zebra crossings. It would be the best way to respect her memory.

Edited January 24, 2022 by arithai12

[arithai12]

30 minutes ago, Aussieroaming said:

RIP Doctor. I'm surprised that a Thai would step onto the pedestrian crossing and expect traffic to stop or yield after spending a lifetime of living with Thailand drivers lack of acknowledgement of the purpose of pedestrian crossings. Most likely the poor Doc misjudged the speed of the oncoming bike and thought she had more time to cross and then got struck. I will guess that the bike was travelling at speed and caught the Doc off guard, or she thought the bike would swerve around her.

 

 

The story I read is that she waited a good minute before venturing on the zebra crossing, when cars had finally started to stop. It was only at the far end that she was run over by the disgraceful rider who obviously did not ask himself for a millisecond why the others were stopped. That he was at speed is not a guess, it's a fact. She probably did not even see him coming.

[Albert Zweistein]

6 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Obviously it is sad that the young doctor was killed by a reckless biker.

But how about if he would have killed a factory worker or maybe a homeless person? I guess that wouldn't be top of the news.

 

When will Thais learn that they should obey traffic lights and zebra crossings all the time? For doctors, for factory workers and even for homeless people. They all have the right to cross the street at a zebra crossing and no driver or rider is above them - even with a luxury car and/or an influential job. 

And what if the biker was a farang ?

[arithai12]

13 hours ago, John Drake said:

The crosswalk I use to walk to the other side of Phutthamonthon Sai 3 to get to a market and Lotus has zero effect on cars, trucks or motorcycles. In fact, it seems  that some drivers speed up if they see you in the road. It's 50 meters from a police station.

I learned in my first few months riding a scooter in Chiang Mai, that stopping for a pedestrian at a zebra crossing was actually dangerous because I was at serious risk of being hitten from behind. Even today, when I do stop because there is no one behind me, the pedestrian looks at me "really?" and sometimes still doesn't want to cross.

[HAPPYNUFF]

I have watched  Thais, and others,  taking   the  "test"  for drivers license, both   car and motor cycle, at my local  licensing centre.

The test  for a motor cycle license consists of  riding one  around  the car park area, cleared of  vehicles,   and a number of  red "cones" scattered about, which the rider has to navigate,  at whatever speed  he chooses, with  feet on the ground to balance.   One lap, of about  50 metres..Thats it.   That is after the   eyesight  and   reaction test inside the building.

For motor cars,   just  sit in the  stationary car,  show the instructor how  the  applicant changes gears,  uses the  brake and clutch pedal, turn indicator lights on/off.    Thats  it, no   actual driving of the vehicle........  It  appears  a slight  hand movement  of an envelope  assisted at times also., from comments made to me  by   applicants.

[Henryford]

The one time i was nearly killed in Thailand was while using a zebra crossing. I had waited by the roadside for a couple of minutes and eventually 2 cars stopped at the crossing to let me walk across. I was about half way across when a motorbike came roaring between the 2 stopped cars and missed me by inches. I never use zebra crossings now.

[crouchpeter]

13 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Obviously it is sad that the young doctor was killed by a reckless biker.

But how about if he would have killed a factory worker or maybe a homeless person? I guess that wouldn't be top of the news.

 

When will Thais learn that they should obey traffic lights and zebra crossings all the time? For doctors, for factory workers and even for homeless people. They all have the right to cross the street at a zebra crossing and no driver or rider is above them - even with a luxury car and/or an influential job. 

If you stop at a crossing, the motorcyclists will go around you and weave through the people who are crossing. Over 50 of these selfish morons die every day, but there are still millions left! Looks like culling doesn't work. We'll have to try sterilisation!

[KhunLA]

Is it really that hard to look both ways, twice, before you cross the street ...  

 

 

[Enzian]

Then there are the left turn lanes next to the curb where you first step out and where the bikes seldom slow down or stop. That was my closest call in the past  couple of years. I had left Chula hospital after seeing a dying friend and was crossing with Erawan shrine across the street. The walk light was green and cars were stopped. I stepped out an inch from a speeding bike turning left. In central Sukhumvit the vehicles seem to at least slow down approaching those turns, but not everywhere.

[mikebell]

21 hours ago, webfact said:

an off duty policeman.

They're always off-duty till they smell baht. Thailand will always be viewed as a Banana Republic till they get a proper police force.

[billd766]

11 hours ago, Aussieroaming said:

RIP Doctor. I'm surprised that a Thai would step onto the pedestrian crossing and expect traffic to stop or yield after spending a lifetime of living with Thailand drivers lack of acknowledgement of the purpose of pedestrian crossings. Most likely the poor Doc misjudged the speed of the oncoming bike and thought she had more time to cross and then got struck. I will guess that the bike was travelling at speed and caught the Doc off guard, or she thought the bike would swerve around her.

 

 

There is always one who blames the victim and never the guy who knocked her down. From other sires I have read, the cop was off duty and riding a confiscated bike that he took from a police compound.

 

Does that mean that all over Thailand, any police person can ask for the keys to ANY confiscated motor bike or car in supposedly secure compound, and just ride away on it with no questions asked?

[OneMoreFarang]

4 hours ago, crouchpeter said:

If you stop at a crossing, the motorcyclists will go around you and weave through the people who are crossing. Over 50 of these selfish morons die every day, but there are still millions left! Looks like culling doesn't work. We'll have to try sterilisation!

Hey, I am most of the time one of those motorcycle riders. And do you know what the biggest problem is? I have to make sure that nobody slams in the back of my bike when I brake at zebra crossings. Whenever I want to stop I look first in my rear mirrors. If I am luck nobody is behind me and I can brake and stop. But sometimes there is someone behind me and sometimes it's a big truck. Then braking would be a fatal mistake. TiT.

[crouchpeter]

On 1/25/2022 at 1:09 PM, OneMoreFarang said:

Hey, I am most of the time one of those motorcycle riders. And do you know what the biggest problem is? I have to make sure that nobody slams in the back of my bike when I brake at zebra crossings. Whenever I want to stop I look first in my rear mirrors. If I am luck nobody is behind me and I can brake and stop. But sometimes there is someone behind me and sometimes it's a big truck. Then braking would be a fatal mistake. TiT.

Actually, I ride a Triumph T120, and my biggest danger is the stupidity of Thai m/c riders! They can't hurt me in the car, but on a bike, I'm vulnerable.

Edited January 26, 2022 by crouchpeter
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