78-year-old foreigner seriously injured after paragliding fall in Rawai

[webfact]

 

By Goongnang Suksawat

 

Rawai – A 78-year-old foreigner has sustained serious injuries after a paragliding fall at a viewpoint in Rawai.

 

Emergency responders were notified of the incident at the Khao Dang View Point, also known as the Windmill Viewpoint, near Naiharn Beach in the Rawai sub-district in the late afternoon (September 19th).

 

The Rawai Municipality rescue team told local media that there was a strong wind when the 78-year-old foreigner fell with his paragliding equipment. He had broken his right arm and injured his right leg and hip. He was taken to a nearby hospital for urgent medical assistance.

 

Full story: https://thephuketexpress.com/2022/09/20/78-year-old-foreigner-seriously-injured-after-paragliding-fall-in-rawai/

 

-- © Copyright The Phuket Express 2022-09-21

 

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[AsianAtHeart]

Ouch!  Unfortunately, hip fractures are very serious injuries to one of that age.  Over one in five persons over the age of 60 will die within a year following a hip fracture (see HERE for more).  Let's hope that the same strength and energy that gave him the daring to try such a stunt at his age will help him pull through and heal quickly. 

 

It's better to live doing what one loves than to die for it.

 

Best wishes for a soon recovery.

[SAFETY FIRST]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

78-year-old foreigner has sustained serious injuries after a paragliding fall

Time to hang up the harness. 

[Gottfrid]

I don´t say you should sit down, look at life, slowly die doing nothing. But, paragliding at 78 years of age, is just to stretch it a little bit. Seems like some foreigners coming to Thailand, believe that makes them forever young and invincible. Guess it´s just too much Alphaville in the head. Unfortunately, he will probably have destroyed his nice retirement for the rest of his life.

[sead]

Are you fk joking me. The guy who let him on needs to be charged

[Henryford]

What was the fool doing paragliding at 78

[Iamfalang]

Quiet!!!   I sat on my couch and drank beer until I was 80.   Too lazy to even crawl to get the remote, since I had 10 hamburgers resting on my stomach (think whale).   My doctor said I had only a few more minutes to live...

 

Then I found LOS!!!!  Paradise!!!     Pattaya!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  and, well, the tour guide told me to do some Paragliding and Jet Skiing and ride the elephant for only 30,000 baht....free lunch!!!

 

I hope my motorbike is safe, next week is street racing.  

[Darksidedude]

Was this on his bucket list

[grain]

A bit long in the tooth for that "man of action" sort of stuff at age 78. I hope for his sake he recovers ok from his injuries and is not bedridden or wheelchair bound from now on.

[steven100]

he needs to stay at bingo    !!      geeeze ...... 

[Charlie Halliday]

Whoring is much safer 

[Tug]

The old landing gear aren’t up to the challenge at 78yo just fly light sport ac you can still have fun speedy recovery ya old duffer must have been the weight of your massive balls that threw you off !!skys!!

[KhunLA]

1 hour ago, Henryford said:

What was the fool doing paragliding at 78

Relishing life as we all should  do.

Godspeed for full recovery.

[roo860]

2 hours ago, sead said:

Are you fk joking me. The guy who let him on needs to be charged

Let him on what? Doesn't say anyone or any company let him on. I take it you mean on the paraglider?

[Darksidedude]

1 hour ago, Charlie Halliday said:

Whoring is much safer 

yes

 

[KhunLA]

26 minutes ago, roo860 said:

Let him on what? Doesn't say anyone or any company let him on. I take it you mean on the paraglider?

Yes, no mention of rented vs owning said paraglider.  

 

I suspect he owned, or was experienced enough, since a solo operator of.  A rental company would not let you take one of their units up unaccompanied if not experienced.

[Gandtee]

2 hours ago, Darksidedude said:

Was this on his bucket list

Let's hope he doesn't kick the bucket.Get well soon.

[richard_smith237]

Awesome...  Not that he had his accident - I wish the gent a full speedy recover. 

 

But, Awesome that someone of his age was still out there doing what he loved. 

 

There are a couple of bitter comments so far on this thread from those who would prefer to comment on things than do...  

 

To place this activity in prospected - I’d guess riding a motorcycle around Thailand is more risky. 

 

-----------

 

While sandboxing in Phuket I saw an older guy (looked in his 70’s) landing his Paraglider on Nai Harn beach...  it looked awesome and I was impressed - it certainly beats sitting miserable in a bar or at home all day and passing negative comments on those who are living a full life !

 

 

 

[FolkGuitar]

6 hours ago, AsianAtHeart said:

It's better to live doing what one loves than to die for it.

 

It's better to live doing what one lives that sitting around dying slowly of boredom and inactivity.  Age has little to do with it.

 

4 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

I don´t say you should sit down, look at life, slowly die doing nothing. But, paragliding at 78 years of age, is just to stretch it a little bit.

Let's hope that when you are 78, you are in good enough condition to do the activities you love, and not put them on the shelf because somebody else said you are too old.

 

3 hours ago, Henryford said:

What was the fool doing paragliding at 78

Living life as it should be lived. Age need not be a factor.

I'm 75 and ride motorcycle every day (I don't even own a car!) am a certified Dive Master and go scuba diving in the islands all around the South Pacific. I don't see any reason to stop doing what I love just because I'm 75.  I see all too many people in their 50's and 60's here in Thailand who are morbidly obese, sitting at the bar with 2-3 empties in front of them at 11am. No... it's not age that matters, is it.

 

If you believe you are too old... you are.  Sure, there are some things we physically can't do as well (or as long) as a 30yr old.  We do know our own limitations. We've learned that along the way.

 

3 hours ago, Iamfalang said:

Quiet!!!   I sat on my couch and drank beer until I was 80.   Too lazy to even crawl to get the remote, since I had 10 hamburgers resting on my stomach (think whale).   My doctor said I had only a few more minutes to live...

We all seen 'you.'  In every bar and club all over Thailand. 'You' start drinking at 11am, sleep from 3pm until 7pm when you go back to the bar for more. 'You' are 50yrs old, 60 yrs old, 70 years old... it makes no difference. You do only have a few more minutes to live.

 

2 hours ago, grain said:

A bit long in the tooth for that "man of action" sort of stuff at age 78.

Let's hope that when we are 78, we can still be men of action, and not 'men of bar stools,' obese, lazy, high blood pressure, pre-diabetic people just waiting to die.

 

1 hour ago, KhunLA said:

Relishing life as we all should  do.

Godspeed for full recovery.

Abso-fuking-lutely!  This is called 'living,' not 'just waiting to die.' 

Sure... there are risks. But percentage-wise, fewer old folks die from active living accidents than from sitting around inactive, getting drunk every afternoon and evening.

 

Life before 70 is just 'rehearsal' for the good stuff that comes after!

[Dont confuse me]

I hope he/they (if it was a company) has sufficient insurance? 

If not the medical bill will give the ole fella a heart attack!

[roo860]

4 hours ago, grain said:

A bit long in the tooth for that "man of action" sort of stuff at age 78. I hope for his sake he recovers ok from his injuries and is not bedridden or wheelchair bound from now on.

Don't talk deleted 

[spidermike007]

If he had years and years of experience, and was a highly talented glider, nothing wrong with that at his age. Anything short of that and the risk is high. I am quite a bit younger than him, and I weigh the risks of certain activities these days, against a potential injury and handicap. Just one reason I gave up snow skiing. 

[Old Croc]

 

 

Best to stay on the ground or in the water.

Hang on, there was that Polish guy and his girlfriend who went kayaking to that island in the background and were never seen again.

[kidneyw]

Paragliding! Still safer than crossing the Thai roads.

[Purdey]

I admire this gentleman. Tried hanggliding once then the vertigo kicked in. Motorbiked across Europe as well as Esarn but that was when i was single. Those days have passed.

All i have left is a two seater sports car. Sad. 

[PETERTHEEATER]

I tried hang gliding but passed out from pressure of the rope around my neck.....

[Burma Bill]

From link to OP:

 

"Previously, staffers from the Rawai Municipality warned tourists and locals paragliding against doing so due to regulations and rules prohibiting such activities in this area"

 

Need I say more, other than no sympathy from me!

[richard_smith237]

16 minutes ago, Burma Bill said:

From link to OP:

 

"Previously, staffers from the Rawai Municipality warned tourists and locals paragliding against doing so due to regulations and rules prohibiting such activities in this area"

 

Need I say more, other than no sympathy from me!

Yet if you go to the area, particularly Nai Harn (next to Rawaii) there are plenty in the air on every good weather day.... 

 

 

How educated are these ‘staffers’ you depend upon so much for life advice ?

And, if there really are rules, why do they do nothing to prevent such activities ?

 

Finally, I don’t think the injured party cares about sympathy from a miserable-old-miser, he’s been out there living his life !!! 

[brianthainess]

12 hours ago, webfact said:

The Rawai Municipality rescue team told local media that there was a strong wind when the 78-year-old foreigner fell with his paragliding equipment

Yeh paraglide in predictable strong winds this time of year, or maybe the strong wind was just him shating himself.       

[Aussieroaming]

78 and paragliding, well done you have my respect for living life.