Why Don't Thais Care If Their Kids Die

[Bangkok Barry]

We are all aware that kids who are far too young to be able to control a motorcycle, let alone legally be driving it, are a common sight on Thai roads. Many of them will die, often before they even reach their teen years, but no-one seems to care. The police rarely do anything to stop them, but even more baffling is why their parents allow them on the road?

I was prompted to write now because two kids were nearly killed right outside my house today. The driver looked about seven and his passenger maybe four. What alerted it to me was the sound of horns and air brakes, and there was a large lorry pulled right across the two-lane road after he had taken evasive action - action that left the lorry inches from a pickup that had been pulling out onto the road. The kids then roared off down the road, on the wrong side with the driver not even looking at the road as he preferred to stare at me for the first 100 metres.

 

I doubt they'll live until the weekend, but no-one cares. Someone gave them the keys and happily sent them off to a possible death. Why? Of course, the kids may not have been sent out by parents as so many parents don't actually raise their own kids, but dump them on elderly grandparents who probably struggle to look after themselves, let alone a boisterous kid. Still, it's their kids, their culture, their problem, so why should we care if they don't? But what happens if someone dies by crashing into your car, or mine?

[Mac Mickmanus]

* If something is going to happen then its going to happen and there's nothing you can do about it* is a phrase I have heard quite a few times .

   Like, if you are scheduled to die on that day, then you are going to die and there's nothing you can do about that , just need to go to the Temple regularly and try to gain favour with Buddha and hope he stops you from dying , walk around the Temple three times, ring some bells and make a donation , should see you through the week 

[HappyExpat57]

It's not that they don't care, they have a fatalist mentality.

[Mac Mickmanus]

When I see an adult driving fast on a motorbike with a toddler on the back , 1 year/18 months old , clinging on for dear life to the adult and cars driving fast behind them .

   I have to look the other way 

[phetphet]

Perhaps as Buddhists they believe n reincarnation, so are not afraid of dying. Same in India.

[473geo]

I have come to the conclusion what will be, will be, also!

Had more than a few narrow escapes in my younger years, took greater risks than ever I should 

Its not that I don't care about my children who have made it to 16 and 20 respectively, I nagged them to wear helmets, seat belts, taught them to swim, all along being aware peer pressure is a powerful persuader.

 

In short to keep family life relatively harmonious a certain acceptance of the way things roll in Thailand is taken into account

 

[richard_smith237]

I struggle with it too...   

I can understand the ‘necessity aspect’ of it where families are on a motorcycle. 

I don’t understand the aspect where 10 year-olds are permitted to ride a motorcycle, at all.

I put it down to laziness rather than any form of necessity. 

 

As others have written, there seems to be a very fatalistic mentality amongst the poor, this is combined with a ‘it won’t happen to me’ attitude...

 

 

52 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

But what happens if someone dies by crashing into your car, or mine?

As far as ‘what happens if / when one crashes into us’...  DASH CAM... 

 

Kids riding like nutters and stupid drivers taking crazy chances is the very reason I have a forward and rear facing dash-cams in both my car and on my motorcycle. 

 

[bob smith]

lack of education breads an ignorant populace. half of the grown ups in rural areas never even finished high school, what did you expect?

[RichardColeman]

Probably more down to complete boredom more than anything else. What else can they do ? 

[Bangkok Barry]

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

As far as ‘what happens if / when one crashes into us’...  DASH CAM... 

 

Kids riding like nutters and stupid drivers taking crazy chances is the very reason I have a forward and rear facing dash-cams in both my car and on my motorcycle. 

 

I'd guess that many would still demand 'compensation' from the rich farang, and if the police get a cut then they'd likely 'suggest' very strongly that you comply. It must be your fault regardless, as that voids them of any responsibility. In my 26 years here I've only once seen anyone take responsibility for anything.

[Catoni]

10 hours ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

* If something is going to happen then its going to happen and there's nothing you can do about it* is a phrase I have heard quite a few times .

   Like, if you are scheduled to die on that day, then you are going to die and there's nothing you can do about that , just need to go to the Temple regularly and try to gain favour with Buddha and hope he stops you from dying , walk around the Temple three times, ring some bells and make a donation , should see you through the week 

Lord Buddha is beyond this world. He can not save us from dying using miracles like a Jesus or a god or goddesss. 
   We must save ourselves using our common sense, and following common sense laws. 
   We can follow Lord Buddha’s teachings. The Dhamma. Praying for miracles or expecting amulets to protect us, is not Buddhism.  It’s superstition…even when Buddhists do it. 

[Mason45]

10 hours ago, bob smith said:

lack of education breads an ignorant populace. half of the grown ups in rural areas never even finished high school, what did you expect?

My wife of 20 years is from the back blocks of Korat. She's one of 10 kids, none of them completed primary school. It really shows up when she has to make a quick decision. She can go into total meltdown even on every day subjects.

[steven100]

10 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

I don’t understand the aspect where 10 year-olds are permitted to ride a motorcycle, at all.

I put it down to laziness rather than any form of necessity. 

it's got nothing to do with laziness ......     it's got to do with irresponsible parents,  and the reason they are irresponsible is that they are uneducated. 

 

They don't have any sense about their boy being hit by another car while on the bike.   They are from the booney's where they cook on a campfire.  They probably left school at 10yrs old.

 

If the were educated ,   they would be aware of their own responsibility as parents and the dangers on the road.

If they were responsible parents  .....  they would not let their kid jump on the bike at 10yrs old at 10.00pm at night. 

That's what I think anyway .......    not educated, therefore irresponsible parents. 

[Iamfalang]

Why do parents let their kids become soldiers, and die?

Why let kids become homeless?

Why let kids drop out of school, or not even go to school?

Why let their kids get pregnant?

Why let their kids smoke or drink?

 

Clearly this is not a Thai problem.

[2baht]

What will be will be!.......................... Arai ja girt, go hai mun girt! ????

[ChrisKC]

To a seven year old, a real motorcycle is just a toy but one to be played with on the roads. 

 

What seems apparent also, is that these children were actually taught to ride.

 

No parent, if asked, would say they didn't care but they would have to admit irresponsibility. 

[JeffersLos]

12 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

die

reincarnated 

[rwill]

2 things:  

1)  You don't die you just start a new life.

2)  They obviously paid for something bad they did in a previous life.

[stoner]

58 minutes ago, Iamfalang said:

Why do parents let their kids become soldiers, and die?

Why let kids become homeless?

Why let kids drop out of school, or not even go to school?

Why let their kids get pregnant?

Why let their kids smoke or drink?

 

Clearly this is not a Thai problem.

see many kids at 10 years old back home riding bikes out on the roads do you ? 

 

your comment looks like you are having a meltdown.

[Peterw42]

While I basically agree with the OP, but kids/teens riding bikes is often part of life in isolated or farming communities. All over the world , kids on farms learn to ride bikes, horses, tractors etc, it often a necessity in rural locations. Given the correct instruction and supervision they can learn the skills and have a healthy respect for the riding, get themselves to school, help out with farm chores etc.

I appreciate the concern but would also ask the question, "are significant numbers of kids/teens having accidents/dying on bikes that they control" ?

I would be more concerned with riders that are the correct age, have a license etc, and are driving drunk, speeding etc

[Andre0720]

50 minutes ago, Iamfalang said:

Why do parents let their kids become soldiers, and die?

Why let kids become homeless?

Why let kids drop out of school, or not even go to school?

Why let their kids get pregnant?

Why let their kids smoke or drink?

 

Clearly this is not a Thai problem.

Well. I see it as a Thai problem, of a larger magnitude than in other countries. They might just care more about themselves, including about their own children.

 

Becoming a soldier, and die, lots of responsibility in there. And conscription, which is mandatory..

Becoming homeless, more than often people who have mental issues, beyond help.

Kids drop out of school. Anyone having has children know very well the difficulty of controlling the actions of a teen.

Kids getting pregnant. Parents not caring, here, may explain a lot of that...

Kids smoking or drinking. Again, difficult to control kids, who go to special marts who will sell cigarettes and liquor to teens. In Thailand, more than other countries, more than in my country, smoking particularly is now a 'rite of passage', at an age when anyone who was born, was quite ignorant.... Then they are stuck with the nasty filthy habit that will reduce their life by some 10 years.

[swm59nj]

Because most do not seem to care about too much of anything.  It’s just the type of mentality 

[scorecard]

13 hours ago, HappyExpat57 said:

It's not that they don't care, they have a fatalist mentality.

Plus many folks believe in bad karma / good karma. Can mean in regard to:

 

- Individuals

- The whole family

- The mother or father

- All the kids in the family

- Individual kids in the family

- etc...

 

I've heard the Thais in my outer family circle mention many times (and it could be in regard to a 7 years old driving a motor cycle at high speed on a highway) 'don't worry he/she has good karma' and / or 'don't worry that family has good karma'.

 

Also, several folks who have a very small flower vase wired to the front of their car/pick up. I ask 'why?' 'He/she will put a small flower in the vase before they leave on a road trip to make merit and buddha will they give them good karma for their trip'.   

 

 

 

 

[Phulublub]

30 minutes ago, stoner said:

see many kids at 10 years old back home riding bikes out on the roads do you ? 

 

your comment looks like you are having a meltdown.

I would ask any US parent why many there are allowed to "play" with real guns.

 

And I have seen many ten year olds in many countries out on roads on bicycles which, while not as powerful as motorbikes, are just as vulnerable to being hit by ther traffic.

 

PH

[Expat68]

13 hours ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

* If something is going to happen then its going to happen and there's nothing you can do about it* is a phrase I have heard quite a few times .

   Like, if you are scheduled to die on that day, then you are going to die and there's nothing you can do about that , just need to go to the Temple regularly and try to gain favour with Buddha and hope he stops you from dying , walk around the Temple three times, ring some bells and make a donation , should see you through the week 

This reminds me of the very first time I visited Thailand on the bus taking us from airport to the hotel, the tour leader said that if Thai people have a dream the night before indicating they are going to die the next day they believe this and will on that day drive without care.

[stoner]

11 minutes ago, Phulublub said:

And I have seen many ten year olds in many countries out on roads on bicycles which, while not as powerful as motorbikes, are just as vulnerable to being hit by ther traffic.

so is walking then. quick hide under your covers you will be safe there. 

 

meanwhile out in the real world most rational people see a huge problem with a 10 year old riding a motorbike. there is really a quick and easy solution. 

 

also how many kids do you hear about dying on bicycles compared to motorbikes ? ill go out on a limb and say the numbers are a little lopsided to say the least. 

[Deli]

Make a new one ?

[warrima]

13 hours ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

When I see an adult driving fast on a motorbike with a toddler on the back , 1 year/18 months old , clinging on for dear life to the adult and cars driving fast behind them .

   I have to look the other way 

Seen a farang stopped at lights on Rama 4 last weekend. Big bike - R1, with what looked to be a 4 year old clinging on the back. Neither had helmets on and were only wearing T shirts and shorts. To cap it off he took of like a bat out of hell when the lights changed. I will never understand why some people go 'native' like this. 

[stoner]

1 minute ago, warrima said:

I will never understand why some people go 'native' like this. 

when in rome......

[brewsterbudgen]

I drive my son to/from school every day (Rayong province) and it is profoundly depressing to see the huge numbers of kids and families racing along on motorbikes and in over-crowded side-cars, rarely wearing helmets.

 

Pointing this out or expressing my concern to my wife's family is generally met with laughter.  "How do you expect them to get to school?", "Where can you buy a helmet for the 6 kids in the family, even if we could afford to buy one?").