Elderly couple die as car is submerged in klong - 94 year old man was behind the wheel

[Lucky Bones]

2 hours ago, jaiyen said:

Prince Philip was regularly driving in his 90's.  Then he got done for speeding and then had a crash before hanging up his keys.

I don't think there is any correlation here.????????

[KhaoYai]

2 hours ago, steven100 said:

At 94 he shouldn't have been behing the wheel. He could have killed someone.

You come to this conclusion simply because of age? There are huge differences in both mental and physical condition across all age groups.

 

Much better to have a system like the UK does where a person's health and ability to drive is checked regularly after the age of 70.  Although I think the UK's system needs some strengthening, in principal, its the fair way to go.  You can't simply take the licence of a perfectly healthy person away simply because of their age.

[keithkarmann]

3 hours ago, Purdey said:

Age doesn't matter. It is mental acuity that old people need to drive.

And good eyesight, plus good hearing helps as well.

[IamNoone88]

I am hoping that the rapid advances in medication over the next 30 years will keep me behind the wheel at 90!

[giddyup]

9 minutes ago, keithkarmann said:

And good eyesight, plus good hearing helps as well.

I'm 80 and just had my Thai licence renewed for another 6 years. No hearing aid and don't use glasses for driving.

[MrJ2U]

Sure,why not,  it's Thailand after all.

[BangkokReady]

52 minutes ago, steven100 said:

that line already used ....

Someone already said this.

[flexomike]

3 hours ago, giddyup said:

According to my Thai partner it was a suicide pact.

now how would she know that, does she know these people

[flexomike]

3 hours ago, steven100 said:

At 94 he shouldn't have been behing the wheel. He could have killed someone.

I think he did

[kokesaat]

3 minutes ago, flexomike said:

I think he did

No, he didn't.  His wife was driving.

[flexomike]

5 minutes ago, kokesaat said:

No, he didn't.  His wife was driving.

The article that I read said he was driving

[billd766]

I am 78, still driving and I have no idea if I will reach 94 years old.

 

What I do know is that if I have to travel anything more than perhaps 50 km, my 57 year old wife insists on driving me, which is probably a good thing.

[kokesaat]

I'm sorry, I should have provided the link to the Thai Rath article:  https://www.thairath.co.th/news/local/2572586

As I read it (in Thai), she was driving, he was seated next to the driver.

 

[crazykopite]

If it was a couple in their 30s or 40s would the same question be asked age is just a number a very unfortunate accident I can only hope that they held each other’s hand whilst the perished in the klong may they rest in peace ????????????????????????

[crazykopite]

59 minutes ago, KhaoYai said:

You come to this conclusion simply because of age? There are huge differences in both mental and physical condition across all age groups.

 

Much better to have a system like the UK does where a person's health and ability to drive is checked regularly after the age of 70.  Although I think the UK's system needs some strengthening, in principal, its the fair way to go.  You can't simply take the licence of a perfectly healthy person away simply because of their age.

If we looked at the road deaths in Thailand I am confident that the majority are very much younger than these two souls who perished I would like to think it was an unfortunate accident and not a suicide pact may they both rest in peace ????????????????????????

[Sid Bream]

It is bigoted and discriminatory to assert that a man or a woman should not be driving based on their age. No one knows their state of health and ability to drive. If they still have decent vision and can depress the brake properly they should not be banned just because they're in a certain age bracket.

[LoudHailer]

I dined last night with a 91 year old Australian widower. He was on his way home to Australia after three months vacation  … all over Europe. 
 

He golfs three days a week, rides a bike most mornings for exercise and drives competently day and night. He leads an active social life, has never smoked, and is a moderate social drinker. To deny him the ‘right’ to drive would be ludicrous. 
 

He submits a medical certificate annually for an annual licence renewal - required from age 80. 
 

 

[flexomike]

1 hour ago, kokesaat said:

I'm sorry, I should have provided the link to the Thai Rath article:  https://www.thairath.co.th/news/local/2572586

As I read it (in Thai), she was driving, he was seated next to the driver.

 

read the article again it has both sitting in the drivers seat, I am going for the man

[kennw]

5 hours ago, Purdey said:

Age doesn't matter. It is mental acuity that old people need to drive.

Agree age doesn't matter , lots of younger should not be driving or motor bike riding many seem to have no brain at all.

[dpcjsr]

They need a way to verify that a person is able to drive safely after a certain age. I am "only" 71 and know that my awareness and reaction times are not what they used to be. It should not be based on age but on ability. Too much effort for the government to figure out. 

[steven100]

3 hours ago, KhaoYai said:

You come to this conclusion simply because of age? There are huge differences in both mental and physical condition across all age groups.

 

Much better to have a system like the UK does where a person's health and ability to drive is checked regularly after the age of 70.  Although I think the UK's system needs some strengthening, in principal, its the fair way to go.  You can't simply take the licence of a perfectly healthy person away simply because of their age.

geeeze ....  KhaoYai,  while I sympathies with you he's frigin 94 ....  what lets just let him drive until he falls over the steering wheel  ...  

[gerritkaew]

a horrific dead, drowning.  

 

why,, iff you see it, you not get them out off the car????

[lopburi3]

8 minutes ago, gerritkaew said:

a horrific dead, drowning.  

 

why,, iff you see it, you not get them out off the car????

How?  They were under water of unknown depth and it is almost impossible to break car windows or open doors while under water.

[thailand49]

R. I. P. 

[alex8912]

4 hours ago, KhaoYai said:

You come to this conclusion simply because of age? There are huge differences in both mental and physical condition across all age groups.

 

Much better to have a system like the UK does where a person's health and ability to drive is checked regularly after the age of 70.  Although I think the UK's system needs some strengthening, in principal, its the fair way to go.  You can't simply take the licence of a perfectly healthy person away simply because of their age.

94??? 

[Mr Meeseeks]

6 hours ago, Blavis said:

The news on tv is saying the women was driving and was 79yrs old!?

IMO there should be limits though sadly.

Limits and checks certainly, but this is Thailand where they are too inept and corrupt to manage.

[SunsetT]

7 hours ago, ozimoron said:

I think that car may have had window winders. Still, a couple that elderly would not have been able to wind down windows in a submerged car until the air was gone. Nor would they have been able to wield any object with enough force to break window glass.

Never mind the windows! Instinct and common sense would be to open the doors.

[DavisH]

1 hour ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

Limits and checks certainly, but this is Thailand where they are too inept and corrupt to manage.

They would have had lifetime licences at their age (my wife has one and she is 60). So there are no legal checks at all for older person's driving comptence here. They can drive until something like this happens or their family stops them from driving out of concern for their safety. Nothing to do with corruption. 

[David T Pike]

Were they found with their seatbelts still on?

That may have been a factor of not being able to get out.

[scorecard]

8 hours ago, renaissanc said:

The question is very valid for foreigners who have a Retirement or Marriage visa. Immigration insists that we appear in person for a one-year-at-a-time visa renewal. I have to drive 140 kms. there and back four times, incl. to "fung pon". I'm 66 now and it's not a problem. But what about when I'm 74, 84, or 94? I'll probably still have to drive all that way to Immigration and back four times a year. I hope that Immigration discovers one day that we're in the 21st century.

There's also:

- PR holders, not required to ever report to Immigration or any gov't agency on any regular basis. 

- Lifetime Drivers License holders, not required to ever report to Land Transport Dept.