More than 500 motorbike accidents in Phuket have involved foreign tourists in just two months, said relevant officials.

 

A meeting was held this morning (February 22nd) and was led by Phuket Vice Governor Arnuparb Rodkhwan Yodrabam.

 

Vice Governor Arnuparb told the Phuket Express. “Many accidents recently have involved foreign motorbike riders.”

 

Full Story: https://thepattayanews.com/2023/02/22/more-than-500-motorbike-accidents-in-two-months-in-phuket-involving-foreign-tourists-say-officials/

 

-- © Copyright The Pattaya News 2023-02-22

 

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Crazy numbers!   Surely if renters could check that customers have a motorcycle licence - and insurance, things could improve.  Maybe even stronger plastic helmets ⛑️ - 555.  But - this is Thailand. Motorcycle renters are after money , and people who come here on holiday know that they can do anything they want, and nothing bad will happen to them . Hell - they are on holidays…

Imagine the police would police that lawless place - and not only the foreigners. 

im off to phuket tomorrow. cheers. 

Average of 10 accidents a day???? Seems a bit high for only foreigners involved.....

Now there is work to be done to protect the foreigners..... Motorcycle rent shops can't gie a bike if you can't show a valid international driverslicense, a good insurance and a good helmet..... If they don't follow the rules close the shops...

500 More reasons never to ride a motorbike in Thailand. Riding a motorbike in Thailand is like riding a death wish.

3 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

Average of 10 accidents a day???? Seems a bit high for only foreigners involved.....

Now there is work to be done to protect the foreigners..... Motorcycle rent shops can't gie a bike if you can't show a valid international driverslicense, a good insurance and a good helmet..... If they don't follow the rules close the shops...

Things are definitely back to normal now in Phuket.  The true accident figure is actually much higher.  I drove down to Phuket a few weeks back and was down there for less than six hours.  I personally witnessed 4 seperate accidents.  One of which I must assume was fatal. And another would of been if I had not been able to swerve around the 80 year old woman that was sprawled on the tarmac in front of me.

Theppkrasatri Road, that runs down the centre of Phuket, is, statistically, the most dangerous road in the world.

3 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Imagine the police would police that lawless place - and not only the foreigners. 

Yes how many Thais 

No surprise here as I was staying at a hotel across the street from Patong hospital and watched foreigners come out all bandaged up every single day. There were taxis on standby all hours waiting for the wounded to come out of hospital. Great way to spend a holiday, all bandaged and scraped up.

Riding on those Phuket hills on a rainy day without the necessary training and experience is a recipe for disaster. A proper public transportation system could solve the big part of the problem, but the taxi mafia will never like the idea. 

 

 

4 hours ago, Adumbration said:

Things are definitely back to normal now in Phuket.  The true accident figure is actually much higher.  I drove down to Phuket a few weeks back and was down there for less than six hours.  I personally witnessed 4 seperate accidents.  One of which I must assume was fatal. And another would of been if I had not been able to swerve around the 80 year old woman that was sprawled on the tarmac in front of me.

I believe that there are more accidents.. but 10 a day with foreigners involved seems a bit much....There is no mention of other accidents without foreigners

"Now there is work to be done to protect the foreigners..... Motorcycle rent shops can't gie a bike if you can't show a valid international driverslicense, a good insurance and a good helmet..... If they don't follow the rules close the shops... "

  I agree but good luck with that ..Someone will be printing "international licences" around the corner from the rental places in 5 minutes. LOL.Show me the MONEY!

8 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

More than 500 motorbike accidents in Phuket have involved foreign tourists

And that is why there are so many private hospitals in Phuket. The hospitals love the money.

Same here in Samui.

9 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

More than 500 motorbike accidents in Phuket have involved foreign tourists in just two months, said relevant officials.

The extra 300 baht medical fund can't start soon enough for some.

8 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

Average of 10 accidents a day???? Seems a bit high for only foreigners involved.....

Now there is work to be done to protect the foreigners..... Motorcycle rent shops can't gie a bike if you can't show a valid international driverslicense, a good insurance and a good helmet..... If they don't follow the rules close the shops...

But but but... 

4 hours ago, nightfox said:

No surprise here as I was staying at a hotel across the street from Patong hospital and watched foreigners come out all bandaged up every single day. There were taxis on standby all hours waiting for the wounded to come out of hospital. Great way to spend a holiday, all bandaged and scraped up.

The last time i went to Phuket we stayed at a nice hotel and someone there had paid big money to get one of those pool access rooms, very nice. The second day they turned up covered in bandages !! No swimming for them.

and how does this particular statistic compare with pre-covid numbers for the same thing?

Complain all you want about Thai riders and question the number of accidents but I believe the figures mentioned are probably higher, the tourists have NFI how traffic flow works here, the majority of them (tourists) NEED to pass everyone and be first in line.

Like it or not, for Thais and long term residents there's an understanding of how the traffic moves and what's expected at pinch points, the tourists understandably don't and as a consequence have accidents.

 

4 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

And that is why there are so many private hospitals in Phuket. The hospitals love the money.

Same here in Samui.

I bet the Red Cross Blood Bank is absolutely bone dry.

Having driven motorcycles in London and Bangkok, I often think London is more dangerous because of the ridiculous speeds those London bikers reach accelerating in between traffic lights. Just a guess, but it looks doubtful the westerners who rent bikes here have ever ridden one before. 

On 2/23/2023 at 8:30 AM, beechbum said:

Complain all you want about Thai riders and question the number of accidents but I believe the figures mentioned are probably higher, the tourists have NFI how traffic flow works here, the majority of them (tourists) NEED to pass everyone and be first in line.

Like it or not, for Thais and long term residents there's an understanding of how the traffic moves and what's expected at pinch points, the tourists understandably don't and as a consequence have accidents.

 

In the past two months I cannot believe what I have witnessed on the roads in South Phuket.   It is absolute mayhem,.  Now the Thais drive crazy and the majority don't look when they are turning or entering a traffic lane, but I agree that there is a basic understanding of the craziness by people that live here.  The tourists have no regard whatsoever to anyone around them except themselves.  The weaving in and out.  passing in  between cars, looking at their cellphones, I can't believe I haven't seen more accidents.  I even saw one lady drinking a bottle beer on a motor bike.  People are walking around looking like mummys at the shopping centers.  If I was to wage a guess I would think that the 500 tourist accidents are 500 REPORTED accidents.  I would think it would be much higher by what I see.  And the article doesn't even mention deaths.  I'm sure there has been more than a few.   Driving around Phuket the past two months has been miserable.   I'm afraid I'm going to hit one of these crazy people.  It wasn't this bad before the pandemic with 40 million tourists (nation wide).  What is wrong with these people.  Are these the high end tourists the government wanted?  huh!  Sorry for the rant, but I don't think it's going to get better until a lot more people die and it's reported internationally.  Maybe, and I say maybe, they will try to do something.  But unfortunately I doubt it.