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Foreigner slips and breaks his neck on mossy seawall steps at Thailand beach


snoop1130

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6 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Those steps look like they’d be perilous when wet....    With the amount of poor lighting are you so sure you’ve never stepped where you aren’t 100% sure you’d have perfect footing ???

Yes.

 

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7 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

As a child used to walk in rock pools on/near the beach. Everyone knows seaweed grows in tidal areas. Even the hospitalized guy knows that now.

 

The only responsible person in this instant is the foreigner who's wife, by the sound of it, comes from or has lived in a nanny state.

...and become a very common mindset among those who have been conditioned to blame others, less having responsibility for oneself, for your own faulty misdoings. 

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12 minutes ago, Fat is a type of crazy said:

If on a resort it's a different cup of tea.

But even in your pool example if are you saying that every step in a pool has to be clearly marked it seems a bit over the top. If I am in a pool I expect there to be a transition from shallow to deep and up to me to make sense of it the first time.

I'm surprised that someone signed off on the design of the pool. It wasn’t a simple design, I thought the pool design itself was dangerous.

Its not simple steps, its uneven surfaces just below the the waterline, and has ‘features’ positioned below the waterline where people may jump in thinking its deeper water etc...   

 

As with many area's in Thailand, I thought it was a bit dangerous and I’ll have to take extra care (and remind my son to do the same).... BUT, I figured it wouldn’t be long before I see someone slip over... 

 

Certain facets of the ’nanny state’ argument some like to use enters this issue. 

IMO - we should expect a certain degree of common-sense legislation from the authorities to ensure we are protected....  But, there is also an argument that we should lookout for ourselves. 

 

I would argue there is a strong need for both aspects, we lookout for ourselves, but also either the private owners or public authorities should be accountable when area’s are obviously dangerous. 

 

 

12 minutes ago, Fat is a type of crazy said:

But if it is steps leading to the sea surely someone knows it will be potentially slippery and that they need to take care. You would know the tide will mean it may have been wet.

It looks like a long set of steps and to say there needs to be permanent lighting on the off chance someone wants to walk at night seems a bit over the top too.

Hope he gets better. 

I think this is one of those areas where either the public authorities or the private owner needs to ensure the area is safe - if its so slippery, something needs to be fixed because more people will slip. 

 

I think placing the blame solely on the old guy who slipped over and broke his neck is unfair.

 

 

--------

 

I recall waiting for my Son at his previous school when a 6ft long (10” thick) branch feel from a tree in the playground... I called the head, he called some staff who cordoned off the play area and anywhere under-trees.  The head later e-mailed and told me he’d called in an arborist and ended up cutting many of the branches of many of the trees.... a lot less shade for the kids to play under, but less risk of falling branches.... 

That was an International School.....  Would the authorities have had such a speedy response to falling branches from tree’s in public area’s ????...  

...So, if a branch falls and hurts someone are we to blame the injured party for walking under a tree ??? he should have known the tree looked old or weak, right?... 

 

Perhaps a more extreme example compared to a slippery set of steps, yet I see similarities.... 

The steps are a public area, IF in such a state, I think there is a fair argument that the state is also responsible. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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5 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

We all know that in Thailand there is a risk when walking down a pavement / sidewalk:

.....  an uneven step, a hole, a wonky moving brick or slab can trip us up, or a drain cover gives way, or the oil that the street vendor has thrown on the floor makes it slippery.... .or the hanging live wires etc... etc etc...

 

...    Are authorities completely devoid of any accountability or responsibility when something happens ????

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Thailand, a hitman gets paid 2,000 baht for a hit. 

 

i.e., your life may be worth as little as 2,000 baht while you're in Thailand. 

 

In this context, no one has time or money to be worrying about safety in public areas.

 

If you're inside a hotel or a ticketed tourist site, then yes, there MIGHT be some safety precautions and warning signs, because you have paid money to contract yourself OUT of public Thailand and INTO an 'upper class' zone. 

 

Even in the nicest suburbs of Bangkok, the public areas are still underdeveloped. Step outside your 5 star hotel or gleaming shopping mall... the sight of garbage and cracked concrete, and the smell of sewerage will soon hit your nose. By Thai logic, that's your fault for not arranging a private car to pick you up from the entrance. 

 

It's Thailand, not the west. Each person needs to look out for ourselves. Don't offend locals, especially those who are strong/young/drunk/drugged/crazy. Look where you're walking (3D awareness) and keep your wits about you.

 

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6 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

That is true. But I also think it is common sense to know it might be slippery.

I am in Samet at the moment and went exploring over the rocks with my son today. I had to remind him to go slowly all the time and watch his footing as they can be unexpectedly slippery. Common sense. If he had slipped and hurt himself I wouldn't look to create a fuss that there was no sign saying rocks can be slippy - it is common sense - we chose to go there.

Sorry for the old fella but really a non issue.

I agree... but the rocks are not a designed flat surface that for the unwitting look perfect for walking along... with rocks etc the danger is obvious and apparent. 

 

 

 

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