3 hours ago, nausea said:

Not getting involved seems part of the culture here; also, the laughing may have been a cultural reaction to a bad situation. Haven't looked at the video so can't really judge. I do know many Farangs were shocked by smiling Thais when fleeing the Tsunami.

If you havnt watched the video you have no right to comment especially in an annoying Thai apologist manner. 

2 hours ago, 1happykamper said:

Tragic and disturbing on many levels. 

 

I think it's a criminal offense in America to not help in such situation.... 

 

 

Pity it's not a criminal offence to own a lethal weapon ....

2 hours ago, crazykopite said:

Recently I came across a motor bike accident so many Thais standing around doing nothing but taking videos within 10 minutes they were posted on social media there wasn’t a lot I could do accept give assistance whist waiting for the emergency services to me it’s human nature to go to the assistance of someone in distress sadly that’s doesn’t seem to be always the case in Thailand 

 

A few years ago, my mate and I were out on motor bikes and a cat ran out in front of him, causing him to end up coming off the bike and "bouncing" down the road. There were quite a few Thais about (we were in the middle of a main street) but not one of them came to help despite me waving for assistance. Eventually, a "farang" stopped in a truck and took him/us to hospital. Fortunately it was just cuts and grazes but it could have been much worse - somebody could have stolen our bikes while we were away!

So many bootlickers on this thread.

2 hours ago, kcpattaya said:

They call this mass psychosis...
Nobody dares to jump first.
Can happen everywhere.  

I think you may be correct. I hear to many stories like this all around the world.  I can't imagine not jumping in but I'm a good swimmer and have been in a few bad situations that would have made this issue seem not too dangerous.   Scan the canal for dangers, look around for something that floats or a rope and jump in.   If the water is moving fast then it is much more complicated.

 

Just read the whole article on TG and she she was drinking while swimming in the canal then somehow ended up on the opposite side of the canal hanging onto a branch.  A drunk person swimming in a canal then begging for help is a little different than a person falling into the canal.  Doesn't deserve to die but there are levels...

4 hours ago, Celsius said:

Thai people so friendly and nice

 

Yes, a lot of them 'are.'

How very sad on Two fronts

The first is the tragic loss of a life

The second is that there are people among us that can laugh and joke whilst watching that poor person lose their life

Thailand used to be renowned for being a Country where the people were caring and gentle souls 

 

3 hours ago, 1happykamper said:

Tragic and disturbing on many levels. 

 

I think it's a criminal offense in America to not help in such situation.... 

 

 

As the Seinfeld crew found out to their detriment. 🙂 

5 hours ago, roo860 said:

Absolutely tragic, but then again maybe not one of them could swim, but no excuse for their behaviour. 

 

A whole lot of Thais don't swim.  As far as laughing.  How many here who are outraged routinely tuned into 'reality TV' shows featuring people getting hurt while the "laught-track" howls?  Then you wonder why people laughed. 

3 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

 

Who are these heartless creeps? Who raised these people?

My dad fell down near the sidewalk of terminal 21, no Thai came to help, only other farang helped

 

 

" No can help na kha"

4 hours ago, nausea said:

Not getting involved seems part of the culture here; also, the laughing may have been a cultural reaction to a bad situation. Haven't looked at the video so can't really judge. I do know many Farangs were shocked by smiling Thais when fleeing the Tsunami.

That's a good comment. IN plain english, "Not getting involved seems part of the culture here" translates as "people don't give a <deleted> about (nearly) anything".

What a tragedy. Condolences to the family. How did the woman get into the water in the first place? Did she jump, fall or got pushed?

Edited November 2, 20232 yr by parallelman

3 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

It is basic human nature to rescue someone in distress. So, what is up with these fools, who stood by while this woman drowned? 

 

From her mother:

What hurt her most was hearing someone say, “Let her drown. She’s seeking attention. Let her drown first, then call the rescue team.”

 

Who are these heartless creeps? Who raised these people? 

As I've written elsewhere on this thread, I once saw a group of student girls standing in front of a crippled beggar on a footbridge at Victory Monument, laughing at him. It's a very strange society here. It's sometimes like living on a different planet.

I was once at a house get together for kids both Thai and farang with a pool.  All the kids were excited to go swimming.  One little Thai girl jumped in without any floaties and just started sinking.  None of the other adults were paying attention.  I couldn’t reach her so I had to jump in with my clothes on, phone, keys, to save her.  I got out soaking wet, stuff ruined, but saved the little girl from definite drowning.  One of the Thai fathers looked at me like I was disgusting since I was soaking wet.  Like I was embarrassing myself.  I’ll never forget that look on his face.  And he knew I just saved the kid from drowning.  

5 hours ago, nausea said:

Not getting involved seems part of the culture here; also, the laughing may have been a cultural reaction to a bad situation. Haven't looked at the video so can't really judge. I do know many Farangs were shocked by smiling Thais when fleeing the Tsunami.

 

I don't wish to watch that video. But I do know from personal experience that laughing at even serious mishaps is a cultural response.

 

In Isaan once I was on the slope of one of those fish ponds they keep, and slipped and fell. I managed to break my fall and avoid falling into the water, but the Thais around all laughed. I was quite shocked and for a moment had a flash of real anger - fortunately at exactly the same time I remembered reading a passage in the Lonely Planet (yeah, it was a while back) that mentioned this and that we should not take offense. I didn't and managed a forced smile back even though I was quite shaken.

 

But I wasn't drowning.

 

This is why swimming should be a must do school subject.

Edited November 2, 20232 yr by BusyB

5 hours ago, roo860 said:

Absolutely tragic, but then again maybe not one of them could swim, but no excuse for their behaviour. 

 

 

It’s one thing not to intervene because you can’t swim, but it’s entirely another, to stand there laughing?
For instance, these people could’ve called the emergency services or thrown a rope to the drowning woman.

I think this kind of behaviour carries some culpability, from a legal perspective?

3 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

It is basic human nature to rescue someone in distress. So, what is up with these fools, who stood by while this woman drowned? 

 

From her mother:

What hurt her most was hearing someone say, “Let her drown. She’s seeking attention. Let her drown first, then call the rescue team.”

 

Who are these heartless creeps? Who raised these people? 

JFC

4 minutes ago, koele2 said:

I was once at a house get together for kids both Thai and farang with a pool.  All the kids were excited to go swimming.  One little Thai girl jumped in without any floaties and just started sinking.  None of the other adults were paying attention.  I couldn’t reach her so I had to jump in with my clothes on, phone, keys, to save her.  I got out soaking wet, stuff ruined, but saved the little girl from definite drowning.  One of the Thai fathers looked at me like I was disgusting since I was soaking wet.  Like I was embarrassing myself.  I’ll never forget that look on his face.  And he knew I just saved the kid from drowning.  

That is an absolutely disgusting response from the little girl’s father. In most cultures, with an ounce of humanity, your courageous act would have been met with applause & gratitude. 
It seems that this thread stands testament to the fact that Thai culture is embedded with sadism and a propensity to enjoy other people’s suffering. 
I am appalled by this behaviour and will think long and hard about ever visiting Thailand. 

1 hour ago, atpeace said:

I think you may be correct. I hear to many stories like this all around the world.  I can't imagine not jumping in but I'm a good swimmer and have been in a few bad situations that would have made this issue seem not too dangerous.   Scan the canal for dangers, look around for something that floats or a rope and jump in.   If the water is moving fast then it is much more complicated.

 

Just read the whole article on TG and she she was drinking while swimming in the canal then somehow ended up on the opposite side of the canal hanging onto a branch.  A drunk person swimming in a canal then begging for help is a little different than a person falling into the canal.  Doesn't deserve to die but there are levels...

Yes levels of humanity ,thank goodness no one on here has ever been drunk

5 hours ago, nausea said:

Not getting involved seems part of the culture here; also, the laughing may have been a cultural reaction to a bad situation. Haven't looked at the video so can't really judge. I do know many Farangs were shocked by smiling Thais when fleeing the Tsunami.

I can't imagine my missus laughing while someone drowns, so I doubt that it's a cultural thing. Although saying that, on a wet pavement pavement in Jomtien I slipped and went down very hard on my ass. A local woman coming the other way laughed and walked on. All that was hurt was my dignity, but if it had been now, some twelve or so years later, it could have been a problem. 

4 hours ago, nchuckle said:

The only counter to this is if you're not a good swimmer you are in significant danger trying to rescue a panicking drowning person. You should try to help if possible from the shore. I say this as a BSAC trained diver . I would have gone in despite advanced years as I would know what to do (grab her in something of a chokehold from behind) and I  am a strong swimmer. The average Thais swimming ability - not so much...

That has nothing to do with people laughing and saying let her drown.

1 hour ago, atpeace said:

I think you may be correct. I hear to many stories like this all around the world.  I can't imagine not jumping in but I'm a good swimmer and have been in a few bad situations that would have made this issue seem not too dangerous.   Scan the canal for dangers, look around for something that floats or a rope and jump in.   If the water is moving fast then it is much more complicated.

 

Just read the whole article on TG and she she was drinking while swimming in the canal then somehow ended up on the opposite side of the canal hanging onto a branch.  A drunk person swimming in a canal then begging for help is a little different than a person falling into the canal.  Doesn't deserve to die but there are levels...

I am sorry but falling into a canal, whilst drunk and not being able to swim, makes absolutely no difference, to the response that these bystanders, should have shown. 
I actually think people have a duty to help fellow human beings, who find themselves in danger. This doesn’t mean they had an obligation to jump into the water and risk their own lives, but they could have at least found a rope or some kind of flotation device, to help this person. Showing some humanity, doesn’t actually require very much effort. 🤷‍♀️

Just now, Charlest1971 said:

I am sorry but falling into a canal, whilst drunk and not being able to swim, makes absolutely no difference, to the response that these bystanders, should have shown. 
I actually think people have a duty to help fellow human beings, who find themselves in danger. This doesn’t mean they had an obligation to jump into the water and risk their own lives, but they could have at least found a rope or some kind of flotation device, to help this person. Showing some humanity, doesn’t actually require very much effort. 🤷‍♀️

They probably believe it was meant to be. That absolves them from all responsibility trying to intervene. My wife has several times said, about road accidents, they were going to die anyway. Thais are simply wired differently to us. They have no interest at all in anything outside of their own little bubble.

Selfish none involvement 

3 hours ago, Aviatorhi said:

You think wrong ("Seinfeld" isn't a documentary) - though laughing would have many social repercussions. 

😉

4 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

It is basic human nature to rescue someone in distress. So, what is up with these fools, who stood by while this woman drowned? 

 

From her mother:

What hurt her most was hearing someone say, “Let her drown. She’s seeking attention. Let her drown first, then call the rescue team.”

 

Who are these heartless creeps? Who raised these people? 

The answer to your last question is, Buddha.

3 hours ago, Olmate said:

Is that what your doing here with that comment? 

The comment Grumpy one made is perfectly true. The only time it would ever be a one to one, would be if he were armed, 99% of the time.

As expected, the Thai apologists are out in force. Not much to say about this heartless crew, except to remember they are out there in greater numbers than we care to admit.

4 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Let us know where else you've read of people laughing as someone drowns. Thanks.

I had heard many years ago that Vietnamese soldiers would laugh when a fellow soldier would step on a landmine. Some kind of release of tension?

1 hour ago, charleskerins said:

Yes levels of humanity ,thank goodness no one on here has ever been drunk

You don't see how a frolicking drunk lady  might be treated differently than a sober lady falling into a canal?  Do you know how drunk she was?  Sad regardless but ignoring reality is silly IMO.