American Expat Succumbs to Hit-and-Run Chaos

[webfact]

 

In a harrowing incident that transpired during the night of January 11th, a high-speed pursuit took a dark turn, resulting in the untimely demise of Gregory George Ludwig, a 60-year-old American expatriate and former Director of Recreation at a lavish 5-star Phuket hotel.

 

The collision unfolded at the crossroads of Thepkasattri Road, adjacent to the entrance of Soi Luang Intham, Moo 1, Tambon Mai Khao, Thalang District, reported Daily News.

 

Preliminary investigations disclosed that Ludwig, riding e a golden Suzuki motorcycle bearing the Phuket license plate ขขผ 984, collided with a truck while navigating a turn. The force of impact sent him sprawling, leading to fatal head injuries.

 

Emergency services, including Tha Chat Chai Police and Mai Khao Sub-district rescue teams, swiftly responded to the scene. Ludwig's lifeless body, amidst a grisly scene of spilled blood and a crushed head, triggered an urgent operation to secure the area and transport the remains to Thalang Hospital.

 

Initial probes indicate  "Early investigations suggest that Ludwig's recent decision to resign from his position and go back to his city residence was sadly curtailed by the disastrous incident."The driver of the truck swiftly vanished from the scene, instigating a thorough examination of CCTV recordings and nearby locales as investigators relentlessly chase after the mysterious perpetrator.

 

Picture: Daily News

 

-- ASEAN NOW 2024-01-12

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

Get your business in front of millions of customers who read ASEAN NOW with an interest in Thailand every month - email [email protected] for more information

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

 

[ChipButty]

Hope they catch him soon, RIP man, 

[webfact]

American Ex-pat Dies after Hit and Run Accident in Phuket
By Goongnang Suksawat

 

An American motorbike rider has been pronounced dead at the scene after a truck driver hit him and then fled the scene of the accident in the Mai Khao sub-district.

The Tha Chatchai Police were notified of the accident at 7:30 P.M. on Thursday (January 11th) on the Thep Krasattri Road southbound lane near Soi Luan In.

 

Police, rescue workers, and the Phuket Express arrived at the scene to find the damaged motorbike on a footpath. The body of a foreign rider was found nearby with severe head injuries.

 

Full story: THE PHUKET EXPRESS 2024-01-12

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

[novacova]

Unfortunate accident. Can never drive too carefully and wearing good protective gear.

[Tarteso]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

The driver of the truck swiftly vanished from the scene,

A Classic Thai coward..

RIP

Edited January 12 by Tarteso

[hotchilli]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

"The driver of the truck swiftly vanished from the scene, instigating a thorough examination of CCTV recordings and nearby locales as investigators relentlessly chase after the mysterious perpetrator.

Manslaughter charge.. 

[newbee2022]

That's a really sad story. I would not advise anybody to use a motor bike at night. Too dangerous as proved. RIP🙏

[peter zwart]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

The driver of the truck swiftly vanished from the scene

What was it again with Thai men and responsibility?

[khunjeff]

3 hours ago, novacova said:

Unfortunate accident. Can never drive too carefully and wearing good protective gear.

 

Better yet, don't drive a motorcycle, period. No matter how careful you are, you will inevitably be the loser in any run-in with a larger vehicle.

[HappyinNE]

22 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

That's a really sad story. I would not advise anybody to use a motor bike at night. Too dangerous as proved. RIP🙏

I do not advise anyone to use a motor bike in Thailand.

[brianthainess]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

In a harrowing incident that transpired during the night of January 11th, a high-speed pursuit took a dark turn

So who was pursuing who at high speed? 

[riclag]

Driving a motorbike in our country is dangerous enough! But here,one  multiply’s  their chances of getting into a serious 

accident with potential loss of life.

RIP buddy.

 

imop

Edited January 12 by riclag

[sammieuk1]

Land of fleeing drivers and prostrated corpses 🤔Rip

[itsallmine68]

Does it really matter if the injured in articles are American, Thai, UK etc they all bleed and succumb to their injuries no mater what nationality

[impulse]

Many years ago, I recall reading that Thai drivers involved in an accident were not required to stay at the scene.  It was related to the prevalence of mob justice and the chances of being killed by bystanders.  As I recall, they did have to turn themselves in, but not necessarily at the scene.

 

Does anyone know whether that's true (or ever was)?

 

Edited January 12 by impulse

[BritScot]

I rode big bikes as the Thai's call them for years in Thailand and all went well. Rules for me were simple: everyone on the road was potentially going to kill me until proven otherwise, always wore proper gear and good helmet and tried to go easy on the throttle.  I met and have some great thai friends from riding and going on trips. And last rule Never ever ride at night.

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, itsallmine68 said:

Does it really matter if the injured in articles are American, Thai, UK etc they all bleed and succumb to their injuries no mater what nationality

It doesn't "matter" but it is of interest to some of the expat community to whom these articles are aimed.

[metisdead]

A post with comments on moderation regarding the opening post contravening the Forum Rules has been removed:

 

17. The ASEAN NOW news team gathers and disseminates news bulletins from Thai and international sources, and republishes them in the news forums for our members' information and enjoyment. Our news team works hard to bring quality content to the news forums and should be respected for their efforts. Comments regarding ASEAN NOW being the source of news articles or other comments such as "slow news day" or "clickbait headline" are disrespectful and unwelcome. Such comments will be sanctioned. Original articles, especially in the Thai or foreign language press can sometimes have grammatical mistakes or misspellings. ASEAN NOW is not responsible for these nor does ASEAN NOW have the right to alter content it is reprinting from another source. Similarly, ASEAN NOW is not responsible for any opinions reflected or quoted in reprinted news stories.

[brianthainess]

21 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Someone should have been pursuing a better translation! 

The translation I get of the Daily News original article doesn't mention "high speed pursuit", neither does the Phuket Express version, so maybe someone at AN was exaggerating or embellishing?

Getting used to it now, this year has got worse on a daily basis  IMO, whether their fault or not when I see 'Webfact' I know it rarely is. 

[stevenl]

5 hours ago, HappyinNE said:

I do not advise anyone to use a motor bike in Thailand.

With busy traffic and shortage of parking driving a car is sometimes really unpractical.

[London Lowf]

1 hour ago, stevenl said:

With busy traffic and shortage of parking driving a car is sometimes really unpractical.

 

Yes indeed - if I had to drive a car rather than ride a bike then I would not even consider Phuket as a destination.

 

 

[Chris Daley]

I would love to be a ''Director of Recreation'' at a 5 star hotel.  I bet he laughed himself to sleep each night.

[spidermike007]

7 hours ago, impulse said:

Many years ago, I recall reading that Thai drivers involved in an accident were not required to stay at the scene.  It was related to the prevalence of mob justice and the chances of being killed by bystanders.  As I recall, they did have to turn themselves in, but not necessarily at the scene.

 

Does anyone know whether that's true (or ever was)?

 

Fleeing from the scene of a crime does not seem to be a crime here. I've seen that over and over again when the perpetrators are caught there doesn't seem to ever be any additional penalty for having left the scene of a crime. It is a very cowardly aspect of the Thai judicial system, no question about that.

 

However I have used that to my advantage on a number of occasions where I've been able to dodge roadblocks by simply not stopping, and just going around them, and I've only once had a policeman jump on his motorbike and follow me, and then there were no consequences. 

[Baz Erckens]

5 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Fleeing from the scene of a crime does not seem to be a crime here. I've seen that over and over again when the perpetrators are caught there doesn't seem to ever be any additional penalty for having left the scene of a crime. It is a very cowardly aspect of the Thai judicial system, no question about that.

 

However I have used that to my advantage on a number of occasions where I've been able to dodge roadblocks by simply not stopping, and just going around them, and I've only once had a policeman jump on his motorbike and follow me, and then there were no consequences. 

Yeah, in more than a decade of riding here and just passing ignoring waving policemen, just once one actually followed me and gave me a chase. :D He demanded my drivers license and that I should follow him back to the checkpoint to talk to his supervisor. I requested my permit back, told him that I would follow him back on my bike. As soon as he did the u-turn I sped away. No chance for him to turn around and chase me ;()

[spidermike007]

50 minutes ago, Baz Erckens said:

Yeah, in more than a decade of riding here and just passing ignoring waving policemen, just once one actually followed me and gave me a chase. :D He demanded my drivers license and that I should follow him back to the checkpoint to talk to his supervisor. I requested my permit back, told him that I would follow him back on my bike. As soon as he did the u-turn I sped away. No chance for him to turn around and chase me ;()

I have stopped handing my driver's license to the police. I will hold it in my hand for them to look at it but it won't hand it to them. Once you give up possession of your license all bets are off and the extortion begins. 

[zzzzz]

2 hours ago, Baz Erckens said:

Yeah, in more than a decade of riding here and just passing ignoring waving policemen, just once one actually followed me and gave me a chase. :D He demanded my drivers license and that I should follow him back to the checkpoint to talk to his supervisor. I requested my permit back, told him that I would follow him back on my bike. As soon as he did the u-turn I sped away. No chance for him to turn around and chase me ;()

another quality expat in Phuket
when a cop says pull over, you pull over>
would you do what you did here, in ur own country??

[impulse]

9 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

It is a very cowardly aspect of the Thai judicial system, no question about that.

 

My understanding of the history behind it is that people have been beaten to death by an angry crowd before (or even after) the cops showed up.  So I get it, even if I scratch my head.

 

And in any case, I don't think it's reasonable to hold Thai people to "back home" standards and laws.

 

Edit:  BTW, that vigilante justice is another one.  Sounds pretty bad, based on back home where the cops are usually there in a flash.  But sometimes I think the mob gets it right.

 

Edited January 13 by impulse

[pomchop]

19 hours ago, newbee2022 said:

That's a really sad story. I would not advise anybody to use a motor bike at night. Too dangerous as proved. RIP🙏

I rode motorbikes for years here and was extremely careful always was worried that someone would hit me etc...ultimately when i did have an accident there was not another vehicle in sight but there are plenty of other hazards that can get u like giant potholes, slippery dirt roads etc...broke collarbone and was lucky to have helmet or i would not be typing this right now.  Haven't ridden since.\

 

Not a matter of IF u will have accident of some sort but when....and when "when" comes it will likely be when you least expect it....and if you land on your head better hope you have a very good helmet or the outcome will not be good.

[Sandboxer]

Given that probably a stupidly high % of drivers (especially in Poocrap) are drunk or on drugs anytime after 8pm or so, it takes a special type of moron to ride a motorbike at night if not absolutely necessary i.e. work commute/getting food/picking up one's kids/etc. -related.

Edited January 13 by Sandboxer

[London Lowf]

I think that dying as a result of a road traffic accident is classified as "natural causes" in Thailand.

 

Is it any less natural than succumbing to cancer after smoking, or cardio-vasular disease after a lifetime of junk food?