A bus driver in Pattaya, Thailand, is being sought after he hit a foreign cyclist and then left the scene on May 8. The cyclist was injured in the accident, with a serious wound to his right arm.

 

The incident was captured on video and shared on Facebook by Prak Pheaktra on May 10. The clip shows a light blue coach bus hitting the cyclist, who was riding with a friend on Pattaya Sai 2 Road. It has since attracted over 3,500 reactions and almost 600 comments from people globally.

 

The video footage shows the bus veering slightly and hitting the cyclist, causing him to fall hard on his right arm. The injured man then rolled towards the roadside to avoid further danger from oncoming traffic. A passerby and a truck driver helped the man and drove him to the hospital.

 

People have criticized the bus driver's recklessness online, while others are debating if the cyclist should've been biking on such a busy road.

 

Boxer Sittichok Kaewsa-nga, a witness to the accident, told Daily News how shocked he was by the incident and questioned if the bus driver even knew what he had done. He said the cyclist sustained serious injuries to his right elbow, with the bone exposed.

 

Officers at Mueang Pattaya Police Station have seen the video but as yet no formal police report has been filed by the cyclist. The search is now on for both the coach bus driver and the injured cyclist.

 

 

Photo courtesy of The Thaiger

 

-- 2024-05-10

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On the phone again

When will foreigners learn ? avoid as much as possible driving around yourself in Thailand. Use grab, a taxi whatever, but do not do "self-catering" on Thai roads.

Cyclists are a menace in heavy traffic like Pattaya. Wearing around the road at 10kph.

5 minutes ago, Sigmund said:

When will foreigners learn ?

Well it could also be said  

when will Thais learn....how to drive "properly"  but that might be construed as a bit racist ?

1 minute ago, Henryford said:

Wearing around the road at 10kph.

A lot of the time the traffic is not going much faster than that  due to the horrible congestion...I do agree that some cyclist seem to think that they have a right to take up as much road space as they can and this could aggravate some drivers.

(slow vehicles should stick to the left hand side of the road) 

however this doesn't excuse the actions of the bus driver in this incident.

26 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

while others are debating if the cyclist should've been biking on such a busy road.

Always victim blaming.

Roads are meant to be shared.

2 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

Always victim blaming.

Roads are meant to be shared.

 

Agreed...   but the cyclist is also riding around with complete disregard for his own safety, almost in a world of oblivion to the risks of being on the road here.

 

 

Obviously the bus driver was also to blame squeezing past the motorcyclist with no consideration for his safety. 

 

This is one of those 'road incidents'....  where, if only one of those involved had carried themselves with more 'awareness'... or consideration etc.. then the incident would not have happend. 

 

As has been said before, so many road incidents in Thailand involve a dual failing (i.e. that of both drivers / riders).

 

Being an avid cyclist myself, I would NEVER NEVER NEVER go anywhere NEAR that intersection. That dude is lucky he didn't get his head squashed. There us a good chance the bus driver didn't even know he hit the cyclist.

29 minutes ago, Sigmund said:

When will foreigners learn ? avoid as much as possible driving around yourself in Thailand. Use grab, a taxi whatever, but do not do "self-catering" on Thai roads.

 

I totally disagree...  

 

The very reason I (or my Wife) always drive whenever possible here, is so that my / our safety is not placed in the hands of someone with minimal education. 

 

Its the same reason I will not put my Son in the School mini-bus... 

 

Its the very reason I will not take a moto-taxi, but do ride a motorbike myself... 

 

 

- But, if your comment was in regard to 'specifically riding a bicycle' - then I agree...  

I rode a bike on the roads once in Bangkok, that was enough (and that was only from Sukhumvit 16 to the Wat Khlong Toei Nok Pier to get across to Bang Krachao).

 

 

55 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

The clip shows a light blue coach bus hitting the cyclist

 

 who was riding with a friend on Pattaya Sai 2 Road. 

Looking closely it appears the cyclist may have hit that drain which puts him off balance then he swerves into the bus. 

 

That's actually Pratumnak road not Pattaya Sai 2 Road 

 

I am sorry to see the cyclist being close to a lot worse injuries than his arm , yet I do think the cyclist could of kept over to the left more . I doubt if the bus driver even new there was contact with the unfortunate cyclist. 

1 hour ago, johng said:

Well it could also be said  

when will Thais learn....how to drive "properly"  but that might be construed as a bit racist ?

It is all about the 'culture' here, not the race.

The bus didnt seem to swerve.

Also, how is the driver supposed to see the cyclist?

Also, I've stated ad nauseum that bicycles dont belong on the roads with cars.

Cycling is stupid, unless you're in the mountains somewhere. 

If you ever watch Tour De France, you'll notice that traffic is blocked off. 

 

 

Seems like he got himself squeezed between the motorcycle and the bus and wobbled into the latter. Lucky chap given that he wasn't wearing any headgear.

Nice to see people stopping to assist, but not the motorcycle guy, who went around him and carried on .😁

 

54 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

The bus didnt seem to swerve.

Also, how is the driver supposed to see the cyclist?

Also, I've stated ad nauseum that bicycles dont belong on the roads with cars.

Cycling is stupid, unless you're in the mountains somewhere. 

If you ever watch Tour De France, you'll notice that traffic is blocked off. 

 

 

How is the driver suppose to see the cyclist?  he is overtaking the cyclist....  so he has to know what is on his left side otherwise he should not drive a bus at all as he is a bad and not qualified busdriver. And he has enough mirrors to see what is going on on his left.

3 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

the cyclist sustained serious injuries to his right elbow, with the bone exposed.

 

3 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The search is now on for both the coach bus driver and the injured cyclist.

 

Crazy thought, but have they checked the hospital?

He won't be going far with an exposed bone.

 

 

Where is the "outrage"?

Only morons drive a cycle in Pattaya. Deadly pollution deadly trafic,,,

5 hours ago, ThailandGuy said:

How is the driver suppose to see the cyclist?  he is overtaking the cyclist....  so he has to know what is on his left side otherwise he should not drive a bus at all as he is a bad and not qualified busdriver. And he has enough mirrors to see what is going on on his left.

some people are in denial about how much of a high risk activity cycling is, especially in thailand but anywhere in cities

14 hours ago, Henryford said:

Cyclists are a menace in heavy traffic like Pattaya. Wearing around the road at 10kph.

As are samlors, baht busses, food carts etc etc. TBH I am surprised there are not more incidents. 

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

People have criticized the bus driver's recklessness online, while others are debating if the cyclist should've been biking on such a busy road.

I was also under the impression that busses should not be coming through the Centre of town due to traffic congestion also damage to the tight road space

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The incident was captured on video and shared on Facebook by Prak Pheaktra on May 10. The clip shows a light blue coach bus hitting the cyclist, who was riding with a friend on Pattaya Sai 2 Road. It has since attracted over 3,500 reactions and almost 600 comments from people globally.

What no outrage from Thais.... shocking.

Fantastic, should happen more often to these bicycle <deleted>.

 

48 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

Fantastic, should happen more often to these bicycle <deleted>.

 

Yep, we will see a lot more of these accidents in the future.

 

I see too many of these older incompetent guys riding bicycles, they are hurting themselves because they should be walking, some of these guys still think they are in their youth, they do not have the skills to ride on busy roads. 

 

It's clear vision that the bus continues in a straight line but the rider swerves into the bus after what looks like hitting the road drain while trying to manoeuvre in a small space between motorbike and bus. 

 

 

15 hours ago, Henryford said:

Cyclists are a menace in heavy traffic like Pattaya. Wearing around the road at 10kph.

would have to be not right in the mind to be on a bicycle in patts death wish

Deport and Ban him for 10 yrs, how dare he ride a bike and get in the way of a bus........smelly falang.....

the roads in Thailand should only be used when one absolutely must travel. they aren't for exercise, enjoyment, biking or walking. they are among the most dangerous places in the world. use at your own risk,  you are sharing the road with thai drivers after all!

Crazy to go cycling in Pattaya. Lucky he wasn't killed. I agree that the bus driver never knew he hit him. 

Why do some foreigners in Thailand still pretend the traffic rules from "home" apply?

What he did was just stupid. As a rider of a bicycle or motorcycle it is a bad idea to try with a bus who is stronger.

Don't do it!

It doesn't matter who is wrong or who is right. Just don't do it!