Scottish holidaymaker’s scooter disaster in Koh Pha Ngan

[Umlungu]

19 minutes ago, khunPer said:

Firstly: Don't drive fast in Thailand, it's another traffic culture than you are used to.

Secondly: Don't use phone while driving.

Thirdly: Check what your insurance covers before even considering entering motorbike or scooter, even as pillion rider.

For the fourth: I wonder what happened to the mandatory motorbike insurance, which should cover the driver with some level of medical expenses, even when at fault. The insurance says: "Paid immediately without proof of liability... ...medical treatment up to 30,000 baht per person."

Thirdly - dream on, just for show, health insurance on the back of an arrival or departure tax, blah blah blah, try and claim that..... Documents? Who hands out the policy docs? Scooter hire? Immigration? Passport control? 7/11 perhaps?

[freedomnow]

4 hours ago, Classic Ray said:

They should print off the picture of his bandaged body and stick it up in every scooter hire shop. Might make people think twice.

Yes, good idea - am sure the owners will point it out just before getting their scooter finance paid off.

[BritScot]

5 hours ago, Robin said:

he is not the first and will not be the last holiday maker to  discover that riding a hired Thai bike can be dangerous.  There are enough warnings, so why did he think he was immune to any dangers?

Insurance companies are not stupid; they do not cover m/c riding, they know what the consequences are.

When your young you feel invincible! You take chances without thinking. It's called life!

[durian explorer]

Sorry to be negative, but it seems like the writing style of these articles is getting worse and worse. So much exaggerated and inappropriate hyperbole, obviously generated by AI by someone not guiding it properly. It's written as if it's a novel (a bad one at that) and not a news article. Really annoying.

[Ctkong]

2 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Perhaps not making 'exact' eye contact...  but looking AT the car (where the drive sits) even if you can't see the driver, gives 'them' the impression you are looking at them and places you in their 'consciousness'...   that can make a difference - I think its a good part of defensive riding.

 

 

There is also another facet of this 'visibility' - if you are on a larger bike with 'gear' you are more noticeable...  my guess is becase in the 'subconciousness of the average Thai driver' you are not poor because you are on a bigger bike, have the gear etc and are thus differentiated from the average 'pauper' on a Honda-wave... 

... perhaps it was my own bias... however, when I switched from a Big Bike to a regular 300cc step through motorcycle (scooter) - I notice how the traffic around me was less aware, or rather less respectful of my road positioning... 

 

I also noticed the same thing in a car, when years ago I had an expensive 4x4 but also drove my Wifes tiny little thing from time to time - drivers were far more 'respectful' to me (or less assertive against me) when I was driving the 4x4... when I was driving the tiny little thing, other cars wouldn't give way as easily, would push through, cut me off etc...   in the big expensive 4x4 its almost as if I had more road respect... (all purely psychological, nevertheless it was noticeable. 

You are not mistaken in your observation. The unspoken truth in Thailand is that if you drive a luxury car be it a coupe, suv or sedan, traffic give way more often than not with the underlying belief that the driver is an influential person with powerful

friends who may create problem for you if anything untoward were to happen. 

moreover the maximum insurance payout of only a million baht may be insufficient if the accident involved luxury vehicles. 

[roo860]

4 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Thai government minimum m/c insurance will cover the first 30kbht of medical expenses for any vehicle accident, no questions asked, drunk, drugged, no helmet, no license. All you need to do is fill out a police report, and sign a few forms at the hospital cashier and they claim direct.

Absolutely 

[mikebike]

Just now, Ctkong said:

You are not mistaken in your observation. The unspoken truth in Thailand is that if you drive a luxury car be it a coupe, suv or sedan, traffic give way more often than not with the underlying belief that the driver is an influential person with powerful

friends who may create problem for you if anything untoward were to happen. 

moreover the maximum insurance payout of only a million baht may be insufficient if the accident involved luxury vehicles. 

Peeps definitely give way when I come rocketing thru with my old, decripid, hoopty... They don't care if it's 5 million baht or 5 baht 🤣🤣 WTF dude.

[Ctkong]

My missus also lamented that when she drive an suv, drivers tend to give way for her but when driving a Honda city, she got bullied frequently even by taxi drivers. 
It is what it is in Thailand road culture. You just gotta go with the flow. 

[NoDisplayName]

2 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Just as the article says, it appears another driver just came out of nowhere and took him out.

 

Article says, he says, gofundme says.

 

Per the Yahoo link:

He continued: "I was on that and just going to the shop then the next thing I knew I was flying over the handlebars. I don't really remember it but a scooter came out of nowhere and I crashed into it. It was really scary. I was knocked out for a minute, they called an ambulance and then I rocked up in hospital.

 

I would like to see his TikTok stream for the minute leading up to the crash.  I assume he was paying more attention to his dozen of followers than to the road.  Otherwise why cut that part out?  Why not show the world how you were riding carefully when....

 

Well, I wasn't about to slam on the brakes
'cause I didn't have none to start with.
So I swerved to the left and what do I see,
some mushhead on a motorcycle headin' right at us
and I knew, at last,
me and my baby were about to meet
the leader of the pack.

 

I Want My Baby Back

Jimmy Cross

[rct99q]

After reading this article, I assumed Hemingway has risen from the dead!

[MalcolmB]

2 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Who - the Thai or the Brit ????

 

 

 

 

 

What Thai?
I didn’t see any Thais mentioned in this story. 

[Pompeygeezer]

Every accident i read about the insurance company refuse to pay out.  Do they ever payout ffs!

[Spock]

4 hours ago, crazykopite said:

In Thailand only the rider is covered not the passenger and the basic Thai insurance is not worth the paper it’s written on that’s why I always took out 1st class insurance on top of the compulsory Thai insurance to protect  both myself and any passengers due to my age I now drive a car but I stick with the same principle of having 1st class insurance on top of that most new cars now have an inboard camera so if someone hits you at least you have the evidence to see who is at fault a lot of Thais drink from morning to night so if your ever involved in an accident call the police and tell them you have an onboard camera so if your not at fault the camera will prove it 

I was thinking travel insurance not Thai registration insurance.

[zepplin]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Picture courtesy of Ferry Samui

 

by Bob Scott

A Scottish holidaymaker’s volunteering quest to mend his broken heart took a disastrous turn on the sunny tropical island of Koh Pha Ngan, Thailand. In what was meant to be a soul-soothing retreat at an animal sanctuary, Paul McDonald found himself embroiled in a terrifying traffic drama after a high-speed scooter crash left him bruised, battered, and toothless.

 

The 33 year old former care worker had set out on a seemingly mundane excursion to a nearby supermarket on November 11 when disaster struck. Riding a rented scooter along Thailand’s sun-drenched roads, the Scot’s journey descended into chaos when another scooter appeared from nowhere, hurtling towards him without warning. The collision that ensued sent him flying over his handlebars, rendering him unconscious on the warm asphalt.

 

In an era where everything is captured digitally, McDonald’s ordeal was no exception. Midway through a TikTok livestream, thousands unwittingly witnessed his serenity shatter into a blood-curdling scream, moments before his phone met the tarmac.

 

When he finally regained consciousness, bandaged and bewildered, the terrifying reality of his situation sank in: he was in hospital, minus two teeth, with a gaping wound on his upper lip now stitched up and a daunting financial black hole yawning before him.

Despite insisting faulty brakes were the real culprits behind the crash, McDonald was forced to dig deep into his pockets, shelling out a shocking £700 (31,000 baht) in damage and compensation costs to the other driver.

 

 

Adding insult to injury, his travel insurance deemed his hefty £800 (35,000 baht) medical expenses unworthy of coverage, plunging him further into financial despair. Within just one week, Paul’s trip expense budget—intended to last two whole months—vanished, prompting desperate pleas for help from his sister back home.

 

“It was meant to be a dream trip. Just 30 seconds ruined everything.”

 

Picture courtesy of Kennedy News and Media

Determined to share his experience and prevent similar tragedies, McDonald uploaded the collision footage to TikTok, issuing a pivotal warning: “This is your sign not to get a scooter in Thailand.”

 

The harrowing clip attracted over 5,000 views, resonating with empathetic netizens. Yet the grim reality remains prominent— McDonald’s initial quest for personal healing is now a logistical and emotional quagmire.

The trip to Thailand was not merely a holiday for McDonald but a retreat from grief. He had travelled to volunteer at local dog shelters, seeking solace after losing his cherished Staffordshire bull terrier, Lola, who had been his loyal companion for 13 years. However, his journey of catharsis was abruptly cut short, replaced by frequent and arduous hospital visits for ongoing treatment.

 

McDonald’s reticence about scooters now couldn’t be clearer. The miserable experience has sworn him off Thai scooters for good, blaming mechanical failures.

 

Raising initial concerns about the scooter’s elusive squeaky brakes, McDonald was reassured it was “just the rain.” Nevertheless, his inner voice of reason was overwrought with the clanging bells of doubt—a doubt that materialised too late.

 

As if his new dental imperfections and daily hospital treks weren’t enough, a final unsettling episode occurred at the local police station.

 

Picture courtesy of Kennedy News and Media

Engrossed in a challenging negotiation mired by language barriers, the Scot faced demands that threatened his very freedom. Cambridgeshire Live reported his passport hung precariously in the balance as he scrambled to comply with financial obligations.

 

“What choice did I have? Without paying, I risked being stranded.”

McDonald’s chilling caution to fellow wanderers is to cherish safety above all else. In countries where traffic rules are often fluid suggestions rather than strict guidelines, complacency can quickly usher in calamity.

 

“The roads can be dangerously unpredictable. Nobody thinks it’ll be their turn until it is.”

 

Presently, with dentition to mend and health to reclaim, McDonald’s focus remains on recovery. Dentists and doctors, now frequent fixtures in his travel diary, overshadow previous plans of adventure and exploration. The notion of extending his Thai adventure lingers in the periphery, yet any idyllic notions about carefree scooter rides have dissipated entirely.

 

Tourist Police Thailand has been contacted for comment on the incident, though McDonald’s tale already encapsulates a vivid lesson for holidaymakers: the allure of adventure is undeniable, yet vigilance must be the steadfast companion on these foreign roads.

 

Picture courtesy of Kennedy News and Media

 

 

Source: The Thaiger 

-- 2024-11-29

 

 

Another numpty who left his brain in an airport locker, same same every week around Thailand, idiots who know nothing about the riding conditions, wear stupid half faced helmets, that are obviously inadequate, and learn the hard way , this place isn’t for newbies!