British Holidaymaker, 28, Dies in Motorbike Crash in Thailand: Twin Pays Tribute

[Will B Good]

2 minutes ago, bannork said:

Convert all tourist motorbikes to salaengs with speed limiters. 

Problem solved 

 

 

Excellent idea.....been looking at getting one of these......but then I think about all the drivers I see on their phones, speeding....possibly drunk.....and then think .......no...... bin that.

[richard_smith237]

3 minutes ago, bannork said:

Convert all tourist motorbikes to salaengs with speed limiters. 

Problem solved 

 

Seriously ??...   I don't think those things are even road legal, so no insurance is going to cover them. 

 

Additionally, we'd end up with idiots taking their family in them (I've seen it in Trat - Western Family of 2 Adults, 4 Children).

These things are just a bigger target for the other nutcases in pickups, trucks and cars... 

 

 

The solution to this issue already exists in existing regulations - Rental Shops can only rent to those with Bike Licenses.

But.... the Police just do not bother with any enforcement which enables both the rental shops to illegal rent out their bikes and the unlicensed riders to illegally rent them. 

 

 

These 'tourist' deaths are because...

1) The Police do not do their jobs.

2) Because rental companies ignore the law due to lack of enforcement.

3) Because tourist renting ignore the law due to lack of enforcement and because the rental companies allow them to, and because they don't believe they will be the next statistic.

 

 

[gravity101]

2 hours ago, MarkT63 said:

That "error in judgement" puts all other road users in danger. It was selfish and incompetent riding for which he paid the ultimate price. Sad for his family but when I first saw the clip a couple of days ago I thought another moron on our roads with no consideration for anyone else. Would you be so sympathetic if he had taken out a woman with a young child on a bike along with himself?

Yep true, if you use 3 lanes to take a bend, i have little sympathy, someone else could easily have been wiped out.

[GinBoy2]

I'm always sorry for anyone's loss.

 

But the numbers don't add up.

 

I work for an airline, and I've shipped my fair share of Human Remains, albeit all within the US. But the cost is pretty cheap since it's classed as freight.

 

Typical HR shipment within the US is around $400.

 

No way you can multiply that to GBP35K to ship an HR from Thailand to the UK, the everyday math doesn't work

[kingstonkid]

4 hours ago, Scouse123 said:

At his age, insurance for travel and accident would have been very cheap.

 

However, it now falls to friends and strangers to pay for his mistakes.

Even if he had the best policy available it would be for nothing and useless.

 

No helmet no insurance 

[kingstonkid]

Cost 5 _ 20. Average 6_8

 

 

 

[SiSePuede419]

6 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

28-year-old British holidaymaker has tragically died in a motorbike crash while on holiday

Tragic? He was having fun. 

That means he's invincible and will never die.

He's smarter than those old fuddy duddys who tried to tell him riding a motorcycle in Thailand is extremely dangerous.

C'mon, you old coffin dodgers!

Live life and have fun.

Relax.

He doesn't need to wear a helmet, he's too good looking for that

Oops. 👍

[Easterneye]

Another wannabe who could afford to holiday in Skegness but landed in Phuket.

 

Its about time travel insurance was mandatory at check in alongside the passports

[CFCol]

5 hours ago, bradiston said:

I went to renew my bike insurance yesterday here in Pattaya. The most I could insure myself for, for accidental personal damage was 20k THB. That's what they call first class insurance. The other party was covered for 50k. Without my medical insurance, in patient only, might as well stick with the compulsory 300 THB government cover. This policy cost me 4,230 THB. I guess it's a snip. So I don't know what kind of insurance foreigners can get to cover these monster bills we read about. Surely the premium would be more than the cost of the holiday?

Don't know where your getting your figures from, but I would change your policy.

I came off my bike and broke my collarbone, (Dec 2023), requiring to have a metal plate put in. The Thai government insurance pays B30,000 and my class 1 paid B50,000. So a total of B80,000 for the same premium as you are paying for your not so good policy.

[Dexxter]

When I see an article about someone having a tragic accident, I immediately check near the end of the article to see if there is gofundme begging or scam. If there is no gofundme then I send my "Thoughts and Prayers" but if I see gofundme I go to the next article and don't bother reading about the tragedy.

 

I should try to add the gofundme website to my AdBlocker filter.

[Upnotover]

2 hours ago, GinBoy2 said:

I'm always sorry for anyone's loss.

 

But the numbers don't add up.

 

I work for an airline, and I've shipped my fair share of Human Remains, albeit all within the US. But the cost is pretty cheap since it's classed as freight.

 

Typical HR shipment within the US is around $400.

 

No way you can multiply that to GBP35K to ship an HR from Thailand to the UK, the everyday math doesn't work

10 seconds on google and it's clear what the pricing should be, but certainly not $400 for a body from Thailand to the UK.  However as usual the story has virtually no information, doubtless many additional costs.  Nevertheless 35k is surely gouging in extremis.

[nickmondo]

Sorry............but if you dont have travel insurance, and dont have a helmet.........i dont have any sympathy at all.

I cannot believe how many foreigners i see riding scooters without a helmet.........its beyond me why they do it?

especially the elderly..........what the feck is that all about?

just because Thais do it............dont you do it.............jeezzzzzzzzzzz

[richard_smith237]

1 hour ago, Easterneye said:

Another wannabe who could afford to holiday in Skegness but landed in Phuket.

 

Callous nasty remark... 

 

 

1 hour ago, Easterneye said:

Its about time travel insurance was mandatory at check in alongside the passports

 

Agree - if Authorities 'could' get check-in staff to cross check Health Insurance information when checking in during Covid-19 times, surely they could do it now... but with more travellers that would increase the check-in times significantly.

 

Other Options: Insurance must be provided for all Visa's (and extensions). 

Visa Exempt Arrivals who cannot show insurance, have to purchase insurance on arrival.

- Long termers are provided an option to 'buy into' Thailands public health care (or get private insurance).

- This eradicates the issue of the medical cost burden of foreigners in Thailand. 

 

[jvs]

3 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Callous nasty remark... 

 

 

 

Agree - if Authorities 'could' get check-in staff to cross check Health Insurance information when checking in during Covid-19 times, surely they could do it now... but with more travellers that would increase the check-in times significantly.

 

Other Options: Insurance must be provided for all Visa's (and extensions). 

Visa Exempt Arrivals who cannot show insurance, have to purchase insurance on arrival.

- Long termers are provided an option to 'buy into' Thailands public health care (or get private insurance).

- This eradicates the issue of the medical cost burden of foreigners in Thailand. 

 

There are certain behaviours that would make the insurance null and void.

 

[Upnotover]

11 minutes ago, nickmondo said:

Sorry............but if you dont have travel insurance, and dont have a helmet.........i dont have any sympathy at all.

I cannot believe how many foreigners i see riding scooters without a helmet.........its beyond me why they do it?

especially the elderly..........what the feck is that all about?

just because Thais do it............dont you do it.............jeezzzzzzzzzzz

But for the "elderly" is an end of life choice.  If their life ends slamming into a concrete pole then perhaps that is preferable to months/years dying slowly of some chronic illness.

[rattlesnake]

6 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

This is a tragic story all round - but young people will still do what young people do. Its difficult to get them to change. 

 

Indeed, which is why this really should be addressed by the Thai authorities. Legal liability for any rental shop renting a bike to a foreigner without a valid licence and insurance would be a start. Maybe such a provision already exists. In that case it should be enforced.

[rattlesnake]

3 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

The solution to this issue already exists in existing regulations - Rental Shops can only rent to those with Bike Licenses.

But.... the Police just do not bother with any enforcement which enables both the rental shops to illegal rent out their bikes and the unlicensed riders to illegally rent them. 

 

 

These 'tourist' deaths are because...

1) The Police do not do their jobs.

2) Because rental companies ignore the law due to lack of enforcement.

3) Because tourist renting ignore the law due to lack of enforcement and because the rental companies allow them to, and because they don't believe they will be the next statistic.

 

Oh just reached this bit… That answers my previous post 

[richard_smith237]

5 minutes ago, jvs said:

There are certain behaviours that would make the insurance null and void.

 

Yep... thats true.. 'of insurance companies'...    thought, given the option to pay into the Thai Public health care system might be a solution...   

 

Just throwing out suggestions as part of a discussion. 

- Every arrival pays into the 'National Health Care' - that provides them emergency cover

- Nothing changes for those who want their own private Health care. 

 

Something like this has already been floated with a nominal fee of 300 baht - of course, the logistics seem tricky, but it prevents these issues.

Ultimately though, its not Thailands fault if tourists can't pay for their health care, but doing so with such a scheme would put a very positive spin on tourism from the 'we look after tourists' angle. 

 

 

[rattlesnake]

1 hour ago, Easterneye said:

Another wannabe who could afford to holiday in Skegness but landed in Phuket.

 

Its about time travel insurance was mandatory at check in alongside the passports

 

Yes, they enforced that system during Covid for the Thailand Pass and it worked well, so it's possible. It shouldn't even be possible to set foot on Thai soil without an insurance that covers you for everything, even dumb things, from a selection of Thai government-approved providers.

[ronster]

I'm guessing the amount they are trying to raise is including the cost of UK funeral included in repatriation.

Cost of a burial plot , decent coffin and a wake at somewhere good will probably be 10-15000gbp in UK.

[rattlesnake]

7 hours ago, ChrisKC said:

He is another human being like all of us!

 

Nobody deserves to die for an error of judgment that some foreigners make while in Thailand.

 

If it is your son, you have no sympathy if he dies, even if it was caused by stupidity??

 

More than 50% of Thais don;t wear helmets; most of them will be lucky and will never have an accident,

 

I feel for his twin brother and all his family!

 

 

 

And there is a good chance his family and friends will be reading this thread. Though I am generally in favour of free speech, I would support the removal of all messages insulting him, it's just in really bad taste IMO.

[theoldgit]

8 hours ago, damo1967 said:

100% right on.  As sad as it is... His travel insurance should cover him..  But if he was drinking... not having a licence... no helmet... even some drugs in his system... he gets ZERO baht from me to his GoFundMe.  I do not help idiots.  I am sure this GoFundMe app was not set up to help absolute idiots.

The linked newspaper story from the Daily Mail confirms that the lad had no travel insurance.

[3NUMBAS]

They just don’t know the Camber is soo bad they’ll go off the road into a ravine ,camber is not a Thai strong point

[ChrisKC]

This OP, ones before and no doubt those to come are a useful reminder for all of us when we travel!

 

Remember we used to say - before leaving home:

 

Passport, tickets, money -  now add Insurance to that mantra!

 

Simple when one thinks ahead!

[lordgrinz]

No license, no helmet, no insurance, and driving in a foreign country.........I'd say the outcome is exactly what would be expected.

[BangkokReady]

7 hours ago, alanrchase said:

Did you really? Compulsory insurance is 645 baht. Second class insurance on my bike cost 2,400 baht. 500,000 baht for each injured person, 10,000,000 baht maximum for each accident and 600,000 baht for property damage. You need to change insurance companies.

 

Do you get to choose this at the licencing place when you renew?

[Ctkong]

10 hours ago, couchpotato said:

Sad...BUT no helmet and no travel insurance, so really no sympathy....why do people come to for holidays in Thailand without some type of insurance.. baffling.  Also not wearing a helmut is plain stupid.

Sometimes it is futile to get a road worthy helmet from rental company that fit your head. My missus had to buy her own helmet when renting a motorbike in Vietnam because the helmets offered were either missing locking mechanism or smell to high heaven. Luckily she managed to buy one the next day. 

[bradiston]

7 hours ago, CFCol said:

Don't know where your getting your figures from, but I would change your policy.

I came off my bike and broke my collarbone, (Dec 2023), requiring to have a metal plate put in. The Thai government insurance pays B30,000 and my class 1 paid B50,000. So a total of B80,000 for the same premium as you are paying for your not so good policy.

Looks like I need to read the policy document again.

[alanrchase]

6 hours ago, BangkokReady said:

 

Do you get to choose this at the licencing place when you renew?

Not sure what you mean. I get the compulsory government insurance at one of the local vehicle inspection places and the second class insurance on Roojai. I used to go to the local office of an insurance company for the optional insurance but find it more convenient with Roojai now.

[Scouse123]

19 hours ago, ChrisKC said:

My post does not sympathise with a dead man!

 

This post is about ONE case of "begging and Go Fund Me"

 

I have used the word stupidity that demonstrates I understand the man was foolish

 

My greatest sympathy lies with the untold grief he has left behind and it is not their fault.  it's obvious you have no feelings for them, only intent on compounding it with excessive righteousness!

 

Hindsight - never around when you need it!

 

 

 

 

No righteousness whatsoever.

 

Common sense, you go on holiday, you get insurance.

 

Insurance is part and parcel of travelling.

 

GOFundMe has become the fallback of the feckless, and it's almost a foregone conclusion these days, that in accidents when death occurs, especially younger travellers, they are uninsured.

 

This was an accident waiting to happen, riding a bike with no helmet, or insurance in a world renowned dangerous hotspot for bike riders.

 

GoFundMe campaigns stared out for the genuinely desperate who had unforeseen accidents or situations through no fault of their own.

 

Where does a person's responsibility for travelling start and finish?

 

Here we have a situation where he just hasn't bothered obtaining any kind of insurance but managed to get himself to Thailand, book his accommodation, find his transport to his destination, So, he is not stupid or in need of assistance understanding things.

 

Feelings for his family??  

 

They are just empty words on a faceless messageboard, that can be bandied about.

 

Do I like seeing things like this on the board, No, I don't, it's sad and unfortunate.

 

We can write whatever we want on an anonymous board, and your anonymous feelings won't bring him back nor be of any comfort.