"FACT": According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Thailand has one of the highest rates of road traffic deaths in the world, with the majority of fatalities involving motorbikes. The Thai Health Promotion Foundation reports that, on average, about 70 people die each day as a result of road accidents in Thailand. Of these fatalities, 74% are motorbike riders and passengers. According to the Department of Land Transport, there were 22,134 motorbike accidents in Thailand in 2020, resulting in 19,226 injuries and 6,142 deaths.

On 4/2/2025 at 8:55 PM, spidermike007 said:

Many of us drive motorcycles or scooters here, and it is dangerous getting on the roads with some of these other drivers. Getting on a scooter, or a motorcycle anywhere in Thailand, much less Phuket, Phangan, Dark Tao, or Samui without a very good helmet, or alot of riding experience, is like playing Russian Roulette with three or four bullets in the chamber. It is absolutely asking for problems. The degree of recklessness here is astounding. And many foreigners come here thinking "how much trouble could I get in on a little scooter, on a tropical island"? Well, the answer is alot. The amount of foreigners who are killed on the Southern islands is staggering. Most are not reported in the media. I had a friend who worked for Samui rescue for many years, and said the numbers were about 30-60 a month, on Samui, Phangan and Koh Tao. The official number is about 3 a month. Rider beware. Use as good a helmet as you can afford, and do not use these eggshells pieces of crap. They crack at the first impact, and what lies underneath them? Your skull, which is very delicate.

 

I have been riding bikes for 49 years. Without any serious accidents. A few minor ones over the years. Riding a bike here is very dangerous. If not the highest, one of the highest fatality rates in the world. And an accident here can be very costly, to your person. Just ask yourself- do I have enough problems already, without a broken skull, or smashed head, or face injury, or lost eye? I have three friends who have been in motorbike accidents on Samui. One still cannot walk, or talk or function on her own, from a motorbike accident, where she hit her head on the pavement going only 20 kph. The other one has lost alot of his mental capacity after hitting his head. He insisted for years he would never wear a helmet. Now, he seems 15 years older. The third one is a close friend, who was hit by a sidecar, and nearly lost his leg. 11 operations later and after spending many millions of baht, he can walk, but with a limp, and the leg has caused him constant problems, many years later. 

I had a friend in the USA early 20s had a motorcycle. His group of riders seemed to all have a recent story at the time about one accident or another. I recall them recommending motorcycle leathers, the thick stuff, to help protect from serious injury as much as possible.

 

Seems people don't mind going to a developing country where safety standards are differnet and do wild things that they might not do in their own country. Maybe because it is cheaper and they let loose on vacation.

The lack of compassion so many of the posters on these threads is sickening. Most of you would be playing a different tune if it was one of your family members...but then again maybe not.