French Tourist in Critical Condition After Zebra Crossing Accident

[webfact]

Pictures courtesy of Amarin TV

A French tourist is in critical condition after being struck by a car on a zebra crossing late at night in Kanchanaburi, Thailand. The incident has sparked community calls for improved lighting and warning signs in the area.

 

In the early hours of yesterday morning (2nd April 2068), a car collided with Mr. Clement Antoin, a 40-year-old French national, near JJ Market in Mueang District.

 

Emergency services found him unconscious and severely injured, with significant cuts to his right arm and left shoulder, as well as abrasions across his body. After performing emergency CPR and initial first aid, he was rushed to Phahon Phonayothin Hospital.

 

 

 

 

Police CCTV review revealed that Mr. Billy was crossing the relatively empty road but became distracted by something, failing to notice an oncoming vehicle.

 

Despite his attempt to dodge it, he was struck and thrown onto the pavement.

 

The vehicle involved was a black Mitsubishi driven by a young man with a female passenger in her 30s. They remained at the scene to provide statements to the police.

 

Local residents have raised concerns about the poor lighting and faded zebra crossing markings at the accident site, making it difficult for drivers to see pedestrians. The site lacks flashing lights or warning signs to alert drivers.

 

 

Residents highlighted that the area is particularly quiet at night, often with vehicles travelling at high speeds. They urge drivers to be cautious and reduce speed around the crossing to prevent further accidents.

 

This incident underlines the necessity for safety measures at zebra crossings, including installing adequate lighting, clear warning signs, and flashing signals to enhance pedestrian safety.

 

Based on a story by Amarin TV

 

-- 2025-04-03

 

 

[MikeandDow]

At least this guy stopped,  normally thais run away !!

[Tropicalevo]

Most of the zebra crossings here on Samui are so faded that they are difficult to see in the day time.

Not helped by the idiots that park on them (where the paint is a bit more bright) as they have to park as close to the shop as possible.

[VocalNeal]

In the early hours? Lone pedestrian and lone car yet the pedestrian expects the car to stop. Just wait until the car has passed then cross. 

 

French guys also probably looked the wrong way. Used to cars coming from the left, and not Marine Le Pen's far right right.

[Dmitry2222]

Not too long ago, I was lucky not to be hit by a motorcycle on the sidewalk. Actually, I get confused about where people are supposed to walk in local cities.

[Purdey]

At night, using the torch on your mobile phone might help to let people see you when crossing the road. Otherwise wait until there is a large enough space to cross. Doesn't work in major cities, mind you. 

[PomPolo]

Hope he's OK fair play to the driver for stopping and helping rare that happens, foreigners sometimes think that Zebra crossings are the same as their own country like cars must stop if someone steps on one, however I think most Thai drivers think of it more as a starting grid on a formula one track.

[PomPolo]

Looking at the state of the car - I am not a forensic road accident expert but must have been doing some serious speed to cause that much damage to a car with a human.

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, MikeandDow said:

At least this guy stopped,  normally thais run away !!

Sometimes, some of them don't stop but normally they do.

[connda]

I'm going to be Captain Obvious here.  Look at the road.  Almost no traffic.  So the guy decided to step out in front of one of the few cars on the road at night?  Why not wait until the road is clear?  Captain Obvious says, that's called self-preservation.  If the French guy is the type who thinks that pedestrians have "the right of way" in cross-walks in Thailand, and for that matter globally, technically he's probably correct.  Realistically, he's in the hospital fighting for his life.  Sometimes it's better to be "safe" and give up the right-of-way to the 2000 lb vehicle and cross when the vehicles have passed. I don't have a lot of sympathy.  Personally I yield to vehicles.  I've lived here too long and know better. I'll walk across the road after they pass by.  Then everyone is safe.

[Liverpool Lou]

52 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

French guys also probably looked the wrong way. Used to cars coming from the left,

In the reported accident the CCTV capture appears to show that the traffic was coming from his left.

[KhunLA]

Not suppose to victim blame, but still amazes how people can't see the cars or MBs driving on the road ... or expect them to stop.

 

 

[Serenity_Now]

THAILAND IS CLUELESS about ROAD MARKINGS

Herein CM they have been busy putting red and white zebras down most are almost black now dont know what type of road paint has all the black rubber sticking to it.

BUT many are done right at corners within 10ft of a turn drivers come round and are greeted by a crossing THAT is INSANE who puts crosswalks so near to a turn it without doubt is moronic.

The last time I was driving in Malaysia my God they just put down new lines without removing the old lanes just merge.
maybe its to encourage population reduction

[connda]

57 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

French guys also probably looked the wrong way.

What I learned in kindergarten:  "Look left, look right, look left and right again, then cautiously cross."

Here in Thailand I keep my head on a swivel. And I always anticipate a vehicle coming from the "wrong" direction. Always!  A dead pedestrian may be "in the right," but they are still a dead pedestrian. 

[NorthernRyland]

14 minutes ago, connda said:

I'm going to be Captain Obvious here.  Look at the road.  Almost no traffic.  So the guy decided to step out in front of one of the few cars on the road at night?

 

Thailand really needs to inform tourists that Thai people will not always stop at the crossings and for people to take caution.

 

On the other hand something I really dislike now about the safety culture in the west is that people are supposed to expect cars to stop for them when there are any posted signs. People make mistakes and cars may not see you so even if it's illegal you pay with your life.

 

It's so bad where I'm from in Colorado. People just walk across without looking because there's a crossing and people get killed in these really stupid accidents because they were careless and thought they had the law on their side.

[KannikaP]

From the OP photo, it looks like he is running, with his head turned backwards to his left.

And not even on the Zebra crossing.

[KannikaP]

2 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

expect cars to stop for them when there are any posted signs

aren't

[connda]

42 minutes ago, Dmitry2222 said:

Actually, I get confused about where people are supposed to walk in local cities.

On the road. 
Sidewalks are for signs, trees, car and motorcycle parking, utility poles, utility boxes, more signs, more trees, planters, chains and ropes marking off parking from the door to the street in front of businesses. tables and chairs, more signs, food carts, sidewalk sales displays, sidewalk restaurants, and for driving motorcycles and sometimes cars.  Pedestrians are suppose to walk on the road.  Well, at least in Chiang Mai and Bangkok.

[worgeordie]

From the picture,to me it looks like he's not even on the zebra crossing ,but

in front of it , better get VAR involved , and also looking like he's running out.

in front of the car.

 

regards Worgeordie

 

 

[connda]

16 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

 

Thailand really needs to inform tourists that Thai people will not always stop at the crossings and for people to take caution.

 

On the other hand something I really dislike now about the safety culture in the west is that people are supposed to expect cars to stop for them when there are any posted signs. People make mistakes and cars may not see you so even if it's illegal you pay with your life.

 

It's so bad where I'm from in Colorado. People just walk across without looking because there's a crossing and people get killed in these really stupid accidents because they were careless and thought they had the law on their side.

Like I said, a dead pedestrian who "is in the right" is still a dead pedestrian.  However, in the US, the pedestrian's estate may be able to milk the defendant in a civil case for millions of dollars and bankrupt them. There's the US and the West for ya.  Not here in the Land of Smiles.  Unless it's a Thai attempting to milk a farang, the estate and family of the decease is pretty much out of luck with the cap on the insurance policy being the upper end of what the court will order the defendant to pay out, and in most cases for most Thais, that will be the upper limit of their compulsory insurance. And if the driver is uninsured, well - TIT - the court may just say, "So sad, too bad. Sucks to be you." For a fully insured driver with 1st class or 3rd class insurance -  upper end is around $30 USD to $60k USD.

[Don Giovanni]

Thais never stop at zebra crossings, even when kids are trying to cross...

 

An utter disgrace imo.

 

The Don.

[connda]

41 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Not suppose to victim blame, but still amazes how people can't see the cars or MBs driving on the road ... or expect them to stop.

 

 

I know people in the US, especially the Blue States and cities, are conditioned to believe that all traffic will stop immediately when someone steps into a crosswalk.  I remember watching a lady cop on the Seattle evening news stepping out in front of oncoming cars and then ticketing them for failure to yield the right of way to a person in a crosswalk.  Literally, the way she was doing it the cars didn't have a chance to stop.  It was ludicrous. Great way for the city to make money.
So these type of tourists are conditioned to think that traffic will stop for them globally.  It's a good way to get killed.  Just ask the French guy.

[simon43]

1 hour ago, Purdey said:

At night, using the torch on your mobile phone might help to let people see you when crossing the road. Otherwise wait until there is a large enough space to cross. Doesn't work in major cities, mind you. 

In Mandalay (Myanmar), where the street lighting doesn't work most of the time, the local BBQ restaurant staff would all help me to cross the busy road after dark, lest they lose a good customer!

 

I hope they are all OK after the earthquake!

[connda]

6 minutes ago, Don Giovanni said:

Thais never stop at zebra crossings

Donny boy.  🐂💩  I really hate the word "never" as it is often inaccurate. Thais will stop, however, doing so in a crossing without a light is a recipe to get rear-ended.  In many cases, stopping is more dangerous for the driver than simply watching the people on the side of the road, and proceeding carefully. They can cross when the traffic clears or when enough of the traffic does stop. And I've seen traffic stop to allow people to cross even with no crosswalks in places like Chiang Mai. 

[KhunLA]

Just now, connda said:

I know people in the US, especially the Blue States and cities, are conditioned to believe that all traffic will stop immediately when someone steps into a crosswalk.  I remember watch a lady cop on the evening news stepping out in front of oncoming cars and then ticketing them for failure to yield the right of way to a person in a crosswalk.  Literally, the way she was doing it the cars didn't have a chance to stop.  It was ludicrous. 
So these type of tourists are conditioned to think that traffic will stop for them globally.  It's a good way to get killed.  Just ask the French guy.

No place where I ever lived.  Step off the curb without looking and expect to run over.

 

You always look both ways, then again ... maybe even a 3rd time.    I don't even trust the crosswalks at intersection, even if the pedestrian get their own little green light.

 

Only takes a second or 3 to stay safe crossing the road.  Mind boggling people ignore the basics, and still get run over.

 

You can't fix stupid.

[IvorBiggun2]

If Zebra crossings pedestrians haven't got right of way on the road then whats the point of having them? F*** Thai drivers.

[KhunLA]

5 minutes ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

If Zebra crossings pedestrians haven't got right of way on the road then whats the point of having them? F*** Thai drivers.

What the sense of having a brain or common sense, if you don't use it.

 

And I'm sure you drive the speed limit all the time.  Especially 30 kph through villages or 60 kph though town, and of course, never over 90 kph, on highway, with exception of the few stretches allow to do 100-120 kph.

[Don Giovanni]

9 minutes ago, connda said:

Donny boy.  🐂💩  I really hate the word "never" as it is often inaccurate. Thais will stop, however, doing so in a crossing without a light is a recipe to get rear-ended.  In many cases, stopping is more dangerous for the driver than simply watching the people on the side of the road, and proceeding carefully. They can cross when the traffic clears or when enough of the traffic does stop. And I've seen traffic stop to allow people to cross even with no crosswalks in places like Chiang Mai. 

I have personally witnessed multiple ignoramus drivers drive straight through a zebra crossing, even when the lights were on red and kids were attempting to cross - at various locations throughout Thailand.

 

What now?

 

The Don.

[Peabody]

52 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

It's so bad where I'm from in Colorado. People just walk across without looking because there's a crossing and people get killed in these really stupid accidents because they were careless and thought they had the law on their side.

Back in the '60s-'70s, there was a public road safety commercial on TV with the tagline " He was right. Dead right"

[pimmmm]

1 hour ago, Purdey said:

At night, using the torch on your mobile phone might help to let people see you when crossing the road. Otherwise wait until there is a large enough space to cross. Doesn't work in major cities, mind you. 

Yeah I turn the light on my apple watch when walking down our dark soi at night, suspect someone speeding down on their bike pissed might run me down if they don't see