Preventable Accidents A Major Child Killer In Asia

[Prakanong]

The article leads with the accident of three young girls drowning recently in Phitsanalouk.

Then it gives some figures about other countries but these for Thailand

More than 16 children aged 1-17 die each day in Thailand of preventable accidents - Drowning and road accidents lead the way with an average of 7 of each every day

The total is more than the combined number who die of ALL infectious diseases.

When I was growing up we swam in the north sea which could be pretty rough, in pit ponds, we went out shooting, rabbiting, fishing in the sea - out on small boats, bird nesting up cliffs and tree's, tunneling in old mine workings, riding coal trucks etc etc. Out of a town of 24,000 I can remember 1 death by drowning and one guy who lost a leg and an arm riding the coal trucks - may have been others but honestly can not remember

Now we have become a bit sterile and scaredy cat in the west and would encourage kids to explore but the Thai figures seem very high to me.

Its not that Thai's do not care for children - everyone I have ever met or known absolutely dotes on kids.

[DamianMavis]

Well.... the Thai defenders will say I'm judging Thai attituteds toward safety and common sense based on my western values but I'm sorry, when it comes to life and death and obvious higher numbers of deaths due to backwards attitudes then there is definately something wrong. Every where I go I see a ridiculous lack of safety, especially with regards to children.

Unsupervised swimming... and most lilely not even taught how to swim in the first place... UNACCEPTABLE

Children riding on the front of motorcycles... of course not even a toy plastic helmet, or 5 kids and 1 teen/adult driver on a motorcycle... UNACCEPTABLE

There I go again, judging based on western conceptions of safety and common sense....

Damian

[Prakanong]

Well.... the Thai defenders will say I'm judging Thai attituteds toward safety and common sense based on my western values but I'm sorry, when it comes to life and death and obvious higher numbers of deaths due to backwards attitudes then there is definately something wrong. Every where I go I see a ridiculous lack of safety, especially with regards to children.

Unsupervised swimming... and most lilely not even taught how to swim in the first place... UNACCEPTABLE

Children riding on the front of motorcycles... of course not even a toy plastic helmet, or 5 kids and 1 teen/adult driver on a motorcycle... UNACCEPTABLE

There I go again, judging based on western conceptions of safety and common sense....

Damian

I agree about some of the stuff but unsupervised swimming depends what age and where I suppose?

Where I came from we went to the beach without adults from quite a young age and swam in ponds too - of course it would be frowned upon now but we all could swim form quite an early age.

We learned to swim either in the sea at the Docks Swimming Club or at the Pit Pond (14 foot shallow end and 34 foot deep end)

I do agree with the road traffice stuff though

[Mid]

Its not that Thai's do not care for children - everyone I have ever met or known absolutely dotes on kids.

same folks who send them up to the 7 on the motor-cycle ??

[A_Traveller]

Shouldn't that be 'incident'...

Sorry I'll get my coat

Regards

[Prakanong]

Its not that Thai's do not care for children - everyone I have ever met or known absolutely dotes on kids.

same folks who send them up to the 7 on the motor-cycle ??

The families I have visited never sent their younger children out on MC's - I think the youngest I ever saw among the families I stayed with was 13+ at a guess - still young but very rural and could not go onto the main roads.

As for the BKK kids I know - well nanny, maid or driver would be going to the 7

[Prakanong]

Shouldn't that be 'incident'...

Sorry I'll get my coat

Regards

LOL - if it ws the UK I am sure the coroner would be recording a verdict of "Accidental death"

[toptuan]

The Thai have not successfully connected prevention education (in school or family) with the sad results of its absence: needless carnage and death. Need more proof? Just look at the daily hazards--tipsy manhole covers, high voltage wires within arm's reach, houses without grounding, etc.

Yesterday I saw one of the statistics mentioned above: a dead Thai youngster (12-13 yrs old) at the side of the road. Just thrown off his motorbike by a collision with another motorbike and no helmet. One bump of the noggin' on the cement and that was it. The explanation of the bystanders for the accident: "He was unlucky." Nothing said about the three or four preventive measures which would have probably spared his life: legal driving age, driver education, a license, a helmet, enforcement of traffic laws (I know, all absolutely absurd in LOS.)

Safety education through schools, the insurance industry and government agencies have done a reasonably good job in developed countries of helping the population connect "cause" and "effect." Anti-smoking programs are a good example. Thailand is still 50 years behind in this regard.

Edited October 30, 2007 by toptuan

[meemiathai]

Well.... the Thai defenders will say I'm judging Thai attituteds toward safety and common sense based on my western values but I'm sorry, when it comes to life and death and obvious higher numbers of deaths due to backwards attitudes then there is definately something wrong. Every where I go I see a ridiculous lack of safety, especially with regards to children.

Unsupervised swimming... and most lilely not even taught how to swim in the first place... UNACCEPTABLE

Children riding on the front of motorcycles... of course not even a toy plastic helmet, or 5 kids and 1 teen/adult driver on a motorcycle... UNACCEPTABLE

There I go again, judging based on western conceptions of safety and common sense....

Damian

Do you also find Africans holding spears chasing lions WRONG and UNACCEPTABLE?

Now I am an African defender too.

When I was 3 my mom had to go to work and I was left alone at home all day. I started going out to play in the streets when I was 4. We went to swim everywhere when we were 6 or 7 and we all learned swimming ourselves. WRONG? UNACCEPTABLE?

Now I am a HK defender.

[JimsKnight]

It's destiny, it's fate, it's the eastern way of life so we might as well (while we reside in Thailand) accept that such things go on and not lose too much sleep on such matters.

If someone on here has lost a loved one (I have) via an RTA I'm sorry to sound fatalistic. But in my experience 9 times out of 10 the fault / root of the deaths lies with driver skill/ driver error anyway so lets be cool about it.

All the safety factor side of things stands for saving life, but worrying about it and trying to apply it via a forum onto a country where we are pretty much observers anyway for the most part is a falacy.

Stay safe on those roads...

[DamianMavis]

You're lucky is what you are Meemiathai, lots of other children in the same situation were not lucky and died, so yes it is unacceptable.

Africans and spears?... <deleted>? TODDLERS THROW SPEARS AT LIONS??!?!?!?!?!? Jebus

Damian

Edited October 30, 2007 by DamianMavis

[meemiathai]

There is no limit to the concept of safety. Everyone's and country's perception is different. You can have a country where it starts to think motor cycles are too dangerous to even exist and have them all banned. And you can have a country where it thinks it is fairly safe for everyone to carry a gun on the street. Who is right who is wrong?

[toptuan]

Will all due respect JimsKnight, it's ok to discuss things like this on this forum. Among other good purposes, a forum is a place to vent--especially about things we cannot change. It's called catharsis. A practical benefit. Bottle it up, and you'll either go native or go home to the Motherland--and both are extreme reactions to culture shock.

[Prakanong]

There is no limit to the concept of safety. Everyone's and country's perception is different. You can have a country where it starts to think motor cycles are too dangerous to even exist and have them all banned. And you can have a country where it thinks it is fairly safe for everyone to carry a gun on the street. Who is right who is wrong?

Both wrong - (ducks and leaves the room)

[meemiathai]

You're lucky is what you are Meemiathai, lots of other children in the same situation were not lucky and died, so yes it is unacceptable.

Africans and spears?... <deleted>? TODDLERS THROW SPEARS AT LIONS??!?!?!?!?!? Jebus

Damian

If you think it is unacceptable, what could have been done? My mom had to work to feed us. And I am quite happy with what I had as a child. Lots of freedom.

Have to add, yes I was lucky for sure. Everyone needs luck, don't they? What Jacky Chan does needs luck too.

Edited October 30, 2007 by meemiathai

[meemiathai]

For me, I enjoy the sight of 7,8 year olds riding motor cycles in the villages. I am glad that kids are allowed to a lot of things in Thailand unlike here in HK where kids are not even allowed to run. Don't run! It is very dangerours! FGS!

[kmart]

Will all due respect JimsKnight, it's ok to discuss things like this on this forum. Among other good purposes, a forum is a place to vent--especially about things we cannot change. It's called catharsis. A practical benefit. Bottle it up, and you'll either go native or go home to the Motherland--and both are extreme reactions to culture shock.

Well said. You can upset at the huge amount of wastage here (time; money; human / natural resources; etc) due to lack of foresight and planning. Planning / thinking ahead is not in the Thai psyche, and maybe never will be.

Darwin in motion.

[DamianMavis]

There is no limit to the concept of safety. Everyone's and country's perception is different. You can have a country where it starts to think motor cycles are too dangerous to even exist and have them all banned. And you can have a country where it thinks it is fairly safe for everyone to carry a gun on the street. Who is right who is wrong?

Well DEATH is the almighty answer to what is safe and what is not regardless of a cultures perceptions! heh

If your mother was too poor to hire a baby sitter or didnt have ANY family or friends to watch you (you could go to their house) then there is nothing she could have done right? Doesn't make it acceptable though, 3 year olds die when they are left to their own devices. Common sense.

Damian

[mellow1]

I see very young children, playing, riding bikes, motorcycles, on the main roads daily. I just pray and hope none will dash in front of my vehicle. Not forget the adults who cut you off on motorcycles, cars who exit side streets without warning, buffalo and cattle who run out onto the road through the foliage.I guess you just have to be super alert all the time not to let people commit suicide using your car or trying to kill you by setting traps. Should make a video game about it, would be a big seller.

[meemiathai]

There is no limit to the concept of safety. Everyone's and country's perception is different. You can have a country where it starts to think motor cycles are too dangerous to even exist and have them all banned. And you can have a country where it thinks it is fairly safe for everyone to carry a gun on the street. Who is right who is wrong?

Well DEATH is the almighty answer to what is safe and what is not regardless of a cultures perceptions! heh

If your mother was too poor to hire a baby sitter or didnt have ANY family or friends to watch you (you could go to their house) then there is nothing she could have done right? Doesn't make it acceptable though, 3 year olds die when they are left to their own devices. Common sense.

Damian

No offense meant. But that made me smile or laugh a little bit. Life is not that simple. It is easy with people coming from rich societies and everything being normal, things are taken for granted. No we did not have any family, no friends. And I only first heard of a baby sitter at the age of 16. I must say though there is nothing I regret about my childhood.

People die, that is life, is that unacceptable? As I said there is what it is called acceptable in your country and there is what it is called acceptable in other country. Similarly what is deemed acceptable by you certainly differs from mine.

[DamianMavis]

Yes I will never understand the Asian attitude about life being cheap. If there are actions that can be taken to prevent untimely deaths than they should be taken. OR! We could just ignore it and when someone dies from a completely preventable action we can just call it bad luck and fate to make ourselves feel less responsible and not so bad.

Damian

[meemiathai]

What are the actions that can be taken but had not?

[DamianMavis]

Dude are you joking with me? Do you live in Thailand? Do you not see the hundreds of ridiculous things that could be avoided with simple actions? Someone already mentioned the child that was in a motorcylce accident with another motorcylce, he simply fell off, hit his head on the concrete and died... TOTALLY PREVENTABLE with a helmet. NOT ACCEPTABLE... heh I know you hate it when I say that. This thread is about the fact that Thailand seems to have a huge number of child deaths, much higher than other countries, if the child deaths are higher that means they were PREVENTABLE if certain actions had been taken, actions that are taken in other countries to keep the death toll to a minimum. Right? Im starting to feel like you and I are debating 2 entirely different things.

Damian

[madjbs]

I think he was refering to his own situation.

[Tony Clifton]

A few have even been killed simply by going to school and touching electrified water coolers.

In 2008, yes, last week, they decided that water coolers shouldn't have soldering joints made from lead. Shouldn't doesn't imply they'll do anything about it, probably wont. Something as obvious and dangerous as the local driving habits are still only getting worse with useless campaigns not focused on driver behavior. Why would anything else change for the better?

When I see the daily newscasts and newspapers showing the endless and daily parade of ceremonies for this and ceremonies for that at all levels of government and society as if they'd reached a paradise like state, I keep thinking of all the man hours and budgets such ceremonies demand, only for people to pat each other on the back when there is so much more left to be done. No budgets left for safety education.

[DamianMavis]

I think he was refering to his own situation.

Really? Why would he do that? He's alive after all, we are talking about kids that died and what could be done to prevent it I thought heh.

Damian

[xyborg]

<br />

Well.... the Thai defenders will say I'm judging Thai attituteds toward safety and common sense based on my western values but I'm sorry, when it comes to life and death and obvious higher numbers of deaths due to backwards attitudes then there is definately something wrong. Every where I go I see a ridiculous lack of safety, especially with regards to children.<br /><br />Unsupervised swimming... and most lilely not even taught how to swim in the first place... UNACCEPTABLE<br /><br />Children riding on the front of motorcycles... of course not even a toy plastic helmet, or 5 kids and 1 teen/adult driver on a motorcycle... UNACCEPTABLE<br /><br />There I go again, judging based on western conceptions of safety and common sense....<br /><br />Damian

<br />Do you also find Africans holding spears chasing lions WRONG and UNACCEPTABLE?<br /><br />Now I am an African defender too.<br /><br />When I was 3 my mom had to go to work and I was left alone at home all day. I started going out to play in the streets when I was 4. We went to swim everywhere when we were 6 or 7 and we all learned swimming ourselves. WRONG? UNACCEPTABLE?<br />Now I am a HK defender. <br /><br /> <img src="style_emoticons/default/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="smile.gif" /><br />

<br /><br /><br />

You were lucky................. sadly ha ha ha ha just kidding!!

[xyborg]

<br />There is no limit to the concept of safety. Everyone's and country's perception is different. You can have a country where it starts to think motor cycles are too dangerous to even exist and have them all banned. And you can have a country where it thinks it is fairly safe for everyone to carry a gun on the street. Who is right who is wrong?<br />

<br /><br /><br />

Their is no right or wrong its a concept.

[xyborg]

<br />What are the actions that can be taken but had not?<br />

<br /><br /><br />

Birth control?

[xyborg]

Let's face itThailand is one big accident waiting to happen , its not just lack of helmets on bikes but zero maintenance combined with no forward thinking and their "what will be will be attitude"

Even my wife says they are nuts and stupid especially when they go visiting the amulet or fortune teller shops all the time. So when they go put on their bikes just stick an amulet on it will bring u such good luck. I have a compromise guaranteed to work ....... helmet shaped amulets, problem solved!!!!

Oh but they are so poor they cant afford a helmet, oh but they can afford the bike???

A lot of accident prevention would cost almost nothing starting with parents and going thru school like us in the Uk being told how to cross the road, look left look right etc etc