Farang Driver Running Away After An Accident...

[thai_narak]

we have heard many times in this forum about thai drivers are running away after killing or injuring someone in an accident. well, yesterday afternoon one farang driver adopted this practice too! a friend called me this morning to convey the news about an accident in a small soi somewhere in sattahip involving a farang in his car and a thai man in a motorbike. the accident might have been the bike's fault but the bad is that the farang just drove away after the accident.

people who witnessed the accident have told that after the crashed the farang opened his window just to check on the thai man who is lying on the road motionless and then just driving away leaving the scene. bad luck for him tho, they got his plate number and i think they will catch him soon.

if it was you, would you runaway like he did? i won't. i would rather go out of my car and help the guy to get first aid and send him to the hospital. if he is dead, still you should not runaway...

[thai_narak]

if it was a thai driver running away this thread would have been flooding with comments by now...

[mr_hippo]

Come closer and listen carefully (I don't want other posters to know) There are also 'hit and run' accidents in the West and most of them are caused by farang drivers and not Thai ones!

[kmart]

Weigh up the probability of being caught vs unrestricted cash payout to smirking drunken nimrod on/off unlicensed motorcy with no helmet, insurance, brain, etc. Might be worth risking. "Honest officer... I never saw him."

[Thaising]

For personal safety reason, is better to leave the car behind and head straight to the nearer police station for help, cause some untoward event might happen to the driver after an accident, that why most Thai driver would run away instead of waiting for trouble.

Edited December 10, 2007 by Thaising

[camerata]

For personal safety reason, is better to leave the car behind and head straight to the nearer police station for help, cause some untoward event might happen to the driver after an accident, that why most Thai driver would run away instead of waiting for trouble.

Yes. I've seen a mob of men chase after a tuk-tuk driver who had hit a local drunk staggering across a small soi.

[thai_narak]

For personal safety reason, is better to leave the car behind and head straight to the nearer police station for help, cause some untoward event might happen to the driver after an accident, that why most Thai driver would run away instead of waiting for trouble.

leaving a car and going to the nearest police station is one thing but leaving with the car to nowhere to find is another...

[thai_narak]

For personal safety reason, is better to leave the car behind and head straight to the nearer police station for help, cause some untoward event might happen to the driver after an accident, that why most Thai driver would run away instead of waiting for trouble.

Yes. I've seen a mob of men chase after a tuk-tuk driver who had hit a local drunk staggering across a small soi.

they chased him maybe because he was trying to runaway as well. i have seen couple of accidents where the uninjured party helping the injured one and not leaving the scene until the police arrive. in such cases, why would the people around will try to hurt you when you're trying to help? it's an accident, it's not your intention to crash anyone...

Edited December 10, 2007 by thai_narak

[thai_narak]

Weigh up the probability of being caught vs unrestricted cash payout to smirking drunken nimrod on/off unlicensed motorcy with no helmet, insurance, brain, etc. Might be worth risking. "Honest officer... I never saw him."

this may be true if you are thai (local) but if you are farang you will be noticed. and by the way, all the other farangs will also get a bad image in that local community where the accident happened.

[mikethevigoman]

we have heard many times in this forum about thai drivers are running away after killing or injuring someone in an accident. well, yesterday afternoon one farang driver adopted this practice too! a friend called me this morning to convey the news about an accident in a small soi somewhere in sattahip involving a farang in his car and a thai man in a motorbike. the accident might have been the bike's fault but the bad is that the farang just drove away after the accident.

people who witnessed the accident have told that after the crashed the farang opened his window just to check on the thai man who is lying on the road motionless and then just driving away leaving the scene. bad luck for him tho, they got his plate number and i think they will catch him soon.

if it was you, would you runaway like he did? i won't. i would rather go out of my car and help the guy to get first aid and send him to the hospital. if he is dead, still you should not runaway...

Perhaps he had read that thais do it all the time and considered it compulsory !

[DirkGently]

Sounds like he is fitting in with local culture.

[thaihedgehog]

A friend of mine used to work for the German goverment here in Thailand and their advice was to leave straight away and sort it out later if anything ever came back to them. Basically leave and save yourself, i know i would do the same if it happened to me.

[kmart]

Weigh up the probability of being caught vs unrestricted cash payout to smirking drunken nimrod on/off unlicensed motorcy with no helmet, insurance, brain, etc. Might be worth risking. "Honest officer... I never saw him."

this may be true if you are thai (local) but if you are farang you will be noticed. and by the way, all the other farangs will also get a bad image in that local community where the accident happened.

Not if you have black tinted windows.

[thai_narak]

A friend of mine used to work for the German goverment here in Thailand and their advice was to leave straight away and sort it out later if anything ever came back to them. Basically leave and save yourself, i know i would do the same if it happened to me.

but imagine if the one that they are leaving lying on the road is your relative, may God forbid, what would you feel?

[LivinLOS]

Theres a hard to define line tho.. First and foremost if anyones really hurt they have to be taken care of.

After that tho theres many things at play, one your own personal safety, I have had Thais gang up and start on me with all of them trying to get the boot in over a small road incident (60/40 my fault). Secondly if its not your fault they will often make it that way, so if your sure your in the right then are you happy to get the blame for someone elses problem ?? and pay for it all ??

[thai_narak]

Weigh up the probability of being caught vs unrestricted cash payout to smirking drunken nimrod on/off unlicensed motorcy with no helmet, insurance, brain, etc. Might be worth risking. "Honest officer... I never saw him."

this may be true if you are thai (local) but if you are farang you will be noticed. and by the way, all the other farangs will also get a bad image in that local community where the accident happened.

Not if you have black tinted windows.

OK. plate number?

[LivinLOS]

My plate number tells them I am farang ??

[camerata]

they chased him maybe because he was trying to runaway as well.

In this case the tuk-tuk swerved, crashed and turned over. I started running towards it to help. The driver got out, looked in my direction with horror and started running. I looked over my shoulder and saw the mob approaching, one guy holding a pole. I think they were mates of the drunk who was knocked down.

[thai_narak]

My plate number tells them I am farang ??

of course not, but they will find your car and so on...

[thai_narak]

they chased him maybe because he was trying to runaway as well.

In this case the tuk-tuk swerved, crashed and turned over. I started running towards it to help. The driver got out, looked in my direction with horror and started running. I looked over my shoulder and saw the mob approaching, one guy holding a pole. I think they were mates of the drunk who was knocked down.

i think i saw this movie...

[SoCal]

Two weeks ago a friend of mine sister in law was hit by a car that ran. She subsequently had her left arm amputated twice (infection.) So we had this conversation recently.

Back home there is no way I wouldn't stop, no matter how minor or severe. I would even leave a note with ctc info if I hit a parked car.

Over here though, it is not quite as cut and dry, as some other poster pointed out with taking full blame, being gouged for damages, and possible retaliation.

I would like to think I would do the right thing, but honestly can't say until I face that decision.

Currently I have a driver, and I would definitely tell him to stop if he were in an accident while he was driving me.

[maccaroni man]

Theres a hard to define line tho.. First and foremost if anyones really hurt they have to be taken care of.

After that tho theres many things at play, one your own personal safety, I have had Thais gang up and start on me with all of them trying to get the boot in over a small road incident (60/40 my fault). Secondly if its not your fault they will often make it that way, so if your sure your in the right then are you happy to get the blame for someone elses problem ?? and pay for it all ??

hear that sound? no it's not the ambulance, it's $Cha Ching$ the walking ATM hence I never stick around unless I am on private property where the crowd can be controlled

[Prakanong]

A friend of mine used to work for the German goverment here in Thailand and their advice was to leave straight away and sort it out later if anything ever came back to them. Basically leave and save yourself, i know i would do the same if it happened to me.

I know someone else from a different Embassy who was told the exact same thing.

You might get lynched staying!

[Thaising]

For personal safety reason, is better to leave the car behind and head straight to the nearer police station for help, cause some untoward event might happen to the driver after an accident, that why most Thai driver would run away instead of waiting for trouble.

leaving a car and going to the nearest police station is one thing but leaving with the car to nowhere to find is another...

If we are living in civilized countries with set of laws, no matter who faults I would definitely stop and help the injured party. But here, I heard enough of innocent party without their fault having to pay the damages or worst risk attacks, that why Thai know what action to take when it come to accident that occurred in unknown territory. Leaving the car behind indicate that the driver are still responsible for the mishap.

I’m not suggesting that humanitarian aid shouldn’t be given if someone was hurt or injured, unless the circumstances permit.

Edited December 10, 2007 by Thaising

[thaihedgehog]

A friend of mine used to work for the German goverment here in Thailand and their advice was to leave straight away and sort it out later if anything ever came back to them. Basically leave and save yourself, i know i would do the same if it happened to me.

but imagine if the one that they are leaving lying on the road is your relative, may God forbid, what would you feel?

You are the one that started the topic !! so what would you do??

[thai_narak]

A friend of mine used to work for the German goverment here in Thailand and their advice was to leave straight away and sort it out later if anything ever came back to them. Basically leave and save yourself, i know i would do the same if it happened to me.

but imagine if the one that they are leaving lying on the road is your relative, may God forbid, what would you feel?

You are the one that started the topic !! so what would you do??

if you read my OP you will find your answer there.

[Ozziepaul]

Have a friend here, in the middle of Thailand who's family own a large transport trucking business. I see their trucks all over the place.

I recall him telling me one night, that when his Fahter founded the business, way back when, his explicit intructions to drivers, were, in the case of hitting someone, make sure they are gone and then be gone.

The old boy said that if caught, it's better to make a one off payment to family et al, than a never ending flow to keep a cripple and his family, friends, and parasites in the manner to which they may deem suddenly fit, given the newly, though sorely acquired income stream.

I'm talking Thai on Thai here. No Farangs involved.

Thus far, there have been only two occassions that the company policy had to be implemented.

I also recall years ago, when a guy in Papua New Guinea, hit and killed a pig (very valuable to the locals). He stopped, for some bizzare reason and got the living be-Jesus beaten out of him.

Personally I would have grabbed the pig and legged it, then oragnized a nice BBQ with the boys over a few beers and beetle nut.

Cheers n beers.

Big Paulee.

[chanchao]

Ok, whatever: If you're involved in an accident, you stop and help anyone injured.

Should be a no-brainer. Anyone who doesn't consider this a no-brainer needs to re-consider how much in-tune and well adapted to Thailand he or she is.

[WongKarWai]

farang cannot trust thai in these situations, so its hard to blame him.

it is NOT civilized here when it come to manners same same this.

[petedk]

Ok, whatever: If you're involved in an accident, you stop and help anyone injured.

Should be a no-brainer. Anyone who doesn't consider this a no-brainer needs to re-consider how much in-tune and well adapted to Thailand he or she is.

That is my opinion too but my Thai wife has always said to me that if ever I am involved in an accident that I should leave the scene immediately or risk being killed by a mob. She always says "This is Thailand NOT England and that I should forget anything I learnt in England.

So far nothing has happened but I often wonder what I would do if involved or even witnessed an accident.