Road Rage In Thailand...

[clausewitz]

About two days there was an accident on Sukumvit Road at the Theprasit Intersection in Jomtien involving 3 schoolboys who where hit by a pickup while riding their motorbike to school. The bike got creamed and the kids (young teenagers) were all sprawled along the highway. What really spoke volumes about the society here is two of the kids got up and moved to the side of the road but the worst of the 3 was laying in road because his leg was split in half. The traffic behind the accident could not even foking wait for the injured boy to be moved or for an ambulance to come and assist him as they were all just driving around him as he laid in the middle of the highway.

When you look beneath the surface here, under layer is really feudal and ugly and I am strongly considering to just go back home where at least we have laws and people on the most part tend to be decent to each other or should I just let my kids grow up around 3rd Worlders like this?

Why do you think the traffic shoudl wait, does he rest more easily knowing he is holding up traffic?

[Desertexile]

Thai driver's red mist is very thick.

The best way to win is not to play.

<deleted> me, David Carradine is a TV poster too!

[thaihome]

I take driving rather seriously here and make sure I am in the right frame of mind before I get behind the wheel--otherwise it's just too stressful. All those lousy jerks doing all those stupid things are really quite OK with me because I take a couple of deep breaths before I start and make a concious decision to take it easy.

The thing is that driving in Thailand is almost never fun. It really requires your absolute full attention. If it's not the nuts on the road, it's the folks with the pushcart who decide you should stop while they slowly cross 4 lanes of rush hour traffic. Or the dog that stops in the middle of the road to scratch his butt and lick his privates--then moving on or the........

By the way, when someone is actually angry enough to honk at you, it's a good bet you might not want to mess with them--as you learned.

Hope your OK and take care.

Good post. Applies to all developing countries and many western ones (Italy comes to mind) as well.

TH

[Marvo]

Thai driver's red mist is very thick.

The best way to win is not to play.

<deleted> me, David Carradine is a TV poster too!

[JimmyTheMook]

About two days there was an accident on Sukumvit Road at the Theprasit Intersection in Jomtien involving 3 schoolboys who where hit by a pickup while riding their motorbike to school. The bike got creamed and the kids (young teenagers) were all sprawled along the highway. What really spoke volumes about the society here is two of the kids got up and moved to the side of the road but the worst of the 3 was laying in road because his leg was split in half. The traffic behind the accident could not even foking wait for the injured boy to be moved or for an ambulance to come and assist him as they were all just driving around him as he laid in the middle of the highway.

When you look beneath the surface here, under layer is really feudal and ugly and I am strongly considering to just go back home where at least we have laws and people on the most part tend to be decent to each other or should I just let my kids grow up around 3rd Worlders like this?

Why do you think the traffic shoudl wait, does he rest more easily knowing he is holding up traffic?

The person who was basically a kid had idiots driving within inches of him as he was laying there with a leg snapped in two.

All within the time of the red light that he ran changed.

I know they drive like shit here but seeing something like this made me feel sick at how selfish and stupid most Thai people are.

Edited June 10, 2008 by JimmyTheMook

[gymshark]

About two days there was an accident on Sukumvit Road at the Theprasit Intersection in Jomtien involving 3 schoolboys who where hit by a pickup while riding their motorbike to school. The bike got creamed and the kids (young teenagers) were all sprawled along the highway. What really spoke volumes about the society here is two of the kids got up and moved to the side of the road but the worst of the 3 was laying in road because his leg was split in half. The traffic behind the accident could not even foking wait for the injured boy to be moved or for an ambulance to come and assist him as they were all just driving around him as he laid in the middle of the highway.

When you look beneath the surface here, under layer is really feudal and ugly and I am strongly considering to just go back home where at least we have laws and people on the most part tend to be decent to each other or should I just let my kids grow up around 3rd Worlders like this?

Why do you think the traffic shoudl wait, does he rest more easily knowing he is holding up traffic?

The person who was basically a kid had idiots driving within inches of him as he was laying there with a leg snapped in two.

All within the time of the red light that the ran changed.

I know they drive like shit here but seeing something like this made me feel sick at how selfish and stupid most Thai people are.

3rd world country

[t.s]

You flipped some guy the finger and got beaten up for it. It took you how many years before you learned that lesson?

The guy deserved the finger, he was driving negligently and rudely.

Yes the guy deserved the finger. If only the OP had explained that to the three men as they beat him up...

Here in Phuket you just have sooooo many terrible drivers, and soooo many people that do not abide by the rules of the road that it is almost impossible not to get upset. Really that's why I prefer the motorbike....

Today I was in the truck, I had a Toyota SUV, one of the bigger ones (Fortuner?) riding my rear bumper at 120, trying to get past but we had trucks and slow moving vehicles in the slow lane. The genius then swerves all the way to the left to pass all in the motorcycle lane and almost kills an old guy on his bike with the side car !!! Just amazing.

I never do anything like road rage, but at times I do like to jam up these a**sholes, box em in or brake a bit when they are tailgating.

Beware of guns though...

Yes, I've also had some incredibly rude, not to mention downright dangerous, driving experiences here on Phuket.

But, do you know? After the first time I had someone pull up alongside me forcing me to stop and pointing a gun at me, I had a Thai friend go and buy me a Great Big Gun (we're not allowed to of course). You should see the look on their faces when I stop, or, more effectively in my view, actually reverse back down the the road and stop directly in front of them, and pull it out, the gun that is and point it straight at them:lol:

(This works incredibly well on a certain class of farang on their hols who think they can get away with driving as rudely/badly as the locals, by the way. In fact, you can actually see them shit themselves).

i suspect you are a liar a moron or a combination of both.

[t.s]

About two days there was an accident on Sukumvit Road at the Theprasit Intersection in Jomtien involving 3 schoolboys who where hit by a pickup while riding their motorbike to school. The bike got creamed and the kids (young teenagers) were all sprawled along the highway. What really spoke volumes about the society here is two of the kids got up and moved to the side of the road but the worst of the 3 was laying in road because his leg was split in half. The traffic behind the accident could not even foking wait for the injured boy to be moved or for an ambulance to come and assist him as they were all just driving around him as he laid in the middle of the highway.

When you look beneath the surface here, under layer is really feudal and ugly and I am strongly considering to just go back home where at least we have laws and people on the most part tend to be decent to each other or should I just let my kids grow up around 3rd Worlders like this?

Why do you think the traffic shoudl wait, does he rest more easily knowing he is holding up traffic?

The person who was basically a kid had idiots driving within inches of him as he was laying there with a leg snapped in two.

All within the time of the red light that he ran changed.

I know they drive like shit here but seeing something like this made me feel sick at how selfish and stupid most Thai people are.

you mean it made you feel superior

[JimmyTheMook]

About two days there was an accident on Sukumvit Road at the Theprasit Intersection in Jomtien involving 3 schoolboys who where hit by a pickup while riding their motorbike to school. The bike got creamed and the kids (young teenagers) were all sprawled along the highway. What really spoke volumes about the society here is two of the kids got up and moved to the side of the road but the worst of the 3 was laying in road because his leg was split in half. The traffic behind the accident could not even foking wait for the injured boy to be moved or for an ambulance to come and assist him as they were all just driving around him as he laid in the middle of the highway.

When you look beneath the surface here, under layer is really feudal and ugly and I am strongly considering to just go back home where at least we have laws and people on the most part tend to be decent to each other or should I just let my kids grow up around 3rd Worlders like this?

Why do you think the traffic shoudl wait, does he rest more easily knowing he is holding up traffic?

The person who was basically a kid had idiots driving within inches of him as he was laying there with a leg snapped in two.

All within the time of the red light that he ran changed.

I know they drive like shit here but seeing something like this made me feel sick at how selfish and stupid most Thai people are.

you mean it made you feel superior

What ? Are you brain dead ?

[barky]

I rarely carry, but I am considering it as road rage incidents -not with myself being the originator of any of that rage of course- will no doubt increase as the financial situation for a good number of folks worsens. For unarmed folks who find themselves in an impromptu gunfight: remember that your car or truck is a fast, heavy, and powerful weapon in itself. Hint: make sure they are not already standing next to your car pointing their gun at you at point blank range first.

not when you are stuck in traffic, your <deleted>-k-d if a guy pulls a gun while on a moped. you rarely carry? who are you???

ive thought of having a gun in the house but i would never go for a drive with it.

I think you will find Heng is a legend in his own mind.

[cluezo]

A bit off topic but why is it that in the 12 years I have lived in Thailand, I have never seen a single parking meter? And the only times I've seen sobriety checkpoints is during Songran. Lots of revenue to be had by parking meters, drunk driving fines, double parking fines. But I suppose the most amazing thing is I've never seen a motorist pulled over by the police from behind - like in other most other countries. I've seen obviously drung teenagers on motorcycles speed and weave their way past police cars (trucks) and the cops do nothing. Boggles the mind.

[chuang]

...ROAD RAGE...it goes back to the incident where a rich man son rammed his Benz into an innocent crowd...his weapon is much more powerful than a gun...

[cluezo]

Anyone who carries an illegal loaded gun in a car or on his/her person in a foreign country is not the sharpest pencil in the box. Imagine if they actually used the weapon... grey bar hotel for a long time....

[Losangels]

...ROAD RAGE...it goes back to the incident where a rich man son rammed his Benz into an innocent crowd...his weapon is much more powerful than a gun...

Yeah what happened to this case, did it go to court?

The bus driver was paid but what about other victims.

If the case is settled out of court, the kid doesn't have to serve time for the murder?

[highlander76]

Sorry to hear about what happened to you be thankfull you are still alive I showed the wife your post she said you are very lucky still to be alive they could have shot you

[Huey]

you will save yourself a lot of stress if you just get yourself out of the way - learn to ignore silly pride and you will live longer

Keep it in the car that way you can always reach for it if the worst happens.

and the worst can happen

A FOUR-year-old American girl shot herself in the chest after grabbing a gun from her grandmother's handbag while on a trip to the local supermarket.

Thats what happens when you loose Muzzle Awareness, where is your gun? Is it someplace safe? Are children around it that either you haven't taught about weapons or are (in the case of this girl, too young to be taught)? I don't have kids in my car and if I do I'm more responsible than that poor girls grandmother. I respect my weapons and the responsibility that comes with ownership.

[Huey]

This may not be able to help everyone but if it helps one person I'm happy. Check out http://www.gun.in.th/ Its a Thai Website all about guns and ownership in the kingdom. Get the wife to get one and have it registered. Keep it in the car that way you can always reach for it if the worst happens.

I think I'd rather get shot tha go to gaol here for shooting a local.

Your choice. For me I would much rather shoot a man then to let him shoot me and leave my wife undefended. Screw that, 2 shots center body mass, with the 1911. I got a couple dollars I'm sure I could fight the case if it came down to my life or his. hel_l the life of people here doesn't seem to be worth much if they are poor. Its much more focused here on how much you can pay rather than how long you should be behind bars.

[cluezo]

So what's the bottom line? Cops don't care because threy're paid so little? They don't pull over and arrest drunken, reckless drivers because it's not worth the effort or maybe the vehicle driver has some juice? I'm just trying to figure this mess out. In Rayong, at rush house on Sukhimvit Road, you seldom see a police car - you see plenty of bottling up of traffic because drivers arrogantly and incredibly double park on the busiest street at the busiest time of the day to do some shopping. Zero enforcement. Not a cop in site. And speaking of cops not in sight, why do you see so few of them at night when the drunks are out. No parking meters, no cops, cars double-parked as far as you can see. Madness. Suppose one must be philosophical about it: this is Thailand and that's just the way it is.... just gotta cool it I guess...

[onnut]

Thats what happens when you loose Muzzle Awareness, where is your gun? Is it someplace safe? Are children around it that either you haven't taught about weapons or are (in the case of this girl, too young to be taught)? I don't have kids in my car and if I do I'm more responsible than that poor girls grandmother. I respect my weapons and the responsibility that comes with ownership.

yeah, sure mate. you crazy pratt.

i dont care about your background, I think your an idiot now. you sound like some nut that never saw action in Vietnam!!!!

go back to the Jungle mate.

Rambo

[cluezo]

Sorry to hear about what happened to you be thankfull you are still alive I showed the wife your post she said you are very lucky still to be alive they could have shot you

Thank you and your wife for your concern. It was really scary...

[Huey]

Thats what happens when you loose Muzzle Awareness, where is your gun? Is it someplace safe? Are children around it that either you haven't taught about weapons or are (in the case of this girl, too young to be taught)? I don't have kids in my car and if I do I'm more responsible than that poor girls grandmother. I respect my weapons and the responsibility that comes with ownership.

yeah, sure mate. you crazy pratt.

i dont care about your background, I think your an idiot now. you sound like some nut that never saw action in Vietnam!!!!

go back to the Jungle mate.

Rambo

Whatever chump, your probably from england where a you could come home to find a man had broke into your house and is trying to rape your wife at knife point, you shoot him and your the one that goes to jail. Be a victim if you want too. I'm not a vet I'm just a US Citizen that understands the responsibility than comes along with our Right to bear Arms. I carried concealed (legally) since I was 21.

[LooseCannon]

About two days there was an accident on Sukumvit Road at the Theprasit Intersection in Jomtien involving 3 schoolboys who where hit by a pickup while riding their motorbike to school. The bike got creamed and the kids (young teenagers) were all sprawled along the highway. What really spoke volumes about the society here is two of the kids got up and moved to the side of the road but the worst of the 3 was laying in road because his leg was split in half. The traffic behind the accident could not even foking wait for the injured boy to be moved or for an ambulance to come and assist him as they were all just driving around him as he laid in the middle of the highway.

When you look beneath the surface here, under layer is really feudal and ugly and I am strongly considering to just go back home where at least we have laws and people on the most part tend to be decent to each other or should I just let my kids grow up around 3rd Worlders like this?

Maybe you should have a look at this....

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/06/05/ignored.hitrun.ap/

I hope 'back home' is not Hartford, Connecticut.

Sh*t behaviour occurs all over the world, not just Thailand.

[cluezo]

Ain't no place safe anymore...

[Cuban]

Thai driver's red mist is very thick. The best way to win is not to play.

<deleted> me, David Carradine is a TV poster too!

OK - I'll respond. You pay me a great compliment if you think I have the wisdom of the character Caine from that 70s TV series, or do you mean Bill from Kill Bill I am neither - despite some above average driving training in my past I am sure that I am worst than average depending how you perform the measurement.

In the many miles I've driven here I have twice encountered serious road rage. On one occasion a truck cut me up on a dark dangerous road during a rain storm, I returned the favor and that set the stage for about a 10 minute dual between us. I got to the point of deciding that if his truck hit mine I would take him off the road with a tactical ramming procedure, fishtail him into the central ditch whitch was lined with medium sized trees, in truck vs tree crashes the tree seldom looses. The high speed we were both doing made such actions extremely dangerous for both parties, during this nightmare my GF did manage to get through to the un-enraged person inside me and bring me down.

The second event happen a few years ago on a two lane wide highway during good weather, the driver of a newish large car did not yield the right hand lane to me and after my standard waiting time of 5 seconds, I moved to the left lane and started to overtake the car on the inside. There was no other traffic within sight so this should have been the end of the matter. But no, the other driver decided to increase speed. Being alone in the car on this occassion I increased speed as well and we bowled down the road side by side for a while. There were few other cars on the road, when a pickup in front slowed to turn right I managed to get in front of my competitor in time to overtake a convoy of heavy lorries and a few buses. Being happy in my better driving skills I played leader in the less than friendly game of follow the leader for a while. After flashing his headlights at me a few times to encourage me to yield the right hand lane, he gunned his engine attempting to overtake on the inside before the gap in traffic he was aiming for disappeared, he was accelerating hard into a gap that was formed by the front of my truck (rented) and the back of a large coach, utter madness. He had to brake hard as the gap closed - my schadenfreude.

My moment of sanity kicked in when I saw the look on his passenger's face. I assumed that it was his wife, she was holding a baby (months rather than years old) on her lap. I know that I was in the right with regard to rules of the road and I had a better ability in reading the road's traffic than the other driver.

You can say that he won if you like to see it that way, as I 'allowed' him to overtake after we had passed the coach and the traffic that was in front of it. What is the mentality of someone that would put at risk the lives of wife and child in a game of cat & mouse on the road. Between two guys alone in their cars, OK that happens - but to risk your wife or a child, is Thai 'face' worth killing your family to maintain against a farang driver on a section of road miles from anywhere?

I feel I am a better person from not having to prove myself (I hope) on the road.

Also the Pattaya television news crews have enough car crashes to film without me adding to them.

So in a game that is likely result in a crash (the word accident can not be used in this context) if neither side is willing to concede or stop the game - the only way to win is not to play.

After you....

[Huey]

Thai driver's red mist is very thick. The best way to win is not to play.

<deleted> me, David Carradine is a TV poster too!

OK - I'll respond. You pay me a great compliment if you think I have the wisdom of the character Caine from that 70s TV series, or do you mean Bill from Kill Bill I am neither - despite some above average driving training in my past I am sure that I am worst than average depending how you perform the measurement.

In the many miles I've driven here I have twice encountered serious road rage. On one occasion a truck cut me up on a dark dangerous road during a rain storm, I returned the favor and that set the stage for about a 10 minute dual between us. I got to the point of deciding that if his truck hit mine I would take him off the road with a tactical ramming procedure, fishtail him into the central ditch whitch was lined with medium sized trees, in truck vs tree crashes the tree seldom looses. The high speed we were both doing made such actions extremely dangerous for both parties, during this nightmare my GF did manage to get through to the un-enraged person inside me and bring me down.

The second event happen a few years ago on a two lane wide highway during good weather, the driver of a newish large car did not yield the right hand lane to me and after my standard waiting time of 5 seconds, I moved to the left lane and started to overtake the car on the inside. There was no other traffic within sight so this should have been the end of the matter. But no, the other driver decided to increase speed. Being alone in the car on this occassion I increased speed as well and we bowled down the road side by side for a while. There were few other cars on the road, when a pickup in front slowed to turn right I managed to get in front of my competitor in time to overtake a convoy of heavy lorries and a few buses. Being happy in my better driving skills I played leader in the less than friendly game of follow the leader for a while. After flashing his headlights at me a few times to encourage me to yield the right hand lane, he gunned his engine attempting to overtake on the inside before the gap in traffic he was aiming for disappeared, he was accelerating hard into a gap that was formed by the front of my truck (rented) and the back of a large coach, utter madness. He had to brake hard as the gap closed - my schadenfreude.

My moment of sanity kicked in when I saw the look on his passenger's face. I assumed that it was his wife, she was holding a baby (months rather than years old) on her lap. I know that I was in the right with regard to rules of the road and I had a better ability in reading the road's traffic than the other driver.

You can say that he won if you like to see it that way, as I 'allowed' him to overtake after we had passed the coach and the traffic that was in front of it. What is the mentality of someone that would put at risk the lives of wife and child in a game of cat & mouse on the road. Between two guys alone in their cars, OK that happens - but to risk your wife or a child, is Thai 'face' worth killing your family to maintain against a farang driver on a section of road miles from anywhere?

I feel I am a better person from not having to prove myself (I hope) on the road.

Also the Pattaya television news crews have enough car crashes to film without me adding to them.

So in a game that is likely result in a crash (the word accident can not be used in this context) if neither side is willing to concede or stop the game - the only way to win is not to play.

After you....

The same kind of mentality that can find 3 million baht for a car but can't be bothered to spend 2000baht for a car seat for his baby. What a looser. Ya did right to let him pass, its not the kid's fault to have been born to such a jerkoff.

[himachal]

There seem to be a lot of posters here championing retribution - some in the name of self defence, others more blatantly and aggressively.

I've always believed wars are better left unfought. The first step towards this is not to take up arms - guns or cars.

Peace to all,

H

[onnut]

Thai driver's red mist is very thick. The best way to win is not to play.

<deleted> me, David Carradine is a TV poster too!

OK - I'll respond. You pay me a great compliment if you think I have the wisdom of the character Caine from that 70s TV series, or do you mean Bill from Kill Bill I am neither - despite some above average driving training in my past I am sure that I am worst than average depending how you perform the measurement.

In the many miles I've driven here I have twice encountered serious road rage. On one occasion a truck cut me up on a dark dangerous road during a rain storm, I returned the favor and that set the stage for about a 10 minute dual between us. I got to the point of deciding that if his truck hit mine I would take him off the road with a tactical ramming procedure, fishtail him into the central ditch whitch was lined with medium sized trees, in truck vs tree crashes the tree seldom looses. The high speed we were both doing made such actions extremely dangerous for both parties, during this nightmare my GF did manage to get through to the un-enraged person inside me and bring me down.

The second event happen a few years ago on a two lane wide highway during good weather, the driver of a newish large car did not yield the right hand lane to me and after my standard waiting time of 5 seconds, I moved to the left lane and started to overtake the car on the inside. There was no other traffic within sight so this should have been the end of the matter. But no, the other driver decided to increase speed. Being alone in the car on this occassion I increased speed as well and we bowled down the road side by side for a while. There were few other cars on the road, when a pickup in front slowed to turn right I managed to get in front of my competitor in time to overtake a convoy of heavy lorries and a few buses. Being happy in my better driving skills I played leader in the less than friendly game of follow the leader for a while. After flashing his headlights at me a few times to encourage me to yield the right hand lane, he gunned his engine attempting to overtake on the inside before the gap in traffic he was aiming for disappeared, he was accelerating hard into a gap that was formed by the front of my truck (rented) and the back of a large coach, utter madness. He had to brake hard as the gap closed - my schadenfreude.

My moment of sanity kicked in when I saw the look on his passenger's face. I assumed that it was his wife, she was holding a baby (months rather than years old) on her lap. I know that I was in the right with regard to rules of the road and I had a better ability in reading the road's traffic than the other driver.

You can say that he won if you like to see it that way, as I 'allowed' him to overtake after we had passed the coach and the traffic that was in front of it. What is the mentality of someone that would put at risk the lives of wife and child in a game of cat & mouse on the road. Between two guys alone in their cars, OK that happens - but to risk your wife or a child, is Thai 'face' worth killing your family to maintain against a farang driver on a section of road miles from anywhere?

I feel I am a better person from not having to prove myself (I hope) on the road.

Also the Pattaya television news crews have enough car crashes to film without me adding to them.

So in a game that is likely result in a crash (the word accident can not be used in this context) if neither side is willing to concede or stop the game - the only way to win is not to play.

After you....

The same kind of mentality that can find 3 million baht for a car but can't be bothered to spend 2000baht for a car seat for his baby. What a looser. Ya did right to let him pass, its not the kid's fault to have been born to such a jerkoff.

they dont like using baby seats do they? my misses couldnt believe i spent 20 odd K on one for our littlen. at the end of the day its nothing if you cant drive right though is it?

[lazeeboy]

You flipped some guy the finger and got beaten up for it. It took you how many years before you learned that lesson?

The guy deserved the finger, he was driving negligently and rudely. For the driver and his friends to have responded with violence is a criminal action that cannot be condoned. The OP should have taken a license number down. reported the assault and battery to the police, and paid the 'police fee' to ensure prosecution.

hard to take down a number while unconscious

[cluezo]

Let me weigh in on this. When you're suddenly attacked by 3 guys, two of whom are younger and stronger than you (I think I could have handled the driver who was smaller and older) and fists and feet are flying and you're trying your best to minimize the damage, you brain doesn't process information in terms of, gee, where is my pen...I gotta get the license plate of this truck ... where is some paper to write it down on... Ever get slammed in in head repeatedely, kicked in the ribs, slugged in the face all in a matter of seconds by three grown men? Quite a sensation and not pleasant. I was trying to survive, for god's sake. I guess I could have said: "hold on a second gentlemen, I need to record pertinent information vis-a'-vis your license plate, names, dates-of-birth, ID card numers, etc., before you continue to pound me into the ground. I doubt they would have obliged me. MEMORIZE the license plate? Shit, I never saw it! Even if I did there is no way I had the wherewithall to remember it.

[Huey]

Let me weigh in on this. When you're suddenly attacked by 3 guys, two of whom are younger and stronger than you (I think I could have handled the driver who was smaller and older) and fists and feet are flying and you're trying your best to minimize the damage, you brain doesn't process information in terms of, gee, where is my pen...I gotta get the license plate of this truck ... where is some paper to write it down on... Ever get slammed in in head repeatedely, kicked in the ribs, slugged in the face all in a matter of seconds by three grown men? Quite a sensation and not pleasant. I was trying to survive, for god's sake. I guess I could have said: "hold on a second gentlemen, I need to record pertinent information vis-a'-vis your license plate, names, dates-of-birth, ID card numers, etc., before you continue to pound me into the ground. I doubt they would have obliged me. MEMORIZE the license plate? Shit, I never saw it! Even if I did there is no way I had the wherewithall to remember it.

Exactly, you did good to hold your own against those worthless cowards.