German Tourist Killed By Hit-and-run Driver In Pattaya

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German tourist killed by hit-and-run driver in Pattaya

Pattaya, Chon Buri - A German tourist was killed by a speeding pickup while he was crossing a road in this seaside town early Tuesday, police said.

Wolfgang Ley, 55, ws hit and killed at the mouth of Soi Naklua 1 Road off the Pattaya-Naklua Road in Bang Lamung district at 2:30 am.

A witness told police that he saw Ley crossing the road to a beer bar but a speeding Izuzu pickup crashed into him, hurling body some 10 metres away.

The witness could not remember the license plate of the truck and police were still hunting for the hit-and-run driver.

-- The Nation 2009/12/22

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[Donnyboy]

hope they catch the ratbag

R.I.P.

[Scott]

My condolences to the family and friends of the victim.

[Oberkommando]

Yesterday in Bangkok I twice used a zebra crossing; one of the newer ones with traffic lights. When the lights changed some of the traffic did not even bother to stop, in fact one black Vios increased its speed past an already dangerous velocity to beat me attempting to cross the road, and in doing so almost hit me.

Every time I use these crossings I am extra careful as Thai drivers have little or no regard for the pedestrian.

[pwills]

there seems to be little knowledge about what "zebra crossings" are for there is a crossing near the market near us but people will not use it as it is about 20 metres further away from the market and I have yet to see any drivers slow down or stop to allow anybody to cross the road at a zebra crossing. There are crossings at my son's school but there still has to be a policeman to guide the children acroos the road.

[Langsuan Man]

"zebra crossings" are aiming points for Thai drivers

[tropo]

They could spare some cops eagerly giving out no-helmet fines to motorcyclists and start enforcing pedestrian crossing awareness, but of course this will never happen.

I see a lot of European pedestrians getting upset when they realise the traffic does not stop at pedestrian crossings. They're a waste of paint.

[Langsuan Man]

They could spare some cops eagerly giving out no-helmet fines to motorcyclists and start enforcing pedestrian crossing awareness, but of course this will never happen.

Actually tropo in Pattaya they could just move their check point down 20 Meters or so on Pattaya Tai in front of Tukcom and they could do both

[sedeflonga]

Get him and burn him! Condolences to the mans family. What a bad way to leave life...

[MrJohnson]

Yesterday in Bangkok I twice used a zebra crossing; one of the newer ones with traffic lights. When the lights changed some of the traffic did not even bother to stop, in fact one black Vios increased its speed past an already dangerous velocity to beat me attempting to cross the road, and in doing so almost hit me.

Every time I use these crossings I am extra careful as Thai drivers have little or no regard for the pedestrian.

I think those 'Zebra' crossings are merely ornamental.

[Credo]

Sympathies to the family and friends. RIP

[rick66]

Yesterday in Bangkok I twice used a zebra crossing; one of the newer ones with traffic lights. When the lights changed some of the traffic did not even bother to stop, in fact one black Vios increased its speed past an already dangerous velocity to beat me attempting to cross the road, and in doing so almost hit me.

Every time I use these crossings I am extra careful as Thai drivers have little or no regard for the pedestrian.

I think those 'Zebra' crossings are merely ornamental.

Well yeah, duh. Obviously they're ornamental.

I mean how many zebras have you actually seen in Thailand

[EmU]

Yesterday in Bangkok I twice used a zebra crossing; one of the newer ones with traffic lights. When the lights changed some of the traffic did not even bother to stop, in fact one black Vios increased its speed past an already dangerous velocity to beat me attempting to cross the road, and in doing so almost hit me.

Every time I use these crossings I am extra careful as Thai drivers have little or no regard for the pedestrian.

pedestrian crossings any where in thailand are just a waste of paint

[dude007]

Yesterday in Bangkok I twice used a zebra crossing; one of the newer ones with traffic lights. When the lights changed some of the traffic did not even bother to stop, in fact one black Vios increased its speed past an already dangerous velocity to beat me attempting to cross the road, and in doing so almost hit me.

Every time I use these crossings I am extra careful as Thai drivers have little or no regard for the pedestrian.

even worse; when I stopped for a zebra crossing to let a group of people cross the road, the car behind started hunking... Seriously disturbed by this rude and aggressive attitude I stepped out of my car but the Thai guy behind me swirled around my vehicle, gave me the middle finger and sped away almost hitting a young lady...

Do I have to check the Thai traffic regulations again regarding pedestrain crossings in Bangkok because I believe there is something that I don't know or don't understand and which must be basically different from other countries ?!

[dangermouse]

thais are some of the worst drivers in the world....overtaking on a bend on a hill seems to be the normal...running red light seconds after the green has changed...going the opposite way to the traffic flow.

years ago i nearly stepped into the path of a motorbike coming the opposite way down a one way st doing 60...i think only my 6th sense stopped me.

might be more to this than meeets the eye though...slammed into by a speeding pick up on an open street...in pattaya as well.

[andygunther]

My condolences to the family.

[hungryINbangkok]

Yesterday in Bangkok I twice used a zebra crossing; one of the newer ones with traffic lights. When the lights changed some of the traffic did not even bother to stop, in fact one black Vios increased its speed past an already dangerous velocity to beat me attempting to cross the road, and in doing so almost hit me.

Every time I use these crossings I am extra careful as Thai drivers have little or no regard for the pedestrian.

was that at Asoke by any chance? I had the same thing yesterday!

[Viper]

In my experience Thai drivers have no respect what so ever of anything on the road. Ive seen drivers purposely aim for dogs, drive carelessly close to the bumper of the car in front, try to ram other cars out the way. I consider myself a good careful driver, but when driving here in Thailand my nerves and wits are tested to the fullest! I guess they all think there invulnerable and good old Buddha will take care of them because they got that special amulet given to them by the monk who said if you wear this you can never die!

[Mamboking]

Believe me guys, Thais aren't really worst drives in the world.

[basjke]

They could spare some cops eagerly giving out no-helmet fines to motorcyclists and start enforcing pedestrian crossing awareness, but of course this will never happen.

Actually tropo in Pattaya they could just move their check point down 20 Meters or so on Pattaya Tai in front of Tukcom and they could do both

Or maybe they could at checkpoints they have nearby a traffic light stop those murderers jumping red light.But from experience I know they don't give a <deleted> about.

Probably to much work to signal over the radio to the next team that another murderer is on his way.Easier to stop those bikers with no helmet that only harm themselves and extort some money from them.

[Mamboking]

In my experience Thai drivers have no respect what so ever of anything on the road. Ive seen drivers purposely aim for dogs, drive carelessly close to the bumper of the car in front, try to ram other cars out the way. I consider myself a good careful driver, but when driving here in Thailand my nerves and wits are tested to the fullest! I guess they all think there invulnerable and good old Buddha will take care of them because they got that special amulet given to them by the monk who said if you wear this you can never die!

About amulet it would be kind of irony but they are really think so and they don't care about their life and people around because of that!

[JatujakShopper]

there seems to be little knowledge about what "zebra crossings" are for there is a crossing near the market near us but people will not use it as it is about 20 metres further away from the market and I have yet to see any drivers slow down or stop to allow anybody to cross the road at a zebra crossing. There are crossings at my son's school but there still has to be a policeman to guide the children acroos the road.

My sincere condolences to the family.

This kind of wreckless driving behavior is execrable and the norm in LoS. It's well past time for the authorities to act but it will never happen. The zebra stripes are obviously meaningless, shame on Thai drivers! SHAME!!!

[HAL9000]

Every time I use these crossings I am extra careful as Thai drivers have little or no regard for the pedestrian.

That must be location dependent. Here in Sukhothai drivers are quite courteous about letting people across even where not marked for crossing. It may have something to do with the anonymity of big city life. I read that is a factor in road rage too. People in a car will behave in ways they never would face to face.

Edited December 22, 2009 by jkolak

[mccw]

About time for some road saftey cameras, ie number plate reading, to catch such things and enforce red lights and crossings. I could secure 1000 for 200k and do a reciept for 300 if it helps

[rethaired]

Don't you lose merit points when you kill or injure someone? Is it about human nature or about something more profound?

Granted, mistakes do occur, but there are very few drivers who use their signal lights, so is it that they cannot multi-task or remember that when you turn or is it that deep-seeded attitude that some have that the bigger you are, the more you can get away with it! Although, when you see the number of students allowed to drive out of their school parking lot without helmets, one might ask why is the staff no doing anything, it seems? Is it the Mai Pen Lai mentality? Or is it also about Buddhism?

"To Buddhism, however, death is not the end of life, it is merely the end of the body we inhabit in this life, but our spirit will still remain ... "

Or is just human nature (or animal) claiming back its right, for some people anyway!

[EasyCharters]

How sad!

Edited December 22, 2009 by EasyCharters

[chuenyongman]

there seems to be little knowledge about what "zebra crossings" are for there is a crossing near the market near us but people will not use it as it is about 20 metres further away from the market and I have yet to see any drivers slow down or stop to allow anybody to cross the road at a zebra crossing. There are crossings at my son's school but there still has to be a policeman to guide the children acroos the road.

I agree there is no education regarding Zebra crossings. I was travelling on a bus last year in the city of Surin. I had a good view of the road in front of the bus , Children were crossing the road on the Zebra crossing and I could not believe it when the bus driver was activating his horn tio clear the crossing. Also when I have used Zebra crossings the traffic will not give way to me whilst I am on the crossing.

[Igor]

I think those 'Zebra' crossings are merely ornamental.

Can't even remember the last time I saw a zebra in Bangkok.

Reminds me of a Hitchhiker's Guide story about how they disproved the existence of God and then went on to kill themselves at the next zebra crossing. Douglas Adams may have forgotten to mention this incident took place in BKK.

[nonghoidave]

Only 55...still a lot of life to live...sad. What a pity.

Could have happened anywhere in the world....but be careful....sometimes I swear it seems like some drivers aim at farang here in Chiangmai....

[Dakhar]

Zebra crossings are really just another invasion from the Western Imperalists.....

(Thai thinking)