Car And Motorcycle Accident

[davidthai]

I would just like someone to share there experience of what happens when you have an accident, i was driving a car doing a U turn and a motorcycle with a rider and pillion passenger slammed into me , luckily they where walking wounded and only needed patching up at the hospital , i have 1st class insurance and there rep came to the scene of the accident and took pictures etc and told me not to worry , the police turned up about 1/2 hour later and also took pictures , it was then arranged to take my car to the police station where i am told it could stay for a week or so waiting for some government dept to check it out . i also had to go to the police station and answer questions about the accident , the police then told me to come back in one week and attend with the other parties (Students) where there would be confrontation with the other party and more questions , they have kept my Thai driving licence , i have been told i may have to pay some type of ex gratia payment asked for by the other party even though i think they where in the wrong and not me , and even though i have 1st class insurance which should pay for everything , if they where in the wrong shouldnt there insurance have to pay (Presuming they have insurance and tax) can someone please share with me if they had the same routine as i am having to go through to put my mind at ease ,( i can see them at home with there family conjuring up what to ask from the farang ) I am ok with accepting thai culture and living by it but sometimes i dont understand there logic , i have been driving here accident free for 9 years now so i suppose i have been lucky up to now

[SeanMoran]

This Kingdom of Thailand is a wonderful, amazing place, free of the constraints of modern western authoritarianism - a land of hope and harmony - until you get phucked up by someone who happens to be born here, on a road.

Then you pay, with your body, with your mind, with your wallet, and with your soul.

I am alive to keep on typing even now. I am one of the lucky ones. Don't let those dollars ruin your future karma or you might end up like me.

[mca]

Let your insurance sort it out. That's what they're there for. As for any other payment if you're in the right (and can be proven to be so) stand your ground. You're in the right. What are they going to do?

[quiksilva]

Contact your insurance company and inform them of the claim.

[anchan42]

Ask you insurance to sort it out. I would not even talk to the other party. Well.. I might ask if they have got a driving license. Do not pay. Tell them to talk to insurance if they ask for money. Press with your insurance that you need you car back and running ASAP. Ask them if they have a car that you can use during the period.

Bring trusted Thai with you when you go to the police station would help.

[jubby]

Contact your insurance company and inform them of the claim.

What he said.

I can't see the need for them to take your driving licence off you.

I've just had dealings with the Police over an accident with my Motorbike and a Mini Van. Minivan was clearly in the wrong. I was insisting on Insurance involvement and took lots of photo's with my Mobile Phone just in case. The Police dealt with it very well. The woman driver was fined 400 baht on the spot. We went to the police station and a report was filed along with the womans intention to fix my motorbike. All documented and signed by all parties. The Police asked me if I wanted Money, which alarmed me at first but I suspect its just the Thai way of dealing with these things without resorting to Insurance Claims. She was lucky I wasn't Thai as I said No.

[Yimmy]

I would say bring a lawyer to the police station with you. Let the police and other party know straight away that they aren't dealing with some chump. Any BS about you paying damages (if they're in the wrong) and it's going to court. This is not the time to pussy-foot around.

[monty]

As many said above.

Let your insurance guy sort it out. It is them who will have to pay if they somehow want to fault you for the accident, so if you are not at fault the insurance will do its best to make sure it'll get recorded as such.

[powderpuff]

Hopefully you had your turn signal on.

Assuming the answer to that is yes then like all around the world - if someone hits you from behind he is at fault.

First class insurance? No brainer. Your agent takes care of it.

And you get your car repaired at a DEALER - not Somchai's body shop.

[mca]

Bring trusted Thai with you when you go to the police station

Essential.

About 5 years ago my Swedish neighbour got tailgated at a red traffic light with me as passenger. We went to the police station the next day with his brother in law who's a doctor. The other party of (I'm sorry to call a spade a spade) hillbillies turned up with the entire family in tow. Cousins, aunts, uncles etc all wanting a draw because I guess their lottery numbers hadn't come up that month. It was "farang" this and "farang" that. We were out of there within 20 minutes after his brother in law had his say. None of this "Do you know I'm a doctor" Puu Yai <deleted>. Just calm and clear conversation along the lines of "How can a person tailgated at a red light be held responsible in any way?" type stuff.

[PattayaParent]

What jubby said.

When someone ran into me it was all sorted down at the cop shop within an hour, no need to go back a week later or leave my car behind.

Same with another mate on a motocy who caused an accident, it was sorted immediately.

[filingaccount]

Car with the police for a week? What?

Normally you wait around 30 minutes after the accident, people show up, pictures are taken, insurance people talk to each other, they try to establish who was actually at fault (and normally they are correct), and everyone leaves (unless someone died).

You just drop off your damaged vehicle at your dealer garage whenever it suits you and the insurance pays it.

If it isn't like this, change insurance company immediately.

[p_brownstone]

Unless someone is injured it’s probably best not to get the police involved at all.

Just last week my car was hit; damaged the rear passenger door, wheel arch and the Mag wheel all of which will cost about Baht 20,000.- to repair or replace properly (at a Toyota Dealership / Repairshop). The offending driver - a rather cute and flustered Thai woman - readily admitted fault. We exchanged Name Cards and Insurance details and I had her write and sign an admission of fault. No police involved and we were both on our way within 10 minutes.

Amusingly, later - once she had had time to refect, she called my wife and asked that we not Report the accident to the Insurance Companies for a couple of days .......... so she could upgrade her Insurance to include coverage for the cost of damage to another vehicle .

Patrick

[TheJoker12]

results?

[Garry9999]

If it's not too late already, make really good friends with the police involved.

This Kingdom of Thailand is a wonderful, amazing place, free of the constraints of modern western authoritarianism - a land of hope and harmony - until you get phucked up by someone who happens to be born here.

BTW Great comment.

[Phuyai]

Car and motorcycle accident: Advice/comments on any options for recovering costs

My wife's two daughters were riding a motorcycle near Krabi. They were involved in an accident with a pickup. Both were injured: one with broken leg and broken arm, the other with broken leg and broken pelvis.

The costs for hospital treatment for elder daughter have been covered by insurance under her employment. Hospital costs for the younger daughter (total THB18,000) have been paid by me. I have also paid for their transport back to home in Isan for both daughters (another THB18,000).

I am told the following:

* the motorbike registration and insurance expired 2 days before the accident

* the police have stated to my wife that the motorcycle driver (older daughter) was in the wrong

The description of the accident from my wife's daughters is as follows:

* the accident was at about 8pm (ie it was dark)

* road conditions were straight road, 4 lanes (2x2 lanes), good tarmac, in an area with houses but outside the main town (with a posted speed limit, 60?), sodium lighting - good visibility

* motor cycle entered the road from service station, turning right after stopping at road verge

* a slow moving car approached on the right-hand side of the motorcycle

* the motorcycle driver saw the slow moving car and assessed time to cross in front but did not see it was being overtaken by a fast-moving pickup

* the pickup collided with motorcycle close to the centerline of the road

From this description, I think the police assessment of fault is technically correct, but does not allow for probable speeding by the pickup.

* I have no knowledge of whether the police obtained any independent witness accounts but presume they interviewed the pickup driver

* the police have not interviewed the older daughter although she phoned the police while she was in hospital asking for details to contact the driver of the pickup

* the police did not provide the requested contact information either to her or to her mother when she visited the police station

* when her mother spoke to the police, they would not say more than "your daughter is at fault"

I understand there is no possibility of a claim against the motorcycle's compulsory personal injury insurance since the registration was overdue by 2 days. I am unclear why the police have not mentioned a possible charge of riding an unlicensed motorbike.

Do I understand correctly that, since the police state the pickup driver was not at fault, there is no possibility to claim under the pickup compulsory insurance?

[Loz]

2008 motorbike hit my car from rear passenger side. Old boy on a honda wave. messed up his bike a bit. messed up my Yaris a bit. Police came then more police came and took pics. he and all the thai cronies that rallied around gave their account. I gave mine, supported with pics I took right away. We went to the police station. It was established he had no insurance. It was established it was HIS Fault. This involved him being taken out, shown his bike and my car and then shouted at by the senior officer followed by him coming back in and apologising several times to me. My licence was returned. he was taken away to pay a four hundred bhat fine (no insurance I presume) and I left on the understanding that my insurance would sort me out. I had the report naming the guy so they could pursue him for out of pocket expenses...

That was how it worked for me in Korat. I thought everyone behaved impecably. I didn't rant I just pointed out what happend in the correct order of events. The physical evidence backed up my account. Game set and match.

Ask your insurers if they have a lawyer you can talk to. That might get them involved without them losing face...