The Secret Tourist

[samuiseagull]

The Secret Tourist aired on BBC One 4th August 2010.

Undercover footage filmed on Koh Samui highlighting scooter rental firms, dangerous roads and lack of insurance of holidaymakers.

Check it out on BBC i PLAYER if you are able to.

[Bobr]

Please pardon the sarcasm, but I can't resist. "Lack of insurance" wow, British television must be very exciting.

[tw25rw]

Please pardon the sarcasm, but I can't resist. "Lack of insurance" wow, British television must be very exciting.

As in suddenly discovering their travel insurance won't pay up for motorbike accidents..

[Boater]

Anyone got a link ? As bbc iplayer doesn't work in thailand

[Rooo]

Just look at the The British travel advisory, clearly mention motorbikes & no insurance.

[bifftastic]

Anyone got a link ? As bbc iplayer doesn't work in thailand

I had a little 'google around' but couldn't find a link that didn't just send me to the iplayer. I believe, if you're interested, that is is available for download on 'certain' sites

I did see it myself and it just explains how people are usually not covered by their travel insurance for riding motorcycles, especially without the relevant licence, also interviews a few holiday makers, not wearing helmets and not realising how this may lead to their heads coming into contact with the ground, should they have the misfortune to fall off, and being unaware of, or oblivious to, the injuries this may cause.

The show also mentioned that even if you think you're insured, you're probably not.

[itishothere]

Please pardon the sarcasm, but I can't resist. "Lack of insurance" wow, British television must be very exciting.

It is. That's why I have moved here!

Joking aside, if just a few tourists watching the program think twice about hiring a bike and riding around without a care in the world, and as a result avoid an accident, then it will have been good tv!

[koheesti]

This might be it. I'm downloading it now.

http://thepiratebay.org/torrent/5739974/The.Secret.Tourist.S01E02.WS.PDTV.XviD-BARGE

[koheesti]

I just watched it. The show is split between Turkey, Spain and Samui. Half of the Samui part is filmed back in the UK. They rented 10 bikes and showed how unsafe they were. They could have gone into the reason Brit tourists are 3 times more likely to crash than the locals - because many of them drive like idiots.

[imola]

I just watched it. The show is split between Turkey, Spain and Samui. Half of the Samui part is filmed back in the UK. They rented 10 bikes and showed how unsafe they were. They could have gone into the reason Brit tourists are 3 times more likely to crash than the locals - because many of them drive like idiots.

i wouldnt disagree with that, tourists , seem to me, to drive aimlessly without much care, and as the majority of these "small" scooters are above 49.9cc,they fail to realise, that they have no insurance ,regardless of what they reckon their travel policy says.

i prefer the simple rule of , why get there in 6mins , when you can arrive a hel_l of a lot safer in 10 mins

zero gaurantee obviously, law of the jungle really tbh

[BigC]

Please pardon the sarcasm, but I can't resist. "Lack of insurance" wow, British television must be very exciting.

typical nanny england. the customers are happy to pay the rent. they know the consquenses./ the leasee is happy to rent even though there bike miught come back in bits. so why the BBC get all busy for. have they run out of bullet proof vest in Iraq.

[screamingeagle]

I'm downloading it now to have a look. I have to say it's probably stating the blindingly obvious!!!!!

[robsamui]

Oh dear - trust the Beeb to scrape about desperately trying to find something contentious to make a feature around. I'm marginally surprised that they didn't scream with dismay about Samui not having geo-tagged garbage bins of different colours or the (DIY) builders of wood and tin shanties not following Euro-regs BS5548-7 for planning permission and heath and safety. Shock. Horror.

Far more entertaining (never mind the small print on the insurance) would have been a docu on WHAT the unsuspecting Brit might suddenly be faced with whilst puttering round the perimeter of our emerald isle. ie .....

Car drivers with no licence (part 2 would be a docu on just what is needed to PASS the test) children who's feet cant even touch the ground 4-up on scooters, 40-foot bamboo poles with a motorbike at each end, women with babies banging down the wrong side of the road, trucks suddenly crossing the traffic to drive on the wrong side of the road just so's they can stop right outside a 7-11 and don't have to walk across the road, nervous bikes stopped in the gutter with the left indicator going who mean to turn right and suddenly decide to do just that across 2 lines of traffic, and then maybe a visual catalogue of all the amusing ways that the Thais have devised to make a right-hand turn - corner-slicing (several variations), driving the last 40 feet on the wrong side of the road to get there quicker, and cars emerging onto the main road from the right hand lane of the side street into the RH lane of the main road head-on. And that's for starters.

Would be more interesting than "insurance"!

R

Edited August 7, 2010 by robsamui

[H2oDunc]

They could have stayed in the UK and made a better program about the total ignorance of motorcyclists shown by 90% of car drivers there. ( The other 10% were bike riders ) People call Thailand dangerous for bikes but they tend to be people who didn't ride a lot elsewhere. I feel far safer riding a bike here than I ever did back in the UK. There car drivers are totally oblivious to bikes. At least here they are used to bikes being everywhere and do to an extent take this into account. I also love the fact I can park my bike and leave the key in it and it will still be there the next morning or later. Back in the UK I used to have to haul about a stainless chain and 300 pounds of padlock, a disc lock, steering lock and an immobilizer and alarm and still was never sure the bike would be there when I got back.

The trouble here is the majority of renters do not ride bikes back home. They rent here as its a cheap option. To me though it is an expensive option in the end. When you think you can get a pick up / car for around 500-800 baht a day why would you risk it ? Especially when you see tourists riding round with their children on the bikes.

When I have posted about idiots riding round in just a pair of shorts and an I pod I get the " its his choice " crap postings. Forgetting it is not a choice but the law to wear a helmet.I would up the fine to 1000 baht a pop and do as they do in Chumphon and have a check point everyday and not just towards the end of the month.

[NALAK]

the programme pointed out that over 600 Brits die or injured on bikes in Thailand, and that Thailand was the most dangerous country in the world to visit. it also focused on a guy whos parents had to fork out £21,000 for hospital bills as he had not taken a cbt test. 50% of the bikes had no licence plates 0-10 were safe and when they pointed it out to one of the rental owners she made them pay 150 baht to fix a non existent puncture. typical Samui attitude. 3 out of the 10 bikes had little or no oil in which could have been costly in cash and deaths. as a result of the programme the Thai police gave out advice to motorbike rental companies. if the programme saves one death it was worth it.

suprised so many people not heard of a proxy server save all that looking for places to download it.

[BigC]

BBC forget why us english chose to live in Samui. no one forces us to live here. maybe the so called countries where they bost about freedome are not so free after all. i mean i feel far more relaxed in thailand and samui. so why the BBC want to make a stupid documentry is completly out of order.

People come here because they like. so much that allot of us come back and some of us don't want to leave. how about propmoting that. Or are people supposed to be bored and hissed off al the time like back in the UK

[Birdman]

In Germany and Austria and Switzerland there is a widely popular reality show called "Die Aussteiger" engl.: "the dropouts"

An upright German couple, which came to Samui to open a bar without any knowledge about anything in Thailand - astonishingly successful they are...

[sbk]

So, did they also cover the astonishingly large number of tourists who rent motorbikes with absolutely no driving knowledge? Or is that everyone else's fault too? Personal responsibility seems to be lacking in some people.

[MSingh]

They could have gone into the reason Brit tourists are 3 times more likely to crash than the locals - because many of them drive like idiots.

Having been a Resident on the Island for 7 Years, i am simply not having that what you write, you are horribly wrong & you make an even more absurd point by attmpting to get people to think that " the locals " DON'T in fact " drive like idiots " when they do, oh my God/Allah/Buddah they do & regulary..

I saw Brits driving like Idiots of course i did & i could probably count the amount of times in those 7 Years on my two hands.

However i could count the number of times " the locals " drove like Idiots in my final week on Samui on 2 hands too, but i'd sadly run out of fingers after a day..

Edited August 7, 2010 by MSingh

[koheesti]

They could have gone into the reason Brit tourists are 3 times more likely to crash than the locals - because many of them drive like idiots.

Having been a Resident on the Island for 7 Years, i am simply not having that what you write, you are horribly wrong & you make an even more absurd point by attmpting to get people to think that " the locals " DON'T in fact " drive like idiots " when they do, oh my God/Allah/Buddah they do & regulary..

I saw Brits driving like Idiots of course i did & i could probably count the amount of times in those 7 Years on my two hands.

However i could count the number of times " the locals " drove like Idiots in my final week on Samui on 2 hands too, but i'd sadly run out of fingers after a day..

1) The "3 times more likely" stat came from the program. I don't know where they got their stat from.

2) Yes, locals drive like idiots - but they've been doing it a lot longer than the naive tourist who is maybe riding a bike for the first time, and almost definitely the first time on Samui roads.

Edited August 7, 2010 by koheesti

[BusyBee123]

They could have stayed in the UK and made a better program about the. ( The other 10% were bike riders ) People call Thailand dangerous for bikes but they tend to be people who didn't ride a lot elsewhere. I feel far safer riding a bike here than I ever did back in the UK. There car drivers are totally oblivious to bikes. At least here they are used to bikes being everywhere and do to an extent take this into account. I also love the fact I can park my bike and leave the key in it and it will still be there the next morning or later. Back in the UK I used to have to haul about a stainless chain and 300 pounds of padlock, a disc lock, steering lock and an immobilizer and alarm and still was never sure the bike would be there when I got back.

The trouble here is the majority of renters do not ride bikes back home. They rent here as its a cheap option. To me though it is an expensive option in the end. When you think you can get a pick up / car for around 500-800 baht a day why would you risk it ? Especially when you see tourists riding round with their children on the bikes.

When I have posted about idiots riding round in just a pair of shorts and an I pod I get the " its his choice " crap postings. Forgetting it is not a choice but the law to wear a helmet.I would up the fine to 1000 baht a pop and do as they do in Chumphon and have a check point everyday and not just towards the end of the month.

' total ignorance of motorcyclists shown by 90% of car drivers there'

think you should be saying total ignorance of motorcylists in the uk, especially those <deleted> who ride in between cars on the motorway which will be 99% of them

[mufcsamui]

I just watched it. The show is split between Turkey, Spain and Samui. Half of the Samui part is filmed back in the UK. They rented 10 bikes and showed how unsafe they were. They could have gone into the reason Brit tourists are 3 times more likely to crash than the locals - because many of them drive like idiots.

you are referring to the locals?

[mufcsamui]

And no mention of give us your passport, pretty weak programme it is much worse than shown.

[BigC]

I'm downloading it now to have a look. I have to say it's probably stating the blindingly obvious!!!!!

couldn't send us a download link could u. cheers

[wolf5370]

They could have stayed in the UK and made a better program about the total ignorance of motorcyclists shown by 90% of car drivers there. ( The other 10% were bike riders ) People call Thailand dangerous for bikes but they tend to be people who didn't ride a lot elsewhere. I feel far safer riding a bike here than I ever did back in the UK. There car drivers are totally oblivious to bikes. At least here they are used to bikes being everywhere and do to an extent take this into account. I also love the fact I can park my bike and leave the key in it and it will still be there the next morning or later. Back in the UK I used to have to haul about a stainless chain and 300 pounds of padlock, a disc lock, steering lock and an immobilizer and alarm and still was never sure the bike would be there when I got back.

The trouble here is the majority of renters do not ride bikes back home. They rent here as its a cheap option. To me though it is an expensive option in the end. When you think you can get a pick up / car for around 500-800 baht a day why would you risk it ? Especially when you see tourists riding round with their children on the bikes.

When I have posted about idiots riding round in just a pair of shorts and an I pod I get the " its his choice " crap postings. Forgetting it is not a choice but the law to wear a helmet.I would up the fine to 1000 baht a pop and do as they do in Chumphon and have a check point everyday and not just towards the end of the month.

hear hear on everything you said - especially the first para - been riding in since I was 16 and feel much safer here than in the UK. Most of these rider tourists here are driving illegally anyway. Unless they have passed a bike test back home, then their int. licenses do not cover bikes. If they had proper bike licenses (from the UK) then they will know how to ride safely, dominate their lane and know as a biker they have to anticipate the other drivers well ahead (and expect every turning to suddenly produe a speeding, blind, motorist).

So many expats and tourists drive when well over the limit - way beyond they would ever do at home. At my local eaterie here last night, another expat local (an Amerian, but seen it often with fellow Brits too) said hyi when I got there with my kids to eat. He was already very drunk, and said (slurred) as much. An hour later, and many Heinekens, he left (after getting told off be a Thai patron for being too drunk when he kept interupting her meal for a drunken chat). He staggered off and climbed in his big black 4X4 to head home. I said to the owner (who is a friend) 'wow, he was drunk tonight - hope nhe's OK driving#' - her reply? 'Every night he like that ' <shakes head>

Edited August 8, 2010 by wolf5370

[corkman]

I'm downloading it now - expecting it to be a pharse.......

None-the-less ..... whether the tourists be Brits, German, American, Aussie, or from anywhere other than Samui, riding a bike in Samui is a fools game..... I know countless numbers of people who have come off bikes, despite driving relaitvely sensibly...... if you are not intimately familiar with Thai road ethics, not to mention little things like HUGE potholes, road cambers in the wrong direction, sand and god only knows what else, then riding a bike around Samui is asking for trouble. And lets not forget, most tourists who hop on a bike have never driven a motor bike before either.

I have been coming to Samui for 10 years now - and the only piece of advice I give tourists going there (friends etc.) is do not hire a bike..... least of all because of insurance..... us farangs will all get over having to shell out a couple of hundred thousand baht from our own money, but people get seriously hurt and sometimes killed, every hour, let alone day. It's not just your holiday it could spoil. Does the hospital still have a "score chart" up with the number of bike accidents per day?

I'll be interested to see what the Beeb program says - it should say "look, if you go to Samui, please be aware that you are not in disneyland and if you have an acident the hospitals are crap and so a relatively minor injury such as a badly broken limb or compound fracture could be serious and will likely lead to a permanent disability. The roads themselves are not exaclty great, the drivers are partly insane, drunk, or just stupid, or a combination of all 3. xx number of people are injured every day, yy of them are tourists. But the good news is, bikes are cheap (and so is life) so be a big boy (or girl) and don't winge about it when your arrogance surpasses your ignorance and you end up as one of the yy tourists. We are not saying don't hire a bike, we are just saying be aware of these risks which may not have previsouly occured to you."

[screamingeagle]

I'm downloading it now to have a look. I have to say it's probably stating the blindingly obvious!!!!!

couldn't send us a download link could u. cheers

The best, IMHO, is Bit Che is one of the best torrent trackers. Google it, download the software, install and then type "secret tourist" in the search bar.

[BigC]

I'm downloading it now to have a look. I have to say it's probably stating the blindingly obvious!!!!!

couldn't send us a download link could u. cheers

The best, IMHO, is Bit Che is one of the best torrent trackers. Google it, download the software, install and then type "secret tourist" in the search bar.

cheers for that

[koheesti]

A friend of mine rides a scooter back home. Came to Samui, rented a bike and had a great time. About 9 months later he returned to Thailand, this time Phuket. Ended up in the hospital for weeks due to a bike accident. I don't know the details, but he isn't a wild rider, is experienced on bikes and even in Thailand (and China where he lives). He still ended up in the hospital.

When I lived on Samui every time I got on the back of a taxi bike I envisioned it my last minutes on Earth. I had one guy I would call for over 2 years because he was never in a hurry which is the way I like it on the back of one of those things. A farang friend of mine would speed and weave when I was on the back and piss me off. He'd say that he does it all the time but I would remind him not with nearly 90kg of extra weight on the back he doesn't. Still another friend, on two searate occasions I told him to slow down so he starts weaving like an idiot to show me how in control he is. Something about those bikes just brings out the foolishness in people.

[BigC]

A friend of mine rides a scooter back home. Came to Samui, rented a bike and had a great time. About 9 months later he returned to Thailand, this time Phuket. Ended up in the hospital for weeks due to a bike accident. I don't know the details, but he isn't a wild rider, is experienced on bikes and even in Thailand (and China where he lives). He still ended up in the hospital.

When I lived on Samui every time I got on the back of a taxi bike I envisioned it my last minutes on Earth. I had one guy I would call for over 2 years because he was never in a hurry which is the way I like it on the back of one of those things. A farang friend of mine would speed and weave when I was on the back and piss me off. He'd say that he does it all the time but I would remind him not with nearly 90kg of extra weight on the back he doesn't. Still another friend, on two searate occasions I told him to slow down so he starts weaving like an idiot to show me how in control he is. Something about those bikes just brings out the foolishness in people.

it is simmple. it is not perfect here but we are not forced to stay here. People like the BBC just like to show there power by trying to rewin small businesses. it is hard enough to make a living out here yet these big corperations just come through and paint a bad picture.

it is simple there is not people beating the guards at the aiport to leave samui. so why create a problem when there isn't 1.

the problem is Taxi's u can rent a car for a day for the same price as an airport run. u can rent a big for the same price as a bike taxi from tesco to chaweng and back.

it is not perfect but everybody has some common sense maybe the indivuals should blame themselves or just not travel at all and BBC go back to where u came from