An Other Motorbike Victim

[SamuiDude]

An other mate, friend many might have known has lost his life on motor bike and I wonder why no one hasn't posted it here before;

"He was on the bike to meet with his wife in Tesco

A Truck was pulling out of Samui Town Center

He could not stop anymore

Immediately dead"

This is really sad as I and many islanders know this past drummer and his family. Especially the grieving widow and her little beautiful now 4(?) year daughter must be in major pain ...

Can anyone shed some more light?? Especially so that she (they) could get some help now! Anyone with a number (SMS)??Could you mail me?

[SamuiDude]

"Whose going to pick you up when you fall?"

[smokie36]

"Whose going to pick you up when you fall?"

I'm sorry SamuiDude who are you referring to?

[Tropicalevo]

Sadly Samui continues to be the "motorcycle death capital of Thailand".

RIP and thoughts are with the family.

[ChiangMaiThai]

Very, very sad and I don't know why all the expat residents down there who can afford cars continue to ride around on those bikes like nothing could ever happen to them - most without helmets.

[screamingeagle]

I heard about this yesterday. My gf said she saw dead farang on bike near Tesco. RIP

[KTD]

Very sad news. rip

I was just looking at the GRSP and TARC sites before seeing this post. As someone

who loves motorcycles it really hits home to hear about tragedies like this almost every day.

Driving and riding here is something not to be taken lightly.

[SamuiDude]

"Whose going to pick you up when you fall?"

I'm sorry SamuiDude who are you referring to?

It would referrer to the remaining family. Truly, if someone knew (knows) Sam's wife could share her phone number. This must be really hard on both - the little daughter, whose father is never coming home and the wife, whose husband won't be aside loving and providing for the family anymore, living and staying far from her home country . How one arises?

R.I.P SAM

[SamuiDude]

Until someone closer (knew both) to the family is known I try to collect some names that are willing to help/assist by any means in her future efforts to organize this horrible ordeal. I'd reckon any suggestions are welcome.

R.I.P SAM

[robsamui]

A big shock for me - Assambai was everywhere around Mae Nam like some kind of fixture. How really really tragic for everyone, particularly his wife and daughter.

It seems that a big truck rear-ended him hard into the car in front.

But what really angers me is the oily evasive way the road-death figures are calculated. I came here 12 years ago and every month the paper at the time (Reporter or Express?) reported the police figures for the month. 12 years ago there were 25-30 deaths a MONTH on Samui. Now suddenly this is the yearly figure.

Because one particular police chief 4 or 5 years ago changed the system. Previously anyone who died as the result of a road traffic accident was a "death". But now it is not counted as a "death" unless the person is actually dead on arrival.

The volume of traffic on Samui must have quadrupled in the last 12 years and yet 12 years ago 360 people a year were killed on our roads and today only 30 or so are "killed" each year. It is shameful - an utter disgrace - that the locals authorities are so ashamed of this they have to openly lie about how many are killed on the roads here each year.

Give the dam_n police some real work. Train them to stop and fine lunatics speeding insanely into oncoming traffic. Impound the bikes of all the children who's feet can't even reach the ground. Instant spot fine for someone seen talking on a phone whilst driving. Speed traps, cameras and spot fines for trucks doing 90 in a 45 zone. Spot fines for driving on the wrong side of the road. Spot fines for not halting and looking when coming onto a main road from the side. Spot fine for tailgating - like they all just have to do. The list is endless and nobody gives a sh*t. As long as only "a few" odd farangs get killed each year that's all right then. It the farang's fault anyway because they don't know how to drive.

But if the truth came out about the estimated 1,000 people killed every year on an island with only 50,000 living there, that would be a very different matter . . . . .

Rob

Edited September 5, 2010 by robsamui

[robsamui]

Some more thinking on this ...

Annual road deaths in BKK in 2008 was approx. 5,000. (44% of the national total of 14,000)

Bangkok has a population of, say, 10 million.

Samui has at least 500 (conservative estimate) road deaths a year.

Samui has a population of (say) 50,000.

ie - Samui's road deaths run at 1% of the population.

IF Bangkok had the same proportion of annual road deaths that Samui has, then there would be 100,000 road deaths every year in BKK.

That puts the dreadful situation on Samui's roads more into perspective.

R

[ham]

so sorry , big loss again, this one on the neighbour island samui!

Sam was just new to us on Ko Phangan (at the JAM), we just meet him on the JAM on the 21th August........giving us a great drumming that night, here on Ko Phangan!

so sad

I make usually pictures for my website, during a JAM, and I'm used to make a kind of 1 front picture...........it was SAM that day

ham

moscow fish

jam team and all the musican who had the chance to play with him that night on Ko Phangan/Hinkong

R.I.P SAM

condolence to his wife, the kid and the family

[crusty]

A big shock for me - Assambai was everywhere around Mae Nam like some kind of fixture. How really really tragic for everyone, particularly his wife and daughter.

It seems that a big truck rear-ended him hard into the car in front.

But what really angers me is the oily evasive way the road-death figures are calculated. I came here 12 years ago and every month the paper at the time (Reporter or Express?) reported the police figures for the month. 12 years ago there were 25-30 deaths a MONTH on Samui. Now suddenly this is the yearly figure.

Because one particular police chief 4 or 5 years ago changed the system. Previously anyone who died as the result of a road traffic accident was a "death". But now it is not counted as a "death" unless the person is actually dead on arrival.

The volume of traffic on Samui must have quadrupled in the last 12 years and yet 12 years ago 360 people a year were killed on our roads and today only 30 or so are "killed" each year. It is shameful - an utter disgrace - that the locals authorities are so ashamed of this they have to openly lie about how many are killed on the roads here each year.

Give the dam_n police some real work. Train them to stop and fine lunatics speeding insanely into oncoming traffic. Impound the bikes of all the children who's feet can't even reach the ground. Instant spot fine for someone seen talking on a phone whilst driving. Speed traps, cameras and spot fines for trucks doing 90 in a 45 zone. Spot fines for driving on the wrong side of the road. Spot fines for not halting and looking when coming onto a main road from the side. Spot fine for tailgating - like they all just have to do. The list is endless and nobody gives a sh*t. As long as only "a few" odd farangs get killed each year that's all right then. It the farang's fault anyway because they don't know how to drive.

But if the truth came out about the estimated 1,000 people killed every year on an island with only 50,000 living there, that would be a very different matter . . . . .

Rob

" only 50,000 living here " robsamui to bring you up to date, the count is more like 250,000 with a breakdown of 8,000 farang residents, 10,000 tourists, 35,000 Samui locals, 50,000 Issan hotel staff, bar girls, waitresses and construction workers, 100,000 Burmese construction workers, restaurant staff. If you think the Burmese figures are high, get up one morning at 6am and park on the ringroad at Chaweng Noi and just count the 10 wheel, 6 wheel trucks and pickup trucks ferrying Burmese labourers to work.

On another note have you noticed that one in every two bikes on Samui have NO rear red lights ? And it is your fault when you hit them !

Edited September 5, 2010 by crusty

[Tony121]

R.I.P Sam

[BigC]

A big shock for me - Assambai was everywhere around Mae Nam like some kind of fixture. How really really tragic for everyone, particularly his wife and daughter.

It seems that a big truck rear-ended him hard into the car in front.

But what really angers me is the oily evasive way the road-death figures are calculated. I came here 12 years ago and every month the paper at the time (Reporter or Express?) reported the police figures for the month. 12 years ago there were 25-30 deaths a MONTH on Samui. Now suddenly this is the yearly figure.

Because one particular police chief 4 or 5 years ago changed the system. Previously anyone who died as the result of a road traffic accident was a "death". But now it is not counted as a "death" unless the person is actually dead on arrival.

The volume of traffic on Samui must have quadrupled in the last 12 years and yet 12 years ago 360 people a year were killed on our roads and today only 30 or so are "killed" each year. It is shameful - an utter disgrace - that the locals authorities are so ashamed of this they have to openly lie about how many are killed on the roads here each year.

Give the dam_n police some real work. Train them to stop and fine lunatics speeding insanely into oncoming traffic. Impound the bikes of all the children who's feet can't even reach the ground. Instant spot fine for someone seen talking on a phone whilst driving. Speed traps, cameras and spot fines for trucks doing 90 in a 45 zone. Spot fines for driving on the wrong side of the road. Spot fines for not halting and looking when coming onto a main road from the side. Spot fine for tailgating - like they all just have to do. The list is endless and nobody gives a sh*t. As long as only "a few" odd farangs get killed each year that's all right then. It the farang's fault anyway because they don't know how to drive.

But if the truth came out about the estimated 1,000 people killed every year on an island with only 50,000 living there, that would be a very different matter . . . . .

Rob

What angers me is that the so called volenteer forang police very rarely go out when there is an accident invloving a fornag unless it happens to be outside there office. or they happen to be driving past. u know who u r. u think u are big. but u r a big waste of space. you have radios u can here what is going on. put your cans of beer away an do what u signed up for. or just put your uniform in the bin.

sorry to speak strong but i want to air my point.

If forang police really want to do something for the island then do it. Got allot of anger for you lot. if u want me to see u and have a sit down and sorte this out then i am happy to do so.

[SamuiDude]

Thanks for your angry replies as it is what needed at the end of the day. There's very gray area on what is safe and what is cool. This time any helmet wouldn't have done the saving. Little blast on issue will not help neither as we have seen.

You have to start from the bottom - with the kids and their education and then radically increasing motorbike driving education. Driving without helmet seems to be a last line of defense around here. Last cowboys in the world can still be saved if cabs and by bar owner's collaboration. As this case may not have fit the normal issue - It is paramount that people always help when possible. After all - that's where our humanity lies...

[gdog205]

Until someone closer (knew both) to the family is known I try to collect some names that are willing to help/assist by any means in her future efforts to organize this horrible ordeal. I'd reckon any suggestions are welcome.

R.I.P SAM

R.I.P Sam........this is a very serious subject,i do worry about the amount of deaths here......i have driven here for 7 years,touch wood,nothing serious for me...but the state of some of the driving is laughable............helmet for me now,and a greatly reduced speed..............good luck to all who drive,bike or car..!

[gerazsolt]

They should have proper checking randomly everyday about helmet, license use, state of vehicle, speedchecks and traffic cameras. It would significantly decrease the fatalities and accidents, funny they just poster all around chaweng about this but they really not force it in law like everyday. I dont beleive they dont have manpower to cope this issue, its just lack of care and the mentality here is always like do what u like when u drive, nobody will care u.

The other day i drive my car safely and a long time living samui farang who always go very fast with his bike (i will try to post his plate number because he notorius reckless driver, we need a shame wall here on thaivisa i think) pass me on the left side very quick while i was showing my indicators to turning left but he still dangering many ppl around us with bikes and cars.... I was felt like i want to move the car left quicker but let him go coz dont want trouble but there is many ppl go like a crazy and really dont care anyone.

It would help if someone tell to police how the police work in europe. There is a reason why they do like that, have to check the papers, helmets, whatever every day different locations and everybody will scare and do it properly. maybe the first 2-3 months will be chaotic, but definatly everything will be normal, except the moaning crowd about why they force the law, haha...

The expats and locals mentality about the traffic police in samui i think its like a pinky friendly guy who sent by the state to represent the police as a tour guide.

they really not like the same as in Hungary where i come from there the police hunting on you without reason with post communist tricks and very tight control, very big difference..

I think many ppl like to live here because its like a wild west (i call it wild east), u can even drive bike while drinking ur singha, nobody will care...

R.I.P. for Sam...

[Tracer Round]

I came here 12 years ago and every month the paper at the time (Reporter or Express?) reported the police figures for the month. 12 years ago there were 25-30 deaths a MONTH on Samui. Now suddenly this is the yearly figure.

Sorry, I don't belive the first figure. Twenty-five to 30 deaths a month? Nearly one a day? I don't think so.

More likely was that the papers were taking "caualties" as meaning deaths (the papers here have always been edited by non-native English speakers). In fact, many native English speakers (including reporters on TV) confuse this:

A casualty is a person who is the victim of an accident, injury, or trauma. The word casualties is most often used by the news media to describe deaths and injuries resulting from wars or disasters. Casualties is sometimes misunderstood to mean fatalities, but non-fatal injuries are also casualties.

-- Wiki

I would bet serious money that those old figures were injuries, both fatal and otherwise.

So although the death toll is not a good thing, it is not in the stratosphere as this poster asserts.

[animatic]

A big shock for me - Assambai was everywhere around Mae Nam like some kind of fixture. How really really tragic for everyone, particularly his wife and daughter.

It seems that a big truck rear-ended him hard into the car in front.

But what really angers me is the oily evasive way the road-death figures are calculated. I came here 12 years ago and every month the paper at the time (Reporter or Express?) reported the police figures for the month. 12 years ago there were 25-30 deaths a MONTH on Samui. Now suddenly this is the yearly figure.

Because one particular police chief 4 or 5 years ago changed the system. Previously anyone who died as the result of a road traffic accident was a "death". But now it is not counted as a "death" unless the person is actually dead on arrival.

The volume of traffic on Samui must have quadrupled in the last 12 years and yet 12 years ago 360 people a year were killed on our roads and today only 30 or so are "killed" each year. It is shameful - an utter disgrace - that the locals authorities are so ashamed of this they have to openly lie about how many are killed on the roads here each year.

Give the dam_n police some real work. Train them to stop and fine lunatics speeding insanely into oncoming traffic. Impound the bikes of all the children who's feet can't even reach the ground. Instant spot fine for someone seen talking on a phone whilst driving. Speed traps, cameras and spot fines for trucks doing 90 in a 45 zone. Spot fines for driving on the wrong side of the road. Spot fines for not halting and looking when coming onto a main road from the side. Spot fine for tailgating - like they all just have to do. The list is endless and nobody gives a sh*t. As long as only "a few" odd farangs get killed each year that's all right then. It the farang's fault anyway because they don't know how to drive.

But if the truth came out about the estimated 1,000 people killed every year on an island with only 50,000 living there, that would be a very different matter . . . . .

Rob

Agree 100%. I have had idiots behind me honking because

I slowed not trusting a car coming in from the side before me.

I've had cars pass me going up hill into a blind spot just because

they hoped to pass the cars in front, and when they can't just

push into my spot and push my bike to the side out of their way.

The ego driven, 'I get more face if I am in front of you' attitude,

'I have a truck I will pay off for 10 years, so I can drive around you

and it makes me a bigger man.'

Shame about Sam of course, he was here long enough to know the driving style,

but it only takes one extra thoughtless idiot, who is driving even worse than the

typically bad and a life is ended, and a grieving family is left to fend for itself.

R.I.P. Asambai many folks enjoyed your music.

[animatic]

A big shock for me - Assambai was everywhere around Mae Nam like some kind of fixture. How really really tragic for everyone, particularly his wife and daughter.

It seems that a big truck rear-ended him hard into the car in front.

But what really angers me is the oily evasive way the road-death figures are calculated. I came here 12 years ago and every month the paper at the time (Reporter or Express?) reported the police figures for the month. 12 years ago there were 25-30 deaths a MONTH on Samui. Now suddenly this is the yearly figure.

Because one particular police chief 4 or 5 years ago changed the system. Previously anyone who died as the result of a road traffic accident was a "death". But now it is not counted as a "death" unless the person is actually dead on arrival.

The volume of traffic on Samui must have quadrupled in the last 12 years and yet 12 years ago 360 people a year were killed on our roads and today only 30 or so are "killed" each year. It is shameful - an utter disgrace - that the locals authorities are so ashamed of this they have to openly lie about how many are killed on the roads here each year.

Give the dam_n police some real work. Train them to stop and fine lunatics speeding insanely into oncoming traffic. Impound the bikes of all the children who's feet can't even reach the ground. Instant spot fine for someone seen talking on a phone whilst driving. Speed traps, cameras and spot fines for trucks doing 90 in a 45 zone. Spot fines for driving on the wrong side of the road. Spot fines for not halting and looking when coming onto a main road from the side. Spot fine for tailgating - like they all just have to do. The list is endless and nobody gives a sh*t. As long as only "a few" odd farangs get killed each year that's all right then. It the farang's fault anyway because they don't know how to drive.

But if the truth came out about the estimated 1,000 people killed every year on an island with only 50,000 living there, that would be a very different matter . . . . .

Rob

" only 50,000 living here " robsamui to bring you up to date, the count is more like 250,000 with a breakdown of 8,000 farang residents, 10,000 tourists, 35,000 Samui locals, 50,000 Issan hotel staff, bar girls, waitresses and construction workers, 100,000 Burmese construction workers, restaurant staff. If you think the Burmese figures are high, get up one morning at 6am and park on the ringroad at Chaweng Noi and just count the 10 wheel, 6 wheel trucks and pickup trucks ferrying Burmese labourers to work.

On another note have you noticed that one in every two bikes on Samui have NO rear red lights ? And it is your fault when you hit them !

I'd put it closer to 200K than 250K, but it certainly isn't the 50K officially registered persons here for sure.

Lots of Burmese certainly, but a bit more Issan northern Thai construction workers. 50/50.

I get this estimate from the Thai construction workers I know.

Yes lights out is not unusual. Some have no lights at all at any hour of the night, and not even a reflector.

The one that gets me is the fools who put red lights for head lights and white light behind.

Shear madness, and they seem to think this is 'cool'.

[robsamui]

" only 50,000 living here " robsamui to bring you up to date, the count is more like 250,000 with a breakdown of 8,000 farang residents, 10,000 tourists, 35,000 Samui locals, 50,000 Issan hotel staff, bar girls, waitresses and construction workers, 100,000 Burmese construction workers, restaurant staff. If you think the Burmese figures are high, get up one morning at 6am and park on the ringroad at Chaweng Noi and just count the 10 wheel, 6 wheel trucks and pickup trucks ferrying Burmese labourers to work.

On another note have you noticed that one in every two bikes on Samui have NO rear red lights ? And it is your fault when you hit them !

I stand corrected! (I was wondering quite where the 1 million a year tourists fitted in ...)

BUT - even so and allowing for the population of Samui at 250,000 then if Bangkok had a proportionate number of road deaths, then there would be 20,000 a year killed in BKK .....

Sorry, I don't belive the first figure. Twenty-five to 30 deaths a month? Nearly one a day? I don't think so.

More likely was that the papers were taking "caualties" as meaning deaths (the papers here have always been edited by non-native English speakers). In fact, many native English speakers (including reporters on TV) confuse this:

No - absolutely not! I was in correspondence with one of the Newpaper's staff over a letter of mine to the paper on this subject that the reporter/staffer said they would not be allowed to publish. The FATALATIES each month - not injuries - the fatalities in 1998 were an average of 30 a month. It was the reporter that then told me that the 'new' figures were based on actual deaths - ie if you can walk away only to die of internal injuries the next day you were not a "road death". Now only if you were dead on the road did it count. (I may even have the old emails still in my old posts ... but it's unlikely now...)

[sevenhills]

"It was the reporter that then told me that the 'new' figures were based on actual deaths - ie if you can walk away only to die of internal injuries the next day you were not a "road death". Now only if you were dead on the road did it count."

You are correct. Some years ago the death toll was very high (and it still is) which embarrassed the authorities, so they decided to only include the numbers which were deceased at the scene. <deleted>. As you mentioned if the person was still alive when arriving at the hospital and then died there, that does not count in the road fatality statistics. Another Thai scam and cover up.

There are more than 12000 road deaths in Thailand every year caused by drivers over the limit. During the Songkran Festival alone, there are around 600 road deaths with 41% caused by an excess of alcohol. In a study carried out 14 years ago, out of nearly 5000 drivers, 12.6% were found to have a BAC above the legal limit. Tests carried out between 10pm and midnight showed that 19% of the motorcycle drivers were over the limit and 16% of the drivers of 4 wheel vehicles also failed the test. Even in a country like Thailand that seems to value life so cheaply, these figures are appalling. If you think that things have got better since that survey, just go for a drive on any of Thailand's roads, especially late evening and see for yourself. It can be a frightening experience and often terrifying. Certainly an adventure scary enough to drive anyone to drink!

This was taken from the following link. http://www.thaiguide...over-the-limit/

Some interesting reading from 2007 Asian Road Statistics.pdf (I hope the attachment opens?)

RIP Sam.

[robsamui]

"It was the reporter that then told me that the 'new' figures were based on actual deaths - ie if you can walk away only to die of internal injuries the next day you were not a "road death". Now only if you were dead on the road did it count."

You are correct. Some years ago the death toll was very high (and it still is) which embarrassed the authorities, so they decided to only include the numbers which were deceased at the scene. <deleted>. As you mentioned if the person was still alive when arriving at the hospital and then died there, that does not count in the road fatality statistics. Another Thai scam and cover up.

There are more than 12000 road deaths in Thailand every year caused by drivers over the limit. During the Songkran Festival alone, there are around 600 road deaths with 41% caused by an excess of alcohol. In a study carried out 14 years ago, out of nearly 5000 drivers, 12.6% were found to have a BAC above the legal limit. Tests carried out between 10pm and midnight showed that 19% of the motorcycle drivers were over the limit and 16% of the drivers of 4 wheel vehicles also failed the test. Even in a country like Thailand that seems to value life so cheaply, these figures are appalling. If you think that things have got better since that survey, just go for a drive on any of Thailand's roads, especially late evening and see for yourself. It can be a frightening experience and often terrifying. Certainly an adventure scary enough to drive anyone to drink!

This was taken from the following link. http://www.thaiguide...over-the-limit/

Some interesting reading from 2007 Asian Road Statistics.pdf (I hope the attachment opens?)

RIP Sam.

a heartfelt RIP Sam to begin with lest I lose sight of the sentiment - I'll miss you man ...

But to be part-way fair, the Thai authorities are very much aware of the drink-drive problem and have put all their efforts into hitting this area to cut down the road accidents. Fair enough if you look at the statistics.

But Samui is a one-off in Thailand. There are so many accidents here in the daytime due to pure and simple careless or dangerous driving. Overtaking when there is no place to go is the big one here - the trucks and mini buses just force other cars off the road.

Tailgating is the next worse - big truck right on your a** and can't see you indicate right. And HOW many times have I caused a traffic jam by turning right? Car behind is so close that he can't drive round me so comes to a stop on my bumper.

Then parking/stopping dangerously - too dam_n lazy to park opposite 7-11 and walk across the road so simply bangs over onto the wrong side, drives 20 feet on the right side and parks right outside - right into the oncoming traffic.

And actually driving on the wrong side. How many times have I been cursed by motorbike drivers - driving on the wrong side - because they have to swing out past my car into the oncoming traffic to continue? What an annoying farang I am.

And then all those people who just come belting out of a side street without looking. I've even seen cars doing it - presumably that's how they always did it when when they were on a motorbike.

Children of 9 or 10 years riding about 3 or 4 up on a motorbike ...

And finally the SPEED thing. Utterly ridiculous considering the road surface here and the rest of the above. Yet not one speed gun on the island ..... (AFAIK)

The police on Samui need to be ordered to pay attention to all the aspects above. They need to be told what to look for, because if nobody orders them to do something specific they will do nothing at all. They need to focus on the dangerous aspects of driving, not only whether someone smells of alcohol.

It only needs two pairs of BIB, specially trained to do these things via specially intensive Special Training - one pair with a radio and a camcorder and another pair down the road to stop the offenders. Every day move to a different place around the ring-road. I bet anything that within the month the whole pace of the roads on Samui would have quietened down a lot - particularly if the Special BIB Radio Road Rats were a permanent fixture!

And just think of all the extra tea money the BIB would have!

R

Edited September 6, 2010 by robsamui

[Tropicalevo]

"It was the reporter that then told me that the 'new' figures were based on actual deaths - ie if you can walk away only to die of internal injuries the next day you were not a "road death". Now only if you were dead on the road did it count."

You are correct. Some years ago the death toll was very high (and it still is) which embarrassed the authorities, so they decided to only include the numbers which were deceased at the scene. <deleted>. As you mentioned if the person was still alive when arriving at the hospital and then died there, that does not count in the road fatality statistics. Another Thai scam and cover up.

There are more than 12000 road deaths in Thailand every year caused by drivers over the limit. During the Songkran Festival alone, there are around 600 road deaths with 41% caused by an excess of alcohol. In a study carried out 14 years ago, out of nearly 5000 drivers, 12.6% were found to have a BAC above the legal limit. Tests carried out between 10pm and midnight showed that 19% of the motorcycle drivers were over the limit and 16% of the drivers of 4 wheel vehicles also failed the test. Even in a country like Thailand that seems to value life so cheaply, these figures are appalling. If you think that things have got better since that survey, just go for a drive on any of Thailand's roads, especially late evening and see for yourself. It can be a frightening experience and often terrifying. Certainly an adventure scary enough to drive anyone to drink!

This was taken from the following link. http://www.thaiguide...over-the-limit/

Some interesting reading from 2007 Asian Road Statistics.pdf (I hope the attachment opens?)

RIP Sam.

a heartfelt RIP Sam to begin with lest I lose sight of the sentiment - I'll miss you man ...

But to be part-way fair, the Thai authorities are very much aware of the drink-drive problem and have put all their efforts into hitting this area to cut down the road accidents. Fair enough if you look at the statistics.

But Samui is a one-off in Thailand. There are so many accidents here in the daytime due to pure and simple careless or dangerous driving. Overtaking when there is no place to go is the big one here - the trucks and mini buses just force other cars off the road.

Tailgating is the next worse - big truck right on your a** and can't see you indicate right. And HOW many times have I caused a traffic jam by turning right? Car behind is so close that he can't drive round me so comes to a stop on my bumper.

Then parking/stopping dangerously - too dam_n lazy to park opposite 7-11 and walk across the road so simply bangs over onto the wrong side, drives 20 feet on the right side and parks right outside - right into the oncoming traffic.

And actually driving on the wrong side. How many times have I been cursed by motorbike drivers - driving on the wrong side - because they have to swing out past my car into the oncoming traffic to continue? What an annoying farang I am.

And then all those people who just come belting out of a side street without looking. I've even seen cars doing it - presumably that's how they always did it when when they were on a motorbike.

Children of 9 or 10 years riding about 3 or 4 up on a motorbike ...

And finally the SPEED thing. Utterly ridiculous considering the road surface here and the rest of the above. Yet not one speed gun on the island ..... (AFAIK)

The police on Samui need to be ordered to pay attention to all the aspects above. They need to be told what to look for, because if nobody orders them to do something specific they will do nothing at all. They need to focus on the dangerous aspects of driving, not only whether someone smells of alcohol.

It only needs two pairs of BIB, specially trained to do these things via specially intensive Special Training - one pair with a radio and a camcorder and another pair down the road to stop the offenders. Every day move to a different place around the ring-road. I bet anything that within the month the whole pace of the roads on Samui would have quietened down a lot - particularly if the Special BIB Radio Road Rats were a permanent fixture!

And just think of all the extra tea money the BIB would have!

R

Well said Rob - but you missed the "Hoons that get off the plane - never ridden a motorbike (or it was 30 years ago) rent a bike and then drive around the island gazing in awe at all of the amazing sights".

[angiud]

IMHO sadly more than one death a day for road accidents in Samui.

[sevenhills]

IMHO sadly more than one death a day for road accidents in Samui.

Yes I tend to agree with you. But shhhhhh no one in power wants to know or do anything about it.

Into the too hard basket. A bloody disgrace.

[BigC]

Thanks for your angry replies as it is what needed at the end of the day. There's very gray area on what is safe and what is cool. This time any helmet wouldn't have done the saving. Little blast on issue will not help neither as we have seen.

You have to start from the bottom - with the kids and their education and then radically increasing motorbike driving education. Driving without helmet seems to be a last line of defense around here. Last cowboys in the world can still be saved if cabs and by bar owner's collaboration. As this case may not have fit the normal issue - It is paramount that people always help when possible. After all - that's where our humanity lies...

sorry about that. I am hoping that by using that bad innocent because of its shocking nature to push the peole that are supposed to deal with issues and let them slide. to actually do what they are signed up for to try to prevent more and more sad inodents or help with the after math of the incodents my post was more out of fustration. more than anger.

I know that the T.P could not have prevented his death but in so many cases when there are crashes involving foreigners. they just simple do not turn up which leaves the forangs confussed and in trouble.

R.I.P Sam I hope your death can inspire people to drive safely. With your lose maybe you can save others. Shame it was you. whats done is done. Hope the others around you can learn and move on.

[Rooo]

Topic is for condolences . Please keep it as such. Other threads available to discuss driving habits on the island.

[ESB7]

"It was the reporter that then told me that the 'new' figures were based on actual deaths - ie if you can walk away only to die of internal injuries the next day you were not a "road death". Now only if you were dead on the road did it count."

You are correct. Some years ago the death toll was very high (and it still is) which embarrassed the authorities, so they decided to only include the numbers which were deceased at the scene. <deleted>. As you mentioned if the person was still alive when arriving at the hospital and then died there, that does not count in the road fatality statistics. Another Thai scam and cover up.

There are more than 12000 road deaths in Thailand every year caused by drivers over the limit. During the Songkran Festival alone, there are around 600 road deaths with 41% caused by an excess of alcohol. In a study carried out 14 years ago, out of nearly 5000 drivers, 12.6% were found to have a BAC above the legal limit. Tests carried out between 10pm and midnight showed that 19% of the motorcycle drivers were over the limit and 16% of the drivers of 4 wheel vehicles also failed the test. Even in a country like Thailand that seems to value life so cheaply, these figures are appalling. If you think that things have got better since that survey, just go for a drive on any of Thailand's roads, especially late evening and see for yourself. It can be a frightening experience and often terrifying. Certainly an adventure scary enough to drive anyone to drink!

This was taken from the following link. http://www.thaiguide...over-the-limit/

Some interesting reading from 2007 Asian Road Statistics.pdf (I hope the attachment opens?)

RIP Sam.

a heartfelt RIP Sam to begin with lest I lose sight of the sentiment - I'll miss you man ...

But to be part-way fair, the Thai authorities are very much aware of the drink-drive problem and have put all their efforts into hitting this area to cut down the road accidents. Fair enough if you look at the statistics.

But Samui is a one-off in Thailand. There are so many accidents here in the daytime due to pure and simple careless or dangerous driving. Overtaking when there is no place to go is the big one here - the trucks and mini buses just force other cars off the road.

Tailgating is the next worse - big truck right on your a** and can't see you indicate right. And HOW many times have I caused a traffic jam by turning right? Car behind is so close that he can't drive round me so comes to a stop on my bumper.

Then parking/stopping dangerously - too dam_n lazy to park opposite 7-11 and walk across the road so simply bangs over onto the wrong side, drives 20 feet on the right side and parks right outside - right into the oncoming traffic.

And actually driving on the wrong side. How many times have I been cursed by motorbike drivers - driving on the wrong side - because they have to swing out past my car into the oncoming traffic to continue? What an annoying farang I am.

And then all those people who just come belting out of a side street without looking. I've even seen cars doing it - presumably that's how they always did it when when they were on a motorbike.

Children of 9 or 10 years riding about 3 or 4 up on a motorbike ...

And finally the SPEED thing. Utterly ridiculous considering the road surface here and the rest of the above. Yet not one speed gun on the island ..... (AFAIK)

The police on Samui need to be ordered to pay attention to all the aspects above. They need to be told what to look for, because if nobody orders them to do something specific they will do nothing at all. They need to focus on the dangerous aspects of driving, not only whether someone smells of alcohol.

It only needs two pairs of BIB, specially trained to do these things via specially intensive Special Training - one pair with a radio and a camcorder and another pair down the road to stop the offenders. Every day move to a different place around the ring-road. I bet anything that within the month the whole pace of the roads on Samui would have quietened down a lot - particularly if the Special BIB Radio Road Rats were a permanent fixture!

And just think of all the extra tea money the BIB would have!

R

Unfortunatly Its the same just about everywhere in Thailand and not a Samui thing, and actually its much worse on the mainland as the infrastructure allows much faster speeds than the ring road on Samui