The number one cause of death abroad for USA tourist is road accidents with Mexico being the number 1 country for this and Thailand being at number 2.

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2010-10-21-1Adangerousroads21_ST_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip

I tell everyone who visits me when they rent motorbikes to stay as far to left as possible, always check your mirrors, never assume the right of way, and most Important: DRIVE SLOW. No need to be in a hurry, especially on holiday.

Although the source for the USA Today article says that worldwide the #1 cause for American deaths abroad is road accidents, it does not say that road accidents are the #1 cause of American deaths in Thailand.

Nonetheless, in Thailand the average number of road deaths for USA citizens over the 7-1/2 year study is 8 Americans per year. Certainly 8 is too many, but not an astounding number. I have no solid figures to back me up, but probably more than 8 Americans per year die in Thailand from drowning or gun shot.

Just the same, the roads here are without a doubt fraught with danger.

I tell everyone who visits me when they rent motorbikes to stay as far to left as possible, always check your mirrors, never assume the right of way, and most Important: DRIVE SLOW. No need to be in a hurry, especially on holiday.

I tell everyone who visits me not rent motorbikes, too many people end up drinking and trying to drive their scooter on strange roads back to their hotel

I have to admit it is difficult to drive on the left in Thailand. I am always instinctively looking the wrong way.

They probaly try to drive the same in Thailand as in states, talking on phone, talking to friend, or text message, wham bam thank you mam going home in a box.

Although the source for the USA Today article says that worldwide the #1 cause for American deaths abroad is road accidents, it does not say that road accidents are the #1 cause of American deaths in Thailand.

What else could it be, then?

Tourists tend to be able bodied by and large and not very likely to just drop dead. Traffic is the obvious main cause. Way after that you get other safety related causes, such as falling off things, being electrocuted, etc, etc.

Although the source for the USA Today article says that worldwide the #1 cause for American deaths abroad is road accidents, it does not say that road accidents are the #1 cause of American deaths in Thailand.

What else could it be, then?

Tourists tend to be able bodied by and large and not very likely to just drop dead. Traffic is the obvious main cause. Way after that you get other safety related causes, such as falling off things, being electrocuted, etc, etc.

Perhaps bending over to pick up what appears to be a coin.....from the ninth floor!

They probaly try to drive the same in Thailand as in states, talking on phone, talking to friend, or text message, wham bam thank you mam going home in a box.

That is how we drive here! We just do it with more people on board, balancing a bag of coca cola.

so let me get this straight -- in our own countries traffic accidents are the #1 cause of death and when we travel abroad it is the #1 cause of death? amazing journalism.

If the uninitiated driver keeps to the far left as suggested and stays as far left as possible they run the risk of colliding with the bike noodle bike or even car coming down the road going the wrong way which is a normal technique here. Also bikers and cars coming out of roads joining the road never look or stop so this is another added risk,,,,,,,,,staying to the left is good but hugging the left side of the road can be life threatening.