German Tourist Arrested For Killing Thai Motorcyclist In Drunk Driving

[Beetlejuice]

Yes indeed. THROW away the key, what a grub deserves no mercy.

4 years ago I was travelling at 8.00pm on my motorcycle on the Hang Hong road in Chiang Mai heading towards Hang Dong to visit my Girlfriend’s brother. There was a fair amount of traffic about. Suddenly a light green pick up decided to over take another vehicle on the inside. The pick up came so close to me that I had to pull in quickly and my motorbike hit the kerb at speed, how I never came off the thing was a miracle.

Later on down the road the pick up was stopped in a traffic hold up. I drove up to the inside of the pick up and tapped on the window. I could see the driver and his passenger. He was a big fat repugnant ugly farang in his 60s, with thick white hair tied back in a pony tail and his passenger was a half Thai teen, also fat and ugly and appeared to be the man’s son.

After I tapped on the window just to make the guy aware that he nearly killed me, the driver leaned over, opened the window and shouted in a loud English gutter cockney voice; WHAT`S YOUR PROBLEM! On that note I came to realise that he must have known what he had done. So not wanting to create a scene I just stared at him and grinned in a way as if to say, you are perfectic.and said nothing. Then he pulled out of the traffic and sped away like a bat out of hell narrowly missing another motorcyclist travelling in the opposite direction.

My first thoughts were; this is like being back in England and I hope he doesn’t kill someone in the future, this man’s 1 can short of a 6 pack.

This was not the first time I have had near death experiences with farangs on the road and doubt if it will be the last. As for the Thais I find most of them extremely courteous on the roads.

I’m with you all the way on this one, neverdie, and I speak from experience.

[Samuian]

No...he is not under aged...he is a 60 year old man in a country that is not his birth place...he is meant to come from an educated society...driving drunk in a strange country u get what u deserve...driving drunk anywhere is a real no-no ...surely a man of that age should have more brains or did he leave them behind in Berlin

He's German, and not in his own country so he will get nailed for sure! And yes, say no to drunk driving! Agree wholeheartedly.

"heavely intoxicated".... in germany is strict 0.5/000 -0.5 Promilleapproximately (two 2 glasses of beer of 5 percent by volume) you begin to lose concentration and your field of visoin gets impaired.... in is home country he would be in deep shyterts, deep!

Right now peak season on Samui - it's the tourists and their "fun rides", which are enoying!

No wonder the hospitals doing well these days.

Edited January 3, 2011 by Samuian

[gregb]

Sorry but the 16 yo girl was not driving drunk like this piece of garbage.

No, but she killed people doing something equally illegal. And at 16 you are old enough to understand what is right and wrong. There is no excuse for poor judgement while operating a motor vehicle. It is a serious responsibility. And they both exercised extremely poor judgement. And the fact that thousands of others in both of their situations exercise the same poor judgement every day does not make it OK.

They are both irresponsible menaces to society and need to serve time behind bars. If the police actually took this seriously instead of worrying about how much tea money they could get by looking the other way perhaps there wouldn't be so many problems. I don't know a single person back in the states who would drive drunk. I don't know anyone other than a few delinquents who would think of stealing keys and driving cars without a license. Here, both crimes happen regularly, because people don't think these are serious offences against society.

Sometimes this place really gets to me. I have children here. I don't want to see their lives ruined by a selfish prick behind the wheel of a vehicle when he/she has no business being there. Think of someone other than yourselves for a change. You might find that it makes the world a better place.

[satangman]

No...he is not under aged...he is a 60 year old man in a country that is not his birth place...he is meant to come from an educated society...driving drunk in a strange country u get what u deserve...driving drunk anywhere is a real no-no ...surely a man of that age should have more brains or did he leave them behind in Berlin

i agree...? good comment

[Nisa]

Sounds very odd for two motorcycles to crash head-on resulting in a death unless both were impaired but stranger things have happened.

Why no mention of if the Thai was wearing an approved helmet? If he wasn't, as I suspect, then this kind of awareness needs to be raised if indeed authorities actually want to reduce motorcycle deaths here. We cannot control other people's actions but we can better protect ourselves from them by doing, what should be, common sense things like wearing helmets and seat belts while on the road.

And it really is up to the government to make these things be common sense. It was not that long ago in the US when seat belts and helmets were rarely used. It is not the law that gets people to buckle up now but the awareness of the dangers of not doing these things. The enforcement of the laws are however an effective way of making people realize it is a serious issue.

[coma]

To all the posters who don't like or agree with the system then, I am sorry, but it is time for you to leave Thailand and go back to the valley.

[TAWP]

If he indeed was so drunk that he went the wrong side of the road, against traffic, and caused the death of another person, then she should be punished for it.

[metisdead]

A rather hateful comment and replies to it have been removed from view.

[whybother]

If he indeed was so drunk that he went the wrong side of the road, against traffic, and caused the death of another person, then she should be punished for it.

Given that it's fairly common for motorbikes to drive down the wrong side of the road, I suspect in this case he was going too fast and didn't keep out of the way of the bike going in the correct direction, or the other bike couldn't get out of the way.

[scorecard]

No regrets, just yesterday I met a girl who was hit by a drunken farang pickup driver the day before.

Why do all these <deleted> do things, they would never try at home? I am getting scared whenever I see a farang driving a pickup / fortuner nowadays. A good percentage is above any legal alcohol level. Shame!

I agree with your point that some do things they would never do at home.

I just stayed for 3 days in a small hotel just down from Tony's Gym on Pattaya Third Road. Little did we know that 90% of the guests were European / middle eastern loud mouth yobbos on package holidays, mostly early to late twenties.

Most had very large rented motorcycles, and by listening to some of their conversations most had never driven motorcycles before.

They continuously raced into and out of the hotel car park way too fast, never a thought for other people / children walking through the car park. And it was obvious that lots of alcohol was being consumed.

My Thai son made sure the car park was all quite before we walked through the carpark to and from our car.

[neverdie]

I'm with you all the way on this one, neverdie, and I speak from experience.

No worries BJ, I will send out club membership forms, fill out the details, attach your cheque and you little chest plate, arm band and cap will be forwarded to you in the mail

[JetsetBkk]

Yes indeed. THROW away the key, what a grub deserves no mercy.

I agree drunk drivers deserve no mercy at all.. Thai or foreign.

<snip>

Lock him up. Don't let him buy his way out.

The family of the dead Thai man may hope that he does buy his way out.

[neverdie]

Sounds very odd for two motorcycles to crash head-on resulting in a death unless both were impaired but stranger things have happened.

Why no mention of if the Thai was wearing an approved helmet? If he wasn't, as I suspect, then this kind of awareness needs to be raised if indeed authorities actually want to reduce motorcycle deaths here. We cannot control other people's actions but we can better protect ourselves from them by doing, what should be, common sense things like wearing helmets and seat belts while on the road.

And it really is up to the government to make these things be common sense. It was not that long ago in the US when seat belts and helmets were rarely used. It is not the law that gets people to buckle up now but the awareness of the dangers of not doing these things. The enforcement of the laws are however an effective way of making people realize it is a serious issue.

Ohhh dear, here you go again. I have personally seen & Im sure a few others here have too, quite a few collisions between motorcyclists (head-on), both here in Thailand in also in my own country, really not so odd.

You again go after the victim. I wonder if you've ever played a role in a motor vehicle collision before? If so, is there any prizes for guessing what role you played?

In this post however you have changed tact a little, now your not saying its up to the government but moreso for common sense. So is society to blame for everything or just some things

Edited January 3, 2011 by neverdie

[transam]

Yes indeed. THROW away the key, what a grub deserves no mercy.

I agree drunk drivers deserve no mercy at all.. Thai or foreign.

<snip>

Lock him up. Don't let him buy his way out.

The family of the dead Thai man may hope that he does buy his way out.

Correct.

I know a drunk Thai who killed a Thai on his bike and the drunk was on the wrong side of the road in his truck. Family and you know who were happy with the pay out.

[Nisa]

Sounds very odd for two motorcycles to crash head-on resulting in a death unless both were impaired but stranger things have happened.

Why no mention of if the Thai was wearing an approved helmet? If he wasn't, as I suspect, then this kind of awareness needs to be raised if indeed authorities actually want to reduce motorcycle deaths here. We cannot control other people's actions but we can better protect ourselves from them by doing, what should be, common sense things like wearing helmets and seat belts while on the road.

And it really is up to the government to make these things be common sense. It was not that long ago in the US when seat belts and helmets were rarely used. It is not the law that gets people to buckle up now but the awareness of the dangers of not doing these things. The enforcement of the laws are however an effective way of making people realize it is a serious issue.

Ohhh dear, here you go again. I have personally seen & Im sure a few others here have too, quite a few collisions between motorcyclists (head-on), both here in Thailand in also in my own country, really not so odd.

You again go after the victim. I wonder if you've ever played a role in a motor vehicle collision before? If so, is there any prizes for guessing what role you played?

In this post however you have changed tact a little, now your not saying its up to the government but moreso for common sense. So is society to blame for everything or just some things

FACT: Head-on motorbike accidents are certainly not common when both parties are driving accordingly. However I did state it is possible.

As for the rest of my post ... I cannot help you with your level of comprehension skills. As I have stated to you before, I said what I said and meant what I said. Just because you want to reword it, view it incorrectly and irrationally doesn't change this fact.

[pipo1000]

I guess the German guy was unlucky thet his name wasn't Von Ayudhya.

[jayjay0]

"utterly idiotic". Well, at a rough think about it, I don't think I know one person here in Chiang Mai (and i know a lot of people) who doesn't drink and drive. In the UK I don't know one who does. If a visiting farang jumps on a 1000 cc bike, drunk and wearing nothing to protect him other than a T shirt and shorts and just before driving off asks a passing Thai if he thinks it is OK to do stuff like this in Thailand, he will be told "It is up to you".

Farangs get drunk on the feeling of freedom to do what you want in Thailand as much as they do on alcohol.

I was sick of the nanny state controlling my every move in the UK. That is why I moved here. However, Thailand is just too free of regulation or moreover the enforcement of regulation and that is primarily the cause of road deaths.

Actually I think the Thai culture of the acceptance of drunk driving has more to blame than the German biker.

Yes indeed. THROW away the key, what a grub deserves no mercy.

Given that I think I know which context you made this is I will laugh.

The notion however is utterly idiotic. :jap:

If all your frends come from the bars in the Loi Kroh area here in Chiang Mai it is no wonder you only know drinking drivers.

I live in Chiang Mai and know many that don't drive and drink.

You sound like there is no way of pleasing you. You would probably complain if they hung you with a new rope.

[Nisa]

Practicing drunks are the scum of the Earth, but they usually do not think so.

Sounds like this guy was done practicing and has now graduated.. So very sad for all those involved and their families. This guy may have been a great and caring person but now his life is sh@t and somebody else's brother, father and/or son is not coming home again. Alcoholism destroys so many lives and I would guess, based on this story, he was an alcoholic.

Edited January 3, 2011 by Nisa

[473geo]

I guess the German guy was unlucky thet his name wasn't Von Ayudhya.

If anybody was unlucky here, I would say it was the guy he met head on!

[ginjag]

Sorry but the 16 yo girl was not driving drunk like this piece of garbage.

Yes chunky -If I read it again, I didn,t intend to link the alcohol ( tollway)with this nutter, MISTAKE was a word used so much in to what the MINOR did, Thats what I referred to with (mistake) toll incident- its off subject slightly but accident related. alcohol was never in question-re tollway

[ginjag]

To all the posters who don't like or agree with the system then, I am sorry, but it is time for you to leave Thailand and go back to the valley.

Hey all you posters --another 1 here. if you dont like it go away out of Thailand, Nearly all Thais don,t like the system, being here we see all and can have a voice, if some good comes of our forum comments, and there are some sensible ones, and a fraction are taken on board, thats better than your NEGATIVE attitude. I didn,t care for the system much in England, Here is good, its the corrupt system people have to push-and speak about--nowt said nowt done.

[ginjag]

Practicing drunks are the scum of the Earth, but they usually do not think so.

Sounds like this guy was done practicing and has now graduated.. So very sad for all those involved and their families. This guy may have been a great and caring person but now his life is sh@t and somebody else's brother, father and/or son is not coming home again. Alcoholism destroys so many lives and I would guess, based on this story, he was an alcoholic.

Everything you wrote was good-agreed-then you spoilt it by guessing -"based on this story" he was an alcoholic. He is only to be charged with drink drive, He could have had a row with his Lady-got drunk and sped off==speculation. An ALCOHOLIC.......is down a slightly different road--guessing. and WAS--or IS-he didn,t die. But I agree, if the story is correct (but how all these stories and incidents have a twist in the tail) it sure looks like he had to be in the wrong-----

[Nisa]

Practicing drunks are the scum of the Earth, but they usually do not think so.

Sounds like this guy was done practicing and has now graduated.. So very sad for all those involved and their families. This guy may have been a great and caring person but now his life is sh@t and somebody else's brother, father and/or son is not coming home again. Alcoholism destroys so many lives and I would guess, based on this story, he was an alcoholic.

Everything you wrote was good-agreed-then you spoilt it by guessing -"based on this story" he was an alcoholic. He is only to be charged with drink drive, He could have had a row with his Lady-got drunk and sped off==speculation. An ALCOHOLIC.......is down a slightly different road--guessing. and WAS--or IS-he didn,t die. But I agree, if the story is correct (but how all these stories and incidents have a twist in the tail) it sure looks like he had to be in the wrong-----

Sorry but I would still speculate that the odds are much greater that he is an alcoholic (based on this report) than this being some one off instance.

However, I will admit that there was really no good reason for me have stated that as even if the odds are more than 50% he is, there is still a good chance he is not.

[neverdie]

FACT: Head-on motorbike accidents are certainly not common when both parties are driving accordingly.

PRICELESS

I guess you could apply that theory to everything. If everyone was 'driving accordingly' there wouldnt be any accidents.

Google degrees, amazing what can be bred from it.

[Nisa]

FACT: Head-on motorbike accidents are certainly not common when both parties are driving accordingly.

PRICELESS

I guess you could apply that theory to everything. If everyone was 'driving accordingly' there wouldnt be any accidents.

Google degrees, amazing what can be bred from it.

True - was meant to say was that head-on motorcycle accidents are not common (period) and even less common unless both drivers are doing something wrong.

Edited January 3, 2011 by Nisa

[whybother]

FACT: Head-on motorbike accidents are certainly not common when both parties are driving accordingly.

PRICELESS

I guess you could apply that theory to everything. If everyone was 'driving accordingly' there wouldnt be any accidents.

Google degrees, amazing what can be bred from it.

True - was meant to say was that head-on motorcycle accidents are not common (period) and even less common unless both drivers are doing something wrong.

Or one driver is drunk !

[Nisa]

FACT: Head-on motorbike accidents are certainly not common when both parties are driving accordingly.

PRICELESS

I guess you could apply that theory to everything. If everyone was 'driving accordingly' there wouldnt be any accidents.

Google degrees, amazing what can be bred from it.

True - was meant to say was that head-on motorcycle accidents are not common (period) and even less common unless both drivers are doing something wrong.

Or one driver is drunk !

and the other driver is blind in one eye and can't see out the other

[neverdie]

FACT: Head-on motorbike accidents are certainly not common when both parties are driving accordingly.

PRICELESS

I guess you could apply that theory to everything. If everyone was 'driving accordingly' there wouldnt be any accidents.

Google degrees, amazing what can be bred from it.

True - was meant to say was that head-on motorcycle accidents are not common (period) and even less common unless both drivers are doing something wrong.

Agreed with how you've written this now HOWEVER, its quite common & I have seen two in the last 2-3 weeks, both times from what i could work out was a result of idiots coming up the wrong side of the highway & the second bike pulling out of a side street, if you know what i mean.

These two recent accidents I saw were only a couple of sois apart.

Not so long back there was one in the Pattaya paper, i vaguely recall rimmer doing a story on it. I couldnt count the number of times Ive seen it here, its alarming.

Do you actually get out much here in Thailand (on the road)? Do you ride a bike in Thailand? How long have you been in Thailand?

[Nisa]

FACT: Head-on motorbike accidents are certainly not common when both parties are driving accordingly.

PRICELESS

I guess you could apply that theory to everything. If everyone was 'driving accordingly' there wouldnt be any accidents.

Google degrees, amazing what can be bred from it.

True - was meant to say was that head-on motorcycle accidents are not common (period) and even less common unless both drivers are doing something wrong.

Agreed with how you've written this now HOWEVER, its quite common & I have seen two in the last 2-3 weeks, both times from what i could work out was a result of idiots coming up the wrong side of the highway & the second bike pulling out of a side street, if you know what i mean.

These two recent accidents I saw were only a couple of sois apart.

Not so long back there was one in the Pattaya paper, i vaguely recall rimmer doing a story on it. I couldnt count the number of times Ive seen it here, its alarming.

Do you actually get out much here in Thailand (on the road)? Do you ride a bike in Thailand? How long have you been in Thailand?

Actually, not sure what you mean. First, when I say "head-on" I literally mean head-on (two bikes heading in opposite directions coming together). I personally have never seen it beyond when two people are screwing around on bikes (usually friends). Of course this is Thailand and bikes are driven very differently including on the sidewalk .. not to mention there is a whole bunch more of them.

Not to take away from the victim here but my first thought, beyond was he wearing a helmet (1st thought in every deadly crash), was why he let this drunk drive directly into him? Of course there are a number of scenarios such as they were between cars in traffic and possibly a some sort of turn immediately before. However when I hear the words "head-on" then I think of two vehicles traveling in opposite direction colliding front to front. I don't know the area or circumstances but just having a hard time visualizing this happening with two bikes ... this might be in part because being as a rider from the US (only driven here on rental bikes on the islands) I keep visualizing what I would do if another bike was coming at me but I am not visualizing being in traffic or that it is common for drivers to be on the wrong side of the road and move just before oncoming vehicles approach. I guess I just keep thinking I would see the other bike coming from a long distance away in a head on crash... again this might be my thinking too because in the US you always take note of another bike on the road or anybody type of vehicle approaching that appears to be driving erratically.

Edited January 3, 2011 by Nisa

[swillowbee]

... this case should make interesting reading, especially in view of the recent huffing and puffing about drinking and driving ... which will probably burn-out in the next weeks, when the "indignant outrage" entertainment value is superceded by the next unwed Thai superstar gets pregnant story ... (oh my, what IS Thailand coming to! ... someone should do something!).

... yeah, yeah, this German is a cretin ... shouldn't be permited to breed, much less be issued a passport ... but, fortunate for him that he is in Thailand, and subject to the celebrated Thai legal system ... he will eventually be guided to the right local lawyer who knows the ropes ... he will pay a price, financially, sweating bullets that the money he is funneling to the crook representing him will be truly and wisely spent to circument all this unpleasantness ... of course, he should be nervous, as a goodly bit will be skimmed ... (hey, a hard working guy has a right to make a living, eh?) ... still, enough of the second, or maybe the third traunch will find its way through the system to buy him a ticket.

... c'mon, folks, get real ... this is Thailand ... rule of law? ... please, spare yourself the guffaws ... does anyone who has lived here more than three, or four years expect it to work any other way? ... money! ... MONEEEEYYYY!