Samui Accidents (Again!)

[limbos]

Perhaps that's what we need Check Me.

Classic solution!

[carmine]

Source of all evil on Samui roads is the lazy 'Royal Thai Police' of Samui. They only collect 300 THB for not wearing helmets from Farrang once a month.

As everybody knows Samui is a lawless island when it comes to traffic law. And so is the driving from everybody!

Set up 3-5 daily checkpoints for 1 month, charge the wrongdoers and things will change within days.

But insteed they start a campaigne 'Smoke Free Samui'. There are 99 much more important problems on the islands to solve first!

Yogya,

Thais are also being fined for not wearing helmets, not only the Westerners are being given this treatment.

The problem is in the fact that the Police force doesn't seem to have the man power to deal with all the problems that are blatant on Samui. Once they have the manpower, they will need proper training.............

Now thats just not true is it. For a start you need to have the will and the want to do your job properly and they have neither. I do agree that there are not enough of them but if there were there is nothing to suggest anything would improve.

[joe84330]

Source of all evil on Samui roads is the lazy 'Royal Thai Police' of Samui. They only collect 300 THB for not wearing helmets from Farrang once a month.

As everybody knows Samui is a lawless island when it comes to traffic law. And so is the driving from everybody!

Set up 3-5 daily checkpoints for 1 month, charge the wrongdoers and things will change within days.

But insteed they start a campaigne 'Smoke Free Samui'. There are 99 much more important problems on the islands to solve first!

they are also pulling over vehicles for no plate or insurance, 2k baht.

more thai's than farang getting stuck with this bill as westerners are far more accustomed to driving only legal vehicles while thai's seem to be of the opinion that any vehicle capable of polluting the air and ears meets all thai driving standards.

[koheesti]

Source of all evil on Samui roads is the lazy 'Royal Thai Police' of Samui. They only collect 300 THB for not wearing helmets from Farrang once a month.

As everybody knows Samui is a lawless island when it comes to traffic law. And so is the driving from everybody!

Set up 3-5 daily checkpoints for 1 month, charge the wrongdoers and things will change within days.

But insteed they start a campaigne 'Smoke Free Samui'. There are 99 much more important problems on the islands to solve first!

they are also pulling over vehicles for no plate or insurance, 2k baht.

more thai's than farang getting stuck with this bill as westerners are far more accustomed to driving only legal vehicles while thai's seem to be of the opinion that any vehicle capable of polluting the air and ears meets all thai driving standards.

Are Thais being fined the same 2k as expats? Or are they paying less like in most everything else around?

[joe84330]

Source of all evil on Samui roads is the lazy 'Royal Thai Police' of Samui. They only collect 300 THB for not wearing helmets from Farrang once a month.

As everybody knows Samui is a lawless island when it comes to traffic law. And so is the driving from everybody!

Set up 3-5 daily checkpoints for 1 month, charge the wrongdoers and things will change within days.

But insteed they start a campaigne 'Smoke Free Samui'. There are 99 much more important problems on the islands to solve first!

they are also pulling over vehicles for no plate or insurance, 2k baht.

more thai's than farang getting stuck with this bill as westerners are far more accustomed to driving only legal vehicles while thai's seem to be of the opinion that any vehicle capable of polluting the air and ears meets all thai driving standards.

Are Thais being fined the same 2k as expats? Or are they paying less like in most everything else around?

my office mgr is thai and is one of those that knows someone in every dept on the island, i've seen her receipt for 2k baht for no front plate just one week ago.

[brain150]

1. I am not aware that not wearing a helmet ever caused an accident

2. I am not aware that not wearing a helmet ever avoided an accident

3. I am not aware that having a licence plate [or not] ever caused or avoided an accident

So, I do not understand what any of these points has to do with road safety ???

Speed limits [and control] might be a good point, but as much as I can see on this topic it's all about the same old stories ...

Maybe a good idea would be to check if people who rent a Motorbike can actually drive a Motorbike ? [or at least have a driving license]

... but then again: this would be bad for tourism and cut down income for Thai and Foreigners who rent them out, so we better not talk about it.

[but I guess that's all fine]

[carmine]

1. I am not aware that not wearing a helmet ever caused an accident

2. I am not aware that not wearing a helmet ever avoided an accident

3. I am not aware that having a licence plate [or not] ever caused or avoided an accident

So, I do not understand what any of these points has to do with road safety ???

Speed limits [and control] might be a good point, but as much as I can see on this topic it's all about the same old stories ...

Maybe a good idea would be to check if people who rent a Motorbike can actually drive a Motorbike ? [or at least have a driving license]

... but then again: this would be bad for tourism and cut down income for Thai and Foreigners who rent them out, so we better not talk about it.

[but I guess that's all fine]

What a very strange outlook you have on things.

Just as a matter of interest, how do you know that the people that rent motorbikes check if potential customers know how to ride them?

I'll answer shall i......you don't know do you.

Never before in my wildest dreams did i think that someone would need to have explained the reason for wearing a helmet. It protects you head against impact due to an accident.

It will also keep your barnet dry in the rainy season.

[smokie36]

1. I am not aware that not wearing a helmet ever caused an accident

2. I am not aware that not wearing a helmet ever avoided an accident

3. I am not aware that having a licence plate [or not] ever caused or avoided an accident

So, I do not understand what any of these points has to do with road safety ???

Speed limits [and control] might be a good point, but as much as I can see on this topic it's all about the same old stories ...

Maybe a good idea would be to check if people who rent a Motorbike can actually drive a Motorbike ? [or at least have a driving license]

... but then again: this would be bad for tourism and cut down income for Thai and Foreigners who rent them out, so we better not talk about it.

[but I guess that's all fine]

What a very strange outlook you have on things.

Just as a matter of interest, how do you know that the people that rent motorbikes check if potential customers know how to ride them?

I'll answer shall i......you don't know do you.

Never before in my wildest dreams did i think that someone would need to have explained the reason for wearing a helmet. It protects you head against impact due to an accident.

It will also keep your barnet dry in the rainy season.

Head hits ground at speed...hmmmm.....I'm no neurosurgeon so I'll put it in leymans terms for you....

SPLAT!

[Boater]

1. I am not aware that not wearing a helmet ever caused an accident

2. I am not aware that not wearing a helmet ever avoided an accident

3. I am not aware that having a licence plate [or not] ever caused or avoided an accident

So, I do not understand what any of these points has to do with road safety ???

Speed limits [and control] might be a good point, but as much as I can see on this topic it's all about the same old stories ...

Maybe a good idea would be to check if people who rent a Motorbike can actually drive a Motorbike ? [or at least have a driving license]

... but then again: this would be bad for tourism and cut down income for Thai and Foreigners who rent them out, so we better not talk about it.

[but I guess that's all fine]

What a very strange outlook you have on things.

Just as a matter of interest, how do you know that the people that rent motorbikes check if potential customers know how to ride them?

I'll answer shall i......you don't know do you.

Never before in my wildest dreams did i think that someone would need to have explained the reason for wearing a helmet. It protects you head against impact due to an accident.

It will also keep your barnet dry in the rainy season.

also number plates are there to identify the vehicle if it is involved in an accedient

[smokie36]

1. I am not aware that not wearing a helmet ever caused an accident

2. I am not aware that not wearing a helmet ever avoided an accident

3. I am not aware that having a licence plate [or not] ever caused or avoided an accident

So, I do not understand what any of these points has to do with road safety ???

Speed limits [and control] might be a good point, but as much as I can see on this topic it's all about the same old stories ...

Maybe a good idea would be to check if people who rent a Motorbike can actually drive a Motorbike ? [or at least have a driving license]

... but then again: this would be bad for tourism and cut down income for Thai and Foreigners who rent them out, so we better not talk about it.

[but I guess that's all fine]

What a very strange outlook you have on things.

Just as a matter of interest, how do you know that the people that rent motorbikes check if potential customers know how to ride them?

I'll answer shall i......you don't know do you.

Never before in my wildest dreams did i think that someone would need to have explained the reason for wearing a helmet. It protects you head against impact due to an accident.

It will also keep your barnet dry in the rainy season.

Head hits ground at speed...hmmmm.....I'm no neurosurgeon so I'll put it in leymans terms for you....

SPLAT!

If that's not enough consider the medical bill should you be lucky enough to survive.....a million or two to spare have we?

Or more depending on the severity of the injury......how much do those helmets cost again?

[limbos]

Source of all evil on Samui roads is the lazy 'Royal Thai Police' of Samui. They only collect 300 THB for not wearing helmets from Farrang once a month.

As everybody knows Samui is a lawless island when it comes to traffic law. And so is the driving from everybody!

Set up 3-5 daily checkpoints for 1 month, charge the wrongdoers and things will change within days.

But insteed they start a campaigne 'Smoke Free Samui'. There are 99 much more important problems on the islands to solve first!

Yogya,

Thais are also being fined for not wearing helmets, not only the Westerners are being given this treatment.

The problem is in the fact that the Police force doesn't seem to have the man power to deal with all the problems that are blatant on Samui. Once they have the manpower, they will need proper training.............

Now thats just not true is it. For a start you need to have the will and the want to do your job properly and they have neither. I do agree that there are not enough of them but if there were there is nothing to suggest anything would improve.

Carmine,

It's just one of the problems that the police face here, not the ultimate solution to all police related problems on the island. However, you do agree that there aren't enough police officers on the island so to which part of my post do have to say that it's not true? I'm slightly baffled.

[Nirvana]

Quote

Yogya,

Thais are also being fined for not wearing helmets, not only the Westerners are being given this treatment.

The problem is in the fact that the Police force doesn't seem to have the man power to deal with all the problems that are blatant on Samui. Once they have the manpower, they will need proper training.............

Unquote

Quote

Now thats just not true is it. For a start you need to have the will and the want to do your job properly and they have neither. I do agree that there are not enough of them but if there were there is nothing to suggest anything would improve.

Unquote]

Agree , it starts from the top. More officers would help but does not lead me to believe it would alleviate the corruption. New clean officers in charge i fear would not last that long though, for a variety of reasons including succumbing to temptation..

Nirvana

[SamuiDude]

About helmet checks: After getting 3 tickets 2000-2001, I`d learn where they (police) stop and charge people and between what hours. No helmet - no tickets (maybe not too much wisdom) between 2002 -2010. This stop routine has not changed during this time. Do the math.

Un-obviousness (changing check-points and hours) would be the method to make a REAL change and I can easily say this from the distance

[joe84330]

About helmet checks: After getting 3 tickets 2000-2001, I`d learn where they (police) stop and charge people and between what hours. No helmet - no tickets (maybe not too much wisdom) between 2002 -2010. This stop routine has not changed during this time. Do the math.

Un-obviousness (changing check-points and hours) would be the method to make a REAL change and I can easily say this from the distance

i do the same thing. i know the law but refuse to wear a helmet, didn't in the states and wouldn't here. hell, in the states it is now a state law to wear helmets on a bicycle and i don't have enough curse words to tell them off. got plenty of middle fingers though.

anyway, it's pretty obvious what areas and what times they do helmet checks, very easy to avoid if you live here. i drive a truck 99% of the time though so the biggest problem is the thieves office in maenam stopping traffic all the way back to the stop light in maenam for the daily rip off.

[yogya]

Quote

Yogya,

The problem is in the fact that the Police force doesn't seem to have the man power to deal with all the problems that are blatant on Samui. Once they have the manpower, they will need proper training.............

Unquote

As long as the 'manpower' only sit in office and look TV or talk with their Mia Noi, they will never have enough 'manpower'. Please take a closer look at Bophut Police Station.

[yogya]

About helmet checks: After getting 3 tickets 2000-2001, I`d learn where they (police) stop and charge people and between what hours. No helmet - no tickets (maybe not too much wisdom) between 2002 -2010. This stop routine has not changed during this time. Do the math.

Un-obviousness (changing check-points and hours) would be the method to make a REAL change and I can easily say this from the distance

Please let us poor souls know times and checkpoints to save money in future.

[Boater]

The problem is in the fact that the Police force doesn't seem to have the man power to deal with all the problems that are blatant on Samui. Once they have the manpower, they will need proper training.............

Unquote

As long as the 'manpower' only sit in office and look TV or talk with their Mia Noi, they will never have enough 'manpower'. Please take a closer look at Bophut Police Station.

give them a break ! i casught them nce watching police acedemy moveis !

[PoorSucker]

give them a break ! i casught them nce watching police acedemy moveis !

It's their training videos.

[oldsailor35]

Some of the farangs have never ridden motorbikes or scooters before...........

How do you know that, do you ask them or is it a "rough guess"

[oldsailor35]

Source of all evil on Samui roads is the lazy 'Royal Thai Police' of Samui. They only collect 300 THB for not wearing helmets from Farrang once a month.

As everybody knows Samui is a lawless island when it comes to traffic law. And so is the driving from everybody!

Set up 3-5 daily checkpoints for 1 month, charge the wrongdoers and things will change within days.

But insteed they start a campaigne 'Smoke Free Samui'. There are 99 much more important problems on the islands to solve first!

Yogya,

Thais are also being fined for not wearing helmets, not only the Westerners are being given this treatment.

The problem is in the fact that the Police force doesn't seem to have the man power to deal with all the problems that are blatant on Samui. Once they have the manpower, they will need proper training.............

And who is going to give them that ? :lol: :lol: :lol:

[brzy]

well i live on the beach road, Lamai and i have have had 2 accidents outside my building one of which was fatal :/ both were Europeans

[oldsailor35]

In my opinion, anybody who does not wear a helmet on the motorbike, is a complete and utter fool and deserves whatever he gets .

[carmine]

In my opinion, anybody who does not wear a helmet on the motorbike, is a complete and utter fool and deserves whatever he gets .

Oh, so someone that does'nt wear a helmet deserves to die do they? What a stupid comment to make and i would add that many of us have lost close friends on this island from bike accidents. Has anyone btw described you as a helmet?

Edited March 12, 2011 by carmine

[joe84330]

In my opinion, anybody who does not wear a helmet on the motorbike, is a complete and utter fool and deserves whatever he gets .

in my opinion, anybody who makes sweeping generalizations ....

[phuketlen]

Just the usual problem of a lack of Driving nous from the Locals ( i use that term to describe the Thai poulation on the Island, be they local Samuians or not ) who think they're Michael Schumacher behind the Wheel of a Car & Valentino Rossi on a Motorbike..

I have seen incredibly poor decision making where driving is concerned all around Thailand, but i have never seen such dangerous & selfish driving as i do on Samui.

Don't only blame the Thais. How many Farrangs are driving here trunken or without an Int. Driving License. How many Farrangs drive big bikes without a license?

It's a mix of bullshit driving!

An "int." driving license is as meaningless as a Thai driving license, with regard to promoting road safety. If you have ever gone through the process of getting both you know what I mean.

Of course it is not all Thais who are responsible, loads of idiot vacationeers and idiot non-Thais who think its okay to drive like Thais out there.

That said, it IS by far mostly Thais who are involved in and cause the road accidents (and who constantly drive on the wrong side of the road to pass just one more car). Recently the Deputy PM of Thailand was in Phuket to promote the local wear your motorcy helmut campaign and he stated that Thailand, at 12,000 traffic fatalities is number 2 in the world. See:

http://www.phuketgazette.net/archives/articles/2011/article9807.html

NOT number 2 in the world per capita, number 2 in the world total. Yet Thailand is only the 19th most populus country in the world. That pretty much confirms what I have thought since my first year leaving here i.e. Thais are about the worst drivers in the world. DO be VERY careful anytime you drive or ride on any road in Thailand.

[steelerian]

That pretty much confirms what I have thought since my first year leaving here i.e. Thais are about the worst drivers in the world. DO be VERY careful anytime you drive or ride on any road in Thailand.

I've travelled the world extensively, and never seen drivers as bad as in Thailand.

[Tropicalevo]

That pretty much confirms what I have thought since my first year leaving here i.e. Thais are about the worst drivers in the world. DO be VERY careful anytime you drive or ride on any road in Thailand.

I've travelled the world extensively, and never seen drivers as bad as in Thailand.

I suspect that you exaggerate to make a point. I have seen far worse driving in Africa, India and Sri Lanka, but as I was only there for 3/4 weeks at a time, it paled into insignificance compared to all of the gorgeous sights.

However, as I live on Samui - I do see bad driving every hour. The standard here is very bad (but not the worst in the world).

[BusyBee123]

In my opinion, anybody who does not wear a helmet on the motorbike, is a complete and utter fool and deserves whatever he gets .

i think education would be a good start, some people just don't realise or think about the consequences, if they are educated they may not crash into you sailor as you cross the road but then again you are happy deserving everything you get as you couldn't care less about education which may affect you.

mai pen rai.

[Boater]

In my opinion, anybody who does not wear a helmet on the motorbike, is a complete and utter fool and deserves whatever he gets .

i think education would be a good start, some people just don't realise or think about the consequences, if they are educated they may not crash into you sailor as you cross the road but then again you are happy deserving everything you get as you couldn't care less about education which may affect you.

mai pen rai.

i think they should also be educated into the fact having your car blessed and wearing emblement's whilr driving a bike isnt going to protect you !

The reason Samui has such bad driving is there is NO LAW on the roads.

[steelerian]

That pretty much confirms what I have thought since my first year leaving here i.e. Thais are about the worst drivers in the world. DO be VERY careful anytime you drive or ride on any road in Thailand.

I've travelled the world extensively, and never seen drivers as bad as in Thailand.

I suspect that you exaggerate to make a point. I have seen far worse driving in Africa, India and Sri Lanka, but as I was only there for 3/4 weeks at a time, it paled into insignificance compared to all of the gorgeous sights.

However, as I live on Samui - I do see bad driving every hour. The standard here is very bad (but not the worst in the world).

I dont exaggerate one bit. IN MY EXPERIENCE Thais are the worst drivers I have ever seen in the world.