What Is The Value Of Life In Thailand?

[mario299]

Tough subject coming here, not sure if posting in General Topics is a good idea or not, but...Mods, move it if it belongs in Business or Insurance as you seem fit.

My wife's father was killed a few weeks ago in an accident, while riding his motocy. He was on a major highway in the Surin area and was struck head-on by a pick-up trying to pass a large truck. The driver of the pick-up has been charged with negligent driving, both parties were insured with #1 insurance, no drugs or alcohol were involved.

The driver of the pick-up and his family have been very good about everything that has occurred so far, they attended Merit for my FIL and donated 5000 baht or so, have been to the meetings we have had with insurance and police, etc., but the final offer from the Insurance companies (all together apparently) for payment for the death of this man is no more than 350,000 baht. Ask for more than that and the families must go to court to seek compensation/dispensation.

My question is simply this... A man has been killed by accident. Everyone involved did what was the required and proper thing by Thai law, and it is now deemed that the value of this man's life was worth less than half the cost of a car? He was a 65 year old rice farmer, granted, but is this what they say is the maximum that he will be worth to them, as his "future worth" is not projected to be very large.

I am merely asking here for some input from others if they have had similar experiences with Thai Insurance (most likely not, I hope) and whether the others in this forum feel that my wife and her family are getting a fair shake from the Insurance folks. Pretty sure these are not the "You're in Good Hands" people.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

mario299 :jap:

[saraburioz]

I think 350,000 is a good sum.

Usually if someone kills another in a road accident, the compensation is around 50,000 baht.

[mario299]

I think 350,000 is a good sum.

Usually if someone kills another in a road accident, the compensation is around 50,000 baht.

Thanks for your reply. From what I know so far, normal insurance payment tops out at about 200,000 per insurance carrier. They apparently have "combined forces" to make this joint offer of 350,000 from all of them. From what your figure says, 50,000 baht, they'd really get off easy, not even $1500 US dollars for a man's life. Whew??!!

[StreetCowboy]

The last time I did similar research I came up with an interesting paper.

I did a "Value of Life Thailand insurance accident" google and pulled up a link back to this thread... I am very impressed with the speed of getting registered on the search engines.

Anyway, I did another search "cost of accidents thailand" and pulled up a lot of references you might find interesting. Feel free to repeat the search; I'll not waste thread-inches with pasting the results here.

This is the info for the paper I found last time

Department of Highways

The Study of Traffic Accident Costs in Thailand

8 April 2008

Faculty of Engineering Prince of Songkla University

However, this looks at the cost to society as a whole, not to the family per se that might be recompensed by insurance. I would imagine that the insurance companies, who are well experienced in such things, would offer a credible amount that minimises their risk of losing in court...

SC

[mario299]

The last time I did similar research I came up with an interesting paper.

I did a "Value of Life Thailand insurance accident" google and pulled up a link back to this thread... I am very impressed with the speed of getting registered on the search engines.

Anyway, I did another search "cost of accidents thailand" and pulled up a lot of references you might find interesting. Feel free to repeat the search; I'll not waste thread-inches with pasting the results here.

This is the info for the paper I found last time

Department of Highways

The Study of Traffic Accident Costs in Thailand

8 April 2008

Faculty of Engineering Prince of Songkla University

However, this looks at the cost to society as a whole, not to the family per se that might be recompensed by insurance. I would imagine that the insurance companies, who are well experienced in such things, would offer a credible amount that minimises their risk of losing in court...

SC

Mr. S Cowboy, sir

Thanks very much, this is more what I was looking for. I agree that the insurance companies are all going to try to minimize their exposure in court, I am just curious what the "usual" is in Thailand for such a thing. My wife and her family are agreeing to settle this out, so that it doesn't go on to a drawn-out court situation, I am just curious what is the "usual" value of a death in Thailand.

[craigt3365]

Let's try this in the insurance forum. If you don't like it there after a short while, we can try elsewhere. OK?

Topic Moved.

[Beetlejuice]

It`s something the UK insurance companies call, betterment, and I am sure that Thai insurance companies use a similar system.

This usually pertains to vehicles but can be applied to a human life.

Betterment means not paying out any claims where the claimants actually make a profit on the deal or are for any reasons better off prior to the accident.

In other words, in this case, the insurers calculate the earning potential for the remaining lifespan of a 65 year old rice farmer and what he would have been worth in financial income to his family. For a rice farmer, probably not very much, so the payment of 350,000 baht appears to be a reasonable deal. If for example the poor man would have been a high flying multi billionaire oil company executive and his death caused the collapse of his company with the loss of 400 jobs and millions of bahts wiped off the stock exchange from his companies stocks and shares, then this would have been a different story.

Once the insurance claim has been agreed, granted and paid, their part in this is done, and then the burden falls on the victims to prove negligence on the part of the driver who caused the accident and to claim compensation and dispensation via the legal system.

As for the heartbreak and trauma caused to the victims nearest and dearest, this is never taken into account regarding the insurance companies and in most cases also applies to the legal system.

In answer to the OPs question; What Is The Value Of Life In Thailand? The question should be; What Is The Value Of Life Anywhere? The answer is; not very much I’m sorry to say.

Many years ago when I was a wee nipper, an Aunt said to me; a human life is the most precious thing on Earth. Of course now I know that this is all BS.

In terms of worth of a human life, it`s all down to, how much a person is considered as a viable proposition within our society. As far as the thinking goes in terms of those who make the rules and the terms and conditions we are imposed to abide by; a poor peasant Thai 65 year old rice farmer doesn’t amount for much.

So there’s your answer.

Sad but true.

[mario299]

It`s something the UK insurance companies call, betterment, and I am sure that Thai insurance companies use a similar system.

This usually pertains to vehicles but can be applied to a human life.

Betterment means not paying out any claims where the claimants actually make a profit on the deal or are for any reasons better off prior to the accident.

In other words, in this case, the insurers calculate the earning potential for the remaining lifespan of a 65 year old rice farmer and what he would have been worth in financial income to his family. For a rice farmer, probably not very much, so the payment of 350,000 baht appears to be a reasonable deal. If for example the poor man would have been a high flying multi billionaire oil company executive and his death caused the collapse of his company with the loss of 400 jobs and millions of bahts wiped off the stock exchange from his companies stocks and shares, then this would have been a different story.

Once the insurance claim has been agreed, granted and paid, their part in this is done, and then the burden falls on the victims to prove negligence on the part of the driver who caused the accident and to claim compensation and dispensation via the legal system.

As for the heartbreak and trauma caused to the victims nearest and dearest, this is never taken into account regarding the insurance companies and in most cases also applies to the legal system.

In answer to the OPs question; What Is The Value Of Life In Thailand? The question should be; What Is The Value Of Life Anywhere? The answer is; not very much I'm sorry to say.

Many years ago when I was a wee nipper, an Aunt said to me; a human life is the most precious thing on Earth. Of course now I know that this is all BS.

In terms of worth of a human life, it`s all down to, how much a person is considered as a viable proposition within our society. As far as the thinking goes in terms of those who make the rules and the terms and conditions we are imposed to abide by; a poor peasant Thai 65 year old rice farmer doesn't amount for much.

So there's your answer.

Sad but true.

Thank you for a very thoughtful and well-thought reply. It helps me to understand a little better, and perhaps will also help me to explain and comfort.

mario299 :jap:

[StreetCowboy]

It`s something the UK insurance companies call, betterment, and I am sure that Thai insurance companies use a similar system.

This usually pertains to vehicles but can be applied to a human life.

Betterment means not paying out any claims where the claimants actually make a profit on the deal or are for any reasons better off prior to the accident.

In other words, in this case, the insurers calculate the earning potential for the remaining lifespan of a 65 year old rice farmer and what he would have been worth in financial income to his family. For a rice farmer, probably not very much, so the payment of 350,000 baht appears to be a reasonable deal. If for example the poor man would have been a high flying multi billionaire oil company executive and his death caused the collapse of his company with the loss of 400 jobs and millions of bahts wiped off the stock exchange from his companies stocks and shares, then this would have been a different story.

Once the insurance claim has been agreed, granted and paid, their part in this is done, and then the burden falls on the victims to prove negligence on the part of the driver who caused the accident and to claim compensation and dispensation via the legal system.

As for the heartbreak and trauma caused to the victims nearest and dearest, this is never taken into account regarding the insurance companies and in most cases also applies to the legal system.

In answer to the OPs question; What Is The Value Of Life In Thailand? The question should be; What Is The Value Of Life Anywhere? The answer is; not very much I'm sorry to say.

Many years ago when I was a wee nipper, an Aunt said to me; a human life is the most precious thing on Earth. Of course now I know that this is all BS.

In terms of worth of a human life, it`s all down to, how much a person is considered as a viable proposition within our society. As far as the thinking goes in terms of those who make the rules and the terms and conditions we are imposed to abide by; a poor peasant Thai 65 year old rice farmer doesn't amount for much.

So there's your answer.

Sad but true.

Thank you for a very thoughtful and well-thought reply. It helps me to understand a little better, and perhaps will also help me to explain and comfort.

mario299 :jap:

I think the legal term for the payment for pain and heartache is called "a solacium", and is basically the difference between their tight-fisted minimal calculation of your earning potential and what they think you will accept. Since the offer is not broken down, you can't really see what they are allocating as lost earnings, extra costs, solacium etc.

SC

[katabeachbum]

believe one million baht is max 3rd party liability for one person

if there had only been compulsory Insurance, I believe limit is 50k baht

350k baht sounds good, and a court case cost money and takes time, and will possibly not achieve more, perhaps less

I would accept 350k

[mario299]

believe one million baht is max 3rd party liability for one person

if there had only been compulsory Insurance, I believe limit is 50k baht

350k baht sounds good, and a court case cost money and takes time, and will possibly not achieve more, perhaps less

I would accept 350k

katabeachbum, street cowboy and beetlejuice

Thanks to all for insightful replies. My wife, will the help of the Police Chief (if you can believe that), has negotiated and accepted an additional 50,000 baht from the driver, which must be paid before the driver appears in Criminal Court to answer the charge of negligent driving. This now totals 400,000 baht from insurance and the driver and is acceptable to my wife and her brother and sister for the loss of their father.

All of this has taken place in slightly less than one month, and the total payments will be finished before two months have ended. I feel that this is the best for all involved, accept it and let it be finished. The driver will probably receive a fine and probation, and must live with the consequences for a very long time (he is 28 years old).

Although it doesn't seem like a lot of money for the loss of life, the reality is what it is.

Again, I thank you for your replies to help me understand and hopefully help my wife understand.

mario299

[tonydabbs]

if there had only been compulsory Insurance, I believe limit is 50k baht

compulsory insurance pays 100k for death .

[rawhod]

if there had only been compulsory Insurance, I believe limit is 50k baht

compulsory insurance pays 100k for death .

Compulsory insurance pays out 35K for death whilst riding a motorcycle