Bbc News Air Story About Dangerous Thai Roads

[doodle]

Just shown on BBC Breakfast News in the UK (watched by millions), an interview with the mother of one of three boys killed in a bus crash. The interview mentioned how dangerous Thai roads are and how this is not known to most people who travel to Thailand. She had a lawyer with her who stated that they would be investigating the accident and pursuing justice from whoever was responsible for the accident.

They also said that they were going to make it their business to publicise the case as much as possible to highlight the dangers to those travelling to Thailand. This should really help the latest tourism campaign. Amazing Thailand!

[theblether]

Quite right, the level of public transport accidents in Thailand is ridiculous.

[Boater]

good,

[Beetlejuice]

Thailand can be a wonderful place to holiday or live, until there are problems.

Some examples: if you get food poisoning from a café, restaurant or food purchased from a store or market, become a victim of crime, are involved in an accident, become seriously ill, get ripped off by a company or a service and the list goes on.

There are no consumer protection laws as such, or if there is, these are certainly rarely ever enforced. Obtaining justice here in Thailand is extremely difficult, due to it`s antiquated legal system, no properly defined laws which can be manipulated and can drag on for years costing a plaintiff a small fortune.

I think these are warnings that should be put out by the travel agents and the embassies. Just something to make travellers and ex-pats aware that if they visit or live in Thailand, they do so at their own risk and in no way should they equate the systems of the West with Thailand infrastructure.

[dick turpin]

Remember thinking at the time this was a desperately tragic story, three

young lads setting out on the trip of a lifetime,but where do you stop the

sense of adventure and start worrying about safety concerns. Appreciate the

desire of the mothers to do something,but think it slightly unfair to vent their

frustration on Thailand. Surely these gap year students have networking sites

where they check can out cheapest places to stay, forms of transport to avoid etc.

Thailand is crazy and at times downright dangerous,but I love it all the more for it.

[Apache704]

Just saying that the roads in Thailand are bad is not going to stop anyone from travelling to Thailand or any other country for that matter.Anyone leaving their own country should be aware that they may never return.

Edited September 26, 2011 by Apache704

[guzzi850m2]

Just saying that the roads in Thailand are bad is not going to stop anyone from travelling to Thailand or any other country for that matter.Anyone leaving their own country should be aware that they may never return.

Yes its really dangerous to be alive, you will end up dead one day

I drive car and motor cycles here in Thailand, yes it is dangerous but not so much that I will stay in my house all day long.

Until my son was born, my wife and I rode all over Thailand on the Harley, but now we take the car. Uses the scooters for around Pattaya, much easier to park than the tin can.

Come-on people don't be scared of living, I ain't.

[Willeyeam]

Thailand can be a wonderful place to holiday or live, until there are problems.

Some examples: if you get food poisoning from a café, restaurant or food purchased from a store or market, become a victim of crime, are involved in an accident, become seriously ill, get ripped off by a company or a service and the list goes on.

There are no consumer protection laws as such, or if there is, these are certainly rarely ever enforced. Obtaining justice here in Thailand is extremely difficult, due to it`s antiquated legal system, no properly defined laws which can be manipulated and can drag on for years costing a plaintiff a small fortune.

I think these are warnings that should be put out by the travel agents and the embassies. Just something to make travellers and ex-pats aware that if they visit or live in Thailand, they do so at their own risk and in no way should they equate the systems of the West with Thailand infrastructure.

It is where do you draw the line?

I totally agree that people should be made aware of the possible dangers, but you cannot allow for everything. That is half of the fun of the adventure.

Imagine if Thailand ended up like the US or the UK, where people were suing people left right and centre for any tiny violation or excuse?

Another pile of cash for greedy stinking lawyers.

My sympathies go out to those lads parents, terrible luck, but in the end, Thailand is Thailand, it is totally different from what most westerners are used to, that is part of the experience. I for one would hate to see it turn into yet another nanny state where everything is controlled and governed. Obviously it has a bit of a way to go in general, but I would prefer no regulation rather than over regulation.

[Thongkorn]

Thailand can be a wonderful place to holiday or live, until there are problems.

quote

Imagine if Thailand ended up like the US or the UK, where people were suing people left right and centre for any tiny violation or excuse?

Another pile of cash for greedy stinking lawyers.

Have you ever tried to sue anybody in the UK , Usualy Insurance brokers settel amung themselfs with out the insured person having a say. I have never heared of any one in the UK Sueing and if they did and are its not reported.

[phuturatica]

This was a really tragic story, however a road accident could have happened anywhere in the world. Thailand is quite lenient on it's health and safety laws so maybe this needs to be addressed. However I don't think blaming Thailand entirely is the answer and will solve anything in this case.

Also I was shocked to see that the insurers tried to pay off the families of the victims. Only £4,000 for each body! That's how much someone's life is worth these days?

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23989901-pound-4000-a-life-for-tragic-gap-year-britons.do

[apetley]

Have had plenty of friends sue for compensation in the uk and have done so myself. Just takes time thats all.

[thaibeachlovers]

Remember thinking at the time this was a desperately tragic story, three

young lads setting out on the trip of a lifetime,but where do you stop the

sense of adventure and start worrying about safety concerns. Appreciate the

desire of the mothers to do something,but think it slightly unfair to vent their

frustration on Thailand. Surely these gap year students have networking sites

where they check can out cheapest places to stay, forms of transport to avoid etc.

Thailand is crazy and at times downright dangerous,but I love it all the more for it.

Sadly,of those students to which you refer, in general, many never check out anything before travelling. I also post on Thorn tree travel forum, and, for example, the number of posts about how they got stuff stolen off tourist buses booked on KSR is ridiculous. These kids know all about using the internet, but seem incapable of googling anything like scams in Thailand!

[paulian]

Thailand can be a wonderful place to holiday or live, until there are problems.

Some examples: if you get food poisoning from a café, restaurant or food purchased from a store or market, become a victim of crime, are involved in an accident, become seriously ill, get ripped off by a company or a service and the list goes on.

There are no consumer protection laws as such, or if there is, these are certainly rarely ever enforced. Obtaining justice here in Thailand is extremely difficult, due to it`s antiquated legal system, no properly defined laws which can be manipulated and can drag on for years costing a plaintiff a small fortune.

I think these are warnings that should be put out by the travel agents and the embassies. Just something to make travellers and ex-pats aware that if they visit or live in Thailand, they do so at their own risk and in no way should they equate the systems of the West with Thailand infrastructure.

Very well said. A a friend once told me, Thailand has it's advantages, however, it's like living in the old west. Every man for himself. There is danger and trouble around every corner and you can never let your guard down. It's a wonder why we all stay here. I understood when the baht was 40-50 to 1US Dollar, but now it's more expensive here than in the US in many respects.

[paulian]

Remember thinking at the time this was a desperately tragic story, three

young lads setting out on the trip of a lifetime,but where do you stop the

sense of adventure and start worrying about safety concerns. Appreciate the

desire of the mothers to do something,but think it slightly unfair to vent their

frustration on Thailand. Surely these gap year students have networking sites

where they check can out cheapest places to stay, forms of transport to avoid etc.

Thailand is crazy and at times downright dangerous,but I love it all the more for it.

Sadly,of those students to which you refer, in general, many never check out anything before travelling. I also post on Thorn tree travel forum, and, for example, the number of posts about how they got stuff stolen off tourist buses booked on KSR is ridiculous. These kids know all about using the internet, but seem incapable of googling anything like scams in Thailand!

Is this a private conversation between two of you or a constructive thread ?!#$% Who is KSR, why not clue everybody in ? Gee, I literally scour the news for scams and Law Enforcement info daily. and I've never heard of the mysterious KSR, so how would these kids have picked up on a scam from your imaginary theory or advise as I'm sure you think it is ? Why not clue everybody in ?

[roamer]

Remember thinking at the time this was a desperately tragic story, three

young lads setting out on the trip of a lifetime,but where do you stop the

sense of adventure and start worrying about safety concerns. Appreciate the

desire of the mothers to do something,but think it slightly unfair to vent their

frustration on Thailand. Surely these gap year students have networking sites

where they check can out cheapest places to stay, forms of transport to avoid etc.

Thailand is crazy and at times downright dangerous,but I love it all the more for it.

Sadly,of those students to which you refer, in general, many never check out anything before travelling. I also post on Thorn tree travel forum, and, for example, the number of posts about how they got stuff stolen off tourist buses booked on KSR is ridiculous. These kids know all about using the internet, but seem incapable of googling anything like scams in Thailand!

Is this a private conversation between two of you or a constructive thread ?!#$% Who is KSR, why not clue everybody in ? Gee, I literally scour the news for scams and Law Enforcement info daily. and I've never heard of the mysterious KSR, so how would these kids have picked up on a scam from your imaginary theory or advise as I'm sure you think it is ? Why not clue everybody in ?

I think most people are clued into the fact that KSR stands for Khao Sahn Road, a backpacker enclave. The abbreviation has been used here many times.

[paulian]

Remember thinking at the time this was a desperately tragic story, three

young lads setting out on the trip of a lifetime,but where do you stop the

sense of adventure and start worrying about safety concerns. Appreciate the

desire of the mothers to do something,but think it slightly unfair to vent their

frustration on Thailand. Surely these gap year students have networking sites

where they check can out cheapest places to stay, forms of transport to avoid etc.

Thailand is crazy and at times downright dangerous,but I love it all the more for it.

Sadly,of those students to which you refer, in general, many never check out anything before travelling. I also post on Thorn tree travel forum, and, for example, the number of posts about how they got stuff stolen off tourist buses booked on KSR is ridiculous. These kids know all about using the internet, but seem incapable of googling anything like scams in Thailand!

Is this a private conversation between two of you or a constructive thread ?!#$% Who is KSR, why not clue everybody in ? Gee, I literally scour the news for scams and Law Enforcement info daily. and I've never heard of the mysterious KSR, so how would these kids have picked up on a scam from your imaginary theory or advise as I'm sure you think it is ? Why not clue everybody in ?

I think most people are clued into the fact that KSR stands for Khao Sahn Road, a backpacker enclave. The abbreviation has been used here many times.

Thank You, they absolutely should have picked up on the "KSR" scam, I guess ?

Edited September 26, 2011 by paulian

[Pedzie]

I would say the chances of dying in a bus crash in Thailand are about the same as getting stabbed on a night out in many UK cities on a Saturday night

Death can happen anywhere at anytime

[WinnieTheKhwai]

> Thank You, they absolutely should have picked up on the "KSR" scam, I guess ?

They should have picked up on which buses to take: the legal and government regulated ones from a bus station. Then again, it's not like those never ever crash.

Overall Thai roads are less safe than in the UK / Europe.

News at 11.

[DP25]

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23989901-pound-4000-a-life-for-tragic-gap-year-britons.do

It's true there are many more road deaths per year in Thailand and the UK but the article completely fails to mention the biggest cause, motorcycles. They sell more motorcycles in one month in Thailand than they do in a year in the UK. Millions more motorcycles on the road every day means many more deaths. The best thing the average tourist can do do is to not drive around on scooters, especially when drunk and on curvy island roads wearing flip flops and no helmet.

[moe666]

One of my co-workers asked me why do you go there, I said I may not come back. Young people donot go on a trip looking for what they had at home, the lack of safty, regulation and the bit of everyone for themselves has an appeal.

My best wishes to the mom and families, hard time for all, but they died doing something they wanted to do. Good luck getting justice, even here in the states people are often disappointed in that concept.

We are born to die, it just comes to some of us sooner than others. I will be going back to thailand soon and my children have instructions that if anything happens to me, I will be barbecued in thailand and not to spend a bunch of money bringing this old piece of meat home. If someone is to blame for my death no worries no hurries karma will eventually be balanced.

[Dave9000]

Travellers are duty bound to do just a little research before they make their minds up about the safety of a particular destination. There is an ongoing public awareness camapign in Australia which exhorts potential travellers to check with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Travel Advisories. Here is the current advisory for Thailand......

http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/zw-cgi/view/Advice/Thailand

A prudent traveller will read these advisories and take action as a result.

Admittedly, DFAT paints a grim picture, but it is better to be armed with this knowledge than not.

Edited September 27, 2011 by Dave9000

[exeter]

The state of the roads here leaves room for improvement and the current wet season does not help, even more subsidence and holes appearing. The driving sstandards are not good, seems like a lot have learnt to drive from an arcade game where people dont really die.

Last week I took a long distance coach up to Chiang Rai and back and I have to say that the driving of the coach was excellent, slowing down well ahead of red traffic lights, keeping the coach rolling til they changed and no scarry moments, unlike the high speed dashes from Bangkok to Pattaya which can be rather dicey at times.

[mallyrd]

Have had plenty of friends sue for compensation in the uk and have done so myself. Just takes time thats all.

Use the small claims court for amounts up to 15,000 quid. It's fast track and my claim was done and dusted in 7 weeks. I did it all over the internet with my brother submitting the final set of documents to the court, the clerk of the court said the documents were fine, accepted my 250 quid deposit which set in motion the order to be served on the defendant, it all worked a treat.