Thailand Tops Australian Death List

[hellodolly]

Results have to be understood in the context that many people come here to retire (and die). But even so, the vehicular accident rate in Thailand is ridiculous.

I would consider the US annual road death toll of 40,000/year to be more ridiculous considering much more strigent and high tech law enforcement, less corruption and supposedly better standards of driver testing etc.

If you look on the web you will find statistics that apply that 40,000 figure in relation to how many vehicles are registered or how many miles are traveled. Put in this context, Thailand has ten times more traffic deaths than the U.S. does. There are European countries that do better than the U.S., Germany to name just one example but it's nowhere near a 10 to 1 ration such as we have in Thailand. I will suggest that Pattaya has a much higher death rate than this 10 to 1 figure given the attitudes of the drivers here. Example....go to Korat..the people are much more polite when they drive, drive more slowly at an unfrenzied pace, and tend to be more observant of the traffic regulations. Given the homicidal mindset of many drivers here in Pattaya, I'd say the rate is off the charts compared to Europe, the U.S., Australia etc.

You are probably rite about your figures. How ever you are over looking a lot of things. For one the infrastructure here is no where near up to the standards of the countries you choose to compare it with. Also I don't know if you know much about medical factors but in a accident it is critical to get to the people in the first hour. Thailand is not set up for that. And last but maybe not least what you said about the mind set of the drivers in Patttaya could well be true and rather than use it in the countries you mentioned they come here and use it. Many is the tourist who has never been on a motor bike in their life get to Thailand where they can rent one cheap and off they go. What makes it really bad is some of them have never driven on the left side of the road.

[Unkomoncents]

Wow, unknown causes of death in US: 12

Thailand: 112

And why is that surprising. The sophistication and availability of required postmortem testing is unlikely to be on the same level now, is it? The Democratic Republic of Congo, despite having a similar population to Thailand, probably has an exponentially higher incidence of death with no known cause. Why? Read the second sentence.

But the Democratic Republic of Congo doesn't advertise itself as a wonderful, safe paradise for tourists, nor do tourists visit the Democratic Republic of Congo. Thailand has world-class hospitals that rival anything the West has to offer. If they can manage the hospitals, I'm quite sure they can manage a proper autopsy. Another apologist for Thai incompetence and malfeasance. Surprise, surprise.

Oh, and yes, I'll be off after November. If you have half a brain, you'd not waste it in a general sh*thole like Thailand.

Your new here and don't have a clue as to the culture. I give you about 6 months and off you go.

The Thais except the fact that a person is dead and they get on with the business of living. Why they died is not that big of a issue to them. They are more interested in life than death. Just another one of the big differences between Thailand and the west. You best be off to your nanny country now. One of these days you are going to wake up and realize that you have to take care of your self here.

Dolly, I've lived here for four years. I'm married to a Thai woman, so frankly, you're a funny man (even having lived here that long, I would never have the gall to suggest that as some elderly, farang male, I understand how things work here). I know a lot about Thai culture. You sound like you've lived in the Northeast your entire life; how much Thai do you speak?

I've seen Thai people mourn their dead in extremely sincere ways. You seem to want to treat the entire process as though it's simply a process. You're old. You're waiting to die in Thailand. That's why your'e here. I'll be off with my family so that they can be properly educated (are you going to argue that education in Thailand is wonderful too?). When you clearly come from a different generation, there shouldn't be any bother trying to connect. You're an old man. You spend way, WAY to much time on this site. It's pretty funny. I'm sure you're the type that sends your little Thai girlfriend to gossip with her friends so you can talk about "real" things with your farang compatriots. Do you play golf? I'd love it if you fit that ridiculous, red-faced stereotype?

Describe the general tourist in Thailand. What gender are we dealing with? What age range? What nationality? Congratulations on finding a mindset you believe to be superior to your home-mindset. Unfortunately, if you're young and serious about Thailand, you know that anyone who has stayed longer than 1-2 years has an alcohol/drug problem or a series of venereal diseases (unless, on the off-chance, they have family, etc here).

Oh, and yes, I'll be off after November. If you have half a brain, you'd not waste it in a general sh*thole like Thailand.

But let's not get emotional. Please present the figures that prove Thailand to be a top intellectual/profitable destination for the ambitious and well-meaning. What Astronauts and Nobel Prize Winners come from the LOS? What athletes? Oh wait, what stupid questions are these. Buddha teaches that poverty and global obscurity are the means to enlightenment.

Edited July 26, 2012 by Unkomoncents

[redroo]

and not one suiside?

[mrmazinkle]

if every goes on holiday to thailand you'll get more deaths in Thailand. What about relative numbers compared to the number of aussies living and coming to thailand. Wonder if it still hits the number 1 position then. Just reporting a number doesn't mean anything.... More people have died in China last year than in Luxemburg, no shit, China has about 10000 times more people.

they all died of constipation?

[simple1]

@unkomoncents. Why are you so rude and bitter? You infer you are educated, it's not reflected in your posts

[avalonmick]

Better not report this... otherwise you will get in trouble for making Thailand look bad and causing it to have less tourists...

Can we have a list that shows where Australians lost the most money (without dying)? I'll be Thailand tops that list too.

[inquisitive]

Wow, unknown causes of death in US: 12

Thailand: 112

And why is that surprising. The sophistication and availability of required postmortem testing is unlikely to be on the same level now, is it? The Democratic Republic of Congo, despite having a similar population to Thailand, probably has an exponentially higher incidence of death with no known cause. Why? Read the second sentence.

Did I note correctly that you included the word "probably" in your proof? Would that mean thay you believe you are probably right, but really have no idea?

[HowardV]

Wow, unknown causes of death in US: 12

Thailand: 112

And why is that surprising. The sophistication and availability of required postmortem testing is unlikely to be on the same level now, is it? The Democratic Republic of Congo, despite having a similar population to Thailand, probably has an exponentially higher incidence of death with no known cause. Why? Read the second sentence.

Funny, I saw that statistic and my first thought was the same. I didn't find the statistic surprising, but I did find it to be a clear indication of the gap between the first world and the developing world. I thought, "Geez, just goes to show how much further along the first world is, isn't it? This shows how much things can slide out here where people just don't have the technology or ability to get down to the details."

Not shocking, not surprising, not appalling, just a confirmation to me that to expect things to operate the way they do in the developed world is unfair to these undeveloped regions.

On another note, it isn't until you have the capacity to recognize what is missing that you can act with humility. Education is important not only to bring Thailand up to the level of the first world, but also to make it clear to the people here that they aren't operating on the level of the first world or even close - not to shame undeveloped people, but to humble them into listening, to create a teachable moment.

[sunshine51]

Numbers...statistics....baaahhhh....

In Africa elephants roam off to places known only to them

when it's their time to die. Maybe Australians roam to Thailand.

Everything needs their secret dieing grounds...

[tingtongtourist]

There are a couple of important statistics not considered in this report:

1. What % of Australian deaths can be attributed to the idiot factor?

2. What % of Australian idiots visit Thailand?

Being Australian myself I know what some of us get up to abroad. Unfortunately, whenever I bump into a fellow Australian overseas I'm usually disappointed.

Disappointed in what ways?

For me, i think both percentage VERY BIG.

Because exchange rate of AUS$ very good with Thai baht and beer very cheap in Thailand compare to AUs.Make them go crazy.

I know what the poster mean about being dissapoint with meeting Aussie here. mostly very loud and usually drunk also singing out for service and complain about everything because not same as australia

[ginjag]

Results have to be understood in the context that many people come here to retire (and die). But even so, the vehicular accident rate in Thailand is ridiculous.

I would consider the US annual road death toll of 40,000/year to be more ridiculous considering much more strigent and high tech law enforcement, less corruption and supposedly better standards of driver testing etc.

If you look on the web you will find statistics that apply that 40,000 figure in relation to how many vehicles are registered or how many miles are traveled. Put in this context, Thailand has ten times more traffic deaths than the U.S. does. There are European countries that do better than the U.S., Germany to name just one example but it's nowhere near a 10 to 1 ration such as we have in Thailand. I will suggest that Pattaya has a much higher death rate than this 10 to 1 figure given the attitudes of the drivers here. Example....go to Korat..the people are much more polite when they drive, drive more slowly at an unfrenzied pace, and tend to be more observant of the traffic regulations. Given the homicidal mindset of many drivers here in Pattaya, I'd say the rate is off the charts compared to Europe, the U.S., Australia etc.

And what is the rate of motorbikes on the roads in those countries compared to here? No doubt Thailand needs to continue to address road safety but the majority of vehicles on the road are motorbikes and this is where the vast majority (70%) of deaths come from.

More importantly people, in this case Australians, need to use the education they have learned (drinking driving / helmet use) back home and apply it here regardless if there is a lack of somebody forcing them to use this knowledge.

One would read into this as the 70% of deaths are not a concern as there are more motor cycles here than say Europe, so deaths are bound to be more(law of averages???) With Australians and Europeans need to get more education re road sense ??? Your comments seem to try to draw the attention OFF Thai- Just disturbing so many Nationalities have ended up in the morg here. Again your usual comment non Thais should be more educated. or use their brain here.

[Nisa]

I would consider the US annual road death toll of 40,000/year to be more ridiculous considering much more strigent and high tech law enforcement, less corruption and supposedly better standards of driver testing etc.

If you look on the web you will find statistics that apply that 40,000 figure in relation to how many vehicles are registered or how many miles are traveled. Put in this context, Thailand has ten times more traffic deaths than the U.S. does. There are European countries that do better than the U.S., Germany to name just one example but it's nowhere near a 10 to 1 ration such as we have in Thailand. I will suggest that Pattaya has a much higher death rate than this 10 to 1 figure given the attitudes of the drivers here. Example....go to Korat..the people are much more polite when they drive, drive more slowly at an unfrenzied pace, and tend to be more observant of the traffic regulations. Given the homicidal mindset of many drivers here in Pattaya, I'd say the rate is off the charts compared to Europe, the U.S., Australia etc.

And what is the rate of motorbikes on the roads in those countries compared to here? No doubt Thailand needs to continue to address road safety but the majority of vehicles on the road are motorbikes and this is where the vast majority (70%) of deaths come from.

More importantly people, in this case Australians, need to use the education they have learned (drinking driving / helmet use) back home and apply it here regardless if there is a lack of somebody forcing them to use this knowledge.

One would read into this as the 70% of deaths are not a concern as there are more motor cycles here than say Europe, so deaths are bound to be more(law of averages???) With Australians and Europeans need to get more education re road sense ??? Your comments seem to try to draw the attention OFF Thai- Just disturbing so many Nationalities have ended up in the morg here. Again your usual comment non Thais should be more educated. or use their brain here.

You are right gin, they should continue to get themselves killed on the road while visiting here and ignore the safety lessons they learned in their home country around such things as driving drunk, without a helmet and without taking due care and consideration to conditions. The whole process of natural selection .. I get it.

Edited July 27, 2012 by Nisa

[ginjag]

Nisa we are not just talking motor cycle accidents, so we do not have to concentrate on that too much.

If Thais want to have 70% + of all killed here=motor cyclists= and the law do'es nothing much to stop this, up to them. They also are living in 2012 and have the technology here and knowhow. So they should get educated and see sense when mama lets kiddy out unprotected on a 100kph bike.

Yes as I have always said foreigners should use their loaves when driving here and MOST do, the careless and drunks I will always say -UP TO YOU-

I will add some countries have more m/cycles on the road than Thailand, with LESS fatalities--without looking up stats-law of averages.

Of all the places Aussies go and they do travel far, just seems odd that here they top the death list ??? must be as you say Aussies are more careless here ????? no no.

[BookMan]

There are a couple of important statistics not considered in this report:

1. What % of Australian deaths can be attributed to the idiot factor?

2. What % of Australian idiots visit Thailand?

Being Australian myself I know what some of us get up to abroad. Unfortunately, whenever I bump into a fellow Australian overseas I'm usually disappointed.

Disappointed in what ways?

For me, i think both percentage VERY BIG.

Because exchange rate of AUS$ very good with Thai baht and beer very cheap in Thailand compare to AUs.Make them go crazy.

I know what the poster mean about being dissapoint with meeting Aussie here. mostly very loud and usually drunk also singing out for service and complain about everything because not same as australia

Yes I understand what you are saying now.

[ginjag]

I'm English and I am not very impressed with the anti AUSSIE brigade,,you get pissmires from everywhere, and Aussies are big travellers to Thai so you will have more pissmires. BUT the Aussies I have met are the same as most countries, stayers-or visitors. I wouldn't single them out, and definetly not put the blame on all of them that end up in the morg here. Must have to look at WHY Thailand, Thai have a lot to explain for fatalities here, rather than push the blame on other nationals.

[ableguy]

26% of the Thailand deaths listed as unknown cause...

Falling out of a window with hands tied behind ones back probably least wise in Pattaya.

[Nisa]

Gin let me pretend to be you for a minute and how you constantly stalk me here and reply with you usual logic ... why believe these stats in the OP when you can see things for your own eyes. I look out my window every day and have not seen an Australian tourist killed and I am good friends with a number of Australians in Thailand and none of them are dead except for the one who went to England and got killed in a car accident. So with my Ginging logic, England is much more dangerous for Australians.

But interestingly enough, you aren't taking this position this time because you embrace anything that might paint Thailand in a bad light and oppose any stat that doesn't even have to paint Thailand but simply show it is not as bad as you doom and gloomers make it out to be.

But more importantly isn't it about time you stopped obsessing on me and my posts and views?

Edited July 27, 2012 by Nisa

[Nigel1500]

There are a couple of important statistics not considered in this report:

1. What % of Australian deaths can be attributed to the idiot factor?

2. What % of Australian idiots visit Thailand?

Being Australian myself I know what some of us get up to abroad. Unfortunately, whenever I bump into a fellow Australian overseas I'm usually disappointed.

Disappointed in what ways?

Loud

Drunk

Abusive

Offensive

Foul-Mouthed

Reckless

Continually running down whatever country they're visiting!

[edwinclapham]

I'm English and I am not very impressed with the anti AUSSIE brigade,,you get pissmires from everywhere, and Aussies are big travellers to Thai so you will have more pissmires. BUT the Aussies I have met are the same as most countries, stayers-or visitors. I wouldn't single them out, and definetly not put the blame on all of them that end up in the morg here. Must have to look at WHY Thailand, Thai have a lot to explain for fatalities here, rather than push the blame on other nationals.

Refreshing seeing a plain honest post here!

The same applies for people of most nations, therefore I find the broad generalisations are made from the "has beens armchair's observers"

[edwinclapham]

There are a couple of important statistics not considered in this report:

1. What % of Australian deaths can be attributed to the idiot factor?

2. What % of Australian idiots visit Thailand?

Being Australian myself I know what some of us get up to abroad. Unfortunately, whenever I bump into a fellow Australian overseas I'm usually disappointed.

Disappointed in what ways?

Loud

Drunk

Abusive

Offensive

Foul-Mouthed

Reckless

Continually running down whatever country they're visiting!

Strange, because I have the complete opposite.

You get your bogans/chavs from most nations, but to singling out your own country folk us very disappointing.

[coma]

And under what catagory do they put murder victims ?

[edwinclapham]

And under what catagory do they put murder victims ?

"unsolved" .. they get filed under "ostrich"

[coma]

Countries listed by chance of dying as a tourist: (Thailand doesn't appear in the top 20).

e.g: Australia kicks in at 18 because:

"When you visit Australia, you may find yourself facing one of the ten most poisonous snakes in the world, one of many different types of deadly spiders or even deadly sea creatures. In fact, most consider Australia to be the place where you are most likely to get attacked by wildlife in one way or another."

What a load of hogs wash ? Here are some facts. And please consider that these are not figures for tourist fatalities alone. Truth of the matter is that most Australians will go there entire lives without seeing, let alone having an encounter or being attacked / bitten by snakes, spiders, Great Whites or Cape Crocs.

Snakes :Since 1980 there have been 43 deaths (27 involving brownsnakes) Australia-wide attributed to snakes (the most recent, 42 year old woman on 2nd November 2011 in Queensland). Several of these could not be confirmed as resulting directly from snakebite.

Sharks : Although Australia is ranked the second highest in terms of global shark attacks with 877 attacks, it is ranked the highest in terms of shark fatalities, with 217 fatalities total.

Spiders : In Australia, only male Sydney Funnel Web Spiders and Redback Spiders have caused human deaths, but none have occurred since anti venoms were made available in 1981. Each year in Australia as many as 4,000 people are bitten. Of these 200 require anti venom treatment and one bite was fatal.

Edited July 27, 2012 by coma

[ttelise]

Gin let me pretend to be you for a minute and how you constantly stalk me here and reply with you usual logic ... why believe these stats in the OP when you can see things for your own eyes. I look out my window every day and have not seen an Australian tourist killed and I am good friends with a number of Australians in Thailand and none of them are dead except for the one who went to England and got killed in a car accident. So with my Ginging logic, England is much more dangerous for Australians.

But interestingly enough, you aren't taking this position this time because you embrace anything that might paint Thailand in a bad light and oppose any stat that doesn't even have to paint Thailand but simply show it is not as bad as you doom and gloomers make it out to be.

But more importantly isn't it about time you stopped obsessing on me and my posts and views?

Haha, you are a funny guy. The one obsessed is you. You show up in every thread defending Thailand and bashing everyone else no matter what the topic. I doubt any cares much about news like this, but you.

According to you, all foreigners die in Thailand due to accidents because they get drunk, jump on motorcycles and drive dangerously without helmets. They die of illnesses because they lose their mind and drink too much in Thailand. They die of natural causes because drinking, driving without a helmet and being stupid is how foreigners naturally act in vacation in Thailand. They die of unknown causes because they old and they come to Thailand to die and cause of death is not really important to them when they die in Thailand because, hey there dead already.

Come on, you gotta be a shill for some Thailand travel agency. Have to be, so fess up. No normal half way intelligent person would think this way. Has to got to be a joke or publicity stunt.

[softgeorge]

This data is fairly meaningless without the 'days spent in country times people' figure.

Which would give you your chance of dying in Thailand as a foreign visitor vs. any other country (per day)

i.e.

Countries listed by chance of dying as a tourist: (Thailand doesn't appear in the top 20).

e.g: Australia kicks in at 18 because:

"When you visit Australia, you may find yourself facing one of the ten most poisonous snakes in the world, one of many different types of deadly spiders or even deadly sea creatures. In fact, most consider Australia to be the place where you are most likely to get attacked by wildlife in one way or another."

Russia is at 9. (Don't visit the Caucasus!)

"The Caucasus region of Russia is highly unstable, making certain areas of the country best to avoid. In areas such as Degestan and North Ossetia, open guerilla warfare is still a regular occurrence. Travelers are often kidnapped for ransom and terrorists regularly attack government buildings, hotels, and even schools."

1. Iraq

2. Afghanistan

3. Pakistan

4. Somalia

5. Papua New Guinea

6. Colombia

7. Sudan

8. Burundi

9. Russia

10. Haiti

11. Liberia

12. Congo

13. Zimbabwe

14. Georgia

15. Cote D'Ivoire

16. Venezuela

17. Dominican Republic

18. Australia

19. Taiwan

20. New Zealand

Source: http://allwomenstalk...go-on-vacation/

Yea.

The world is dangerous......

Best just to stay in your home country and sit on the couch.

But, be careful.

You might fall off and die !

Yes we can hang it on ourselves

[Nisa]

Gin let me pretend to be you for a minute and how you constantly stalk me here and reply with you usual logic ... why believe these stats in the OP when you can see things for your own eyes. I look out my window every day and have not seen an Australian tourist killed and I am good friends with a number of Australians in Thailand and none of them are dead except for the one who went to England and got killed in a car accident. So with my Ginging logic, England is much more dangerous for Australians.

But interestingly enough, you aren't taking this position this time because you embrace anything that might paint Thailand in a bad light and oppose any stat that doesn't even have to paint Thailand but simply show it is not as bad as you doom and gloomers make it out to be.

But more importantly isn't it about time you stopped obsessing on me and my posts and views?

Haha, you are a funny guy. The one obsessed is you. You show up in every thread defending Thailand and bashing everyone else no matter what the topic. I doubt any cares much about news like this, but you.

According to you, all foreigners die in Thailand due to accidents because they get drunk, jump on motorcycles and drive dangerously without helmets. They die of illnesses because they lose their mind and drink too much in Thailand. They die of natural causes because drinking, driving without a helmet and being stupid is how foreigners naturally act in vacation in Thailand. They die of unknown causes because they old and they come to Thailand to die and cause of death is not really important to them when they die in Thailand because, hey there dead already.

Come on, you gotta be a shill for some Thailand travel agency. Have to be, so fess up. No normal half way intelligent person would think this way. Has to got to be a joke or publicity stunt.

The only people I "bash" as you put it are people who speak absolute untruths and way over the top exaggerations as truth and who seem to live in a fantasy world of what has been posted ... pretty much as you have done here.

[softgeorge]

Come on who would want to hurt us cute lovable characters.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=SiZRgve18SQ

[ginjag]

Gin let me pretend to be you for a minute and how you constantly stalk me here and reply with you usual logic ... why believe these stats in the OP when you can see things for your own eyes. I look out my window every day and have not seen an Australian tourist killed and I am good friends with a number of Australians in Thailand and none of them are dead except for the one who went to England and got killed in a car accident. So with my Ginging logic, England is much more dangerous for Australians.

But interestingly enough, you aren't taking this position this time because you embrace anything that might paint Thailand in a bad light and oppose any stat that doesn't even have to paint Thailand but simply show it is not as bad as you doom and gloomers make it out to be.

But more importantly isn't it about time you stopped obsessing on me and my posts and views?

See TTelise post in reply to your tainted one to me.

"I stalking you" haha and I am in the "doom and gloom brigade" am I,??

I do admit to have a post policy of bash when needed, But the posts you do not talk about are the ones I say good things about here.

I do not give a fig about the way you tread on posters that do not agree with you, but do object to the way you class posters down as not having brains, or not educated. Do you think you are superior ???

This topic has a ring about it that gives disturbing figures, ambassadors are talking about it, All nationals are worried. I am because it hurts Thailands tourist trade, can you see that, comments as I have said before are for the benefit of thailand even if they do not paint the picture YOU want. I AM NOT ANTI THAI get it out of your obsession of thinking. The other poster said it all-- TTelise #114

[Nisa]

It is not surprising Thailand would lead in terms of Australian deaths given how close, cheap and easy it is to enter Thailand. I would guess that a significant number of Australian visitors, excluding retirees are young folks looking to party who may not have ever traveled outside the country are aren't used to the freedoms they perceive the have here and are not educated enough on taking care of themselves in a less developed nation be it having funds or insurance for illnesses to actually going to going to see a doctor. This might also be why there seems to be a good number of arrests reported in the news of Australians in Thailand.

[ttelise]

Come on who would want to hurt us cute lovable characters.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=SiZRgve18SQ

That is funny. Love the wee man cameo. Seriously, countries without a raging inferiority complex can make fun of themselves and watch videos like this for entertainment.