Bangkok Cabbie Kills British Woman, Injures Her Friend In Hit-And-Run

[arrowsdawdle]

The Hit and Run bit is normal here, mostly because far to often the crowds will beat or kill the drivers of car pedestrian accidents, and the Thais all know this, and never know if they will stop and wait for police, or find themselves in a losing life or death struggle from something done accidentally.

The fact that most turn themselves into police a short time later, shows they understand what to do,

but want to survive doing the right thing.

In this case accident at 4am, and he turns himself in and tells his side at 6:30 am.

The Ferrari Red Bull heir not at all, just a weasel trying to blame his servent.

RIP to the poor lady and quick recovery to her Scots friend.

You speak with an authoritative tone as though stating facts about crowds beating or killing drivers of car accidents involving pedestrians. Maybe you are an authority and know more than Thai folk that say presenting this as commonplace doesn't wash and is farang bias and Thai stereotyping. Maybe you have evidence to prove them wrong, especially in the case of a Thai driver striking farang pedestrians. However, they point out that there are rarely any crowds at 4:30 a.m., especially in the rain, and the photo substantiates how less than a handful of people are at the scene even after the passage of time allowed for a crowd to gather Or, were you implying that EMT first responders would do the beating and killing? It has been suggested that the driver most likely went to his connected "uncle" in order to put in motion the hidden hand in an attempt to influence the charges made against him and lay the groundwork for working this through the system as quietly and expeditiously as possible. This is a local explanation but maybe you know better.

[richard_smith237]

I get a kick out of the folks that would prosecute the taxi passenger for hopping another taxi and fleeing the scene.

There are places in the world that will hold the passenger (especially a foreigner) responsible for any accident that occurs while he's hired the car.

There are other places in the world that automatically place suspicion on anyone rendering aid as a good Samaritan. The reasoning (or lack thereof) is that it's so culturally rare to help a complete stranger that the good Samaritan MUST have had something to do with the plight of the victim.

Does Thailand fit either of those descriptions? I wouldn't blame a tourist in a taxi for not wanting to bet the rest of his/her life on it.

I'm not saying that's what I'd do, just that I understand why someone would do the same in a foreign country.

I've heard these rumours before, they have also been discussed on TV in previous threads.

No one knows what they would do until they are in that situation.

I do. While driving my friends (Thai) and I saw a drunk lad come off his motorbike. My friends U turned, I got out to render assistance while my friends called an ambulance - I just made sure that the guy was breathing with no excessive bleeding and made sure he remained still until the ambulance arrived.

The lad had no helmet, the back of his head (probably just the scalp) was hanging off - I sent bystanders down the road to slow traffic down and got others to explain to the guy that he'd been in an accident and to lie still an ambulance was coming.

There was no question of blaming anyone else. I was the only foreigner at the scene, people tried to help and listened to common sense instructions.

I believe most of Thailand to be equally as logical and helpful unless the accident was cased by someone being completely dangerous..

Apologies for taking this off topic - But the point came up and I believe help should be rendered at any scene as soon as possible. Regardless of my previous post suggesting this was a tragic accident - The driver still fled the scene and failed to render assistance which could have been as simple as calling an ambulance.

Its about time Thailand started charging those who flee the scene of an accident.

[ElliePoo]

According to Thai news (I read Thai), it said that there was a witness who called the police to report the accident. This witness also gave the police the description (color, license plate number) of the taxi. In the meantime, the taxi driver pulled over somewhere and called his wife to ask her what he should do. She adviced him to turn himself in, so he did. Even if he didn't turn himself in, he would have been caught anyway given that there was a witness who wrote down his license plate number.

[jshorts]

Assuming the general selfishness arround here, the 100k bail, and the 2 hours later "turning in".

70km/h + rain = 100% Guilty (and the driver did know that hopefully)

All this is already a big step in the right direction.

70k is only 43 mph, not knowing how bad the rain was, hards to say,

but 43mph doesn't sound excessive normally.

At 4am don't imagine the ladies were 100% sobre and aware.

Not saying blame the vicim here, just saying hang em high doesn't always ring true.

2 hours later is not too long a wait for here, just long enough not to be killed by an enraged mob.

We can't think in terms of our culture since it certainly isn't.

Guilty, most likely.Showing contrition, most likely, more lenient sentence because of this, most likely too.

But he will never forget he's killed a young lady like this.

Why don't you imagine they were 100% sober?

[bkk75]

Before everyone go and condemn and be judge and executioner, they should realize the fault is owned by both parties. Yes the cabbie shouldn't be driving wrecklessly but how many cabbies in the world are good drivers? And secondly that area clearly has an overpass which the visitors were too lazy to use.

Just yesterday I was doing a u-turn and was more concerned at incoming traffic when suddenly bunch of farangs obviously young tourists decided to cross the street in front of me.

[richard_smith237]

Assuming the general selfishness arround here, the 100k bail, and the 2 hours later "turning in".

70km/h + rain = 100% Guilty (and the driver did know that hopefully)

All this is already a big step in the right direction.

70k is only 43 mph, not knowing how bad the rain was, hards to say,

but 43mph doesn't sound excessive normally.

At 4am don't imagine the ladies were 100% sobre and aware.

Not saying blame the vicim here, just saying hang em high doesn't always ring true.

2 hours later is not too long a wait for here, just long enough not to be killed by an enraged mob.

We can't think in terms of our culture since it certainly isn't.

Guilty, most likely.Showing contrition, most likely, more lenient sentence because of this, most likely too.

But he will never forget he's killed a young lady like this.

Why don't you imagine they were 100% sober?

It was 4am and they crossed a road into the path of an oncoming car - A tragic accident and given the timing possibly a result of impaired judgement due to alcohol - Of course we don't know this but most people would make the same assumption.

Again - RIP.

[Mosha]

<deleted> He was later released on bail of Bt100,000...

Google the following "uk hit and run on bail"

You will see that 100% of the time hit and run drivers in the U.K. are granted bail.

Would you prefer the driver was immediately executed instead?

Amazing how some want to quote "Uk " law when it's deemed to show the thai legal process in some sort of "good light". When anybody who knows anything about Law in the country knows it "sucks"

I know even the redbull kid had to pay something like 500,000 baht still a joke if you ask me ..

1st he isn't a kid, he is 27. 500000 baht to him is pocket money. 100,000 to a taxi driver is probably more than 3 years pay. You don't have to be a genius to work out who will get the biggest sentence.

[lovelomsak]

I am in total agreement with Impulse's post 58. If the passenger was a foreigner he would probably be brought into the blame especially if he rendered any form of help and remained at the site of the accident. When in Rome think like a Roman.

[Tywais]

The picture in the OP and the map of the scene do not appear to be showing the same bit of road.

They do - it's the same scene. But it's never Soi Suan Phlu.

As another member mentioned: Soi Suan Phlu is a narrow street, 1 lane in each direction. Pictures are taken on a 4 lane road. Must be Sathorn Rd., maybe just in front of the entrance/exit of Soi Suan Phlu.

Another Thai article mentioned above said this location - "In front of the Shell gas station at Sathorn Soi 3 or Soi Suan Plu, South Sathorn Road, Sathorn"

[FarangTalk]

Its about time Thailand started charging those who flee the scene of an accident.

Bingo. We have a winner folks.

[Cheops]

Assuming the general selfishness arround here, the 100k bail, and the 2 hours later "turning in".

70km/h + rain = 100% Guilty (and the driver did know that hopefully)

All this is already a big step in the right direction.

70k is only 43 mph, not knowing how bad the rain was, hards to say,

but 43mph doesn't sound excessive normally.

At 4am don't imagine the ladies were 100% sobre and aware.

Not saying blame the vicim here, just saying hang em high doesn't always ring true.

2 hours later is not too long a wait for here, just long enough not to be killed by an enraged mob.

We can't think in terms of our culture since it certainly isn't.

Guilty, most likely.Showing contrition, most likely, more lenient sentence because of this, most likely too.

But he will never forget he's killed a young lady like this.

First my condolences for the woman.

A sensible post in this thread. All those comments here to critize the taxi driver. Yes, there are a lof of bad taxi drivers, but it doesn't mean he did it on purpose. Doing 70/80km/h in light rain (article doesn't state heavy rain) or even in heavy rain is not so bad. I bet most of the people comment here will drive the same speeds! Even if it didn't rain and people walk suddenly on the street could have the same result. Remember that this could happen to anyone of you!

It's good to see him turn himself in. Most people here don't. As for the cab-passenger. If there was indeed a passenger and he/she didn't look any further to help, but just took another cab I would say he/she is quilty as well for not trying to help!

[Cheops]

While I think the driver should be jailed for felling the scene, the actual accident may not have been his fault. It is possible the women stepped into the path of the taxi and there was nothing he could do. It's not always the fault of the driver. He may have been driving a little fast, but it seems to be a fact that the women were hit while on the road and not the pavement. So you have to wonder what they were doing in the road. We will have to wait to see what the woman who survived had to say. In a hit and run like this in the UK, the drive would also be out on bail.

<deleted> He was later released on bail of Bt100,000...

Google the following "uk hit and run on bail"

You will see that 100% of the time hit and run drivers in the U.K. are granted bail.

Would you prefer the driver was immediately executed instead?

Noo but come on 100k is a joke ..

Is it? How much is it in your country? You do know that most salaries are not so high here?

[damo]

Any idea of what the minimum and maximum penalties are in Thailand for fleeing the scene of a traffic accident? anyone?

[Udox]

I am not aportioning blame to any side - I wasn't there.

But how many times have you seen people literally walk in front of vehicles and force them to slow down so they can cross the road.

But often that is not their fault - there is simply little alternative on some roads.

Pedestrian crossings are completely ignored (yesterday I even saw a taxi parked across one)

The crossings with the red and green man are lethal as they lure pedestrians into a false sense of security - that it is safe to cross - but vehicles still approach when the 'green man' is showing.

At a junction near me - when the green man shows - traffic continues from 2 directions, because they have green traffic lights to do so. - Madness.

At another junction on Sukhumvit - cars are allowed to travel straight - even when the red light is showing and pedestrians weave through the cars like the chicken trying to cross the road because at no time are the 3 lanes of traffic on that road required to stop at the same time, so at times its almost impossible to cross. Ironically there is a police box at that junction but of course the bib is far to busy with his TV and newspaper to notice what goes on 'outside'

I wouldn't blame the taxi drive at this stage, unless you were there and saw what happened.

[richard_smith237]

Any idea of what the minimum and maximum penalties are in Thailand for fleeing the scene of a traffic accident? anyone?

I might very well be incorrect - I am of the understanding that there is no charge if the driver reports to a Police Station within 24 hours. I can't recall where I have heard this (I probably read it on TV.com).

[noob7]

Night, raining, speeding.

Do they check Thai 'Pro'-Drivers for generaly being nightblind? I mean, before getting the license, to drive people around, for money, in the night? Or minimum after a accident like this?

[Cheops]

Reckless driving! Wet roads! Bald tyres? Under the influance?

It makes me sick that this never stops.

Wet roads? I'm sure that doesn't happen where you are from

[tropo]

Reckless driving! Wet roads! Bald tyres? Under the influance?

It makes me sick that this never stops.

50 posts and not one comment about the need to take care when crossing road. If you are drunk (strong possibility at 4am) and run across a road in front of cars you can get killed. The victims must also share some of the blame. She was 29 years old, not a school kid. 70km/h is not extreme in Bangkok.

[Soutpeel]

Interesting how quick he was able to post a 100,000 baht bail. I

Its called insurance dear boy, Thai motor vehicle insurance polices have provisions for things like this

[noob7]

70km/h is not extreme in Bangkok.

But ob most of the roads to quick, right? And looking at the car picture, I see some doubts, to 'only 70 to 80 km/h!

[fstarbkk]

The accused:

Thai Rath news (article in Thai)

http://www.thairath....t/region/291299

===========================================================

Heavily pixelated photos of the victim and the crash scene:

Ban Muang (article in Thai)

http://www.banmuang....ger;ช/

=========================================================

Drawing of the crash scene:

Daily News (article in Thai)

http://www.dailynews...th/crime/155289

Seems The Nation may have missed a few things here:

The diagram in the Daily news showst the accident scene as Sathorn Road proper, not Soi 3 (Suanphlu). Nevertheless, 80 Km/H seems like excessive speed in the rain.

The DN article also reports that witnesses called in the number and color of the taxi to a radio station popular with taxi drivers and commuters. Therefore the driver was likely aware that his capture was imminent. Hence, he decided to turn himself in to secure a discount on his sentence, seeing as he wasn't likely to get a way with his crime anyway.

I used to live very near the accident scene. Although the area is heavily populated, cars routinely use this stretch of road like a raceway. Due to a lack of convenient pedestrian crossings, many people unfortunately take the risk of crossing at street level.

Edited September 16, 2012 by fstarbkk

[robblok]

70km/h is not extreme in Bangkok.

But ob most of the roads to quick, right? And looking at the car picture, I see some doubts, to 'only 70 to 80 km/h!

It was a four lane road.. people in BKK go faster then 70-80 there its not extreme also not too quick.

People should also not cross 4 lane roads.. they had to cross 4 lanes again to get to the other side.

Do you think its smart to cross 8 lanes ?

[snooky]

RIP and condolences to the victim and a speedy recovery for her friend.

If the 100,000 baht bail is considered fair by law in this instance, then it seems a 50 million baht bail might be more appropriate in the case of a Ferrari driver!

Edited September 16, 2012 by snooky

[robblok]

The accused:

Thai Rath news (article in Thai)

http://www.thairath....t/region/291299

===========================================================

Heavily pixelated photos of the victim and the crash scene:

Ban Muang (article in Thai)

http://www.banmuang....ger;ช/

=========================================================

Drawing of the crash scene:

Daily News (article in Thai)

http://www.dailynews...th/crime/155289

Seems The Nation may have missed a few things here:

The diagram in the Daily news showst the accident scene as Sathorn Road proper, not Soi 3 (Suanphlu). Nevertheless, 80 Km/H seems like excessive speed in the rain.

The DN article also reports that witnesses called in the number and color of the taxi to a radio station popular with taxi drivers and commuters. Therefore the driver was likely aware that his capture was imminent. Hence, he decided to turn himself in to secure a discount on his sentence, seeing as he wasn't likely to get a way with his crime anyway.

I used to live very near the accident scene. Although the area is heavily populated, cars routinely use this stretch of road like a raceway. Due to a lack of convenient pedestrian crossings, many people unfortunately take the risk of crossing at street level.

What is lack of convenient pedestrian crossings.. walking a couple of 100 meters extra ? or are we talking km's here ? Here we have an 8 lane road too and yes you have to walk further to get to crossings but crossing 8 lanes of traffic is madness.

[fstarbkk]

Reckless driving! Wet roads! Bald tyres? Under the influance?

It makes me sick that this never stops.

50 posts and not one comment about the need to take care when crossing road. If you are drunk (strong possibility at 4am) and run across a road in front of cars you can get killed. The victims must also share some of the blame. She was 29 years old, not a school kid. 70km/h is not extreme in Bangkok.

The way I learned to drive a car, the driver should adapt his speed to his ability to control the vehicle under prevailing conditions (wet road, poor visibility). Having lived near the very spot where this accident happened, I can say unequivocally that 70-80 was excessive.

It is true that crossing the road at that point is risky. But being drunk at 4AM on foot is not illegal. And seeing that Thai drivers are generally oblivious to zebra crossings even when there are any, I think that blaming the victims in this case is not warranted.

[Time Traveller]

I get a kick out of the folks that would prosecute the taxi passenger for hopping another taxi and fleeing the scene.

There are places in the world that will hold the passenger (especially a foreigner) responsible for any accident that occurs while he's hired the car.

There are other places in the world that automatically place suspicion on anyone rendering aid as a good Samaritan. The reasoning (or lack thereof) is that it's so culturally rare to help a complete stranger that the good Samaritan MUST have had something to do with the plight of the victim.

Does Thailand fit either of those descriptions? I wouldn't blame a tourist in a taxi for not wanting to bet the rest of his/her life on it.

I'm not saying that's what I'd do, just that I understand why someone would do the same in a foreign country.

I remember the video of the poor little kid in china run over by car and many people just walk past and ignore them. If you are trying to justify behavior like this and excuse people fleeing an accident when some is badly hurt then your a selfish person. A society like that is sick.

[fstarbkk]

The accused:

Thai Rath news (article in Thai)

http://www.thairath....t/region/291299

===========================================================

Heavily pixelated photos of the victim and the crash scene:

Ban Muang (article in Thai)

http://www.banmuang....ger;ช/

=========================================================

Drawing of the crash scene:

Daily News (article in Thai)

http://www.dailynews...th/crime/155289

Seems The Nation may have missed a few things here:

The diagram in the Daily news showst the accident scene as Sathorn Road proper, not Soi 3 (Suanphlu). Nevertheless, 80 Km/H seems like excessive speed in the rain.

The DN article also reports that witnesses called in the number and color of the taxi to a radio station popular with taxi drivers and commuters. Therefore the driver was likely aware that his capture was imminent. Hence, he decided to turn himself in to secure a discount on his sentence, seeing as he wasn't likely to get a way with his crime anyway.

I used to live very near the accident scene. Although the area is heavily populated, cars routinely use this stretch of road like a raceway. Due to a lack of convenient pedestrian crossings, many people unfortunately take the risk of crossing at street level.

What is lack of convenient pedestrian crossings.. walking a couple of 100 meters extra ? or are we talking km's here ? Here we have an 8 lane road too and yes you have to walk further to get to crossings but crossing 8 lanes of traffic is madness.

So what's your point? Are you saying they deserved to get mowed down?

[Tanaka]

While I think the driver should be jailed for felling the scene, the actual accident may not have been his fault. It is possible the women stepped into the path of the taxi and there was nothing he could do. It's not always the fault of the driver. He may have been driving a little fast, but it seems to be a fact that the women were hit while on the road and not the pavement. So you have to wonder what they were doing in the road. We will have to wait to see what the woman who survived had to say. In a hit and run like this in the UK, the drive would also be out on bail.

Driving 70-80kmh (according to the driver, it may have been more) on a city street at night and in rain is definately reckless. There is a general rule regarding driving that says: Never drive faster than you can stop your vehicle within the stretch of road you can oversee ahead. Same as Adapt your speed to the circumstances. When you hit something or someone, you have disregarded these rules. They are not 100% though. You can be hit by someone running a red light or ignoring a stop sign, both very common here.

[robblok]

Seems The Nation may have missed a few things here:

The diagram in the Daily news showst the accident scene as Sathorn Road proper, not Soi 3 (Suanphlu). Nevertheless, 80 Km/H seems like excessive speed in the rain.

The DN article also reports that witnesses called in the number and color of the taxi to a radio station popular with taxi drivers and commuters. Therefore the driver was likely aware that his capture was imminent. Hence, he decided to turn himself in to secure a discount on his sentence, seeing as he wasn't likely to get a way with his crime anyway.

I used to live very near the accident scene. Although the area is heavily populated, cars routinely use this stretch of road like a raceway. Due to a lack of convenient pedestrian crossings, many people unfortunately take the risk of crossing at street level.

What is lack of convenient pedestrian crossings.. walking a couple of 100 meters extra ? or are we talking km's here ? Here we have an 8 lane road too and yes you have to walk further to get to crossings but crossing 8 lanes of traffic is madness.

So what's your point? Are you saying they deserved to get mowed down?

Point is the taxi driver was not driving crazy fast but someone decided to cross 4 lanes of traffic and then 4 other lanes (just for people to imagine the kind of road it is) to save a bit of walking.

In a case like this it is what it is an accident and the taxi driver is not to blame. He is riding on lane 3 a relative fast lane 70-80 there is not crazy fast. Unless there was heavy rain then it was, but normal rain.. no way.

People should use pedestrian bridges even if it takes a bit more walking. Its just as stupid as those motorbikes going the wrong way.

[robblok]

While I think the driver should be jailed for felling the scene, the actual accident may not have been his fault. It is possible the women stepped into the path of the taxi and there was nothing he could do. It's not always the fault of the driver. He may have been driving a little fast, but it seems to be a fact that the women were hit while on the road and not the pavement. So you have to wonder what they were doing in the road. We will have to wait to see what the woman who survived had to say. In a hit and run like this in the UK, the drive would also be out on bail.

Driving 70-80kmh (according to the driver, it may have been more) on a city street at night and in rain is definately reckless. There is a general rule regarding driving that says: Never drive faster than you can stop your vehicle within the stretch of road you can oversee ahead. Same as Adapt your speed to the circumstances. When you hit something or someone, you have disregarded these rules. They are not 100% though. You can be hit by someone running a red light or ignoring a stop sign, both very common here.

Its a four lane road not a city street. You cant expect people crossing 4 lanes of traffic and then an other 4 lanes. Its just crazy. I see dare devils do it here to to save a bit of walking. I would not blame cars for hitting them. Its a dangerous practice.