Saw an accident in the village today. A Thai guy swerved his motorcycle into the central reservation of the main road through our village. His head impacted the kerb very hard, he had no helmet on and it was immediately apparent he was dead. Lots of gawpers, police and cleanup team arrived very quickly and within 30 minutes you would never had known an accident had occurred let alone a fatality. No investigation at the scene by police at all besides talking to a single witness who said that the guy was drunk. It was 10.30 in the morning by the way. Life certainly seems cheap here, this was the 3rd road death in the village in less than 3 months.

As long as people think that their own life is cheap it will happen too often. A few 100 baht for a helmet or death. Seems an easy choice.

As long as people think that their own life is cheap it will happen too often. A few 100 baht for a helmet or death. Seems an easy choice.

You would think it an easy choice, but so many who do have a helmet make the choice not to wear it. Every day I see numerous people on motorbikes either carrying their helmets or it is in the front basket.

If the guy referred to in the OP was drunk then it is good that he only killed himself. I have no sympathy at all.

I do not know how this anecdote proves that life is cheap in Thailand. Accidents happen everywhere, in every country. Different societies and cultures have different ways of coping with death.

In my country of birth (Australia) we have a very high youth suicide rate. Again, I do not think that this proves that life is cheap in Australia, although some might argue that deliberately killing oneself is actually showing less respect for life than getting drunk, and riding a bike without a helmet.

I'd guess some may argue life here is cheap when it's not worth protecting ones skull with a cheap helmet and that a road accident resulting in a fatality is worthy of no more investigation than a bystander telling the police the deceased was drunk.

Its just not cool to wear helmets in the village.

Even those who do wear them, they are cheap crap that wouldnt save a life.

I do not know how this anecdote proves that life is cheap in Thailand. Accidents happen everywhere, in every country. Different societies and cultures have different ways of coping with death.

In my country of birth (Australia) we have a very high youth suicide rate. Again, I do not think that this proves that life is cheap in Australia, although some might argue that deliberately killing oneself is actually showing less respect for life than getting drunk, and riding a bike without a helmet.

Thus ignoring the fact that the incident rate for RTAs in Thailand, for both Thais and foreigners, is abnormally high.

Youth-suicide and unnecessary RTAs are wholly incomparable. Based on simple figures alone (and if the real figures were allowed to be known) Thailand has, allegedly, over 30,000 deaths as a direct result of a road accident, per year. Putting it in the top 1%.

Australia (whose official figures I actually believe) has 5,700. (Source.)

The fact is, Thailand will not record a death as being caused by a RTA if the victim dies after 24 hours of the accident taking place, allowing them to obfuscate and manipulate figures.

I still don't see how suicide is relevant and even if it were, the suicide rate in Thailand is much much higher than in Australia (taking into account Australia will tell us the real figures and Thailand will hide them.)

I lost my daughter-in-law and her husband a year and a half ago. I adopted their children they left behind. 3 and 8. A simple helmet would have save their lives. I am going to a memorial service for them today.

I lost a close Thai friend several years before that. A helmet would have saved his life.

I have been to 12 RTA-related funerals in 7 years. All of them, with the exception of maybe 2, were easily preventable. Several were children.

The fact is Thailand loves its draconian oppressive laws with gay abandon, but is loathe to bother to enforce them. There is virtually NO education of any kind about how you can save your own life, the life of others and the life of children in your care in this country.

It'll never change.

Edited November 30, 201213 yr by ManInSurat

To be honest the level of care while driving here still amazes me after 23 years ,yesterday a girl pulled out and did a u turn in front of me without looking or a thought in her head if i had not slammed on the brakes and swerved she would now be dead or severely injured ,she looked at me as if i was at fault , things like this happen constantly and to be honest the majority of Thai drivers have the brain power of a plant and nothing it seems will change their mindset.

Based on simple figures alone (and if the real figures were allowed to be known) Thailand has, allegedly, over 30,000 deaths as a direct result of a road accident, per year.

That's a lot, lot more than I remember seeing - the figures I saw were around 12,000, which is obviously still high. By comparison, the UK has around 2,000 road deaths a year but Thailand has a lot, lot more bikes on the road. If you recalculate the UK deaths using Thai rates of motorcycle ownership, the UK would have closer to 8-10,000 deaths a year (I did this a few years ago so I can't remember the exact figures now). That's also not factoring in the much, much younger age of Thai drivers, which would tend to push up deaths as would the worse medical treatment accident victims are going to get in Thailand. On the other hand, I suspect UK drivers drive more in a year, which would tend to swing things the other way as does the fact that bikes in the UK are vastly more powerful than those here. I don't have much doubt that the roads are more dangerous here but it's not easy to make a direct comparison.

o be honest the level of care while driving here still amazes me after 23 years ,yesterday a girl pulled out and did a u turn in front of me without looking or a thought in her head if i had not slammed on the brakes and swerved she would now be dead or severely injured ,she looked at me as if i was at fault ,

There's a slightly different division of responsibility; not causing an accident is a shared job, not just one for the guy driving his bike one-handed while drunkly sending a text message, overtaking on a blind corner.

Edited November 30, 201213 yr by Zooheekock

To be honest the level of care while driving here still amazes me after 23 years ,yesterday a girl pulled out and did a u turn in front of me without looking or a thought in her head if i had not slammed on the brakes and swerved she would now be dead or severely injured ,she looked at me as if i was at fault , things like this happen constantly and to be honest the majority of Thai drivers have the brain power of a plant and nothing it seems will change their mindset.

it happens when de are making my noodles too me thinks.

too many fixated on helmutts! It really doesnt help much if drunk and speeding!!!!!!!!!

might help here and there!!!!!!!!!!!!

No investigation at the scene by police at all besides talking to a single witness who said that the guy was drunk. It was 10.30 in the morning by the way.

How much more investigation was needed? Dusting for fingerprints? Suppose they did a drug test or blood alcohol test. Or maybe they could autopsy and discover he he'd had a heart attack or brain aneurism. Maybe he just fell asleep. Does it matter? The poor man's dead already, the immediate cause is clear, and you yourself saw nobody else was involved. Drunk's good 'nuff for the police and surely for the man's family.

Life certainly seems cheap here, this was the 3rd road death in the village in less than 3 months.

Rather, the consequences of fashion, convenience, negligence, and irresponsibility can be quite expensive.

I was just surprised that the police just took somebodies word for the fact that the guy was drunk before clearing up and leaving. I used to work for the police in the UK and am fairly knowleable of a forensic investigation. There should be many factors investigated, just assuming someone is drunk and avoiding doing things properly is neglecting the victim and families rights. Sad but the way things are usually carried out here.

too many fixated on helmutts! It really doesnt help much if drunk and speeding!!!!!!!!!

might help here and there!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why?

Does the helmet know that the wearer is drunk and speeding and somehow decide to offer less protection?

I hit a dog at about 90Kmhr and have no doubt whatsoever that my helmet saved me from serious injury or even death.

I was sober, but if I had been drunk, I can see no reason why the helmet would be less effective.

a helmet can make a difference life or death

sad

too many fixated on helmutts! It really doesnt help much if drunk and speeding!!!!!!!!!

might help here and there!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sir - please kindly step away from the exclamation mark key....that's better.

I have seen Police Officers riding bikes in Issan not wearing helmets.

If they start educating people and start to inforce wearing them where in the hell will all the tea money come from?

But seriously, if you ride a bike without a helmet you are really stupid and taking a massive unnecessary risk.

Edited December 1, 201213 yr by noddy77

pheww another one bites the dust....

too many fixated on helmutts! It really doesnt help much if drunk and speeding!!!!!!!!!

might help here and there!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why?

Does the helmet know that the wearer is drunk and speeding and somehow decide to offer less protection?

I hit a dog at about 90Kmhr and have no doubt whatsoever that my helmet saved me from serious injury or even death.

I was sober, but if I had been drunk, I can see no reason why the helmet would be less effective.

i think he is saying that if there was more breath tests they could make a more of a difference to road safety.

hey they would need to enforce speed limits, how many passengers can ride a bike, stop people from riding in backs of pickups, talking on mobiles while driving/riding. hell i think they would need to overhaul the mentality of the people. cant be done

but any action they do take will certainly make people poorer by raising more revenue!

Edited December 1, 201213 yr by themadpoorfreelover

Several so called western countries, including my own home country, have smaller towns where there are no Police.

These towns are so remote, a police officer will normally stop by once in a while on a round trip in the region.

Fatal accidents are investigated by the local MD.

The Police comes around a day or 2 later, and co-sign the certificate/report.

I talk about very developed and "rich" countries here, and still the budgets do not cater for Police in each town.

a helmet can make a difference life or death

sad

This is true, however driving a car makes the helmet debate a non issue as much safer. As such is not the real danger riding a bike? Yes, I know this is a circular argument, but that is the point.

too many fixated on helmutts! It really doesnt help much if drunk and speeding!!!!!!!!!

might help here and there!!!!!!!!!!!!

Might help? The guy died as a result of smashing his head on the curb.