"..60 Tourists Die Per Month, On Motorbikes In Koh Samui."

[marstons]

In the five years I have now lived in Thailand, (plus several trips before) I have never witnessed an accident that involved a death and can probably count on two hands the number of accidents I have seen, involving the usual scrapes.. or perhaps broken arm or leg...

Right now, with a lot of dry sand on the roads, one needs to be wary of these patches... they can be very slippery... extra caution needed...

you really must not get out much, i had 5 friends die on bikes in 8 years I was there and regualary saw accidents some times 2-3 per day, I saw one where 4 tourist were killed at the bottom of the hill where makro's is outside the old language school. I arrived soon after and had to drive through thte bits after a truck hit them.

Seen far to many of the white sheets on bodies and cetainly most of us had accidents of our own.

60 per month sdeaths I found hard to beleive but accidents must be in the hundreds per month. For me the sand on the road was biggest problem along with drink drive and lack of helmets.

Where i live now the fire engines are out cleaning the road as soon as sand appears, never saw that in Samui.

Edited January 13, 2013 by marstons

[PoorSucker]

Next time you drive around the island count how many spray paint outlines after bodies you see.

I have seen one this month, tourist or Thai, don't know.

[Fookhaht]

I agree that the figure of 60/month seems inflated. Whatever the stats are, it's a display of Darwinian Evolution at its finest.

Yes, I am a motorbike driver, and can't wait to transition to something with metal all around me, rather than just a metal projectile under me.

[robsamui]

In the five years I have now lived in Thailand, (plus several trips before) I have never witnessed an accident that involved a death and can probably count on two hands the number of accidents I have seen, involving the usual scrapes.. or perhaps broken arm or leg...

Right now, with a lot of dry sand on the roads, one needs to be wary of these patches... they can be very slippery... extra caution needed...

you really must not get out much, i had 5 friends die on bikes in 8 years I was there and regualary saw accidents some times 2-3 per day, I saw one where 4 tourist were killed at the bottom of the hill where makro's is outside the old language school. I arrived soon after and had to drive through thte bits after a truck hit them.

Seen far to many of the white sheets on bodies and cetainly most of us had accidents of our own.

60 per month sdeaths I found hard to beleive but accidents must be in the hundreds per month. For me the sand on the road was biggest problem along with drink drive and lack of helmets.

Where i live now the fire engines are out cleaning the road as soon as sand appears, never saw that in Samui.

And there's another point that adds to it all -

The ring Road has been widened just about everywhere now to put in a motorbike lane so that the main road is free of mbikes.

But half of this is useless because it's:

1) regarded as a general parking area by motorists

2) often so full of sand as to make it unusable by motorbikes

3) studded with metal drain grids in places, which are so cracked and broken as to make them impossible for bikes to go over

Once again vague and inconsistent intentions, not backed or enforced by laws.

R

[LaoPo]

This is so "not news". I have heard that as many as 60 tourists die PER MONTH, on motorbikes in Koh Samui.

Here-say, please read stiggys post.

http://www.thaivisa....25#entry6012206

I think TTT was quoting but hard to see/read in his post.

[transam]

Think this thread has run it's course , it's nonsense.

[LaoPo]

In the five years I have now lived in Thailand, (plus several trips before) I have never witnessed an accident that involved a death and can probably count on two hands the number of accidents I have seen, involving the usual scrapes.. or perhaps broken arm or leg...

Right now, with a lot of dry sand on the roads, one needs to be wary of these patches... they can be very slippery... extra caution needed...

you really must not get out much, i had 5 friends die on bikes in 8 years I was there and regualary saw accidents some times 2-3 per day, I saw one where 4 tourist were killed at the bottom of the hill where makro's is outside the old language school. I arrived soon after and had to drive through thte bits after a truck hit them.

Seen far to many of the white sheets on bodies and cetainly most of us had accidents of our own.

60 per month sdeaths I found hard to beleive but accidents must be in the hundreds per month. For me the sand on the road was biggest problem along with drink drive and lack of helmets.

Where i live now the fire engines are out cleaning the road as soon as sand appears, never saw that in Samui.

Facts about accident/collission deaths in Thailand:

http://www.thaivisa....25#entry6011529

Deaths due to accidents are declining in Thailand with an estimated 9,500 deaths in 2010 after it's peak of 14,446 deaths in 2003.

That doesn't say anything about Samui though but nobody came up with proof for the claimed 60 deaths/month on Samui.

I think it's rubbish.

Edited January 13, 2013 by LaoPo

[ikbenhet]

It shows that Darwin laws are still working.

When your alive there is a big risk of dying.

The more you live the bigger the risk.

Especially so if you leave your brains at home when on holiday.

people die, new people get born. It's the natural state

[Tropicalevo]

It is dificult to get real info on Samui, but here is something

http://samuirescue.blogspot.com/

This person is not talking about 60 farang deaths a month and he is a volunteer from Samui Rescue. OK 3 years old now, but..... info - not rumour or bar talk.

The guy who started this conversation - TTT - was saying 'his friends in Samui rescue tell him that - 60 farangs a month die on Samui'.

Troll, troll, troll

[robsamui]

It is dificult to get real info on Samui, but here is something

http://samuirescue.blogspot.com/

This person is not talking about 60 farang deaths a month and he is a volunteer from Samui Rescue. OK 3 years old now, but..... info - not rumour or bar talk.

The guy who started this conversation - TTT - was saying 'his friends in Samui rescue tell him that - 60 farangs a month die on Samui'.

Troll, troll, troll

Anyone who knows Samui will realise instantly that "60 farangs a month die on Samui" (roads, seemingly) is complete nonsense.

But thanks to the anonymous Samui Rescue Blogger, even though the blog was set up in 2009, has never been added to since and has no members!

R

[BigC]

has anyone seen my posts i cannie find them

[John 1]

has anyone seen my posts i cannie find them

Where they concrete fence post's.

[samuijimmy]

has anyone seen my posts i cannie find them

Perhaps the poster or rubbish police have been around... .... maybe the spelling police? ....

[buasaard]

Sooner or later someone will tell a million tourist a year die for car crashes....

I can't link because it's a newspaper that can't be linked , in the whole 2011, in Phuket there have been 119 casualties for road accidents, all inclusive, i.e. car, motorbikes, pedestrians, and including thais.... 1,574 injuired treated in hospitals, which of corse goes from someone paralyzed or in coma to someone with a broken fingernail, and always everything included.

You just search google and find the figures.

Edited January 14, 2013 by buasaard

[Rooo]

has anyone seen my posts i cannie find them

Look at page 2 & the top of this page. Failing that, throw your computer out of the window, with the keyboard.

[sscsamui]

The Chief of police should be to blame for the death toll on samui for not enforcing the helmet law... He should be sued and have criminal charges brought up agents him.

This is the only way to have the helmet law be enforced on Samui.... Every officer needs to get off their lazy Ass and enforce the Helmet law... Less people would die....

Also the roads need massive repairs and make the island safer. Yes it is also true that there are many stupid drunk drivers on motor bike, Thai and Farang...

[Boater]

The Chief of police should be to blame for the death toll on samui for not enforcing the helmet law... He should be sued and have criminal charges brought up agents him.

This is the only way to have the helmet law be enforced on Samui.... Every officer needs to get off their lazy Ass and enforce the Helmet law... Less people would die....

Also the roads need massive repairs and make the island safer. Yes it is also true that there are many stupid drunk drivers on motor bike, Thai and Farang...

Helmets aren't the issue , Thai helmets you see 99. % of people whereing wouldn't save your life if a serious head impact was to happen ...

The 2 main issues in samui are drunks drivers and speeding drivers who are not properly trained or driving poorly maintained cars ( taxis , mini buses and trucks are the main offenders )

Sort the 2 above and you would cut the samui death till by 3 /4

But you would need a police force to do this , as well as cheap public transport and taxis that use meters so people don't feel the need to drink dive

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

[thelegend]

However many deaths on motosi occur is sad. These figures are terrible. But to suggest the spasmodic attempts by Thai Police has anything to do with road safety is beyond stupid. The practice of fining riders for not wearing helmets is purely revenue raising. The cop grabs whatever he can get , then sends the helmetless offender on his way so he can contribute again next time .

The Police should confiscate the bike and hold the child until the parent come [it is usually a child] with a new helmet, including the purchase receipt, Sure it would be a massive inconvenience, but I bet it would have a marked effect, especially if the helmet was inscribed with the offenders name and rego number .Of course the cops would need a new source ot tea money, but they are a creative little lot .....they will think of something .

[thelegend]

The Chief of police should be to blame for the death toll on samui for not enforcing the helmet law... He should be sued and have criminal charges brought up agents him.

This is the only way to have the helmet law be enforced on Samui.... Every officer needs to get off their lazy Ass and enforce the Helmet law... Less people would die....

Also the roads need massive repairs and make the island safer. Yes it is also true that there are many stupid drunk drivers on motor bike, Thai and Farang...

Certainly enforce the law !!! But in a place like Samui most farang accidents would be on rental bikes.... why not force bike hire shops to insist all hirers wear a helmet, and heavy fines for renters and customers who don't comply.

[Gulfsailor]

The Chief of police should be to blame for the death toll on samui for not enforcing the helmet law... He should be sued and have criminal charges brought up agents him.

This is the only way to have the helmet law be enforced on Samui.... Every officer needs to get off their lazy Ass and enforce the Helmet law... Less people would die....

Also the roads need massive repairs and make the island safer. Yes it is also true that there are many stupid drunk drivers on motor bike, Thai and Farang...

Certainly enforce the law !!! But in a place like Samui most farang accidents would be on rental bikes.... why not force bike hire shops to insist all hirers wear a helmet, and heavy fines for renters and customers who don't comply.

Yeah. And next only rent motorbikes out to people who have a Thai or international license to operate a motorbike... Bye bye 95% of customers!

[Tropicalevo]

The Chief of police should be to blame for the death toll on samui for not enforcing the helmet law... He should be sued and have criminal charges brought up agents him.

This is the only way to have the helmet law be enforced on Samui.... Every officer needs to get off their lazy Ass and enforce the Helmet law... Less people would die....

Also the roads need massive repairs and make the island safer. Yes it is also true that there are many stupid drunk drivers on motor bike, Thai and Farang...

Helmets aren't the issue , Thai helmets you see 99. % of people whereing wouldn't save your life if a serious head impact was to happen ...

The 2 main issues in samui are drunks drivers and speeding drivers who are not properly trained or driving poorly maintained cars ( taxis , mini buses and trucks are the main offenders )

Sort the 2 above and you would cut the samui death till by 3 /4

But you would need a police force to do this , as well as cheap public transport and taxis that use meters so people don't feel the need to drink dive

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

The problem is not the police, nor the helmets, nor the guys renting bikes. It's the pratts that ride the bikes. No training, no awareness, everyone thinks that they are Steve McQueen!

Today's latest pratt. Thai guy riding the bike down Soi Tongsai to Choengmon. Hits the T junction at Vinotec too fast - tries to brake and turn right (on sand) - CRASH - dropped the bike on the road.

Oh Sorry - it's the Mayor's fault for not sweeping all of the sand off the roads!

Get real - POBs (Pratts on Bikes) are the major reason for accidents.

How can the police stop this?

My neighbour (farang - lives here) - stopped 3 days in a row at checkpoints for not wearing a helmet. Paid the fines - still drives without a helmet. He has one and it cost more than 199 baht!

If people want to 'risk' the odds and drive in an irresponsible way - we cannot stop them.

Sad for those that do not survive. Worse for their families. Take care people - it's a lottery out there at the moment.

[ikbenhet]

I also drive without a helmet. The day that they really start enforcing I will stop driving a bike.

The main reason I like to drive the motorbike is the freedom feeling it gives me.

Take that away and i will only drive the car. In holland they are already talking about enforcing wearing a helmet on bicycles.

Next thing we probably get is rubber sidewalks and body armor while walking.

Full face face masks while talking to somebody. Nanny state

Life is dangerous and should be, to make it worth something. At least to me it is.

If everything is for free and consequences are none it just don't matters anymore. Stupid,smart. careful or carefree all the same.

Please leave a little responsibility up to the people

Just my opinion.

Edited January 14, 2013 by ikbenhet

[angiud]

I also drive without a helmet. The day that they really start enforcing I will stop driving a bike.

The main reason I like to drive the motorbike is the freedom feeling it gives me.

Take that away and i will only drive the car. In holland they are already talking about enforcing wearing a helmet on bicycles.

Next thing we probably get is rubber sidewalks and body armor while walking.

Full face face masks while talking to somebody. Nanny state

Life is dangerous and should be, to make it worth something. At least to me it is.

If everything is for free and consequences are none it just don't matters anymore. Stupid,smart. careful or carefree all the same.

Please leave a little responsibility up to the people

Just my opinion.

[LaoPo]

I also drive without a helmet. The day that they really start enforcing I will stop driving a bike.

The main reason I like to drive the motorbike is the freedom feeling it gives me.

Take that away and i will only drive the car. In holland they are already talking about enforcing wearing a helmet on bicycles.

Next thing we probably get is rubber sidewalks and body armor while walking.

Full face face masks while talking to somebody. Nanny state

Life is dangerous and should be, to make it worth something. At least to me it is.

If everything is for free and consequences are none it just don't matters anymore. Stupid,smart. careful or carefree all the same.

Please leave a little responsibility up to the people

Just my opinion.

BALI: One day before Christmas, 2011:

A very dear friend of mine, a fellow countryman of yours, was driving in Bali on his motobike....no helmet.

The next thing he remembers is that he woke up in hospital in Denpasar with very serious headwounds; lost the sight in one eye.

The surgeons did an amazing job and repaired his skull but the eye-sight was lost forever.

He now still travels to Bali but takes his helmet from Holland with him, a full-face helmet; he learned his lesson. (YES, he still ride his bikes, both on Bali and Holland WITH a new drivers license)

How it happened? He didn't know but witnesses said some stupid bikerider made a wheely and hit him with the frontwheel full in his face; the biker came out of nowhere and disapperead to nowhere....

No helmet on your bike?

Go ahead and maybe we can tell your family lateron what your ideas about helmets were if you ever have an accident, since you enjoy the "the freedom feeling it gives me".

Maybe they can arrange the Headstone Inscription: "He enjoyed riding in Freedom without his Helmet"

Oh, before I forget: last week I paid my yearly respect to another dear friend of mine in Spain, who lost her 19 year old son, riding his motobike, now some 17 years ago; wearing no helmet....and it wasn't even his fault; he hit a car, coming out of a parkingspace without looking for traffic.....

[TheOggMonster]

"60 Tourists Die Per Month, On Motorbikes In Koh Samui" Not sure these figures are accurate?

The last and probably the Only local newspaper to print a police report including things like road deaths and murders on the Island was called The Samui Community Paper. The Cummunity paper was printed in Thai and English and told the truth! Because of this it basically got stopped about 6 or 7 years ago! I seem to remember there being 1 or 2 tourist killed in road accidents every month. Now there are so many more bikes, cars, pickup trucks and Tourists renting motorbikes. The death toll must be atleast 10 times what the Cummunity paper quoted 7 or 8 years ago!

[LaoPo]

"60 Tourists Die Per Month, On Motorbikes In Koh Samui" Not sure these figures are accurate?

The last and probably the Only local newspaper to print a police report including things like road deaths and murders on the Island was called The Samui Community Paper. The Cummunity paper was printed in Thai and English and told the truth! Because of this it basically got stopped about 6 or 7 years ago! I seem to remember there being 1 or 2 tourist killed in road accidents every month. Now there are so many more bikes, cars, pickup trucks and Tourists renting motorbikes. The death toll must be atleast 10 times what the Cummunity paper quoted 7 or 8 years ago!

Here we go again...

The difference between 1 or 2 tourists killed every month is 100%...

1 = 100%

2 = 200%

10 = 1,000%

60 = 6,000%

Out of my head, the total number of deaths due to a traffic accident in the whole of Thailand was around 9,445 deaths in 2010.

That's an average of 787 deaths per month in Thailand with 67 million people.

Samui would have 60 deaths/month or 7,6% of those 787 deaths?

Don't think so.

[TheOggMonster]

"60 Tourists Die Per Month, On Motorbikes In Koh Samui" Not sure these figures are accurate?

The last and probably the Only local newspaper to print a police report including things like road deaths and murders on the Island was called The Samui Community Paper. The Cummunity paper was printed in Thai and English and told the truth! Because of this it basically got stopped about 6 or 7 years ago! I seem to remember there being 1 or 2 tourist killed in road accidents every month. Now there are so many more bikes, cars, pickup trucks and Tourists renting motorbikes. The death toll must be atleast 10 times what the Cummunity paper quoted 7 or 8 years ago!

Here we go again...

The difference between 1 or 2 tourists killed every month is 100%...

1 = 100%

2 = 200%

10 = 1,000%

60 = 6,000%

Out of my head, the total number of deaths due to a traffic accident in the whole of Thailand was around 9,445 deaths in 2010.

That's an average of 787 deaths per month in Thailand with 67 million people.

Samui would have 60 deaths/month or 7,6% of those 787 deaths?

Don't think so.

The figures of 1-2 tourists per month were taken from the 'long time closed' Samui Community Paper (if you remember it?)

I guesstimated a 10 times increase in deaths.

1 * 10 = 10

2 * 10 = 20

These figures are far more realistic don't you think?

[LaoPo]

The figures of 1-2 tourists per month were taken from the 'long time closed' Samui Community Paper (if you remember it?)

I guesstimated a 10 times increase in deaths.

1 * 10 = 10

2 * 10 = 20

These figures are far more realistic don't you think?

I don't know.

10, even 20 tourist deaths a month -due to traffic accidents on Samui- seems very high to me.

That would be 120 to 240 deaths per year.

PS:

In the far away past, when Samui was a rather quiet paradise, I drove motobikes on Samui as well but that was a very long time ago but I will NEVER drive a motobike in the present situation.

Rent a car is a much safer option. After all, in most tourist holidays it's only used for a few days.

I dare to say that the majority of all tourists on the island never rent a motobike or scooter.

Edited January 15, 2013 by LaoPo

[Birdman]

I've got the impression, that nowadays there are new kinds of motorcycle drivers on Samui:

Young Indians, not the touts, tourists, they can drive, mostly.

Young Eastern Europeans, the ones mostly without shirts, they can drive, but they are risky, because they think everything here is fun.

Old Eastern European couples in groups, they can drive, but just ok and they use the whole street for driving and for waiting, while one of them is asking a Thai pedestrian the way to Na Muang 1, who has no clue, but acts as he has.

Young Chinese couples, many cannot drive, many are clearly the first time on motorcycles, dangerous

Plus the common Middle/Western Europeans, also some young first timers on motorcycles, also dangerous

Common young Thais zigzagging, dangerous if you are not experienced to Thai traffic

more and more old European expats, also shirtless/flip-flops and without helmets like at a camping side in Italy in summer, most can drive....

just want to say, it's a jungle out there

[TheOggMonster]

The figures of 1-2 tourists per month were taken from the 'long time closed' Samui Community Paper (if you remember it?)

I guesstimated a 10 times increase in deaths.

1 * 10 = 10

2 * 10 = 20

These figures are far more realistic don't you think?

I don't know.

10, even 20 tourist deaths a month -due to traffic accidents on Samui- seems very high to me.

That would be 120 to 240 deaths per year.

PS:

In the far away past, when Samui was a rather quiet paradise, I drove motobikes on Samui as well but that was a very long time ago but I will NEVER drive a motobike in the present situation.

Rent a car is a much safer option. After all, in most tourist holidays it's only used for a few days.

I dare to say that the majority of all tourists on the island never rent a motobike or scooter.

Who knows what the real stats are?

I think we all agree that riding a motobike in Samui is more dangerous than it used to be.

You have the local and expats who drive big SUVs and want to show the power(kings of the road). Then the big tuck drivers who like to overtake resulting in many head on collisions! Then you have the local kamikazes on Honda waves & clicks. And then the tourists.....some who have never been on a bike before and end up in Bangkok Hospital.

And the other type of tourist who just ride like Maniacs!

The point is that Thailand is one of the few countries in the world where you can rent a 1,000cc superbike with NO MOTORBIKE LICENCE. And then ride around like a madman with on helmet and a bottle of beer in the hand!

Why is there 4 private International Hospitals in the Chaweng area? Supply and Demand! So who has the will to make the roads safe? It's just not profitable!