Code-Of-Conduct On Thai Road - Saw An Accident

[mcnad]

And would you turn a blind eye to this?

[Kilgore Trout]

While in some countries you would be legally obliged to offer assistance in such a scenario, in Thailand you should call emergency services but leave it at that. Offering assistance could quickly lead to a scenario where you might exacerbate an injury and become liable, be attacked by a high/drunk driver or passenger, or simply become entangled in the legal fights that will come afterwards.

The basic rule of thumb is, if it was nothing to do with you, don't make it something to do with you.

You are probably right and thats exactly why this country is often a laughing stock

What cracks me up is the rhetoric the thais believe, what hubris those in power display

Thai loves thai, for thai, what a joke

Sent from my GT-S5660 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[BSJ]

And would you turn a blind eye to this?

So your saying it was real? Not some scam to screw over some unsuspecting falang. I don't speak Chinese so the audio meant nothing to me.

[stevenl]

And would you turn a blind eye to this?

So your saying it was real? Not some scam to screw over some unsuspecting falang. I don't speak Chinese so the audio meant nothing to me.

This one made the world news for a long, long time. Maybe get out more?

[richard_smith237]

The example from China shows the extremes of human insensitivity.

In a similar manner to avoiding confrontation some prefer to avoid any risk of drama..... What we witness in Thailand and what some posters are admitting to by suggesting they won't assist in an accident is the 'thin end of the wedge' of the 'China Example'....

Watching the video from China and seeing the people passing by the unconscious child its easy to view them as sub-human - those who do the same in any accident where they can help especially if they are first on the scene show the very same 'sub-human' trait albeit in most cases to some lesser extreme....

Again, I question the morality of anyone who passes by an accident where they are first on the scene and / or can offer assistance with safety.

[WarpSpeed]

And would you turn a blind eye to this?

OTT example if there ever was one.. Speaking for myself the answer would be HELL no!! Which goes along with my first post. I'd like to have a go at the b'stard in the truck though let alone the second car that runs her over..... Gawd.....I can't watch that again I saw it when it first happened last year..

[IMHO]

Again, I question the morality of anyone who passes by an accident where they are first on the scene and / or can offer assistance with safety.

I really do admire your attitude, and I really hope being a good samaritan works out for you, rather than against you.

This discussion reminds me of an old Thai story about a farmer who finds a sick snake, and nurses it back to health, only to have it bite him once it had recovered..

It also reminds me that most Thai police work on Occams Razor style principles - i.e. the simplest theory, rather than the most accurate, is the one you put your belief into first. In the context of a road accident, that translates to: those who stop are most likely to be the protagonists...

Imagine this: You're driving along at night, not much traffic around at all, when all of the sudden there's a motorcyclist lying on the ground in your lane. You stop, call the police, and provide whatever assistance you can to the injured until emergency services arrive. The police take your details and/or statement, and the motorcyclists survives just long enough to say "I was hit by a [your color/make/model] car". Now you're the prime suspect in a manslaughter case, and without another suspect to follow, they're sticking with you.

You think that sounds left field? it's not. You think they're going to try and get all scientific and do things like test paint samples? they're not. In fact, with this kind of statement from the victim and the circumstantial evidence of you being on the scene and largely matching any description given, they very likely won't even be looking for witnesses....

BTW, I never said "don't do anything", I said "call emergency services and leave it at that" - police stations & rescue units are never far away in Thailand, and they're trained and tooled for the task.

Edited January 21, 2013 by IMHO

[transam]

Again, I question the morality of anyone who passes by an accident where they are first on the scene and / or can offer assistance with safety.

I really do admire your attitude, and I really hope being a good samaritan works out for you, rather than against you.

This discussion reminds me of an old Thai story about a farmer who finds a sick snake, and nurses it back to health, only to have it bite him once it had recovered..

It also reminds me that most Thai police work on Occams Razor style principles - i.e. the simplest theory, rather than the most accurate, is the one you put your belief into first. In the context of a road accident, that translates to: those who stop are most likely to be the protagonists...

Imagine this: You're driving along at night, not much traffic around at all, when all of the sudden there's a motorcyclist lying on the ground in your lane. You stop, call the police, and provide whatever assistance you can to the injured until emergency services arrive. The police take your details and/or statement, and the motorcyclists survives just long enough to say "I was hit by a [your color/make/model] car". Now you're the prime suspect in a manslaughter case, and without another suspect to follow, they're sticking with you.

You think that sounds left field? it's not. You think they're going to try and get all scientific and do things like test paint samples? they're not. In fact, with this kind of statement from the victim and the circumstantial evidence of you being on the scene and largely matching any description given, they very likely won't even be looking for witnesses....

BTW, I never said "don't do anything", I said "call emergency services and leave it at that" - police stations & rescue units are never far away in Thailand, and they're trained and tooled for the task.

Your scenario actually happened to me, but the Thais on board my ride told me, ''Don't stop, YOU will be f_____d by the BiB'', sad but true. I didn't stop and felt dreadful.

And before anyone runs me down, l have giving mouth to mouth resuscitation to a dead guy with the risk he might have something in his system to harm me, and l have risked my neck saving drowning folk in the sea, BUT BUT BUT, that was in my farangland, not here.

[loserlazer]

Whatever people say here, i stopped two times for help on bike accidents and nothing bad happened to me. Vice versa, locals praised my actions and one guy made the accident thanked me like hell as i was the only guy stopped and moved his bike - not him. Never move any badly injured unconscious person as you might inflict him/her more harm.

Wherever we are, we are human after all!

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect App

[Commander Tamson]

Believe me! No matter how you feel about what you should do, DRIVE ON!!

If you're a farang - the chances are you'll be implicated in some way.

[stevenl]

Believe me! No matter how you feel about what you should do, DRIVE ON!!

If you're a farang - the chances are you'll be implicated in some way.

And why would anyone believe you?

[richard_smith237]

Fair enough - I mentioned on the first page of this topic that each situation must be judged on its individual merits and risks.

Late at night in a remote area the risk is there is less chance of the injured party receiving assistance, additionally so there is a further possibility of unforeseen circumstances, i.e. locals getting violent etc.

The risks of taking the blame doesn't worry me for various reasons.

I'd like to be able to call the Emergency services - but as daft as it sounds I wouldn't know how to do that in Thailand and therefore if I was on my own I'd call a friend, give them my location and get them to do that.

Which raises another interesting question: How many of us know how to contact the nearest Emergency Services?

A few months back I rendered assistance twice in the same day - Both times I asked a Thai to call the Emergency services, but wouldn't have known how to do that myself.

[richard_smith237]

Believe me! No matter how you feel about what you should do, DRIVE ON!!

If you're a farang - the chances are you'll be implicated in some way.

Total balderdash. There are already enough examples provided in this thread where that is not the case.

The whole 'Farang always takes the blame' argument is barstool paranoia and proven wrong by numerous expat witnesses and examples in Thaivisa.com.

That said, I'm sure there are a handful of examples where the foreigner has taken the blame, but in most cases this is simply lazy police taking the path of least resistance and blaming a weak foreigner who hasn't the spine to politely standup for himself.

Someone like you will one day thank someone like me for stopping and helping.

Someone like me will one day die because someone like you was too paranoid to stop and help in any way they could, which could be something as simple as directing traffic to avoid additional injury.

I know what sort of person I'd rather be.

[anon210]

Fair enough - I mentioned on the first page of this topic that each situation must be judged on its individual merits and risks.

Late at night in a remote area the risk is there is less chance of the injured party receiving assistance, additionally so there is a further possibility of unforeseen circumstances, i.e. locals getting violent etc.

The risks of taking the blame doesn't worry me for various reasons.

I'd like to be able to call the Emergency services - but as daft as it sounds I wouldn't know how to do that in Thailand and therefore if I was on my own I'd call a friend, give them my location and get them to do that.

Which raises another interesting question: How many of us know how to contact the nearest Emergency Services?

A few months back I rendered assistance twice in the same day - Both times I asked a Thai to call the Emergency services, but wouldn't have known how to do that myself.

What about that very useful 1155 (tourist police)?

[IMHO]

Which raises another interesting question: How many of us know how to contact the nearest Emergency Services?

Hotlines:

Cell Phones: 112 (international standard)

Landlines: 999

By Service:

191 - Police

1669 - Ambulance

199 - Fire

[metisdead]

A post has been removed due to possible violation of copyright and non compliance of fair use. It is generally accepted, but not written into law, that quoting the first two or three sentences of an article and giving a link to the source is considered “fair use” and not a violation of copyright.

[Fookhaht]

It happened in Thailand . . .

"The three samaritans would each receive the ministry's "Good Citizens Award" and would be presented with a gold pin and a certificate in April next year. Initiated by the ministry's Dhamrongtham Public Service Centre, the award is granted to people performing selfless and heroic acts.

Last year, 17 samaritans were honoured. Six were killed as a result of their selfless acts. So far, three other samaritans have been nominated for this year's award."

The full article tells us that Thailand, indeed, is interested in the ethics, the well-being, and honor of Good Samaritans in our midst.

[Kilgore Trout]

Again, I question the morality of anyone who passes by an accident where they are first on the scene and / or can offer assistance with safety.

I really do admire your attitude, and I really hope being a good samaritan works out for you, rather than against you.

This discussion reminds me of an old Thai story about a farmer who finds a sick snake, and nurses it back to health, only to have it bite him once it had recovered..

It also reminds me that most Thai police work on Occams Razor style principles - i.e. the simplest theory, rather than the most accurate, is the one you put your belief into first. In the context of a road accident, that translates to: those who stop are most likely to be the protagonists...

Imagine this: You're driving along at night, not much traffic around at all, when all of the sudden there's a motorcyclist lying on the ground in your lane. You stop, call the police, and provide whatever assistance you can to the injured until emergency services arrive. The police take your details and/or statement, and the motorcyclists survives just long enough to say "I was hit by a [your color/make/model] car". Now you're the prime suspect in a manslaughter case, and without another suspect to follow, they're sticking with you.

You think that sounds left field? it's not. You think they're going to try and get all scientific and do things like test paint samples? they're not. In fact, with this kind of statement from the victim and the circumstantial evidence of you being on the scene and largely matching any description given, they very likely won't even be looking for witnesses....

BTW, I never said "don't do anything", I said "call emergency services and leave it at that" - police stations & rescue units are never far away in Thailand, and they're trained and tooled for the task.

Your scenario is a perfect example of the keystone cops idea. No possibility should be ignored, but in a logical society the one who flees is usually the suspect. Also, reasonable cops are quite good at eliminating suspects through logic; timelines, descriptions etc. as well as the innocent til proven guilty assumption. Here its the other way around (unless you are rich).

[canuckamuck]

This is a very tricky subject. Life is complicated and all accidents have different situations. I have helped, and I have also moved on. I consider the situation carefully. If I am at an injury accident with no other Thai people around, I help regardless. But I also know that just because there are Thai people around, they may not be helping in any way.

Last Songkran I came across a group of people and expected to be doused with water, but as I passed I realized they were standing around an injured motorcyclist. I had my wife with me, and that gives me a degree of protection, so I went back. I could see the boy had a serious head injury. They said "he is dying, can you take him to the hospital?" There was another truck there at the time, but those people were afraid the guy would die on their truck and give them ghost issues. The bystanders had been there 30 minutes already (isolated highway).

So I said of course I would take him. I instructed them to be very careful in moving him and that I wanted one of them to ride in the back with him. They were not careful, but a friend did ride in the back. I asked him to keep his head as stable as possible.

We got him to the hospital after being soaked a few times by Songkran idiots, whom we tried to wave off. The hospital guys were just as rough with the kid as the guys who loaded him. We left quickly not wanting to be ID'd in case we were deemed responsible for injuries after the fact.

We found out later the kid didn't make it, and I was nervous for quite a time later that we would be sued. But nothing happened, even though the family did find out who we were.

Anyhow, my freedom is not more important than somebodies life, so in a life or death situation I will help. But if it is being handled already, I'm gone. Especially if I am alone.

[Commander Tamson]

Believe me! No matter how you feel about what you should do, DRIVE ON!!

If you're a farang - the chances are you'll be implicated in some way.

And why would anyone believe you?

Why would anybody believe me? Because I've been there and done that and it took 3 years to clear my name of being involved in the fatal hit run that I stopped to help at - in any other country that's called manslaughter. Even the British Embassy, initially, advised me to just pay my way out of it. I dug my heels in and fought the conviction all the way - so don't call me spineless you ignorant bastards.

[cbrer]

Thailand is for the Thais.

Any issue that a Thai person has, get on with your own life and leave the Thais deal with it.

[funcat]

...this 2 above and IMHO advises I will take as the Base....at the end it's not about myself that much,but my family depends on me to be around...

....of course,if there is nobody else,one should make a call to the proper authorities to notify about the accident....and never move the victim!!

[mcnad]

Which raises another interesting question: How many of us know how to contact the nearest Emergency Services?

Hotlines:

Cell Phones: 112 (international standard)

Landlines: 999

By Service:

191 - Police

1669 - Ambulance

199 - Fire

Thanks for this. I've always wondered what the emergency numbers were for Thailand.

[Osiris]

We were following a Police pickup on highway two towards Korat a few months ago when another pickup, which was being driven erratically and at high speed, started to pass us in the outside lane. As he passed us the driver lost control, started to swerve in front of us then rammed into the rear offside on the police pickup forcing it sideways, with both vehicles going off the road and into a wooden building on the side. I saw the look of horror on the police drivers face as his pickup spun round when we went passed and started to stop to see if we could help but my wife shouted at me to keep going and that it was nothing to do with us.

Now when we've had a snake in our house my wife has insisted I remove it without harming it. No way would she let me kill it. When we caught a rat in a rat trap in our garden my wife wouldn't let me kill it. Instead she fed it for two days until we drove into the country and released it in a field. Yet when (at least) three people, two of them policemen, could be seriously injured in a car accident she insisted I carry on driving because it was nothing to do with us.

After nearly twenty years I'm still trying to understand Thai logic sometimes.

In this case the logic is clear; one rat will hurt you, the other won't.