Crash Kills Two Brits In Thailand

[oldsailor35]

Every day you can see westerns and Asian tourists / couples / families / groups on bicycles here in Chiang Mai. Nice idea.

I've often wondered how there are not more accidents.

Many of them would have never riden a bicycle before or haven't riden for years and are trying to keep balance and not paying enough attention to the cars, pick up buses, motorcyclists, trucks which are zooming past them, often very close.

A few days back I was driving past the River Market restaurant (one way road, not wide) and there was a group of about 25 tourists on bicycles all following a leader with a big flag, going the wrong way.

I would argue that bicycling the wrong way, as to see the danger ahead, could be less of a risk.

What ! with motorbikes overtaking on inside of cars, i would definately not recommend this although one should always walk towards the traffic that is much safer

[oldsailor35]

Samui does appear to be a dangerous place to drive. Only about 2 hours ago i was driving my car behind a young farang lady doing about 40 klms on her motorbike, i was just waiting for a safe place to overtake her. When a Thai guy driving a very late model Toyota 4x4 ( a big black " i am king of the road" thing) came out from the left, i could see that he never even looked to his right, but was looking left to see no cars coming on the other side where he was going. Nothing coming so he put his foot down and drove straight into her, don't think she was seriously injured as she was thrown away from his wheels, but it could have been worse, a split second later and he would have smashed me as well. I bet he does not have a licence, driving like that !

[FarangTalk]

your 100% spot on. the examiner put more importance on parking and wasnt interested in how they drove around the centre.

I watched this in Lamphun test centre, the driver doing the test had to reverse the car into a space between cones making sure they did not hit

the cones and also keeping the right distance from the Kerb ( app. 2 cm.) now ever since i have watched drivers parking and never saw anyone reverse into

a space. My Condolences to the familys of the two people.

The standard of driving is terrible here and it always has been. When I took the Thai driving test many years ago (they wouldn't accept my paper UK license) at the Sukhumvit Road Transport Office, 90% of the learner drivers failed the parallel park. I used the smallest car they had available for the practical test; a Daihatsu Mira automatic, and it made the simple test even easier. The space was large enough to reverse a truck into, and was indicated with traffic cones. While I was waiting for my turn I stood watching, amused at these young Thais in brand new Camrys and Vios attempt to reverse into this huge space with no clue whatsoever.

Of course once they were told they had failed after nudging over a cone or two they got back into their new cars and just drove off. Who needs a license anyway?

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

It's getting a lot worse for traffic safety in Chiang Mai.

Countless white accident markings on the roads and I have witnessed more and more post accident scenes.

Just today an entitled mommies boy douche bag in a new Mercedes practically ran me off the road. I think most Thai's never say anything if a wealthy person drives irresponsibly.

It's just the tip of the stupid iceberg.. Roads are going to get way worse up here.

Thankfully I can walk most places I go... I just wonder how long until the govt starts converting sidewalks to additional driving lanes.

[phantomfiddler]

Having lived in England and U.S.A. for a total of 39 years, I do not recall any friends or even acquaintances being killed on the road, yet in 31 years here I have lost count of people I know that have been killed. It appears that many of the drivers here are taught to straddle the lane dividers, and if you wish to turn left then put on the right indicator to warn the people behind. The smart drivers just cruise around with their emergency flashers on all the time ! You gotta love ,em !

[johnlandy]

Every day you can see westerns and Asian tourists / couples / families / groups on bicycles here in Chiang Mai. Nice idea.

I've often wondered how there are not more accidents.

Many of them would have never riden a bicycle before or haven't riden for years and are trying to keep balance and not paying enough attention to the cars, pick up buses, motorcyclists, trucks which are zooming past them, often very close.

A few days back I was driving past the River Market restaurant (one way road, not wide) and there was a group of about 25 tourists on bicycles all following a leader with a big flag, going the wrong way.

If it was directly in front of the restaurant you might see that the imbeciles have a cycle lane going south on a road that you have correctly described as "one way road, not wide"

No where 'other than in this country' would some clown with an IQ over 25 knowing create such a hazard but, TiT

[naam1]

Thai driving test = a couple of laps in a car park whilst the examiner watches from a safe distance.

The real driving test: You fail the first time no matter how well you drive. The Land Transport Office offers you the license for 5000 baht. Got it from a friends Thai wife. She refused to pay and went round a second time, successfully.

On a tangential note, Thai's HATE confrontation or conflict, so keep talking until they give up. Be nice, but keep talking, and they will look for an easier target.

my wife done it 3 times, no success, then she paid the 500 baht,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and pick up her driver licens next day, easy Thailand!!!!

[Phatcharanan]

Thai driving test = a couple of laps in a car park whilst the examiner watches from a safe distance.

The real driving test: You fail the first time no matter how well you drive. The Land Transport Office offers you the license for 5000 baht. Got it from a friends Thai wife. She refused to pay and went round a second time, successfully.

Never happened to me in BKK. Passed and given license.

Perhaps you live in a village somewhere?

[kevinc]

Very very sad, here is some more info and a photo of the couple to answer some questions on the forum.

http://www.thisisgue...ycling-tragedy/

Also their blog:

http://www.twoonfourwheels.com/

RIP

Edited February 16, 2013 by kevinc

[katana]

[twix38]

Died whilst in a car accident with a Truck by the sound of it.

Very sad - RIP

http://www.islandfm....oryid=24874&s=3

http://www.lonelypla...hreadID=2299043

http://www.channelon...e.asp?id=503848

Edited February 16, 2013 by twix38

[55Jay]

Just saw a lone farang riding a bike on the 2 lane highway between Korat and my place today whilst on our way home from town. He was wearing a helmet so obviously stuck out, along with his pink shirt and somewhat fancy bike.

Road was very busy with huge double trailer sugar cane trucks and the small and very slow 2 cylinder putt putts, straddled by motor bikes on the right and everybody else trying to pass them on the left and ride sides, just nuts.

Can't see how riding a bike for "enjoyment" here on a main road makes any sense or is enjoyable at all. It is like a farang romantic dream to be retired and do this activity but this place just seems like putting your life at stake.

[MESmith]

Still no news as to what actually happened & where.

Myself, I always take family & bicycles in the pickup to quiet areas with very little traffic to ride. Whenever I see cyclists on main roads here in Thailand, such as hwy 118 from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai, I worry for their safety.

Edited February 16, 2013 by MESmith

[rotorbreeze]

I found a website for Peter Root - http://www.peterroot.com and I believe for Mary Thompson http://www.marythomp...hompson.co.uk Very talented artist indeed! So sad . . .

Mary's site is ... http://www.marythompson.com/

View her works http://www.marythompson.com/land_scapes.html

Would be nice to have next years calendar ThaiVisa have some of these paintings in memory of her? Lets take a vote?

Please rate this so the editor may read this...RIP Mary....

Edited February 16, 2013 by rotorbreeze

[moonbarman]

Samui does appear to be a dangerous place to drive. Only about 2 hours ago i was driving my car behind a young farang lady doing about 40 klms on her motorbike, i was just waiting for a safe place to overtake her. When a Thai guy driving a very late model Toyota 4x4 ( a big black " i am king of the road" thing) came out from the left, i could see that he never even looked to his right, but was looking left to see no cars coming on the other side where he was going. Nothing coming so he put his foot down and drove straight into her, don't think she was seriously injured as she was thrown away from his wheels, but it could have been worse, a split second later and he would have smashed me as well. I bet he does not have a licence, driving like that !

I hope you stopped to offer assistance and be a witness for the police otherwise you should be ashamed of yourself.

[rotorbreeze]

Mary Thompson RIP

[FarangTalk]

I hope you stopped to offer assistance and be a witness for the police otherwise you should be ashamed of yourself.

Often if a foreigner stops to give assistance they are taken for being the culprit.

The Thai Police don't often use 'witnesses' either. The richest and most influential person involved is usually the one who's story is taken as the truth.

[rbrooks]

Walking, bicycling, swimming, boating, elephant trekking, drinking, balconies, jet skis, driving, marrying, dating and traveling in Thailand risk having a common result, death. It's shocking to read that this unfortunate young couple have bicycled and traveled all around the world, Middle East, China and Europe to have met their demise in Thailand.

[ThomasOzanne]

Hi

Peter Root and Mary Thompson.

I have known Peter since I was 11 years old, we were at school together and I counted him as one of my best friends. He and Mary have been together since university days and she had also become a dear friend over the years.

As you have seen from previous posts in this thread they were on a round the world bicycle trip. They left Guernsey in August 2011 and had travelled 15,000 + miles the last time I spoke with them. Their blog www.twoonfourwheels.com was where they were chronicling their journey.

We still don't have many details but the local paper in Guernsey has reported that the accident happened in Chachoengsao near Phanom Sarakham. They were headed west from Siam Reap towards Bangkok. Where I was hoping to meet them in three weeks.

They were two of the most adventurous, alive, creative, and inspiring people and they made friends wherever they went, which was pretty much everywhere.

If you read their blog you will see that they were no strangers to riding bikes in dangerous places. They were no fools and took what they did seriously.

Nothing has been confirmed but I heard that the truck driver was distracted briefly and now Pete and Mary are no longer with us. I wish I knew more. We don't even know the exact time it happened, but it is believed that it happened sometime on Tuesday.

As some of you have noted they were both talented artists, and extremely passionate about their exploration of the world. They had so much to offer and i am sure their memories will live on strong in the hearts of the people lucky enough to have met them. Thank you for your kind words.

The roads in Asia are home to some of the worst driving imaginable, I have seen it first hand and now this. It saddens me that so many people die needlessly every day... I don't know what, if anything, can be done to make a difference.

R.I.P Peter and Mary, you will be missed.

All the best

Thomas

[robertthebruce]

Very very sad...

Cycling anywhere in THAILAND is dangerous..

Just today in Central Bangkok, beside ''Ekami'', i saw a White guy on a bike, with his 2 year old child on the back.. ??

i mean how dangerous is that..

scarey....

[ALFREDO]

my wife done it 3 times, no success, then she paid the 500 baht,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and pick up her driver licens next day, easy Thailand!!!!

Make a high life insurance with you as beneficiary or do not let her drive without proper training and knowledge!

Or, did you give her the 500 Baht, so she starts driving sooner-without entitlement, so you can soon look for other "trails"?

[Osiris]

Thai driving test = a couple of laps in a car park whilst the examiner watches from a safe distance.

The real driving test: You fail the first time no matter how well you drive. The Land Transport Office offers you the license for 5000 baht. Got it from a friends Thai wife. She refused to pay and went round a second time, successfully.

Never happened to me in BKK. Passed and given license.

Perhaps you live in a village somewhere?

Since others have stated that the scam has happened to them, maybe you just showed up on a day when the tea coffers were full...

This is Thailand, and anyone with even half a brain knows there is inconsistency everywhere, and the lack of logic permeates this country.

5000 baht is a Bangkok price, didn't you know?

[MaxYakov]

Just saw a lone farang riding a bike on the 2 lane highway between Korat and my place today whilst on our way home from town. He was wearing a helmet so obviously stuck out, along with his pink shirt and somewhat fancy bike.

Road was very busy with huge double trailer sugar cane trucks and the small and very slow 2 cylinder putt putts, straddled by motor bikes on the right and everybody else trying to pass them on the left and ride sides, just nuts.

Can't see how riding a bike for "enjoyment" here on a main road makes any sense or is enjoyable at all. It is like a farang romantic dream to be retired and do this activity but this place just seems like putting your life at stake.

Absence of common sense, farang arrogance or death wish? Was his helmet (and other spiffy riding togs) stylish, at least?

[MaxYakov]

My sincere condolences to their friends and family, the roads in Bangkok and all over Thailand in general are getting so congested with unqualified incompetent drivers you cannot take your concentration away from the road and traffic for a second now.

Same thoughts to friends and family from me. I've been bicycling in Bangkok traffic at all hours for almost four years. I say bring on the congestion, albeit the air pollution, because It's safer for me during my transit (arguably). And I almost always have the sidewalks as an optional roll-path, although they can potentially be more dangerous than the road. I wear a full-face motor cycle helmet and usually a high-quality dust/fume filter mask as well.

[twix38]

strikes me you guys should read my links as some are still assuming they were on their bikes when accident happened. I mentioned the fact and one of the supplied links stated they were in a car. The other link that they were hit by a lorry. If correct news then they were in a CAR that was hit by a Lorry. My heart goes out to them and all who knew them. RIP

Edited February 17, 2013 by twix38

[dcutman]

strikes me you guys should read my links as some are still assuming they were on their bikes when accident happened. I mentioned the fact and one of the supplied links stated they were in a car. The other link that they were hit by a lorry. If correct news then they were in a CAR that was hit by a Lorry. My heart goes out to them and all who knew them. RIP

This tells me they were on bicycles.

BANGKOK, Thailand (Sat, Feb 16) – Reported by madn3wz

A well known cycling couple from Britain was killed in a tragic road accident; while they were on world cycling tour. The couple, Peter Root and Mary Thompson, was killed by a truck in Thailand on Wednesday doing what they loved.

Not that it makes much differece, they sound like lovely people and sure will be missed by all. RIP

[FarangTalk]

Anyone remember the new scheme the Bangkok authorities initiated not so long ago of waving flags when crossing the road at zebra crossings to alert the traffic to stop?

Two Brits were mown down and killed by a truck while crossing the road waving flags within the first few days of that ridiculous idea.

There really is a staggering amount of tourist road deaths here. IMO not enough is done by the Thais and the foreign embassies to alert people of the dangers of travelling here.

Let's face it, the Thais want the tourism, but they are not able nor willing to make the changes and enforce the laws properly. Just another case of shirking their responsibilities while trousering the cash.

[twix38]

dcutman,

You may or may not be correct ;-)

I think your proof is possibly just general talk of being on a holiday cycling the world and doing what they loved, as opposed to signifying they were specifically on the bikes and cycling at the time of the accident, whereas my comment comes from article below where it says "A Guernseyman killed in Thailand has been named as Peter Root. The 34 year old died in a car accident."

On balance I'll stick to my view, though with so little information it is anyone's guess as of right now. Perhaps we will find out for sure soon

http://www.islandfm....oryid=24874&s=3

Edited February 17, 2013 by twix38

[Jiu-Jitsu]

Anyone remember the new scheme the Bangkok authorities initiated not so long ago of waving flags when crossing the road at zebra crossings to alert the traffic to stop?

Two Brits were mown down and killed by a truck while crossing the road waving flags within the first few days of that ridiculous idea.

There really is a staggering amount of tourist road deaths here. IMO not enough is done by the Thais and the foreign embassies to alert people of the dangers of travelling here.

Let's face it, the Thais want the tourism, but they are not able nor willing to make the changes and enforce the laws properly. Just another case of shirking their responsibilities while trousering the cash.

They were Canadian.

[Lite Beer]

Bike-trek Brits die in crash

A BRITISH couple on a round-the-world cycling adventure have been killed in Thailand, it emerged yesterday.

Peter Root and Mary Thompson, both 34, were riding their bikes near the capital Bangkok when they were run over by a pick-up truck.

The couple, from Guernsey, were both talented artists and had set off on their global trip in July 2011.

They were in their 23rd country when the tragedy struck, having already cycled through Europe, the Middle East and China.

Mr Root’s devastated father Jerry yesterday described them as a “golden couple” who “loved life”.

Read more: http://www.thesun.co...l#ixzz2L98hG9n7

--The Sun 2013-02-17