New Reports Acquits Hit And Run Driver That Killed Four Swedes In Thailand

[Marlow999]

is the driver not responsable for his his car is maintianed and safe to drive? is there no periodic control of the cars here, in europe the car and trucks undergo periodic controls, and will be removed from the roads if they not pass. but anyway , the driver of a car is responsable for the car is safe to drive, and if a wheel falls off, due to some loose wheel nuts or things like that, the driver must be hold responsable.

Yes cars undergo a check every year... This check is a joke, my last one took just under 4 mins.

However, can the driver really be held responsible for every mechanical failure !!

Pretty sure you don't check all your wheel nuts every day before you drive a car, I know I don't...

He probably confessed because he knew his sentenced (whatever that may be) would be halved.

Also fled the accident scene as that is considered the thing to do, rather than face the consequences immediately.

Very sad accident.

Once I was driving in the UK, and it sounded like someting was wrong, as there was a thumping noise and the car did not handle corectly.

I stopped and went round the car checking the wheel nuts, and sure enough, one had come loose.

So I used the when brace and tighten it and all was fine.

I think the real problem is that most Thai drivers have no idea and not trained to tell if something is wrong with their car when driving.

My Thai MOT (Annual test) also took 4 minutes, but did include a rolling road brake test.

But I was confident that it would pass as I always take my car for checks and any problem to the local Mitsubishi main agent, as labour charges are so cheap here, so I use them and not some jobbing mechanic on the street corner.

How come one loose wheel nut was causing a thumping noise and handling problems? The other three (or four) nuts would have been holding the wheel tight against the hub..unless you let them work loose also.

[Tboy928]

is the driver not responsable for his his car is maintianed and safe to drive? is there no periodic control of the cars here, in europe the car and trucks undergo periodic controls, and will be removed from the roads if they not pass. but anyway , the driver of a car is responsable for the car is safe to drive, and if a wheel falls off, due to some loose wheel nuts or things like that, the driver must be hold responsable.

anyone have picture or proof of the wheel had come off the truck?

[Marlow999]

Another clear message from the Thai Authorities... Foreigners that come here do so at their own risk, because Thai cannot do any wrong. No justice for the people kill or their families - are we in the least bit surprised?

The Thai truck driver was convicted and served time in jail. What are you going on about?

[Marlow999]

They found out the wheel was loose and this was the cause of the accident. Couldnt the wheel became loose or off in the crash?

>They found out the wheel was loose and this was the cause of the accident. Couldnt the wheel became loose or off in the

crash?

Of course the wheel fell off.

Im aware it came off! But how do they know if came off before? It could of came off in the impact of the crash!

Accident Investigators can find out these kind of things believe it or not.

[Marlow999]

The question here is: did the wheel come off before the driver lost control and hit the ditch or because of it?

That is not the question at all...this has already been sorted, he was found guilty and was imprisoned and has now been released.

[Arkady]

is the driver not responsable for his his car is maintianed and safe to drive? is there no periodic control of the cars here, in europe the car and trucks undergo periodic controls, and will be removed from the roads if they not pass. but anyway , the driver of a car is responsable for the car is safe to drive, and if a wheel falls off, due to some loose wheel nuts or things like that, the driver must be hold responsable.

Of course cars are subjected to periodic checks involving a brass rubbing of the engine number and all cars over, I think, 10 years old are subjected to a mechanical check like a British MOT test.

This is a rigorous test that involves sending a familiar purple document to the licensing authority. I offered to take the vehicle once but this absurd notion was firmly rejected by my insurance agent who said it might antagonise the official and cause him to find many non-existent faults with the car and waste a great deal of time.

[chooka]

Are the thais seeking more bad publicity in the international media. I think some media agencies are going to have a field day with this.

A guy who obviously by reports was driving an unsafe motor vehicle kills 5 people and then flees the scene leaving the victims like a bit of road kill on the side of the road.

I know in Australia simply fleeing such a scene regardless if it was 1 or 5 victims the person would be doing jail time. Also the victims nationality or social standing would have no bearing on sentencing a life is a life.

If the vehicle had mechanical problems then the CEO of the company would also be facing charges. (yes I know that is Aust) just saying.

The truck driver did jail time.

Ok. Sorrow I misread the story I thought it said driver acquitted.

[bkkal]

I think the shittiest thing is the balls of the paper or media outlet that mentioned that they took an "illegal" taxi to go snorkeling. I would love to know in what universe that has any bearing at all ,seeing how the other party was apparently the cause of the accident.

As it's already been said, the act of leaving the scene alone implies guilt of some sort; he didn't leave the scene to phone the police, or forbid some spur of the moment humanity, maybe an ambulance. I'm really not interested in what the Thai code actually says because it would probably just irritate me more. It's just a shame though that people closer to these events are willing to settle for that.

Does anyone know if the driver was held in jail for any period? That's a pretty good break if you can go from 4 years to 2, and then none, and off scott free.

[Jim walker]

He only killed 4 people that really count give him a

break everyone needs a second chance and I am sure he won’t do it again.

[Psych01]

The trouble with all this, as far as I am concerned, is the way things like this are implied to be the farrangs fault. Look at how the article about the Dutch girl was reported.

I spoke to my missus (TGF) about it (the Dutch girl), she said that in the Thai news the guy only admitted to raping her so asto save the face of the Dutch girl -- does this worry any farrang -- as it never actually happened. The Dutch girl was heavily reported as being drunk, does that give anyone the right to have sex with someone if they do not give consent? Correct answer here is, NO!

OK, everyone is innocent until proven guilty, but here in both cases the individuals commiting the crimes, have pleaded guilty. In both cases all victims are not Thai and are from the Farrang side of the world.

What is wrong with this image that Thailand is giving?

[Thai at Heart]

The trouble with all this, as far as I am concerned, is the way things like this are implied to be the farrangs fault. Look at how the article about the Dutch girl was reported.

I spoke to my missus (TGF) about it (the Dutch girl), she said that in the Thai news the guy only admitted to raping her so asto save the face of the Dutch girl -- does this worry any farrang -- as it never actually happened. The Dutch girl was heavily reported as being drunk, does that give anyone the right to have sex with someone if they do not give consent? Correct answer here is, NO!

OK, everyone is innocent until proven guilty, but here in both cases the individuals commiting the crimes, have pleaded guilty. In both cases all victims are not Thai and are from the Farrang side of the world.

What is wrong with this image that Thailand is giving?

Internationally, no one gives two hoots what Thailand says about anything. The problem is they have conveyed this image of buddhist idyll to the world when the reality is 180 degrees the other way.

Then they throw a fit domestically when anyone tells the truth about Thailand internationally.

The shame will come when it is found out, the tourism dries up because every resort is a whore house, all the beaches are green and the streets are lawless, and the foreign businesses say enough is enough.

Then wait for them to really start blaming farangs.

Edited February 27, 2013 by Thai at Heart

[pisico]

It appears the Swedes were at fault for taking an illegal taxi. Case closed.

What is an illegal taxi as opposed to a legal one and how can anyone know one from the other?

[Rancid]

is the driver not responsable for his his car is maintianed and safe to drive? is there no periodic control of the cars here, in europe the car and trucks undergo periodic controls, and will be removed from the roads if they not pass. but anyway , the driver of a car is responsable for the car is safe to drive, and if a wheel falls off, due to some loose wheel nuts or things like that, the driver must be hold responsable.

Invoking more bureaucrat or police involvement only has the result of more corruption with no difference to the problem, Thailand has plenty of laws that are already universally ignored. Thailand is the Wild West, you survive on your own merit and luck.

[cornishcarlos]

It appears the Swedes were at fault for taking an illegal taxi. Case closed.

What is an illegal taxi as opposed to a legal one and how can anyone know one from the other?

Illegal ones can park inside hotel premises and tout for business.

Legal ones get battered if they try !

Easy, pick a taxi driver that's bleeding and he probably has a license to carry passengers

[DocN]

It appears the Swedes were at fault for taking an illegal taxi. Case closed.

Great, isn't it!?

They had to mention that!

[Psych01]

@Thai at Heart. I am fully aware of this, the Thai populus will only care when one of the biggest incomes stops.

As for the Buddhist idyll, do you actually know a Thai that follows the 5 precepts? They only follow it if they are not within the click that can change things for the better. Those that can change things, do not care what these people think.

This is all about Thai's owning up to being wrong and the belief of "LOSING FACE".

We all see the news reports on here from the people that run TV, about all these farrang falling from balconies etc, and other deaths of strange or too frequent accidents, but no one in the HiSo do anything about it. Time will tell as you quite rightly mention.

There was an article I read earlier, from the Bangkok Post, about the way Thailand needs to change its thought process and how they have lost their way. It was written by a Thai report. Unfortunately I can not attach the link due to TV rules, but it is a good read about 1 Thai admitting that her nation are doing some crazy arsed things.

Edited February 27, 2013 by Psych01

[Thai at Heart]

@Thai at Heart. I am fully aware of this, the Thai populus will only care when one of the biggest incomes stops.

As for the Buddhist idyll, do you actually know a Thai that follows the 5 precepts? They only follow it if they are not within the click that can change things for the better. Those that can change things, do not care what these people think.

This is all about Thai's owning up to being wrong and the belief of "LOSING FACE".

We all see the news reports on here from the people that run TV, about all these farrang falling from balconies etc, and other deaths of strange or too frequent accidents, but no one in the HiSo do anything about it. Time will tell as you quite rightly mention.

There was an article I read earlier, from the Bangkok Post, about the way Thailand needs to change its thought process and how they have lost their way. It was written by a Thai report. Unfortunately I can not attach the link due to TV rules, but it is a good read about 1 Thai admitting that her nation are doing some crazy arsed things.

The mere fact that someone writes about this in the other paper shows that something is slowly changing.

I am all for people being proud of their nation, but it must come with introspection and reality also. I lived in a country in europe that satisfied itself with looking down on its neighbors, and revelling in its extensive history. That was Greece.

Some could say the uk is heading the same way, but i doubt it. The amount of critical debate saves a country from itself. Thailand needs a dose of reality to go to greater heights.

[Ian Curtis]

Had this been the other way around, as in a Farrang did the same and 4 Thai's had died, what would have happened then? Also, why 2 days to report and confess to the incident, had he been under the influence?

Death penalty

[transam]

Had this been the other way around, as in a Farrang did the same and 4 Thai's had died, what would have happened then? Also, why 2 days to report and confess to the incident, had he been under the influence?

Death penalty

What a stupid comment. Commercial drivers are told to leg it so stuff can be sorted out latter. If the guy DID have a vehicle malfunction then the authorities MUST investigate the guys claim.

[Ian Curtis]

Had this been the other way around, as in a Farrang did the same and 4 Thai's had died, what would have happened then? Also, why 2 days to report and confess to the incident, had he been under the influence?

Death penalty

What a stupid comment. Commercial drivers are told to leg it so stuff can be sorted out latter. If the guy DID have a vehicle malfunction then the authorities MUST investigate the guys claim.

A farang as a commercial driver ??

Edited February 27, 2013 by metisdead
: Reply repaired.

[rbrooks]

Has anyone ever read of anyone being charged with leaving the scene of an accident here in Thailand ?

No, because leaving the scene of an an accident in Thailand considered to be

a national sport activity to be enjoyed at all time and by everybody...

I might add that leaving the scene of the accident and then showing up a few days later to either blame it on the other driver crossing his path or telling the police he will be back to face the charges after his vacation. Amazing Thailand. Enjoy your vacation in Thailand just don't take taxis, jet skis, tuk tuks, ride bicycles, jog, run, walk, close to vehicles or step on balconies.

[JO1973]

I just wonder if Thais ever feel ashamed when they hear about stuff like this, or if they feel that it's the responsibility of foreigners to feel ashamed for them?

[metisdead]

Off topic posts and replies have been removed.

[khaowong1]

is the driver not responsable for his his car is maintianed and safe to drive? is there no periodic control of the cars here, in europe the car and trucks undergo periodic controls, and will be removed from the roads if they not pass. but anyway , the driver of a car is responsable for the car is safe to drive, and if a wheel falls off, due to some loose wheel nuts or things like that, the driver must be hold responsable.

Yes cars undergo a check every year... This check is a joke, my last one took just under 4 mins.

However, can the driver really be held responsible for every mechanical failure !!

Pretty sure you don't check all your wheel nuts every day before you drive a car, I know I don't...

He probably confessed because he knew his sentenced (whatever that may be) would be halved.

Also fled the accident scene as that is considered the thing to do, rather than face the consequences immediately.

Very sad accident.

Yes, the driver is responsible for every mechanical failure on his or her vehicle.. period.. you want to sue the automobile company or mechanic later for some faulty mechanical error, up to you.. but you the driver are held responsible. at least here in the US.. Edited February 27, 2013 by khaowong1

[SCARLETIBIS1]

I am also disgusted that farang here for so many years never understand the concept of Thainess. Thailand using a caste based system and as farang we are the untouchables as they have in India. It is very rich for farang to come here and think they can change Thailand. Farang will always be in the wrong as we are the lowest caste. In fact as one Thai told me we are below the family pet. Farang should stop acting like girls, be a man, and accept that law and order is a farang concept that has nothing to do with Thainess. So many farang are killed and raped here and in the concept of the caste system, undesirables, they deserved it for transgressions from their past lives. The Thai who causes all of these things are just facilitating the necessary deed commanded by Lord Buddha. I hope this enlightens the many farang "who just don't get it". You are not welcome and thats why your money disappears from your bank account very quickly. Man up to the fact we are the lowest caste and we will always be int the wrong. If you can't hack it then leave Thailand.

I agree 100% with this guy. "Law and order" have absolutely nothing to do with Thainess. Same with honesty, integrity, common sense, dignity, truthfulness, cleanliness, and a whole host of other non Thai qualities. And if this guy speaks for "Lord Budda" it must be a Taliban offshoot. Last I talked with the Budda he told me not to hurt anybody. Which Lord Budda is this moron talking about? Are there two of them now?

[spidermike007]

Mechanical fault or not, the driver still fled the scene of the accident. Surely that on its own deserves some prison time.

The headline reads "New reports acquits hit and run driver that killed four Swedes" by Anders Holm Nielsen. There was a fifth person killed, the person driving the Swedes, but he doesn't seem to rate such a mention, maybe because he was only Thai.

Reminds me of the Huckleberry Finn story, when there was a paddlesteamer accident, and someone asked Huck if there were any fatalities. Huck replied something like "No-one hurt, but a nigger was killed."

Not in Thailand, land of no deterrent. Sentence reduced by half, for admitting guilt says it all. In a country where few take responsibility, it kind of makes sense that the judicial system would barely hold its citizens responsible for the acts that they commit.

[Buchholz]

Take a look at Songkran - all those budding to be reborn from car accidents 555

While I can appreciate you have your own personal health issues, I take exception to someone viewing hundreds of people dying tragically as something humorous to laugh at.

.

[metisdead]

Off topic posts and replies have been removed.

[metisdead]

A number of bitter and twisted off topic karma and caste system posts and replies have been removed. Apologies to all who took the time to respond to those posts.

[slipperx]

Another smidgen of what is wrong with the justice system here. The guy is prosecuted, sentenced and then let off. He runs away from the scene of carnage and stays out of evidence for two days and h Thais say Mai Pen Rai and expect respect! Very amusing - NOT!