Swede Dies In Crash On Koh Phangan

[John 1]

Seen plenty walking their bikes back to Haad Rin.

They are the sensible ones.

Just wish there were some scrupulous renters on KPG.

There not sensible they run out of petrol.

[AngThong]

Sad. R.I.P.

Been hurt myself and had friends hospitalised but no one I know died yet... I find Pha Ngan generally pretty OK for driving, it's only the Thong Sala - Had Rin road that gets lots of drunken drivers, apart from that it's pretty chilled. Samui's a different chapter entirely...

Edited March 8, 2013 by AngThong

[sbk]

I have told more people than I can count, "if you don't know how to drive don't rent a bike, the roads are very bad."

They still rent bikes.

You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink.

[AngThong]

To be honest I had never driven a bike when I rented one the first time. I didn't do it on Samui though but on KPG which is a lot quieter, and I don't drink & drive. You learn pretty fast. Getting around without a bike can be hard, esp. on KPG which doesn't have songthaews.

[Jose]

I have told more people than I can count, "if you don't know how to drive don't rent a bike, the roads are very bad."

They still rent bikes.

You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink.

The problem is that they probably do know how to drive, just not how to ride.

Back in the 90's when most roads on the island were dirt tracks, there were more accidents but fewer fatalities. "Better" roads tend to encourage speeding.

[dalpha]

Since this accident it has died a few more farangs here in Koh Phangan i learned yesterday. In fact one every day. To top everything I just witnessed another crash this morning. A farang and a thai in a head on collision on the Baan Tai - Haad Rin road. The farang died instantly even if the ambulance was there in 5 minutes. This is really sad times for Koh Phangan. How many has to die before this madness ends?

[Tropicalevo]

Since this accident it has died a few more farangs here in Koh Phangan i learned yesterday. In fact one every day. To top everything I just witnessed another crash this morning. A farang and a thai in a head on collision on the Baan Tai - Haad Rin road. The farang died instantly even if the ambulance was there in 5 minutes. This is really sad times for Koh Phangan. How many has to die before this madness ends?

Sadly dalpha, I see no end to this crazy situation. As long as there are idiots with money to spend, and there are people happy to take the money - then it will continue.

It must have been unsettling for you to witness such a tragic accident. Thoughts go to the victim and his/her family.

I do not know what the fatality rate is on the islands - it must be high at the moment. I do know that I see ambulances waiting for the ferries from KPN every day for quite a while now.

Edited March 9, 2013 by Tropicalevo

[dalpha]

What would minimize the accidents is songthaews, police checkpoints and the ban of automatic bikes. If there only where geared bikes less than 50% of the unexperienced drivers would rent bikes. But none of these things will happen as long there's businesses that will lose money on these changes.

[AngThong]

Songthaews would go a long way towards fixing the problem. As it is, you basically can't get anywhere on KPG without a bike, unless you dole out ridiculous amounts on taxis.

I'm dubious about police checks, that would just increase the bribing. As for automatic bikes, I'm a fan, though I do agree that in inexperienced hands, they give you too much speed too easily.

[oldsailor35]

Dies in car crash, when he was on way to store on moped ??????

Where is a "car" mentioned?

HEADLINES ! By Anders Holms Neilsen

Edited March 9, 2013 by oldsailor35

[dalpha]

Today i saw that they have installed a yellow rotating flashing light in that corner where the accident happened. I guess that they finally thought that it was one accident to many in that corner.

[carmine]

What would minimize the accidents is songthaews, police checkpoints and the ban of automatic bikes. If there only where geared bikes less than 50% of the unexperienced drivers would rent bikes. But none of these things will happen as long there's businesses that will lose money on these changes.

Its unrealistic to ban automatic bikes anyway. What about residents on the island. Atleast 70% of bike users ride autos and a fair few of them probably don't know how to ride a bike with gears.

What would be a very good start is if companies that rent bikes show a modicum of responsibility and ask tourists if they regularily use a scotter at home. If they don't, simple, don't rent them a bike. Unfortunately, as we all know money is number 1 here.

[kohphangan]

Since this accident it has died a few more farangs here in Koh Phangan i learned yesterday. In fact one every day. To top everything I just witnessed another crash this morning. A farang and a thai in a head on collision on the Baan Tai - Haad Rin road. The farang died instantly even if the ambulance was there in 5 minutes. This is really sad times for Koh Phangan. How many has to die before this madness ends?

Also 2 dead and one seriously injured just outside Chaloklum on the night of 7th March.

I was told this by local thai boat man who was at the scene,he then started to tell me the story which was a little confusing.

But what was not confusing was when he was talking of a Harley involved that was being used by an expat that has been on the island for a few years.

The boat man then got out his camera and showed me a picture of a crashed Harley... Oh right i said ok..... I was not ready for what i saw on the next photo..... Body parts and a body covered by a white sheet!!

Just makes me wonder why some deaths get reported such as this sad case and others are just swept under the carpet.

RIP to all

[bornredi]

I have been riding motorbike's, motorcycles all my life, all over the USA, central america. And I have found this place to be as dangerous as any place on the earth to ride. You really need to keep our wits about you.

[Jose]

Also 2 dead and one seriously injured just outside Chaloklum on the night of 7th March.

I was told this by local thai boat man who was at the scene,he then started to tell me the story which was a little confusing.

But what was not confusing was when he was talking of a Harley involved that was being used by an expat that has been on the island for a few years.

The boat man then got out his camera and showed me a picture of a crashed Harley... Oh right i said ok..... I was not ready for what i saw on the next photo..... Body parts and a body covered by a white sheet!!

Just makes me wonder why some deaths get reported such as this sad case and others are just swept under the carpet.

RIP to all

Damn... that Harley rider, would he be a local Dutch guy by any chance?

[kohphangan]

Also 2 dead and one seriously injured just outside Chaloklum on the night of 7th March.

I was told this by local thai boat man who was at the scene,he then started to tell me the story which was a little confusing.

But what was not confusing was when he was talking of a Harley involved that was being used by an expat that has been on the island for a few years.

The boat man then got out his camera and showed me a picture of a crashed Harley... Oh right i said ok..... I was not ready for what i saw on the next photo..... Body parts and a body covered by a white sheet!!

Just makes me wonder why some deaths get reported such as this sad case and others are just swept under the carpet.

RIP to all

Damn... that Harley rider, would he be a local Dutch guy by any chance?

No not Dutch and not sure if i should disclose who he is on this thread... But from what i made out from my slightly confusing conversation with my thai boat driver friend that lives in Chaloklum....

The Expat that i know and rides the bike was the seriously injured and taken to Samui.... The pictures that i looked at was of just one blue Harley and one body covered over with a sheet and of course the picture i wish i had not looked at, but bike and body were not together these were two seperate photo's...

If you live on KP especially Chaloklum area which is full of chinese whispers i'm pretty sure you will hear the name soon.... But not Dutch!! and RIP to which ever Natonality were the victims

May i aslo confirm that it was my friend who was at the crash site quoted it was a Harley... The picture that i looked at could of been any chopper style bike... The picture was taken at night time and the bike was damaged.... But it was blue

Safe riding Jose..... I've gone from 250cc to 750cc back to 125 wave and that thing scares me these days

[Jose]

Thanks, KP.

I've had all kinds of bikes up to 1200cc, but none gives me more pleasure nowadays than the small but solid Yamaha Spark 135. For me it's the journey, not the destination, and a smooth and gentle riding speed makes for a far more enjoyable one.

[limbos]

The Harley was indeed a Harley and was not owned by a Dutch person. The two people that died were German according to my information.

Today a Westerner on a bike was overtaking a car in front of a crossing and blocking my way into the Ghost road on Samui. After honking my horn over such dangerous driving, the motorbike driver got really upset. This madness is anything but over!

[evadgib]

Yesterday I had 2 riders on a bike pull out on me (no lights, helmets, licence etc) as if they were a lorry in order to join the opposite lane heading towards Lamai from Makro (or thereabouts) I suspect they were Korean tourists. 5 mins later a car driven at considerable speed undertook me and others near Angelas.

Today I was overtaken on blind bends on the way to Lamai and again on the way back. These weren't split second affairs, these were 15-20 second suicidal inpulses from which there was no escape had anyone been legitimatly travelling in the opposite direction.

I can feel a new thread coming on:)

Edited March 19, 2013 by evadgib