Close Shaves In Thailand ..... Whose Had One, Or More?

[pattayadingo]

Have you had a lucky / narrow escape whilst being here in Thailand?

Reading the topic about the biggest mistakes led to me thinking about this as a topic. For me, I'll start this off with a couple of incidents.

I've had 2 close shaves here of different kinds.

The first was when I knew little of Thailand. I'd moved into a woman's house and was quite content living out in the country. At that time the £ was almost 70 Baht. After six months of living together she wanted me to buy a 10 metre truck. Said she could get work for the truck and we'd have an income coming in. That truck cost me 160,000 Baht. We had work done on it, had her brother weld a cage down both sides and a roof.
That truck sat outside the house for over 3 months. The only times it ever moved were when I drove it around to pick up building materials for the house. Never any work for it.
The company that sold me the truck made out the receipt in English and Thai. I was about to hand over the money to pay when I read the receipt. It was in her name, that was when I understood why they did not want to show me the paperwork until I insisted.
Thankfully I had checked. 6 months down the line she asked me for 1.5 million Baht to marry her. After I'd said no, she went all cold on me. Life became difficult. Thankfully I'd got to know a few people. One of whom took the truck away and sold it for me. I made a loss of 20,000 Baht, but it could have been a lot worse.

These days, I realise that the truck was here way of showing face to people that she had a Farang. Must have been really bad for her when it got sold and I moved out


The second narrow escape I had was after I'd taken my car into a garage I'd used regularly. I was going to head off to Cambodia on a visa run and wanted the brakes checking because the pads on the rear were grumbling on braking. On the way to Cambodia I'd narrowly avoided one accident when needing to brake hard. I put it down to my slow reactions on my part and not having enough room / time for braking.
On the return leg a 6 wheeler in front of me slowed down quickly. No brake lights came on. I hammerd on my brake pedal. The car barely slowed at all. I could not move to the outside of the two lanes because I was hemmed in by traffic. My heart leapt into my mouth as that truck loomed closer and larger. I ended up with my bonnet embedded under the rear of the truck. Almost instantly flames leapt out from under the bonnet.
Luckily I could open the door but I was trapped by my foot. Panic set in as those flames seemed to get higher. I jerked my leg hard and with both hands managed to free my foot albeit in some pain and leapt out of the burning car.
Turns out it was my foot that was trapped and I broke my big toe, ripping the nail out yanking my foot free. That and some cuts from glass in my face from the broken windscreen were the only physical damage I suffered.
I did lose my passport, about 10,000 Baht in cash, my phone and some other items, but I did keep my life.
A steel girder section beneath the car as a sump guard is what I believe stopped the front of the car caving in more than it did.

To top it all off, I'd been negligent in re-insuring the car believeing it was still insured but I'd got the month wrong in Thai and got nothing for the accident.

So, who else has had a close shave or two here in Thailand and what was it?

[ragamuffin]

Two weeks ago I was on a van when it hit a girl on a motorbike on the highway. Luckily none of the other vehicles crashed into the scene of accident = us.

[rene123]

I don't really call it a close shave, but just tonight a Thai man on a bicycle with no light came right across the road in front of us without looking. The young Thai guy on the motorbike ahead of me just barely missed the man on the bicycle, and coming up behind I had to swerve into the oncoming lane to go on the other side of him. But, because these things happen all the time I've just grown to accept them and EXPECT them. I'm ALWAYS ready to take evasive action.

[David48]

Unless I missed it, you never mentioned why the brakes failed the 2^nd time.

Are you attributing that to the brake work done in the Garage?

Close Shaves ... many a taxi ride ...

[SeaVisionBurma]

Two nonsense posts removed

[pattayadingo]

Unless I missed it, you never mentioned why the brakes failed the 2^nd time.

Are you attributing that to the brake work done in the Garage?

Close Shaves ... many a taxi ride ...

Never a problem with the brakes before they were serviced. On reflection they were certainly not up to standard. Bad brake pads? Maybe. But when you brake you expect to slow down

Had that car 3 years with no serious problem prior to that. Should have done the brakes myself and certainly will in the future.

I feel there might be more close shaves to come and I don't mean with Gillette

[jvs]

I guess it is safe to say any one living here in Thailand who is in traffic on a daily basis has had at least one close shave.

I know i had a lot already,used to go out riding all over Thailand but lost a few friends in accidents and now sold the big bike.

[TommoPhysicist]

@OP

First was not a close shave, just a normal Thai relationship. 160k would not be a significant loss for most of us.

Second may be a close shave, but in Thailand it would be considered a normal everyday driving event.

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

if you have been in Thailand for any amount of time then you have a lot of close shaves. I think a lot of people don't even realize them.

My scariest one was when walking on the sidewalk on Huay Kaew in Chiang Mai.

Just outside the condo was heading toward the 7-11 at night and a fast moving Toyota sedan loses control careens up over the curb and smashes the fence and hits a cement poll.

This was about 20 meters in front of me. Glass everywhere. Toyota parts laying about. Minor injuries. Lots of big Thai smiles of course. Youngish Thai male FWIW.

Big adrenaline dump on my part. I thought well that was lucky. Celebrated with a few extra snacks and libations.

[n0mad]

was driving back to BKK from Sa Kaew, there was a a brief heavy shower max 15mins but soaked the road very well. Anyway we are approaching a curve in the road perhaps a few hundred metres ahead. A Semi comes around the curve and begins jack knifing, we pullover as far as we can which was not far as there was an embankment and start watching as the truck jack knifes. The truck takes out a light pole and is coming towards us, as it's approaching my friend told the driver (another friend) to go go go. She floors it and we are narrowly missed, we would have gone over the embankment and probably dead from the impact.

anyway Semi regained control and continued on his way without even slowing down to see what carnage he caused. FYI the light pole was completely flat after impact.

[phuturatica]

I was in Koh Phangnan and a motorbike lost control and came skidding towards me and the people I was with... Luckily we managed to jump out of the way before it hit us but it was a scary moment. Also we had a friend's mum with us (60 years old) and she was a total nervous wreck after that happened!

Another time, I was on the back of a motorbike taxi in Bangkok and I was paying attention to what was ahead and suddenly the driver ducked his head and I didn't duck my head in time and I got hit in the face with a rather big branch which sent me flying off the back off the bike. It was a close call because the car behind the motorbike nearly ran me over and had to swerve the car around me.

Needless to say, both times have left me very shaken up!

[samran]

Nearly electectued a guy by turning on the mains power when he was working on something 300m away.

Nearly got hit by a Tuk Tuk coming the wrong way down the road when I was crossing it..

[Naam]

grabbed (in a special Klingon way) my wife's butt when she passed by on a heavily clouded day (no lights yet switched on in the house) and was surprised when my visiting look-alike sister-in-law said "i wish my husband would do this more often."

[rene123]

grabbed (in a special Klingon way) my wife's butt when she passed by on a heavily clouded day (no lights yet switched on in the house) and was surprised when my visiting look-alike sister-in-law said "i wish my husband would do this more often."

You knew it was her all the time, Naam and you just thought you would "give it a try"

[submaniac]

Riding my motorcycle in Downtown bangkok when the radiator cooling hose burst underneath the seat spraying scalding hot coolant all over my ass. I thought that the bike had caught fire and dumped it on its side. The green buses of death behind me managed to stop in time to avoid running into me (more appropriately the bike as I initially thought it was gasoline and was scared it might explode).

I posted pictures of my charred and swolen ass on the TV motorcycle forum. I was informed by the motorcycle forum never to do it again.

Anyone wanna see pictures of my charred and swollen ass?

[Dancealot]

grabbed (in a special Klingon way) my wife's butt when she passed by on a heavily clouded day (no lights yet switched on in the house) and was surprised when my visiting look-alike sister-in-law said "i wish my husband would do this more often."

She is Klingon as well?

[Dancealot]

I had a literal close shave done once with an old blade in Bangkok. Left me bleeding, so i didn't tip him.

Riding
my motorcycle in Downtown bangkok when the radiator cooling hose burst
underneath the seat spraying scalding hot coolant all over my ass. I
thought that the bike had caught fire and dumped it on its side. The
green buses of death behind me managed to stop in time to avoid running
into me (more appropriately the bike as I initially thought it was
gasoline and was scared it might explode).

I posted
pictures of my charred and swolen ass on the TV motorcycle forum. I
was informed by the motorcycle forum never to do it again.

Anyone wanna see pictures of my charred and swollen ass?

Please spare me.. I will look up your ass in the motorcycle forum when i get the urge...

Edited March 20, 2013 by Dancealot

[lannarebirth]

grabbed (in a special Klingon way) my wife's butt when she passed by on a heavily clouded day (no lights yet switched on in the house) and was surprised when my visiting look-alike sister-in-law said "i wish my husband would do this more often."

And the only reason you've lived to tell the tale is I assume you married a non- Klingon.

[FunFon]

And the only reason you've lived to tell the tale is I assume you married a non- Klingon.

That's why the tale was posted as an example of a close shave. . .

[Scottythai]

I have not. Other than drinking a bit too much from time to time due to the cheap cost of beer and Vodka here but thats self-induced!

[apetley]

Tail end of a big storm early last year and I was in the front garden inspecting for damage. A huge branch about 30cm in diameter broke away from one of our trees, hit the ground inches in front of me, bounced up and caught me under the jaw dislocating it and making me see stars.

I'm still amazed that somehow I popped my jaw back into place myself. Six inches to the right and wifey would have been a very rich woman:-)

Edited March 20, 2013 by apetley

[PB1]

I awoke this morning thinking, she needs a close shave!

[pattayadingo]

Riding my motorcycle in Downtown bangkok when the radiator cooling hose burst underneath the seat spraying scalding hot coolant all over my ass. I thought that the bike had caught fire and dumped it on its side. The green buses of death behind me managed to stop in time to avoid running into me (more appropriately the bike as I initially thought it was gasoline and was scared it might explode).

I posted pictures of my charred and swolen ass on the TV motorcycle forum. I was informed by the motorcycle forum never to do it again.

Anyone wanna see pictures of my charred and swollen ass?

sounds like those photos would worse than any nightmare

[bermondburi]

Back around 2000 at a Full Moon Party on Haad Rin Beach in Koh Phangan my friend and were off out tits after smoking some yabba and doing Mushrooms . I went to enough raves in the early 90s so I've done my share of drugs including hallucinogens but these mushrooms were so strong we could barely walk . Everything was moving so much and such crazy visuals . So we decided to walk down to the end of the beach where it was a bit quieter . We just sit down on some rocks to get our breath back and my mate offers me a ciggy . The next thing we know a group of plainclothes descend on us with torches shouting at us " We search you , we search you "

I've still got more yabba in my underpants and I'm just thinking we're f****ed . They only have to take one look at us to know we're wasted . So they start going through all our pockets and belongings and as the search goes on you can see that they're getting more and more frustrated . After a while one of the police asks us where we are from . We reply the UK and he starts talking about football . He's a Man U fan so I start saying how David Beckham was a great player . After that it was all smiles , we shook hands and they left us alone . Not what you need when you're tripping your nuts off !!

If I ever meet Becksy he's got a pint on me !

[GooEng]

arrived here october 1992, it's been one long close shave, interspersed with a few cuts along the way.

[Naam]

grabbed (in a special Klingon way) my wife's butt when she passed by on a heavily clouded day (no lights yet switched on in the house) and was surprised when my visiting look-alike sister-in-law said "i wish my husband would do this more often."

You knew it was her all the time, Naam and you just thought you would "give it a try"

i swear all holy oaths that this is not the case. Mrs Naam hails from a country and a social environment which is extremely conservative in its views and i was quite relieved that my sister-in-law took my action in a stride (pun intended!) and joked about it.

but then, for her family, i have been (for decades) the odd foreigner/alien with strange views and quite often inappropriate behaviour/actions which however was always excused based on "shocks... but we have to admit that basically he is a kind man."

[seedy]

Years ago, night time, I passed a drunk falang riding his motorbike, swerving all over the road.

As soon as I got past him, a Thai man in a Toyota passed me, swerved in front of me and stopped.

Out comes the driver, 9mm pointed what I thought was right at me.

Turns out the drunk I passed had cut him off, and that was who he was after.

Did not wait to see the outcome.

[Scully]

First came to Thailand backpacking and being new to the situation startred drinking with some young off duty BIB on Phi Phi. One of the girls was getting on very well with me after 4 small beers, stood up and it felt like I had drank 40.

Decided to make an exit, all I remember was being punched from the side and woke up in my hotel with a black eye and thick lip. I can't have been that bad though because I had a very sore left hand and broke a finger on my right.

Never talk to drunk Thai men, I have heard this so many times after the event, it's very good advice.

[submaniac]

I had a literal close shave done once with an old blade in Bangkok. Left me bleeding, so i didn't tip him.

Riding

my motorcycle in Downtown bangkok when the radiator cooling hose burst

underneath the seat spraying scalding hot coolant all over my ass. I

thought that the bike had caught fire and dumped it on its side. The

green buses of death behind me managed to stop in time to avoid running

into me (more appropriately the bike as I initially thought it was

gasoline and was scared it might explode).

I posted

pictures of my charred and swolen ass on the TV motorcycle forum. I

was informed by the motorcycle forum never to do it again.

Anyone wanna see pictures of my charred and swollen ass?

Please spare me.. I will look up your ass in the motorcycle forum when i get the urge...

Oh just admit it. You want to see my ass.

[Dancealot]

You didn't shave it

I had a literal close shave done once with an old blade in Bangkok. Left me bleeding, so i didn't tip him.

Riding
my motorcycle in Downtown bangkok when the radiator cooling hose burst
underneath the seat spraying scalding hot coolant all over my ass. I
thought that the bike had caught fire and dumped it on its side. The
green buses of death behind me managed to stop in time to avoid running
into me (more appropriately the bike as I initially thought it was
gasoline and was scared it might explode).

I posted
pictures of my charred and swolen ass on the TV motorcycle forum. I
was informed by the motorcycle forum never to do it again.

Anyone wanna see pictures of my charred and swollen ass?

Please spare me.. I will look up your ass in the motorcycle forum when i get the urge...

Oh just admit it. You want to see my ass.