14 Year Old Boy Driving Pickup Truck Rams Lady Motorbiker

[TackyToo]

Yesterday I saw a kid who could not have been more than 8, driving a motorbike in downtown Pattaya with 2 passengers, one around 5 and the other a little older, and of course none with crash helmets. Darwinesque I thought !

This is a quote of a former Thai Minister of Transport:

"Thai people have different brains than other people. We are certainly able to speak and to write SMS on the

mobile phone while driving in cars and on motorcycles.'"

The guy put it to the extreme:

“A mandatory helmet law for Thais is not really necessary, because unlike other people they have a thicker skull, to protect them from injury!”

Seems like some skulls are so thick- they don't leave space for for a handfull of braincells.

Edited April 3, 2013 by TackyToo

[TackyToo]

There is an incredibly simple solution to these kinds of problems. It is called law enforcement. Not something we see too often in the LOS. Of course it requires effective policing, a fair and competent judiciary, and a good penal system. Yes, I know we may still be 50 years away from that. But, if this little punk bitch got 10 years in jail, and his family was fined a million baht for this completely unnecessary crime, word might get around that for the first time since perhaps the Ayutthaya kingdom, Thailand is getting serious about fighting crime, and making worthless punks pay for their crimes.

Well, of course you are right from a westerner’s perspective. However you should not leave out Thai logic.

According to that:

• the parents have nothing to do with it, as they were not even at the scene neither in the car
• the news that the family received a 1 million baht fine would not even reach the neighbor’s house compared to the news they won 100.000 in the lottery…
• “worthless punks” as you call them don’t pay for their crimes,- they pay a bail.

[doggie888888]

Have no idea if the lads account of the happening is true or not. The police seem to not believe peoples accounts in many cases. I wonder if that might not be a personal judgement based on their own perchance for telling porkies.

Skid marks, parts/pieces from point of impact down into the bushes could indicate what happened if anyone took the time to invistigate same. Of course this might require awaiting daylight to see all aspects of the scene.

Doesn't really matter if his account is correct at 14 he should not have been driving.. simply really.

Sent from my i-mobile i-STYLE Q6

A 14 year old driving on a farm isnt unusual

but Pattaya can hardly be called a "farm"

boy's got some "splain'n" to do

Edit,

just reread the story

12:30AM!!?? <deleted> were you doing son?

You can take the boy out of the farm but you can never take the farm out of the boys (and girls).

[Toscano]

These sort of accidents with underage drivers are common in Thailand . What is worrying is the lack of adult resposibility and ignorance . Even educated? Thais do not realize that IF they have motor insurance ; the insurance company will not pay for damage or injuries if an underage , unqualidfied person is driving , the car is Simply Not Insured . The owners of the vehicle should be held wholely responsible for this accident , illegally allowing an underage person to drive on the public highway . Further they should have to pay the damages to the injured party and the cost of a new motorcycle . It is possible that the vehicle the boy was driving was unroadworthy and dangerous on the road . I notice that preadolescent children are allowed to ride their parents motorcycle , my neighbour's son is 9yrs old and rides with another boy as pillion . Another neighbours son 12yrs lost control of the motorcycle , ran into a wall and his young friend riding pillion was killed .

Very little said , that I got to hear of , I dare say some money changed hands , but not a lot .

[Andre0720]

I guess there are others who should be held accountable, if he was driving to deliver wood, then I assume his parent(s)/guardian(s)/ vehicle owner knew, if not instructed him to do so, they should have known better, hope they get prosecuted too.

THAILAND is accountable..Thailand. Its culture, its way of life.

Accountable for letting young ones drive vehicles.

Accountable for keeping a blind eye on these drivers.

Accountable for allowing this to be IF there are no resulting accidents.

Accountable for prosecuting young ones only after accidents occur.

Accountable it is...

But then, why would anyone criticize this way of life, which is the main reason why so many farangs come here...

[Andre0720]

Yesterday I saw a kid who could not have been more than 8, driving a motorbike in downtown Pattaya with 2 passengers, one around 5 and the other a little older, and of course none with crash helmets. Darwinesque I thought !

This is a quote of a former Thai Minister of Transport:

"Thai people have different brains than other people. We are certainly able to speak and to write SMS on the

mobile phone while driving in cars and on motorcycles.'"

The guy put it to the extreme:

“A mandatory helmet law for Thais is not really necessary, because unlike other people they have a thicker skull, to protect them from injury!”

Seems like some skulls are so thick- they don't leave space for for a handfull of braincells.

Serious?? Someone would say that?

But the best one has to be::

''Why wear a helmet if you have no brains to protect''

[Radar501]

I was hoping to read in the news report something like:

"The boy's parents/guardian rushed from their home to the hospital to check on the condition of the lady motorcycle rider."

Sadly, nothing.

Edited April 3, 2013 by Radar501

[spidermike007]

Yesterday I saw a kid who could not have been more than 8, driving a motorbike in downtown Pattaya with 2 passengers, one around 5 and the other a little older, and of course none with crash helmets. Darwinesque I thought !

This is a quote of a former Thai Minister of Transport:

"Thai people have different brains than other people. We are certainly able to speak and to write SMS on the

mobile phone while driving in cars and on motorcycles.'"

The guy put it to the extreme:

“A mandatory helmet law for Thais is not really necessary, because unlike other people they have a thicker skull, to protect them from injury!”

Seems like some skulls are so thick- they don't leave space for for a handfull of braincells.

Having people like this serving as ministers is a very, very dangerous position Yingluck is putting the Thai people in. If the minister of transport is so simple minded, and honestly believes this ridiculous drivel he is uttering, we are all in trouble. In most civilized countries he would have been fired for such irresponsible statements. Here it is life as usual. In many states in the US it is illegal to talk on a cell phone without a headset. Also illegal to send text messages while driving, as this is even more dangerous than talking on the phone. Is progress impossible here? Is the possibility of moving the country to a better, and safer place impossible here? Three pedestrians were moved down in two separate accidents in Samui, just this week. Is anything being done about it? Absolutely not.

[Traveling Sailor]

I have been living in Thailand for just under two years and I am not surprised by this or any other accident. While I don't pretend to understand "Thainess", I have come to understant that "it is what it is". Thais love "Thainess", see nothing wrong with it and see no reason to change. Yes, life is cheap here. I often see mothers with small children and babies riding motor bikes with no helmit, no rear view mirrors and no working headlight. Thinking ahead, planning, worrying about concequences, accepting responsability for ones actions, does not seem to be part of Thai culture. When I have had enough, I will leave Thailand to the Thais and look for a different, happier experience. Trying to change Thais who aren't ready to change is no more productive than trying to get a drunk to stay on the wagon before he accepts the fact that he has a problem.

Edited April 3, 2013 by Traveling Sailor

[Commander Tamson]

Yesterday I saw a kid who could not have been more than 8, driving a motorbike in downtown Pattaya with 2 passengers, one around 5 and the other a little older, and of course none with crash helmets. Darwinesque I thought !

This is a quote of a former Thai Minister of Transport:

"Thai people have different brains than other people. We are certainly able to speak and to write SMS on the

mobile phone while driving in cars and on motorcycles.'"

The guy put it to the extreme:

“A mandatory helmet law for Thais is not really necessary, because unlike other people they have a thicker skull, to protect them from injury!”

Seems like some skulls are so thick- they don't leave space for for a handfull of braincells.

The problem is that the minister who said that was absolutely convinced that what he was saying was true.

BEYOND BELIEF!

[richard_smith237]

I wrote it about the 16 year old girl who crashed her civic into the van killing a number of people.

IF the courts deem the child (young adult) under age, then someone else should be accountable for their behaviour.

In both these cases the parents / guardians are responsible and should be held accountable for the actions of the minor who falls under their responsibility.

[Ohio]

Does he get the same punishment as the 16 year old girl that drove her BMW into a mini bus and pushed it off a bridge in Bangkok and killed several people?

Not unless he has equally Rich Family

IMO

[fakename]

If he was hauling wood, then I doubt he comes from a rich family.

[transam]

I wrote it about the 16 year old girl who crashed her civic into the van killing a number of people.

IF the courts deem the child (young adult) under age, then someone else should be accountable for their behaviour.

In both these cases the parents / guardians are responsible and should be held accountable for the actions of the minor who falls under their responsibility.

Yes, if the keys are provided then the owner is responsible. If the owners of the vehicle state that the vehicle was taken WITHOUT permission then the driver MUST accept the consequences.

[Munger]

Young kids driving vehicles when they shouldn't be, happens all over the world. I was driving my dad's farm truck when I was 14. But we lived out in the country and I was driving to the feed store and back, usually. Sometimes would swing by a buddy's just to show off. However saying that, does not mean I knew what the hell I was doing. It takes years of driving to know what your doing. years. Young kids should not be out on the highway. They are clueless. I was one. And I guarantee if I had an accident, it would have been my father who would be in trouble. besides me then having a very sore butt. Yes I see kids in the US driving to school who I know are underage and shouldn't be driving. If their caught, it's the parents who are in for trouble. But it's not near the same situation as those kids here in Thailand on motorcycles with 2 or 3 buddy's riding with them. In the US, it's obvious when you see some kid in a car that you know isn't old enough. But in Thailand, it's in your face and still the cops do nothing. It's not a question IF they are going to get in an accident, but WHEN.

So it "happens all over the world", does it ? and its the same in the USA. WOW. You thai apologists try to justify this by saying it happens all over the world. LAUGHABLE

[axact]

Young kids driving vehicles when they shouldn't be, happens all over the world. I was driving my dad's farm truck when I was 14. But we lived out in the country and I was driving to the feed store and back, usually. Sometimes would swing by a buddy's just to show off. However saying that, does not mean I knew what the hell I was doing. It takes years of driving to know what your doing. years. Young kids should not be out on the highway. They are clueless. I was one. And I guarantee if I had an accident, it would have been my father who would be in trouble. besides me then having a very sore butt. Yes I see kids in the US driving to school who I know are underage and shouldn't be driving. If their caught, it's the parents who are in for trouble. But it's not near the same situation as those kids here in Thailand on motorcycles with 2 or 3 buddy's riding with them. In the US, it's obvious when you see some kid in a car that you know isn't old enough. But in Thailand, it's in your face and still the cops do nothing. It's not a question IF they are going to get in an accident, but WHEN.

So it "happens all over the world", does it ? and its the same in the USA. WOW. You thai apologists try to justify this by saying it happens all over the world. LAUGHABLE

As far as I can see the statment that kids drive underage throughout the world is true,, not laughable.

Are you really so naive to think it doesn't happen in USA....get real, ever heard of joy riding or do you live in a box without media or access to the real world ?

Oh & I'm certainly not a Thai apologist.

[LennyW]

Young kids driving vehicles when they shouldn't be, happens all over the world. I was driving my dad's farm truck when I was 14. But we lived out in the country and I was driving to the feed store and back, usually. Sometimes would swing by a buddy's just to show off. However saying that, does not mean I knew what the hell I was doing. It takes years of driving to know what your doing. years. Young kids should not be out on the highway. They are clueless. I was one. And I guarantee if I had an accident, it would have been my father who would be in trouble. besides me then having a very sore butt. Yes I see kids in the US driving to school who I know are underage and shouldn't be driving. If their caught, it's the parents who are in for trouble. But it's not near the same situation as those kids here in Thailand on motorcycles with 2 or 3 buddy's riding with them. In the US, it's obvious when you see some kid in a car that you know isn't old enough. But in Thailand, it's in your face and still the cops do nothing. It's not a question IF they are going to get in an accident, but WHEN.

So it "happens all over the world", does it ? and its the same in the USA. WOW. You thai apologists try to justify this by saying it happens all over the world. LAUGHABLE

As far as I can see the statment that kids drive underage throughout the world is true,, not laughable.

Are you really so naive to think it doesn't happen in USA....get real, ever heard of joy riding or do you live in a box without media or access to the real world ?

Oh & I'm certainly not a Thai apologist.

I used to drive a tractor or a land rover when i was about 10 years old, how else was we supposed to get home from the pub in rural Aberdeenshire!!

[Munger]

Young kids driving vehicles when they shouldn't be, happens all over the world. I was driving my dad's farm truck when I was 14. But we lived out in the country and I was driving to the feed store and back, usually. Sometimes would swing by a buddy's just to show off. However saying that, does not mean I knew what the hell I was doing. It takes years of driving to know what your doing. years. Young kids should not be out on the highway. They are clueless. I was one. And I guarantee if I had an accident, it would have been my father who would be in trouble. besides me then having a very sore butt. Yes I see kids in the US driving to school who I know are underage and shouldn't be driving. If their caught, it's the parents who are in for trouble. But it's not near the same situation as those kids here in Thailand on motorcycles with 2 or 3 buddy's riding with them. In the US, it's obvious when you see some kid in a car that you know isn't old enough. But in Thailand, it's in your face and still the cops do nothing. It's not a question IF they are going to get in an accident, but WHEN.

So it "happens all over the world", does it ? and its the same in the USA. WOW. You thai apologists try to justify this by saying it happens all over the world. LAUGHABLE

As far as I can see the statment that kids drive underage throughout the world is true,, not laughable.

Are you really so naive to think it doesn't happen in USA....get real, ever heard of joy riding or do you live in a box without media or access to the real world ?

Oh & I'm certainly not a Thai apologist.

You certainly are a thai apologist if you think it is the same in the USA. I see kids on motorbikes every day here, and they are not joy riders. Wise up. Do you see that every day in the US.

[finnomick1]

Yet another under-age person in charge of a motor vehicle. Nothing will happen to him and the practice will simply carry on. The same just happened to some friends of ours. The husband had a serious accident in his pick-up -- his fault, then his wife was knocked off her motorbike by an under-age driver in a pick-up. Both of them laid up with no-one at hand to help look after either of them. Simply amazing Thailand.

[Basil B]

I was hoping to read in the news report something like:

"The boy's parents/guardian rushed from their home to the hospital to check on the condition of the lady motorcycle rider."

Sadly, nothing.

Probably waiting at her bed for her to come out of a coma to demand lots of money and a signed letter saying she was at fault.

[Basil B]

I used to drive a tractor or a land rover when i was about 10 years old, how else was we supposed to get home from the pub in rural Aberdeenshire!!

and bagged yer first brace of haggis at age 6...