Injured Man Dies After Bangkok Cop Tells Ambulance To Move

[Robbie Dye]

Exactly, the Paramedics should have held their ground. As far as I am aware the Thai language has no words for awareness, logic or common sense.

[sonar6ca]

outstanding police work, the moron will get promoted soon.

[Espinete]

After 9 years here I think it is just the 'destiny believe' of Thais. Accident, bleeding, dying?......destination to a next life. Saw once 2 school children dead on the tarmack nearby Surin. The pick up had a minor collision with another car and both boys in schoool uniform were launched from the (unlashed) back of the pick up. 2 Completely unnecessary deaths. They lied there and nobody cared. No sheet, no protection from 'hungry photographers' with their imbecile smart phones. I agree with other posts; if you have a child and wish the best, get out of Thailand for her/his future. If you are alone, it is your choice.

[SSSlongtime]

put the police man in prison ,for causing a death ,

[SSSlongtime]

Good thing there's video evidence so that this can't be denied. To protect, and serve (their own interests). This is ultimately why I left Thailand. Beautiful country but you can't raise a family in a place where you can't expect the police to put the safety of others first, especially when the proper course of action is so obvious. RIP to the injured and now deceased man.

Getting my family out of here next month. Thailand is a great place to live if you're single but definitely not a place to be raising kids.

did the same ,kids get good chance and education in the west ,its called future ,sooner its done the easier it is for the children

[PoodMaiDai]

Minus the death, I've seen this happen quite a bit in my few years in Pattaya.

[woelke]

Involuntary manslaughter against the cop?

[mok199]

yet another power tripping thai........wow, with a shiny badge...

[sirchai]

Facebook kills.-RIP

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

and then the victim was relieved of his personal belongings by ambulance crew.

The victim gets to be reincarnated

And the cop will get promotion for traffic management initiative

Everybody wins.

[spectre324]

Looks like he will get the inactive post for a while.

don't hold your breath. if it was a Thai nothing will happen to him!

[Nowisee]

I'll say it again, law enforcement here is a joke.

I saw a cop pull his little scooter into a out of the way restaurant at lunch time, take off all his "cop" gear, sit down with some woman and crack into a

bottle of whiskey.

I took pictures, he and the women moved their spot away from me.

Whistle blowin useless.

Its stuff like this that keeps me from committing to living here.

[marquis22]

I don't believe this. As if.

It can be seen there's little respect for ambulances, and traffic doesn't give way here.

Yes, that is the most glaring thing that I have noticed.

Just no concern at all to move over to the left to let an ambulance through. Was so frustrating to see an ambulance stuck in traffic on the highway just out of Korat during a holiday period, with lights flashing and cars in front only moving grudgingly oh so little to allow it to pass. .... Unbelievable if didn't witness it first hand.

[spidermike007]

Good thing there's video evidence so that this can't be denied. To protect, and serve (their own interests). This is ultimately why I left Thailand. Beautiful country but you can't raise a family in a place where you can't expect the police to put the safety of others first, especially when the proper course of action is so obvious. RIP to the injured and now deceased man.

It is such a rarity in the LOS, when a policeman actually performs an act of service for a member of the public. The police here do not serve the public. Quite the contrary, they are a form of vampires, who suck the blood of thai society. They offer little in the way of protection or law enforcement. They are more of a revenue collection agency, than a law enforcement agency. If Thailand wants to develop as a nation, sooner rather than later, they will have to address this problem. I guess admitting it exists might be a good place to start.

[Kayahammer]

Good thing there's video evidence so that this can't be denied. To protect, and serve (their own interests). This is ultimately why I left Thailand. Beautiful country but you can't raise a family in a place where you can't expect the police to put the safety of others first, especially when the proper course of action is so obvious. RIP to the injured and now deceased man.

Absolute rubbish! If you are sensible and make sensible decisions regarding your family, then this is a great country to raise a family. There's obviously another reason you left Thailand, but will blame it on these kinds of things.

It happens in every country in the world, even yours mate!

[lahgon29]

There needs to be more awareness of how important it is to move out of the way of an ambulance when its sirens are on. The ambulance should always have priority when moving through traffic. If there was more awareness of this, I doubt the police officer in question would have been so stupid and heartless.

It's amazing how inconsiderate people can be for some, but how respectful they can be for others.

I personally have never seen any drivers yield to a Thai ambulance.

So much for Thais Love Thais...

I notice that in Udon, there seem to be ambulances flying around quite often with sirens and lights. I'm an ex para, so I notice more than most. Usually traffic does move if it can. Maybe not same in Bangkok..I don't have the experience...Hope it doesn't get like that, here.

[theajarn]

Good thing there's video evidence so that this can't be denied. To protect, and serve (their own interests). This is ultimately why I left Thailand. Beautiful country but you can't raise a family in a place where you can't expect the police to put the safety of others first, especially when the proper course of action is so obvious. RIP to the injured and now deceased man.

ONE of the reasons I left too... I'm less bitter now that I'm safe where I am and living has taken a turn for better... now I just watch the news and shake my head, glad I'm here but sorry I couldn't do anything more than just read and watch...

[theajarn]

Good thing there's video evidence so that this can't be denied. To protect, and serve (their own interests). This is ultimately why I left Thailand. Beautiful country but you can't raise a family in a place where you can't expect the police to put the safety of others first, especially when the proper course of action is so obvious. RIP to the injured and now deceased man.

Absolute rubbish! If you are sensible and make sensible decisions regarding your family, then this is a great country to raise a family. There's obviously another reason you left Thailand, but will blame it on these kinds of things.

It happens in every country in the world, even yours mate!

I've got nine or more other reasons on top of not needing the cheap beer and prostitution here.

Edited June 6, 2013 by theajarn

[oldsailor35]

<deleted> since when did the police have authority over ambos in a life and death situation? I have attended numerous serious incidents and accidents and we definitely can not give orders to ambo's. An ambulance attending a life threatening situation can park anywhere it bloody well likes as human life takes priority over everything. Who cares if traffic is held up if it saves a life. What the BIB should have been was diverting traffic down another route ( if possible) even if it is 1km back down the road.

I would hate to be in this coppers shoes if it was in Australia as he would be in a pile of poop and facing internal disciplinary action and lets not forget a coronial inquiry where he could be found to have contributed to the death and the civil action that may come after. If it was an Aussie ambo the copper would have been told to pull his head in and to F off.

Are you a Thai policeman or not !

[mrbiggwigg]

I have a friend, a Thai citizen, that was in that traffic jam. It was caused by a police road block.

[bhatmasterson]

I don't believe this. As if.

It can be seen there's little respect for ambulances, and traffic doesn't give way here.

This is partly the fault of ambulance drivers who often use their sirens as a ploy to get through traffic even though they may not be going to/from the scene of an emergency or carrying a critically ill patient.

How would it be possible to know if ambulance drivers are "using their sirens as a ploy to get through traffic even though they may not be going to/from the scene of an emergency or carrying a critically ill patient.?"

[h5kaf]

Good thing there's video evidence so that this can't be denied. To protect, and serve (their own interests). This is ultimately why I left Thailand. Beautiful country but you can't raise a family in a place where you can't expect the police to put the safety of others first, especially when the proper course of action is so obvious. RIP to the injured and now deceased man.

Absolute rubbish! If you are sensible and make sensible decisions regarding your family, then this is a great country to raise a family. There's obviously another reason you left Thailand, but will blame it on these kinds of things.

It happens in every country in the world, even yours mate!

Kayahammer, it would be sensible, every now and again, to take your head from the dark place it clearly is and have a look at the sunlight. "Sensible" and corruption in all its guises are not compatible bedfellows. As a matter of fact the incident that originated this thread does not happen anywhere else in the world that I have visited or worked. This includes, USA, Central and West Africa, Middle East, China, Philippines, Australia.

[brfsa2]

I drive bike a lot around Bangkok for many years... I see that Thai Drivers have no respect for ambulances, they don't give a damn. Ambulance get stuck in traffic just like other cars. rarely some drivers will open up.

Thai drivers need re-education.

[Andre0720]

Wow!

Okay...it is pretty early and I try to get my thoughts in order on this...

A cop tells an emergency crew to move an obviously immobile crash victim and the ambulance car for 100 meters , in order to ease a traffic situation that occurs on almost every road in Bangkok every single day of the year.

Did I get that right?!

And because of that delay, the crash victim died?

This policeman should not only be taken off the job immediately, he should be punished.

This is almost as if he is actively being involved in killing that guy.

I am not a native english- speaker...but that is almost man- slaughter!

What an @$$hole!

Unbelievable!

Well - there is no evidence that the crach victim died because of the actions of the policeman.

Quite true. Just a correlation. Not necessarily cause to effect.

But then the <<actions of the policeman>> shows irresponsibility and disregard towards the victim's life. Not just a correlation there...

And irresponsibility and lack of care for others becomes more and more engrained in the Thai culture...

[chooka]

&lt;deleted&gt; since when did the police have authority over ambos in a life and death situation? I have attended numerous serious incidents and accidents and we definitely can not give orders to ambo's. An ambulance attending a life threatening situation can park anywhere it bloody well likes as human life takes priority over everything. Who cares if traffic is held up if it saves a life. What the BIB should have been was diverting traffic down another route ( if possible) even if it is 1km back down the road.

I would hate to be in this coppers shoes if it was in Australia as he would be in a pile of poop and facing internal disciplinary action and lets not forget a coronial inquiry where he could be found to have contributed to the death and the civil action that may come after. If it was an Aussie ambo the copper would have been told to pull his head in and to F off.

Are you a Thai policeman or not !

Aussie

[Just1Voice]

Can't find it right now, but about 10 years ago, the State of Indiana passed a tough, no-nonsense "first responder law". Basically, all first responder vehicles were equipped with dash cams to record what was happening on their way to an emergency situation. Anyone who did NOT move out of the way had their license number recorded, which would result in a fine of something in the neighborhood of $5,000 and a week in jail. This came about after there was a fire in some low income apartments, and people just stood and watched, blocking the way of emergency vehicles while people burned to death. To make sure everyone in the state knew about it, the law was published in the papers, and put on television for a solid week. After that week, the Governor and head of the State Police came on television and basically told people - "You've been warned!"

[frankold]

Police + the public need re-education that these 'Ambulances' aren't just tripped out body snatching pickups.

How long has bangkok actually had more than a handful of equipped ambulances, less than 5yrs?

At present the only things that need to give way to pickups/ambulances are pedestrians and motorbikes.

[Noistar]

Ambulance sirens are pathetic - a whine of "excuse me, excuse me" seems to fit in with the pitiful sound.

Don't know how the Thais would react to the blare of a UK paramedic ambulance which will get through.

BTW my wife had the same 'ignore' experience when she was hit by a motorcyclist who jumped a red light. Nobody stopped to help until the traffic was stopped by the next red light.

[ppmacready]

... and once again I say, never move to Thailand, or you will die.

When I first moved here I saw this guy get his chest blown open by an exploding gas container. He was bleeding out right there in front of my office. I jumped into lifeguard mode and simultaneously tried to instruct his friend on first aid while also arranging for a ride in a neighbor's truck... I swear on my life, the friend looked me in the eye and waved me off while literally a dozen other people just stood there and did absolutely nothing. No ambulance was called. Nothing was done to stop the bleeding. I eventually organized the truck and a makeshift stretcher just to see the guy check out right there in front of me.

I dont know if it's Buddhism, or a general lack of faith in infrastructure or what. But from that day I knew for sure, gawd forbid I ever find myself bleeding on the street with nothing but Thais around me.

Footnote: I didn't get a single acknowledgement for at least trying to do something .. but at least I now know for certain how I react in an emergency.

Some years ago I was driving up Therpasit Rd to Sukamvit when I drove over a glass bottle which shattered sending a shard of glass into my artery.

I couldn't stop the bleeding so I decided to drive to a hospital.

By the time I got to the police box at the cross roads, I was feeling faint from the loss of blood.

I pulled over and layed down on the pavement covered in blood to get my breath.

The policeman on duty looked at me then looked back at his newspaper and with second thoughts slide the sliding window shut!

2 Thai School girls stopped to help me and called a Baht bus to take me to hospital.

[jollyhangmon]

Good thing there's video evidence so that this can't be denied. To protect, and serve (their own interests). This is ultimately why I left Thailand. Beautiful country but you can't raise a family in a place where you can't expect the police to put the safety of others first, especially when the proper course of action is so obvious. RIP to the injured and now deceased man.

Absolute rubbish! If you are sensible and make sensible decisions regarding your family, then this is a great country to raise a family. There's obviously another reason you left Thailand, but will blame it on these kinds of things.

It happens in every country in the world, even yours mate!

What good is your "sensibility" for ( ... as you rightful said "... regarding YOUR family ..." ) when - as good as - nobody gives a hummingbirds fart in Sherwood forest for - as good as - ANY (member of an-) OTHER FAMILY, of course including your's then ... !!?

And sure you've got to be kidding?! What exactly happens in "EVERY country i.t. world" ?? ... & if so indeed one is clearly in the wrong country already !

At least it would happen ONLY ONCE where I come from ... and in case of actual repetition(s) my job would be very much asked for, I'd get busy as hell ...