Yesterday while returning from a local market. I was about 150yds behind 2 ladies on a motorbike. A car coming towards us swerved across the road and ploughed into them. The car continued down a banking. I stopped a few yards in front of one of the ladies. Someone had run across the road and was already with one of the ladies. She wasn't moving or making a sound. The other while not moving was groaning. Her habd was bleeding. Others arrived to help, but did not try to move the victims. I went to the car, 3 people the driver a child and an old lady. The driver had burst his nose, but otherwise just shaken. He told me he fell asleep. Wasn't easy for me to get to them, so I sought out someone younger,I checked someone had called for police/ambulance. The local police man was there quite quickly, the ambulance took about 30 minutes. The rural hospital is 3 miles away, but barely staffed on a w/end. I could not believe they took the ladies there instead of going straight to Ranong. I learned last night one of the ladies had died from internal injuries.

Welcome to the third world, no one cares, but we can build a new super train from one end of Thailand to the other........just pray it doesn't crash as it could be sometime before help arrives.

I hope you passed on the comments the driver made to you to the Police "I fell asleep"

Edited June 10, 201313 yr by kannot

Welcome to the third world, no one cares, but we can build a new super train from one end of Thailand to the other........just pray it doesn't crash as it could be sometime before help arrives.

I hope you passed on the comments the driver made to you to the Police "I fell asleep"

Yes, the police man is a friend, but I know the system. The driver will pay 100K to the police and 100K to the deceased's husband. That will be it.

A tragic yet common occurrence playing out several times a day in Thailand. Having tended to many of these scenes, some with fatalities both here and in the states, including doing CPR. It never gets easier. Your thoughts are probably still on the accident, which can also affect your sleep. Usually after 48 hours this goes away.

Sad as it might be, life in third word countries is cheap. And, for the most part, rural Thailand is a third world country. Despite its large population, Bangkok does not represent the average Thai person.

Sad as it is, there is also likely to be a minumum number of ambulances available too and one accident here does not take preference over another for the ordinary folk. Then there is the time to contact the ambulance and get things moving here, unlike the U.K. for example where you dial 999 and get put directly to the emergency services and generally get a quick response.

It could well be that the ambulance used the small local hospital to get the patients assessed, especially as those on the ambulance generally have little equipment or ability to diagnose the medical condition of the patients.

Worse then ambulances are the unskilled 'resque' mafiosi who go very far for every bonus they receive from the hospital where they drop the injured. Not rarely you see two competing resque teams argueing/fighting over a traffic victim, or even pulling it from both sides, as seen once in Chiangmai. Welcome in the Wild East.

Sad as it might be, life in third word countries is cheap. And, for the most part, rural Thailand is a third world country. Despite its large population, Bangkok does not represent the average Thai person.

What's the average fine for causing death when falling asleep at the wheel of a car in Western countries, $5k, maybe $10k, so approx 10% to 15% annual income? Perhaps loss of licence for a while and out of working hours community service. In the case of the OP the driver paid a total of 200k baht, so for the average Thai probably their annual income. Not so cheap is it?

Edited June 10, 201313 yr by simple1

Sad as it might be, life in third word countries is cheap. And, for the most part, rural Thailand is a third world country. Despite its large population, Bangkok does not represent the average Thai person.

What's the average fine for causing death when falling asleep at the wheel of a car in Western countries, $5k, maybe $10k, so approx 10% to 15% annual income? Perhaps loss of licence for a while and out of working hours community service. In the case of the OP the driver paid a total of 200k baht, so for the average Thai probably their annual income. Not so cheap is it?

Can get you banged up in the UK http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/s_to_u/sentencing_manual/causing_death_by_careless_or_inconsiderate_driving/

http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/s_to_u/sentencing_manual/death_by_dangerous_driving/

Edited June 10, 201313 yr by Mosha

Sad as it might be, life in third word countries is cheap. And, for the most part, rural Thailand is a third world country. Despite its large population, Bangkok does not represent the average Thai person.

What's the average fine for causing death when falling asleep at the wheel of a car in Western countries, $5k, maybe $10k, so approx 10% to 15% annual income? Perhaps loss of licence for a while and out of working hours community service. In the case of the OP the driver paid a total of 200k baht, so for the average Thai probably their annual income. Not so cheap is it?

Can get you banged up in the UK http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/s_to_u/sentencing_manual/causing_death_by_careless_or_inconsiderate_driving/

http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/s_to_u/sentencing_manual/death_by_dangerous_driving/

I know, but don't believe it is the norm for a jail sentence for death caused when falling asleep, if sober, whilst driving. Could be wrong...

In Thailand most ambulance crews are not trained medics as in the West. They are just glorified taxis, qualifications required for the job are being able to drive through red traffic signals and physically fit enough to lift people on and off the vehicle, basically that’s it.

Down my way, if an unfortunate is involved is an accident, they usually throw the poor victim onto the back of a neighbor`s pick up and travel to the nearest medical facility in the hope that the hospital or clinic will be equipped to deal with the medical emergency care required.

The odds of an accident victim receiving professional medical emergency treatment and survival is like a lottery. For example, accident victims have better chances of survival in a main town where they would be closer to main hospital, than in the sticks somewhere.

Our health and well being in Thailand much depends on luck and on a hope and a prayer that if worst does happen, the correct procedures will be followed.

amen