3-year old girl severely injured after fall from moving Bangkok school van

[Bung]

Imagine how many new, safe school buses they could buy with a fraction of the corruption money in this country.....Sad.

That monk could buy a fleet of them with some of his pocket change.

[Salapoo]

How many incidents this year alone involving kindergarten kids. Where is the duty of care towards these children.

Alai na?

Doooo teee of care??

Edited July 7, 2013 by Salapoo

[Salapoo]

A three year old shouldn't be seated next to a door on a van.

They probably weren't seated anywhere. Just free to run around.

Bus have amulet, what could possibly happen, crazy think-too-much farang.

[pedro01]

A three year old shouldn't be seated next to a door on a van. If she wasn't, what person would sit there and watch the three year old climb over someone or them to "play" with the door?

Maybe it actually went like this.

- kids got out to go to 7-11 to buy candy, leaving 3 year old in the van & door open

- driver moves out of the way to let some cars pass

- kid falls out, driver doesn't notice.

- driver drives over the kid

- driver makes up story making him not look negligent

From his story, it doesn't mention how fast he was going but it seems obvious it was a very low speed. Those sliding doors do need some arm strength to open but admittedly some do have hydraulic doors that open automatically.

Either way, it doesn't make a lot of sense.

As for responsibility - if there are 2 people in a van, one is 3, the other is an adult, I reckon the adult is responsible.

[FangFerang]

I seriously doubt a three year old has the muscle to open a van door -- it's a hard grip for adults. I think it is more likely the kids the driver dropped off, including the 6th grader who usually guards the door, did not close the door properly and it came open when the driver accelerated. The reason I think this is the case is that the contract drivers train the kids NOT to slam the door as maintenance prevention. Slamming the door wears out the lock mechanism. Further, contract drivers would have to pay for an adult chaperon out of their pay. Most schools have two kinds of drivers, being employee drivers and contract drivers. Some parents find out which type of driver would bring their child home. The ones employed by the school, and using the school-owned van, do not drive like idiots and are cautious because the school has a liability with those drivers. All liability falls on the driver if the driver is a contractor, not an employee.

I am just sharing information you may not have. I learned more about Thailand in these forums than in my day-to-day life. Thank you to the intelligent, often witty, and informative posters. You have my best regards.

As for the child in this accident, my sympathy is genuine for her and her family. This the first tragedy I read about Thai children since my girlfriend became pregnant, and I find my perspective drastically changed.

Edited July 7, 2013 by FangFerang

[evadgib]

How many incidents this year alone involving kindergarten kids. Where is the duty of care towards these children.

Alai na?

Doooo teee of care??

http://dictionary.re...lity?s=t&path=/

http://translate.ref...y&src=en&dst=th

[bornredi]

LMOl the nanny staters are having a fit, when I grew up our car had no seat belts, we were taught not to open a car door while it was moving, my parents smoked in the car,and we used to ride in the back of a pick up all the time also, and Me and my sisters lived, and so did all the children I knew,

teach your children to be safe.

[Tomtomtom69]

You all sit there in your Western minds knocking, complaining, not understanding. You see only your way, but the majority came this way for one thing. It's about time you started with 'grengjai' to my country. I have recently joined this site, and I have studied in the west. Coming home I have a lot to be proud of.... but you wingeing lot just winge, and think it's fun. You are a disgrace in attitude to this country, my country, an dthe people of the country around you. You need to sit back and be grateful for your acceptance as a visitor. That is all you are; A visitor. Stop taking the piss out of everything your read.... mai dai.. mai dee....

Try joining Panthip forum. You would see many similar responses from Thai's regarding the same topic.

If you don't care whether or not a child of 3 years old falls out of a moving school van then I would suggest you are a disgrace to your nation.

The reason many foreigners have an opinion and voice it on this forum is because they care so much about Thailand. It is heart breaking to see such a wonderful country trip over itself so frequently.

While recognising that many aspects of Thailand are wonderful, we as foreigners would also love to see common sense and improvement in many areas. We have a right to an opinion, we foreigners have even jointed an 'expat' website to express this opinion.

I have a right to an opinion here, my Thai friends, Wife and her family value that opinion - I'd hazard a guess and suggest that they value my opinion of Thailand significantly more than they would yours, Sinisalom. Regardless of the visa I hold my opinion remains valid, to suggest that someone has no right to an opinion simply because they are a visitor is an example of the attitudes which hold areas of Thailand back.

Absolutely agree with Richard Smith - and if you did in fact study in the west, Sinisalom, did you also just sit back and say nothing, when something bad happened in the western country you studied in, because you were simply a "visitor"? Also, expats are not visitors, many of them have families here and have a right to live here without being discriminated against - with your attitude I can't believe you ever studied in the west because you came back with a more insular view of the world than most Thais who haven't even been abroad! Shame on you and I hope you never travel back to the west, because no one wants you there!

What a ridiculous reply to such a sad story - it truly shows your contempt for your own countrymen to not do something to make things better.

[Tomtomtom69]

You all sit there in your Western minds knocking, complaining, not understanding. You see only your way, but the majority came this way for one thing. It's about time you started with 'grengjai' to my country. I have recently joined this site, and I have studied in the west. Coming home I have a lot to be proud of.... but you wingeing lot just winge, and think it's fun. You are a disgrace in attitude to this country, my country, an dthe people of the country around you. You need to sit back and be grateful for your acceptance as a visitor. That is all you are; A visitor. Stop taking the piss out of everything your read.... mai dai.. mai dee....

If you just joined and start reading the TV muckraking by farangs with nothing better to do we can then look forward to many more comments from you to this effect, however, the Thai constitution does clearly state that everyone has a right to have and to express their opinion.. whingeing and whiney or not, same as you. I bet you spent plenty of time complaining when you lived overseas about how cold it was, or how stupid the locals were because it wasn't like home, or how you couldn't get any good nam prik krapee and how the farang food was all "jerd"... yes, it is fun to poke fun at some of the stupid things that go on in a country. Thai people never want to admit they have a problem or that they should do anything about it, shouldn't your overseas experience have taught you to think a little better and try to do something about the things that are wrong in your country, like the terrible standards of safety for children in school vans... for example?

Cris - Sunisalom is an an English male in his late 20's early 30's. He has been in Thailand for less that 12 months.

As such, I would not put a great deal of effort into crafting replies to him, especially if you are addressing him as a Thai National.

Oh and Sunisalom... Whilst your whole effort at appearing Thai has been appalling. If I had to pick just one thing that stands out as the single worst thing in your attempt at passing yourself as an educated Thai.

It would be this little gem "Baa - Khun ting tong na!".

Seriously, you should stop now.

Have to agree.... Is this some new bizarre strategy by the apologists, to pretend to be an affronted Thai national ? " Stop taking the piss...." This was an instant tip off, as no Thai has ever used that phrase. I guess the >>> If you do not like something that Thailand does, go back to your home country <<< phrase was getting a bit tired, so time for a fresh approach... :-)

Regarding the deaths of these school children over the past few months, I suspect there is a certain wealth correlation . Meaning the child of a truly wealthy elite is not getting killed by a moronic van driver...

Ha! Thanks Pedro for pointing out who sunisalom really is. Even more ridiculous that myself and other decent fellow TV members wasted their time in replying to such a numbskull after finding out that he isn't even Thai.

[Tomtomtom69]

3 years old already to kindergarten...may be the parent to busy working

That's what I was thinking. What can a 3-year old learn in Kindergarten? They should really just call it a child care center because at that age, that's what it is. Children should not be attending kindergarten until they are 5 or 6 years old.

[Salapoo]

3 years old already to kindergarten...may be the parent to busy working

That's what I was thinking. What can a 3-year old learn in Kindergarten? They should really just call it a child care center because at that age, that's what it is. Children should not be attending kindergarten until they are 5 or 6 years old.

I think most KG's here have a Daycare or Nursery center for 2-3 yr olds as part of the school. Then K1 for 3-4yo, K2 for 4-5yo, then K3 for 5-6yo. Then into Grade 1 from 6-7.

Even in K1 it is still about learning basic things, putting on and off shoes, holding a pencil, learning to smile and wai, say basic things like 'He genius. He play Saxaphone', etc etc.

Edited July 7, 2013 by Salapoo

[Sunisalom]

You all sit there in your Western minds knocking, complaining, not understanding. You see only your way, but the majority came this way for one thing. It's about time you started with 'grengjai' to my country. I have recently joined this site, and I have studied in the west. Coming home I have a lot to be proud of.... but you wingeing lot just winge, and think it's fun. You are a disgrace in attitude to this country, my country, an dthe people of the country around you. You need to sit back and be grateful for your acceptance as a visitor. That is all you are; A visitor. Stop taking the piss out of everything your read.... mai dai.. mai dee....

If you just joined and start reading the TV muckraking by farangs with nothing better to do we can then look forward to many more comments from you to this effect, however, the Thai constitution does clearly state that everyone has a right to have and to express their opinion.. whingeing and whiney or not, same as you. I bet you spent plenty of time complaining when you lived overseas about how cold it was, or how stupid the locals were because it wasn't like home, or how you couldn't get any good nam prik krapee and how the farang food was all "jerd"... yes, it is fun to poke fun at some of the stupid things that go on in a country. Thai people never want to admit they have a problem or that they should do anything about it, shouldn't your overseas experience have taught you to think a little better and try to do something about the things that are wrong in your country, like the terrible standards of safety for children in school vans... for example?

"Thai people never want to admit they have a problem or that they should do anything about it, shouldn't your overseas experience have taught you to think a little better and try to do something about the things that are wrong in your country,"

It taught me exactly that people are just like us, as you exemplify here, in your words. Your country is far from perfect also, as anybody's - as you said above. Next?

You'd complain if you were on a forum of people knocking your country, would you not? I have not offended anybody, but gave my point of view, and yet again another farang makes assumptions of how I lived abroad. I see how you live here, in what you wrote above!

Sunisa.

[DocN]

You all sit there in your Western minds knocking, complaining, not understanding. You see only your way, but the majority came this way for one thing. It's about time you started with 'grengjai' to my country. I have recently joined this site, and I have studied in the west. Coming home I have a lot to be proud of.... but you wingeing lot just winge, and think it's fun. You are a disgrace in attitude to this country, my country, an dthe people of the country around you. You need to sit back and be grateful for your acceptance as a visitor. That is all you are; A visitor. Stop taking the piss out of everything your read.... mai dai.. mai dee....

If you just joined and start reading the TV muckraking by farangs with nothing better to do we can then look forward to many more comments from you to this effect, however, the Thai constitution does clearly state that everyone has a right to have and to express their opinion.. whingeing and whiney or not, same as you. I bet you spent plenty of time complaining when you lived overseas about how cold it was, or how stupid the locals were because it wasn't like home, or how you couldn't get any good nam prik krapee and how the farang food was all "jerd"... yes, it is fun to poke fun at some of the stupid things that go on in a country. Thai people never want to admit they have a problem or that they should do anything about it, shouldn't your overseas experience have taught you to think a little better and try to do something about the things that are wrong in your country, like the terrible standards of safety for children in school vans... for example?

"Thai people never want to admit they have a problem or that they should do anything about it, shouldn't your overseas experience have taught you to think a little better and try to do something about the things that are wrong in your country,"

It taught me exactly that people are just like us, as you exemplify here, in your words. Your country is far from perfect also, as anybody's - as you said above. Next?

You'd complain if you were on a forum of people knocking your country, would you not? I have not offended anybody, but gave my point of view, and yet again another farang makes assumptions of how I lived abroad. I see how you live here, in what you wrote above!

Sunisa.

If people would CRITICIZE my country, they are welcome to do so.

My country is far from being perfect.

But I guess, the last time we had 3 children severely hurt in accidents at school property within 2 months, because of extreme neglect was in the 70's.

Actually, in my country, there are rules and laws and they are enforced. If a school- bus driver in Germany would leave a 3 year old to die in a van or didn't care if 3 year old is in the back, opening the van door at full speed, you be sure, his sorry a$$ and that of the school- director would be dragged to hell and back and people were way more outraged than in this forum.

Mind you: the safety of CHILDREN should be the No.1 - priority always and ever!

So if you happen to buy a van for your school and you are planning to move MINORS around in it: what about making 110% sure, that there are seat- belts? The door has a child- proof lock? That there is a person on board (nota 6th grader!!!), who supervises these kids.

If you look at the number of accidents in Thailands everyday life (children, riding motorbikes...by themselves and without helmet, people driving drunk and nothing ever happens to them, except paying some tea- money, cars and moto- cy go wthout light and into oncoming traffic etc etc etc), maybe....just MAYBE...it is not moaning and groaning farang, you should focus your wrath on.

Edited July 7, 2013 by DocN

[Scott]

We can dispense with the personal comments toward other posters. Stay on the topic of the thread.

[Thai at Heart]

You all sit there in your Western minds knocking, complaining, not understanding. You see only your way, but the majority came this way for one thing. It's about time you started with 'grengjai' to my country. I have recently joined this site, and I have studied in the west. Coming home I have a lot to be proud of.... but you wingeing lot just winge, and think it's fun. You are a disgrace in attitude to this country, my country, an dthe people of the country around you. You need to sit back and be grateful for your acceptance as a visitor. That is all you are; A visitor. Stop taking the piss out of everything your read.... mai dai.. mai dee....

If you just joined and start reading the TV muckraking by farangs with nothing better to do we can then look forward to many more comments from you to this effect, however, the Thai constitution does clearly state that everyone has a right to have and to express their opinion.. whingeing and whiney or not, same as you. I bet you spent plenty of time complaining when you lived overseas about how cold it was, or how stupid the locals were because it wasn't like home, or how you couldn't get any good nam prik krapee and how the farang food was all "jerd"... yes, it is fun to poke fun at some of the stupid things that go on in a country. Thai people never want to admit they have a problem or that they should do anything about it, shouldn't your overseas experience have taught you to think a little better and try to do something about the things that are wrong in your country, like the terrible standards of safety for children in school vans... for example?

"Thai people never want to admit they have a problem or that they should do anything about it, shouldn't your overseas experience have taught you to think a little better and try to do something about the things that are wrong in your country,"

It taught me exactly that people are just like us, as you exemplify here, in your words. Your country is far from perfect also, as anybody's - as you said above. Next?

You'd complain if you were on a forum of people knocking your country, would you not? I have not offended anybody, but gave my point of view, and yet again another farang makes assumptions of how I lived abroad. I see how you live here, in what you wrote above!

Sunisa.

I guess if you join a left wing discussion group in the UK, it's full of whinging and moaning about the way the country is going.

Just log into the guardian forums. Plenty of it. fox news in the states, same.

Edited July 7, 2013 by Thai at Heart

[Scott]

Off-topic posts deleted.

[Greer]

You all sit there in your Western minds knocking, complaining, not understanding. You see only your way, but the majority came this way for one thing. It's about time you started with 'grengjai' to my country. I have recently joined this site, and I have studied in the west. Coming home I have a lot to be proud of.... but you wingeing lot just winge, and think it's fun. You are a disgrace in attitude to this country, my country, an dthe people of the country around you. You need to sit back and be grateful for your acceptance as a visitor. That is all you are; A visitor. Stop taking the piss out of everything your read.... mai dai.. mai dee....

Try joining Panthip forum. You would see many similar responses from Thai's regarding the same topic.

If you don't care whether or not a child of 3 years old falls out of a moving school van then I would suggest you are a disgrace to your nation.

The reason many foreigners have an opinion and voice it on this forum is because they care so much about Thailand. It is heart breaking to see such a wonderful country trip over itself so frequently.

While recognising that many aspects of Thailand are wonderful, we as foreigners would also love to see common sense and improvement in many areas. We have a right to an opinion, we foreigners have even jointed an 'expat' website to express this opinion.

I have a right to an opinion here, my Thai friends, Wife and her family value that opinion - I'd hazard a guess and suggest that they value my opinion of Thailand significantly more than they would yours, Sinisalom. Regardless of the visa I hold my opinion remains valid, to suggest that someone has no right to an opinion simply because they are a visitor is an example of the attitudes which hold areas of Thailand back.

I accept right to opinon. However, please remember, in all due respect, that your opinions are not Thai, and come from a different era, in effect.

Every post I read in this site is narrowed in opinion from a Western point of view, and a first world standard that I have experienced and, to add, enjoyed.

Ok, it's a site for westerners, and yet I am entitled to my opinion too, am I not?

It is not right to value your opinion, nor yours truly, as a means of your direct experience that says you are correct in your beliefs. You are not Thai, and will never have Thainess, and that's a thing you can never possibly understand - NEVER.

Caring for Thailand is exempt from first world standards, CURRENTLY, and that is something that must be accepted, like it or not. To continually knock every matter, being it the government, the police force, the army, the corruption is not the way forward. Exposure at the higest level is. So whilst everybody is making continual advances and derogatory remarks about everything wrong here..... why don't they keep it directed at the top levels, and not pathetic comments about balcony jumps, or elephant deaths........ but rather keep it all aimed at the very top?? I guess the forum would not be so interesting if dimwits couldn't take pleasure in knocking some place they care so much about??

Sunisa.

So your implication is that if these people were Thai, they would understand and NOT comment or complain (whinge?) about the fact that a CHILD fell out of a moving SCHOOL VAN and was RUN OVER?

Just try to think for a moment about what you are saying - this is not about race, not about "Thai-ness", not about westernism, not about sitting back and criticising for the fun of it - it is simply about criticism of a dangerous situation that should never have happened - in Thailand, Australia, the UK, the USA, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, outer-Umgaweeland - the PLACE is totally irrelevant, the race of those concerned is totally irrelevant, the upbringing is totally irrelevant - the point is that the little girls parents paid for the service, they have a right to expect that the service provided to transport their 3 year old to and from school is SAFE - the school has a duty of care for children attending, and especially for those under the care of drivers to transport the children.

This is NOT about not understanding Thai-ness, and you should be ashamed of using the situation of an innocent child being involved in a serious accident as a vehicle for your totally unwarranted attacks on people expressing outrage that this accident should have occurred at all.

These people would also have complained, loudly and just as vehemently, had this accident occurred in ANY western, or ANY OTHER country - and they would have been just as justified in doing so.

To attack those critical of the tragic and wholly preventable circumstances leading to this accident, is to support the incompetence that led to a 3 year old being in a serious and life-threatening condition in hospital - Thai or not, your support of this dreadful situation is completely unacceptable.

Edited July 7, 2013 by Greer

[richard_smith237]

I DON'T make derogatory names if somebody doesn't like what I post. I was called a "***t" - and I just dicovered this word. I don't think I will be staying here, because it is obvious Thais are not welcome.

On the contrary - I believe Thai's are highly welcome on this forum, I hope to see more Thai's on this forum who can enter discussions without resorting to the 'you are just visitors' argument which is as fundamentally flawed as it is silly.

Many discussions I see on this forum I also have with Thai friends of over 10 years, our perspectives often overlap and when the don't we do not feel the need to result to insults or the 'you don't belong here if you don't agree with the Thai way' argument.

That said, there are a number of Westerners who are down right impolite and stupid to boot... Your opinions of the posters on this forum should not be tarnished by such posts, you will require a skill set which permits you to ignore the idiots while paying attention to the intelligent and articulate discussion which exists in many of the topics.

[Sayonarax]

You all sit there in your Western minds knocking, complaining, not understanding. You see only your way, but the majority came this way for one thing. It's about time you started with 'grengjai' to my country. I have recently joined this site, and I have studied in the west. Coming home I have a lot to be proud of.... but you wingeing lot just winge, and think it's fun. You are a disgrace in attitude to this country, my country, an dthe people of the country around you. You need to sit back and be grateful for your acceptance as a visitor. That is all you are; A visitor. Stop taking the piss out of everything your read.... mai dai.. mai dee....

Your a pretty sour dude, what was her name?

[belg]

i wonder how much is the monthly van price for this

we pay 3000 bath single way (only evening)

[joepattaya1961]

My daughter starts school next year. There will be no van rides in her future.

agree with that my little boy is to precious to be riding with those death-traps

will be happy to spend 6000 on diesel a month just to make sure he gets from and to the school in 1 piece.

Unfortunately......that won't be a guarantee.

[retell]

My daughter starts school next year. There will be no van rides in her future.

agree with that my little boy is to precious to be riding with those death-traps

will be happy to spend 6000 on diesel a month just to make sure he gets from and to the school in 1 piece.

Unfortunately......that won't be a guarantee.

not 100% secure but at least i know for sure the driver is sober and the kid is secure in his special seat with seatbelts. I know the driver very well , it is MYSELF or my WIFE!

Edited July 8, 2013 by retell

[winstonc]

A three year old shouldn't be seated next to a door on a van. If she wasn't, what person would sit there and watch the three year old climb over someone or them to "play" with the door?

Maybe it actually went like this.

- kids got out to go to 7-11 to buy candy, leaving 3 year old in the van & door open

- driver moves out of the way to let some cars pass

- kid falls out, driver doesn't notice.

- driver drives over the kid

- driver makes up story making him not look negligent

From his story, it doesn't mention how fast he was going but it seems obvious it was a very low speed. Those sliding doors do need some arm strength to open but admittedly some do have hydraulic doors that open automatically.

Either way, it doesn't make a lot of sense.

As for responsibility - if there are 2 people in a van, one is 3, the other is an adult, I reckon the adult is responsible.

unfortunatly.the words RESPONSIBILITY AND SORRY dont apply to thais they are incapable of such actions.this toddler will be 1 of very many in the future.im sad to say.get well soon.............

[CrisRMenumate]

You all sit there in your Western minds knocking, complaining, not understanding. You see only your way, but the majority came this way for one thing. It's about time you started with 'grengjai' to my country. I have recently joined this site, and I have studied in the west. Coming home I have a lot to be proud of.... but you wingeing lot just winge, and think it's fun. You are a disgrace in attitude to this country, my country, an dthe people of the country around you. You need to sit back and be grateful for your acceptance as a visitor. That is all you are; A visitor. Stop taking the piss out of everything your read.... mai dai.. mai dee....

If you just joined and start reading the TV muckraking by farangs with nothing better to do we can then look forward to many more comments from you to this effect, however, the Thai constitution does clearly state that everyone has a right to have and to express their opinion.. whingeing and whiney or not, same as you. I bet you spent plenty of time complaining when you lived overseas about how cold it was, or how stupid the locals were because it wasn't like home, or how you couldn't get any good nam prik krapee and how the farang food was all "jerd"... yes, it is fun to poke fun at some of the stupid things that go on in a country. Thai people never want to admit they have a problem or that they should do anything about it, shouldn't your overseas experience have taught you to think a little better and try to do something about the things that are wrong in your country, like the terrible standards of safety for children in school vans... for example?

Sunisalom: I feel violated... its almost as bad as not checking under the hood first only to find you went home with a lady boy... I guess my naivety at believing that "everyone is acting in good faith" got the better of me. a 20-30 something pom dude pretending to be a Thai girl who went to school in UK... I think he is on the wrong forum, there is a Thai dating forum that might better suit your talents dude...