Don't Stop for an Accident!

[socksy01]

The ghouls you see taking photos etc at serious accidents aren't foreigners they are Thai so are unlikely to be sucked into the compensation culture and unlikely to have been present when the incident happened. Don't stop in my view as those involved or the family are just counting the money they could possibly make from a 'rich' westerner.

[sfbandung]

My missus says don't stop. Not just farang, even a Thai if they think they've got money they'll have a go.

Sad. My missus is not an uncompassionate person, just a realist.

[kurnell]

I stopped for a guy that was hanging in a tree once, but he gave me the thumbs up and we continued on our way.

[stoli]

Why would you care about a random stranger on the road?

I was going to point out that as a decent human being, I would always stop to help. On second thought, if it were you, I would just keep going and let you suffer. Clear enough answer to your question?

[AnaB]

Back at home we are obliged by law to stop and help if there is a road accident. So we can get in trouble if that same guy memorizes your number plate and complains to the police. I do not know if there is such law in TH. Some 20 or so years ago in Saudi Arabia, expats were instructed not to stop, no matter how severe the accident. Luckily, here I do not drive at all, so I do not have to deal with this issue as a driver. But if I was in a taxi, accident on the road, I would stop to call an ambulance. Of course, that would not be up to me to decide but the the taxi driver. But touching or moving the person is not recommended if you are not a medical pro

[phetaroi]

I'm not going to say it hasn't happened, but once in the north we stopped for a stop sign and the guy on a motorcycle banged into our car and fell of into the street. We stopped and helped him. He was fine. No problem. At the very next stop sign, he banged into us again! Same routine. Mai pben rai.

[GAZZPA]

What a worrying post. "Don't stop to help a fellow human being in a road accident because they could lie about you, say it was your fault and claim money".

Not sure I ever want to be part of a society where that happens as a rule. There was a story a few years ago of a 3 year old girl who got hit by a car in Beijing and 15 people walked around the wounded, bleeding and dying child, she was unfortunately hit a second time as her body was still in the road and she dies from her injuries. So, shame on anyone who behaves this way. Anyway, the possibility that you are helping someone that really needs help is worth the risk (which must be low) of you bumping into a filthy scam artist. People come first, not money.

I was sitting at the lights not long ago when 2 motorbikes collided (one jumped the lights too early),, 1 motorbike was ridden by a man with a helmet on,, the other by a woman and infant child with no helmets on.. The mother and child both hit the pavement,, thank god the child was ok, just bruised but screaming loudly and very frightened. The mother was also just bruised but obviously more worried about her child.. Did i go and see if I could help? Yes, of course i did,, and the mother was very grateful for my effort. No scamming, no problem and thankfully no one seriously hurt.

Ignore the nonsense from other posters, don't stop being part of the human race, be compassionate and behave appropriately when someone is in trouble.

Well you are a good samaritan aren't you! I think you are missing the point there. The Op was told not to stop by two natives of this country why?

So they could gain something from this or perhaps they actually knew how it rolls here and were looking out for his well being.

Stop with the BS and know when when there is a time to stop and a time to go. If i was in BKK and I saw an accident on a main rd, of course I would stop. On a back rd, no other witnesses and a single person accident, well I would think twice.

Good samaritan,, not really just a normal person like millions of others,, obviously not you though.

if you are the kind of person who would not help someone in an accident through fear that you could get scammed for a bit of money then so be it.. I hope you are never in an accident and needing help and someone with your opinion drives by.

It may be 2 natives that advised this action but that doesn't make it right. That little girl in Beijing who died a few years ago was left in the road, after that was published many Chinese people wrote about the shame of their country and how they had lost their moral compass.

If you are in a position to help someone in an accident you should help.. What if it was your wife, son, daughter or anyone close to you who was left in the road and the reason that people told you they didn't help is because they were fearful of being scammed out of some money,,, would you feel the same? It's not me who has missed the point and the BS is coming from you.

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

if a driver had a dash cam then what would happen if the accident was on tape and the driver had nothing to do with it?

More loss of face when the PoPo look at the footage? Oh Snap.

[bander]

They are absolutely right, you would end up paying, even if it was to make it go away.

LISTEN to you wife she knows the score better than you !

Who knows if it's a setup and he's friends waiting for you to get out of the car so they can rob you? You did the right thing by mind your own bussiness.

[Neeranam]

A corollary to all of this: if you're ever riding in a taxi that's involved in an accident, throw some amount of money that amounts to at least the fare or a little more at the driver, and RUN. You will be very likely charged by the driver of the car the taxi had the accident with as being at fault...I've heard this warning from many Thais. The logic (of the person trying to say you, the passenger of the cab, are liable)? "If the farang never came to Thailand, the accident never would have happened." I cannot tell you how many times I've heard Thais quoting this belief...if you haven't heard it yet, you haven't been here long enough...

I've been here 20 years and still waiting to hear this.

Only heard it from witless farangs.If this unlikely scenario every happened,I would say,the king gave me a visa to stay here and Yinluck gave me a licence to drive here.While they where getting there head around that I would be ringing my lawyer,problem solved.

Quite. If you have 'I'm a gullible <deleted>' written on your forehead then they might target you. Nothing to do with being a 'farang'. Worldwide people pick on the weak and gullible.

In any accident Thai people suss out the 'opposition' to see if they are 'higher' up the pecking order. Tourists or expats that say 'poom pui' probably don't have any poo yai to call.

[richard_smith237]

They are absolutely right, you would end up paying, even if it was to make it go away.

LISTEN to you wife she knows the score better than you !

Who knows if it's a setup and he's friends waiting for you to get out of the car so they can rob you? You did the right thing by mind your own bussiness.

A set up is certainty a possibility...

I've always said I would stop (an have done) if there is no risk to myself or those with me.

At night on a dark and empty road an accident victim will need your help more than in a busy area. However, there is a nagging risk of the untoward.

Each situation should be judged and evaluated on its own merits...

But to not stop simply because something 'could' happen is morally reprehensible.

If the people of Thailand were so commonly despicable as to turn scam at every opportunity as some on this forum believe, I for one would not live here. I see a different Thailand and have done for nearly 20 years. I would stop and have little doubt or second thought about the matter.

Regarding the situation above whereby a poster stopped and his girlfriend overheard others talking of attacking him. I wonder if she pointed out to the onlookers that he wasn't even involved but out of goodness he stopped, perhaps the situation didn't permit that..

Perhaps he was correct to high-tail it out of there.

The important thing is, he stopped and attempted to render assistance before deciding it was unsafe to do so.

He stopped, instead of basing his decision on a story that he'd heard... 'a maybe'.....'a possibly'... 'a friend of a friend told me'... 'I heard that'....

[edwinchester]

if a driver had a dash cam then what would happen if the accident was on tape and the driver had nothing to do with it?

 

More loss of face when the PoPo look at the footage? Oh Snap.

 

 

I'd keep quiet about the dashcam, wait for them to accuse me of causing the accident and then sue for defamation.

[BarryM]

Seeing how Thaivisa is so full of posters who would stop and never have a problem with extortion in Thailand, I will feel even more comfortable just driving past, secure in the knowledge that a rose tinted spec Samaritan will be along very soon.

[Loaded]

I stopped to help 3 drunk Thais who fell off their Honda Dream. I was riding 20m behind them when it happened. I saw they were OK and was getting back onto my motorbike when one, then the others, grabbed me. I was held until a policeman arrived. I was then taken to the nearest police station. The 3 drunks wanted compensation as they said I was the cause of their accident. The police were fair and eventually I convinced them I didn't cause the accident and I was released.

For those who say it doesn't happen, you are wrong. It may be rare, but it is a risk if you are stopping to help.

Edited November 3, 2013 by Loaded

[Lucrative]

Interesting Debate, I don't know how one could drive past and not help someone in need of assistance. My own story,4 months into my new life here in Thailand I had the misfortune of falling asleep at the wheel of my

pick up after a medication mix up, I collided head on into an electricity pole at about 100kph breaking both my legs and putting my head 3/4 of the way through the windscreen. I awoke seconds before impact and remained

conscious after the accident,within seconds there was a Thai man trying to open the door,when he couldn't he smashed the passenger window and with the assistance of another Thai male pulled me from the vehicle fearing

the power lines may fall on the car.They put a blanket around me and called EMS who were on the scene within 10 minutes and an ambulance shortly after. Very caring people with no agenda other than to make sure i was

safe,one of them even retrieved my phone from the car so i could call my GF and my family in Australia.

I am truly grateful for the help i recieved and would certainly have no hesitation in reciprocating and have in fact helped a drunken old Thai man who went arse up in the middle of the road off his motor bike,took his keys away

and waited until other Thais arrived to make sure he was ok.

Not help another human being? Who are you people? I have lived here 4 years now and have encountered many different types of help from Thai people with no hidden agenda

[Kudel]

Interesting Debate, I don't know how one could drive past and not help someone in need of assistance. My own story,4 months into my new life here in Thailand I had the misfortune of falling asleep at the wheel of my

pick up after a medication mix up, I collided head on into an electricity pole at about 100kph breaking both my legs and putting my head 3/4 of the way through the windscreen. I awoke seconds before impact and remained

conscious after the accident,within seconds there was a Thai man trying to open the door,when he couldn't he smashed the passenger window and with the assistance of another Thai male pulled me from the vehicle fearing

the power lines may fall on the car.They put a blanket around me and called EMS who were on the scene within 10 minutes and an ambulance shortly after. Very caring people with no agenda other than to make sure i was

safe,one of them even retrieved my phone from the car so i could call my GF and my family in Australia.

I am truly grateful for the help i recieved and would certainly have no hesitation in reciprocating and have in fact helped a drunken old Thai man who went arse up in the middle of the road off his motor bike,took his keys away

and waited until other Thais arrived to make sure he was ok.

Not help another human being? Who are you people? I have lived here 4 years now and have encountered many different types of help from Thai people with no hidden agenda

Because of my work i have to do first aid refresher courses every few years and under no circumstances would i ever pull a person out of a car wreck myself leave that to the people who know what theyre doing because if you dont know what youre doing you will do more harm then good neck and spinal injury internal damage come to mind .This is wat proffesional paramedics taught me on said courses.

The good samaritan law does not excist in Thailand so in this case the person offering asistance could be held accountable if things go wrong.

Edited November 3, 2013 by Kudel

[ChrisB87]

Absolute rubbish!

I've stopped to assist at two accidents since I've been here and the people were very grateful.

If I have an accident I hope someone will assist me, but I'd rather not find out.

Why does this BS scare mongering keep popping up?

Well, it depends on who is involved. Many westerners here claim they have been forced to pay the hospital bills, pay for the damaged bike/car to be fixed, compensate the guy for his injuries, and then of course pay the police for their time.

You have been lucky and always helped nice people with morals and integrity, but it could so easily go the other way.

[GAZZPA]

Seeing how Thaivisa is so full of posters who would stop and never have a problem with extortion in Thailand, I will feel even more comfortable just driving past, secure in the knowledge that a rose tinted spec Samaritan will be along very soon.

What a ridiculous post.

[GAZZPA]

Interesting Debate, I don't know how one could drive past and not help someone in need of assistance. My own story,4 months into my new life here in Thailand I had the misfortune of falling asleep at the wheel of my

pick up after a medication mix up, I collided head on into an electricity pole at about 100kph breaking both my legs and putting my head 3/4 of the way through the windscreen. I awoke seconds before impact and remained

conscious after the accident,within seconds there was a Thai man trying to open the door,when he couldn't he smashed the passenger window and with the assistance of another Thai male pulled me from the vehicle fearing

the power lines may fall on the car.They put a blanket around me and called EMS who were on the scene within 10 minutes and an ambulance shortly after. Very caring people with no agenda other than to make sure i was

safe,one of them even retrieved my phone from the car so i could call my GF and my family in Australia.

I am truly grateful for the help i recieved and would certainly have no hesitation in reciprocating and have in fact helped a drunken old Thai man who went arse up in the middle of the road off his motor bike,took his keys away

and waited until other Thais arrived to make sure he was ok.

Not help another human being? Who are you people? I have lived here 4 years now and have encountered many different types of help from Thai people with no hidden agenda

I'm in full agreement fella,,, i too have no idea who these people are where they come from, I also have no desire to ever meet one of them...

[uptheos]

I stopped to help 3 drunk Thais who fell off their Honda Dream. I was riding 20m behind them when it happened. I saw they were OK and was getting back onto my motorbike when one, then the others, grabbed me. I was held until a policeman arrived. I was then taken to the nearest police station. The 3 drunks wanted compensation as they said I was the cause of their accident. The police were fair and eventually I convinced them I didn't cause the accident and I was released.

For those who say it doesn't happen, you are wrong. It may be rare, but it is a risk if you are stopping to help.

I agree with this statement.

Going back to the OP's story, a single rider on a bike (no set up) and three adults, two of whom are Thai nationals.

In this situation I think it would be wrong not to see if the guy was OK.

[techboy]

Why would you care about a random stranger on the road?

Man, I am a pretty egocentric little prick but I'm sure glad that I don't know you!!!

Edited November 3, 2013 by techboy

[tiger2]

I've stopped to help a few times, no problem, at least, not for me. (Once I did not, there were lots of people around, and the "victim" was stupid.)

On the other hand, just came up to my room after having a conversation with a Thai friend whose "farang" friend had court today.

Seems he was scootering along on Koh Chang, sometime back. Minding his own business. A Thai on a scooter whizzed by, rear-ended a pickup. Go boom. Pickup keeps going. Kind farang stops to lend aid, but guy is toast.

Long story short, mother of DOA demands 200k. Cheap son.

Cops arrest farang. Farang says no. Today in court, mom says, okay, I'll walk away for 25,000. Farang pays.

Moral of story: well, you decide for yourself.

Do you have a link to this story ,or is it something you heard ? i have been involved in an accident where it was the Thais fault and they tried to get money ,i stood my ground and told them to deal with my insurance company . end of story ,they did nothing.

I too would appreciate a link to this story. I'm intimately acquainted with Koh Chang--have been for the past eight years--and haven't heard a word regarding the incident you describe.

Until you provide solid proof it occurred I reckon it's total BS...

[rotary]

About 15 years ago up country on a small black top road saw a bike go off road. The guy was injured but not badly. I stopped, offered help, and then his relatives appear and said they had it. I took off and 10 kms up the road the police stopped and said I ran him off the road! I had several Thai's with me who told the police the real story. The polce still held us for 15 munites checking my pick up for signs of damage. "Stopper beware, good Samartian work here can be a problem"

[dighambara]

Why would you care about a random stranger on the road?

Everyone on Earth should care about everyone else on Earth - otherwise you are a very selfich person.

They are absolutely right, you would end up paying, even if it was to make it go away.

LISTEN to you wife she knows the score better than you !

It has happened, as people stage such accidents for the very purpose of extorting money. If the Police are called, even more money will be extorted. Relatively minor accidents may cost 10,000 - 20,000 Baht for bribes to Police, Judge and 'victim'. This has happened to members of my family a few times.

Absolute rubbish!

I've stopped to assist at two accidents since I've been here and the people were very grateful.

If I have an accident I hope someone will assist me, but I'd rather not find out.

Why does this BS scare mongering keep popping up?

You have been lucky that no one thought to seek a bribe.

[flyingdoc]

What a really sad reflection on society today!

[kandi]

These victims who extort money from people who actually try to help them are usually the ones who complain about the corruption in this country. That people can't see the irony, that's what makes me sad.

[sgtsabai]

What I see is that when you stop to help, or in an accident yourself is that like many things in life, "sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, and sometimes you get rained out". I am not an EMT, but am a trained 1st Responder as was required by my work as a law enforcement officer. Frankly, I don't know if I would stop or not, and that is scary to me, I like to think I'm a better person than that. I know my wife tells me not to stop. I would like to relate my story.

Headed into Udon downtown a bit late one night when crossing a bridge just before one of the stupid 'roundabouts', or whatever they are called, a motorbike, came almost out of nowhere, crossing into my lane and like a Hellfire missile a direct hit on the front of the truck I was driving (a friend's). As he rolled up on the hood I saw he was unconscious, hmmm. I had already come to a complete stop but damage done. Thais started pouring out, I got out went over to him, saw no blood, chest movement indicating his breathing but unconscious. I did not touch him and neither did any Thai. I called the wife, knowing it would be some 15 or more minutes before she could get there. Attempted to call the Tourist Police, I know a couple, no answers. Thai people called cops and ambulance. Frankly all I could see was what was left of my savings going up in smoke. Some traffic type cops arrived rather quickly and diverted traffic and the ambulance, a real looking one, was there pretty quick. When I watched the so-called EMT's go to work all I could think was "If he isn't dead already he soon will be". He was carted off, at least on a backboard, lifted and dropped on, no neck brace, etc., etc. Some guy tried to breathe him with a bag but luckily one of the others told him to stop he actually was breathing on his on. Still no wife, no 'real' cop. There were several Thai people there that spoke very good English, I don't speak Thai for crap, and they saw that I was nervous as hell. They all told me "don't worry, we saw, his fault-not yours". One even went and got me a coke. Real cop shows up, obviously just awoken or something takes a look, draws a diagram (good procedure), yaks with locals, wife shows up she translates. Truck is towed, my Thai license taken-"come to cop shop Monday" I am free to go. Last I hear the guy in intensive care. Monday we all go cop shop, including family members and a ghost walks/limps in. No family for the guy, just a friend. Cop is not too nice to him, questions a lot about alcohol, the guy says, or rather the friend says for him, seems the guy has a speech problem, no alcohol-brain problem. My best guess is petite mall seizure. Of course no insurance, no license, no money, no nothing. Cops says his fault 100% but he cannot pay, you want I put him in jail. I say what the hell for, it won't fix the truck, won't fix his bike and won't make me feel any better. If he had been drunk, yaba a different story there. By time the towing fees, etc., etc. were paid it cost me more than him. Mai pen rai.

[elektrified]

When I watched the so-called EMT's go to work all I could think was "If he isn't dead already he soon will be". He was carted off, at least on a backboard, lifted and dropped on, no neck brace, etc., etc. Some guy tried to breathe him with a bag but luckily one of the others told him to stop he actually was breathing on his on.

I actually think those "so-called EMT" guys and girls [Rescue is what they are called] are very good. In case you didn't know it, it is an all volunteer operation and they are very well trained. I've seen them in action a few times, including at my own accident. (There was even a E.R. Registered Nurse there too which surprised me.) Thailand would be in sad shape if not for the RESCUE people. They do everything from removing snakes from residences to delivering babies in homes, cars, etc. to using the jaws of life to remove people from smashed up automobiles. Of course no one is as well-trained as the USA paramedics from the fire department, etc. and some excellent ones in Europe too, but give some credit to the Thailand Rescue Department who may save your life one day and get paid nothing for it.

[kikoman]

What a really sad reflection on society today!

I just came back from the hospital, my wife had a motorbike accident yesterday after hitting a big hole in the street, a Thai family was the first to stop and aid my wife that had sustained severe facial lacerations and was losing a lot of blood They offered to take my wife to the hospital in his car and my wife did not want to because she would bleed all over his car. He said that is OK and they took her to the hospital. While others that stopped to help stated they would stay with the motor bike until the family got there to take it home.

My wife had nothing but praise for the many kind and caring people that stopped to help her, I would freely give them money if they had requested any for helping a women I love very much in her time of need, I am glad none of those that would not have stopped were not on the road that day, And I will be eternally grateful to these wonderful humans that stopped to help her!

I totally agree with you fliyingdoc,"What a really sad reflection on society today" as reflected by some of the posters on this thread.

Thank God There are still some caring people on this thread! It restores one's faith in the expat population!

Cheers:

Edited November 4, 2013 by kikoman

[donniereadit]

You have to realize that the Thais are so afraid of confrontation and any adverse social scene, that just leaving the scene would be pretty easy.

The chances of a cop being right there are almost nil, and I suspect you may have to wait around quite awhile for them to even show up. An ambulance? Fudged about it.

I suppose an enterprising bystander may jot down your plate and report it, but it would really be a minor miracle if they had a pen and paper (and could write the letters).