Dead boy's family in Phuket 'mob' against Russians

[robblok]

here and drove off, probably pissed.

That the Russians did something morally repulsive and should be held accountable is without question. But if he had worn a helmet things would have been much better so some blame also falls on him.

I drive a big bike and a scooter and a car in Thailand, I just feel that if you hit a bike with a car and they have no helmet or license they should be partly to blame as a helmet could have saved his life.

This of course does not excuse the Russians but not wearing a helmet has certainly contributed to the severity of the accident. I find it unfair to car drivers in general if they are being punished extra because someone did not wear a helmet.

I would never ride my bikes without a helmet.

But what these drivers did and fleeing the scene is unforgivable.

You are talking crap. If a car hits you and you are riding in a safe and legal way, the car driver is guilty, not the biker, not 1%. Also you have no idea if a helmet would have helped or not. Unless you were there and saw what happened.

You are talking crap.. without a helmet your not riding legal.

I am sure you understood the context of legal, as in sober, not speeding or riding in a reckless way. If you don't please don't drive, as maybe you would be the idiot who thinks crashing into me is ok, i i was not wearing a helmet! Pathetic!

No you were not riding legal.. you are the one that is Pathetic. Especially your combative tone.

And no it would not be ok for me to crash into you, and it would certainly not be ok for me to hit you and drive off. Both are crimes and especially the fleeing of the scene is bad.

However the fact that you have no helmet and if you have a head injury and die i feel that I am not 100% responsible because with a helmet that injury might not have happened of far less as now.

So these guys were the main guilty party (IMHO) but not wearing a helmet probably made it worse and it should be taken into account if he died because of a head injury.

If helmets were not mandatory the guilt would be 100% at the guys that hit and run. If you do a U turn you need to let everyone go before you its a special movement.

[LukKrueng]

A 16 Y.O. wandering about at 1.A.M. No Crash Hat.If the Lad was mine id feel some resposibility.Perhaps im just Old Fashioned.RIP.

I guess you're right. A 16 YO boy traveling on a bike at 1am AND no helmet either. It must be HIS fault a drunk driver hit him.. How could it be the driver's fault?? NO HELMET man, 1am and a 16 YO boy!!! yeap, drunk driver is in the clear!! and it was also clever of the driver running!! not stopping to try and help. sure. Why help a 16 YO boy on a bike at 1am WITH NO HELMET???

but why stop at the boy's and his parent's fault? I'd go to is grandparents too. They were so irresponsible as to bring to the world the boy's parents. shame on them. and what about his great grand parent???

[ableguy]

Typical! Blame someone else. The family should first realise that their son was riding a bike at odd hours of the night without a crash helmet. That in itself is irresponsible and should go down to poor guidance from the parents. Societies acceptance of a lack of helmet does not help either. Yes, the Russians should have made a police report (it did not state if they did), and stayed back to closed up the loose ends of this accident. That is what it was an accident.

Either way, even if they had stayed back the end result would still be the same. A senseless death, why? because of clear disregard for safety.

This is more of the family not having the opportunity to milk money off these Russians for the loss of their child. IMHO.

They probably did a runner because they had been drinking, not a stupid thought. Yes.

[nosmo49]

Nothing excuses the action of the driver or her husband. But russian? Looking at the pic of Larissa, she looks more like a local than a farang.

RIP young feller.

[oldsailor35]

Can a 16 yo legally have a license to drive a motorbike? What is the legal driving age in Thailand?

No Thai will know as very few bother to get a licence.

[oldsailor35]

Can a 16 yo legally have a license to drive a motorbike? What is the legal driving age in Thailand?

You are not asking the question--Did the Russians have international license to drive ?? did they have Thai drivers license ??? were they insured/allowed to drive the hire car, how many names were on the rental agreement-to drive the car--many questions to be asked BEFORE checking on the deceased lad, you want the coffin to go to jail ???

Question - Why Rental Company GIVE a car if people didnt have license

That's easily answered................Money !

[MMarlow]

A 16 Y.O. wandering about at 1.A.M. No Crash Hat.If the Lad was mine id feel some resposibility.Perhaps im just Old Fashioned.RIP.

Why do you try to put the wrong spin on this? He wasn't "wandering about at 1.00 am" he was going to a shop to buy mosquito spray for the family.

[MMarlow]

Typical! Blame someone else. The family should first realise that their son was riding a bike at odd hours of the night without a crash helmet. That in itself is irresponsible and should go down to poor guidance from the parents. Societies acceptance of a lack of helmet does not help either. Yes, the Russians should have made a police report (it did not state if they did), and stayed back to closed up the loose ends of this accident. That is what it was an accident.

Either way, even if they had stayed back the end result would still be the same. A senseless death, why? because of clear disregard for safety.

This is more of the family not having the opportunity to milk money off these Russians for the loss of their child. IMHO.

Hideous twaddle.

[oldsailor35]

A 16 Y.O. wandering about at 1.A.M. No Crash Hat.If the Lad was mine id feel some resposibility.Perhaps im just Old Fashioned.RIP.

Wrong wrong Pop, the kid did have a crash helmet on. Be more careful before you type crap in future.

My sincere apologies Pop............it was me that did'nt read correctly. I should have known better, no Thai kid wears a crash helmet, just stand outside any school in the afternoon and see them coming out, up to three ten year olds on a bike, not a crash helmet between them.

[Halion]

Tragic story full of irony and hypocrisy which highlights the disparity that occurs every time a foreigner is involved. As an earlier post indicated such incidents occur everyday with regard to nationals without such media coverage and backlash.

[Coppernicussing]

Teo wrongs don't make it right.

[heybuz]

i was not there i do not know the truth of the whole argument,russians,helmets,unlicensed ,drunk,i was not there

[oldsailor35]

100% that these guys need to be held accountable.. its just the anti foreigner part of this that I dislike they don't seem to get rattled when Thais do it and they do quite often.

I agree with robblok that these people need to be held accountable... if they are in fact accountable.

Many posters seem to be cocentrating on Thai driving which I agree is far from safe and bloody dangerous most of the time.

I do believe this had a large part to do with it.

I am trying to visualize how the accident happened, because the report says they were traveling in the same direction.

If the motorcycle was in front of the car, the accident would not have happened because the motorcycle would have kept traveling down the road when the car made the U turn.

If the motorcycle was behind the car, logic dictates that the motorcycle would have slowed down to allow the car ahead of them which had also slowed down to make the U turn. If the motorcycle ran into the car directly from behind, it is his fault.

How I see it happening is that the motorcycle did not slow down at all, and actually attempted to pass between the car and the centerline of the road. The car might have eased slightly into the curb lane to increase its radius for the U turn and opened up a gap that the motorcycle tried to drive through, making the motorcyclist believe that the car was actually changing to the curb lane instead of preparing for a U turn. When the car started its U turn, it hit the motorcyclist.

It is possible and even probable that the car did not signal, and gave no warning to the motorcycle. However, if the motorcycle was traveling at speed, the driver of the car may not have expected a motorcycle to appear in the small amount of space between their car and the centerline of the road.

This is Thai motorcycle driving at its finest - cutting lanes, and a tourist would not have anticipated this.

In any case, if they were traveling in the same direction, and the motorcycle approaching from behind the vehicle, some of the fault would be with the motorcycle for not being able to control or stop their vehicle, or making a dangerous pass.

The only way I can see this being 100% the fault of the car is if they started their U turn from the curb lane and crossed the motorcycle's path.

If the driver of the car is a Thai lady , as she appears to be, then it is almost certain that she would not have been indicating her turn. Most thai motorists appear not to know that there is an indicator on every car.

[dpeti73]

Maybe just maybe he not died if wearing helmet, but those Russian have to go to jail anyway.

Maybe if he stayed bed too. Never venture out of the house without full body armor, that's how to live.....NOT!

You think is it same thing when you drive motorbike without helmet or go out without full body armor? congratulation for you and just drive without helmet don't worry Buddha will protect you!

[foxteen]

While the loss of life is tragic these Russians DID EXACTLY WHAT THAIS DO EVERYDAY and its laughable that the police call them heartless because WE LEARN FROM THAIS to not stop and just continue and do a runner.

A friend of mine was going to 7-11 for cigarettes at 11 at night stone cold sober and was hit from behind the guy then proceeded to reverse back over him breaking both of his legs the only reason he survived was that passers by screamed at teh driver who then proceeded to drive off and was never found.

Makes me laugh when they blame foreigners for only doing what thais do every day.

I recently had an accident and hit a motorcycle head on doing 100kph I STOPPED even though I was advised by my wife not to stop because I would be harmed i thought these 2 people were dead I hit them so hard but miracoulously they got up and walked away just shook up. I was found not at fault on the scene and allowed to go.

Country need alot to learn and deal with justice and no corruption.Is sad that happen with the boy but many foreigners are so scare to end up in jail with no real justice.The Russians should stop and not run away and then again who knows if they stay.Is hard to say

[robblok]

Maybe just maybe he not died if wearing helmet, but those Russian have to go to jail anyway.

Maybe if he stayed bed too. Never venture out of the house without full body armor, that's how to live.....NOT!

You think is it same thing when you drive motorbike without helmet or go out without full body armor? congratulation for you and just drive without helmet don't worry Buddha will protect you!

I think I finally found who he acted so aggressive combative against the people who mentioned helmets. He is one of the idiots who refuse to wear one and then blame others 100% if he dies of head injury instead of taking some of the blame himself because he was so stupid not to wear one. (not that he could blame himself dead.. but as a matter of speech)

[steelepulse]

That particular stretch of road is a speedway. It is a long straight stretch of road with around a 1-2% incline. I have seen many motorbikes and cars doing 140+ there. I'm quite sure speed had something to do with it, whether the Russian thought she could turn before the bike approached, or whether she didn't see the kid at all.

[dotpoom]

A 16 Y.O. wandering about at 1.A.M. No Crash Hat.If the Lad was mine id feel some resposibility.Perhaps im just Old Fashioned.RIP.

What on earth are spouting off about? He was killed by a car being driven illegally, helmet or not, the car driver caused his death.

I didn't see where it said the car was being driven illegally...in what way was it. I guess that the driver may have had alcohol taken but we'll probably never know for sure or if she was over the limit (if there is one in Thailand) but I don't think that's what you meant anyway.

About holding onto the witnesses passport....on what grounds? One has not broken the law because they are a witness.

Edited April 11, 2014 by dotpoom

[oldsailor35]

The RTP have a lot to answer for. I was hit from behind by a drunk thai driver. My car was knocked into the car in front. Old woman in front car was screaming 'blue murder' so i went to attend her first, telling the drunk driver behind to wait.( should have taken his keys ) Whilst i was attending to the lady, the driver behind just drove off, but not before i had recorded his details. When i gave them to the attending police (Chaweng Police Samui) they told me to forget it as i have insurance !

[Fullstop]

He was not wearing a helmet.

Case dismissed.

[RigPig]

2 other points here...

When I worked in Ukraine (Crimea actually and now a part of Russia), there were plenty of Russians there, and I am not sure if this is the same in Russia but the tolerance for drink driving is 0%, yep no alcohol, not .8 or.5 but 0 and there is a VERY good reason for this, it was explained to me that they will go home for morning tea and down a bottle of vodka. Now I am not saying this is the case here, but people driving on international drivers licenses or overseas should be aware of over indulgence in something they are not permitted to do in their own environment with good cause.

Secondly, does anyone here really think that wearing a Thai "ice cream bucket" helmet would save your life?

That piece of road outside the Shell service station is 4 lanes wide, it would be VERY easy to go from the left lane at speed and attempt a "U" turn thinking there was no traffic and run into a bike you didn't see.

If it were my son I would want to know the truth and have justice, just because Thais do it doesn't make it right (doing a runner), just as foreigners being in the wrong no matter what doesn't make it right. My Dad always said "2 wrongs don't make a right".....

My sympathies to the parents and I hope the Russians have many sleepless nights. The police are to blame here for their selective policing and justice behaviour. IMO.

[likewise]

As we all know if the RTP would be a bit more diligent Thailand would be a safer place in many related aspects. Then again what can be expected of an organized crime gang ?

[Thai at Heart]

If the people felt that the police might afford them some.basic.port ctionz and that the law wasn't a joke, maybe they wouldn't run and maybe they would cooperate.

90% of the problem.in the story is caused by the fact that no one trusts the police.

[Thai at Heart]

If the people felt that the police might afford them some.basic.port ctionz and that the law wasn't a joke, maybe they wouldn't run and maybe they would cooperate.

90% of the problem.in the story is caused by the fact that no one trusts the police.

[RigPig]

A 16 Y.O. wandering about at 1.A.M. No Crash Hat.If the Lad was mine id feel some resposibility.Perhaps im just Old Fashioned.RIP.

What on earth are spouting off about? He was killed by a car being driven illegally, helmet or not, the car driver caused his death.

I didn't see where it said the car was being driven illegally...in what way was it. I guess that the driver may have had alcohol taken but we'll probably never know for sure or if she was over the limit (if there is one in Thailand) but I don't think that's what you meant anyway.

About holding onto the witnesses passport....on what grounds? One has not broken the law because they are a witness.

Hindering an investigation into a death. Obscuring justice. Aiding and abetting a crime. Come to mind........

They are crimes where I come from, at least that's what the police used to tell me........

[bander]

All Thai drivers flee the scene after accidents, never heard any Thais complaining about that! When any foreign are involved in accident with Thais, they are always guilty in causing it when the BIB's show up. No matter what you say you lose, and if you not pay, the "mob" is coming for you.

[cardinalblue]

What has not been discussed are the known facts of the case. Clearly, a driver should never leave the scene of an accident regardless of fault.

If she was making a u-turn, was her signal on? Is the motorbike trying to pass her? What was his and her speed? Was he weaving/darting at all? Were both vehicle headlights on?

Situation and what actions were exhibited/not exhibited need to be spelled out?

My guess is anger is being expressed on his death but little no knowledge of what took place...

[kannot]

Boot on the other foot....and what not.

Yep they will be missing their "payday" crule but probably true, no need for the bleeding hearts "it was somebodys son " etc, no helmet probably a whole host of other illegal things too.

Not a nice thing for the Russians to do but what would the Thais have done? run away, so no difference.

Many Russians have car cams due to the "incidents" in Russia.........am glad I have mine too.

[steelepulse]

A 16 Y.O. wandering about at 1.A.M. No Crash Hat.If the Lad was mine id feel some resposibility.Perhaps im just Old Fashioned.RIP.

What on earth are spouting off about? He was killed by a car being driven illegally, helmet or not, the car driver caused his death.

I didn't see where it said the car was being driven illegally...in what way was it. I guess that the driver may have had alcohol taken but we'll probably never know for sure or if she was over the limit (if there is one in Thailand) but I don't think that's what you meant anyway.

About holding onto the witnesses passport....on what grounds? One has not broken the law because they are a witness.

Hindering an investigation into a death. Obscuring justice. Aiding and abetting a crime. Come to mind........

They are crimes where I come from, at least that's what the police used to tell me........

If she gave her statement, the police were satisfied and let her go, how would the above come into play? If the police weren't satisfied and her story had holes, then I bet the police wouldn't have sent her off.

[ATF]

Drunk driving is a criminal offense and killing someone whilst driving is manslaughter at least. Put the two together and they are culpable homicide. In the States or Europe you'd be looking at a 7-8 year stretch. Thailand probably 2-3years or a big payout before it got to court. Anyway I'd rather do a couple of years in a Thai prison than live in Russia for the rest of my life. The Russian Embassy will know who these people are and I am confident there will be resolution. Russian investors in Phuket or Thailand don't need the bad press.