My girlfriend got hit by a motorbike on the last day of Songkran (bkk).

[krisb]

Welcome to the Thai system.

Pretty average ain't it.

[laobali]

In the US the accident would not have happened in the first place

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Maybe not that accident, but accidents occur daily in every country of the world. How things are handled in the event of them is what differs.

I bet there are a hundred countries where this accident could have occurred and been handled as badly or even worse than in Thailand. Foreign visitors to any country need to be aware of these things and try and manage potentially life-threatening risk accordingly. Adequate travel and medical insurance is a must. Extra common sense on the roads and always 'expecting the unexpected' may help reduce some of these risks.

Alternatives are either not to travel abroad or when things do go wrong, accept and manage as best you can in the local circumstances.

[Hedghog]

Diagnosed with a cracked pelvis,with no X Ray?

Has a cracked pelvis and can walk from the hospital?

Dream on.

[ggt]

Motorcycle accidents are so common in Thailand...they do not receive much police attention...unless someone died in the accident or they are involved themselves...to answer all of your questions...This is Thailand...they do not handle things the same as your are use to...as far as punishment...if he has paid the GFs hospital bill...there will probably be no discussion of incarceration or fines...IF it had been you driving the bike...you would likely have a hefty fine along with paying all the hospital bills...again...This is Thailand...

[Thaifever]

Most people know that while walking with their gf it's courtesy to have her to the non traffic side of the road. Anyone with half a brain doesn't wait for a motobike to hit them if there is any question. It's song khran for eff sakes, stay off the road.

[Loles]

I wish fast and full recovery for your girlfirend.

This is the daily routine here.

Police is interested in if:

- ordenary people: is died

- high so people, politician, TV star: is hurt

- money-ful case: anytimes, anywhere, 24 hours.

Edited April 20, 2014 by Loles

[clockman]

Remember Thailand, is still third world!

[PDavies]

How much has he paid so far?

About 8,000 baht.

[PDavies]

How was the cracked pelvis determined?

Which hospital treated your GF?

Was she ever unconscious, even for a brief moment?

I would focus all your attention on her health; maybe try a different hospital, to get a complete assessment, and let her deal with Thai social issues.

x-ray the next day.

I don't know, one about 5 minutes drive away from On Nut BTS?

No.

She already changed hospitals because she wasn't happy with the other one.

[sirchai]

He agreed to pay all her medical costs and bought her some food from 7 11. He has since paid all costs. Throughout the whole thing we've basically had to liaise with him ourselves, and we're still seeing him most days at the hospital as we're both there for about 4 hours each day.

​ Sorry, but he seems to be a decent guy to me.-

[PDavies]

Diagnosed with a cracked pelvis,with no X Ray?

Has a cracked pelvis and can walk from the hospital?

Dream on.

X-rayed the next day.

She was wheelchaired out of hospital, but walking the next day.

X-ray picture (right hand-side at the top of the bone, small crack)

[PDavies]

He agreed to pay all her medical costs and bought her some food from 7 11. He has since paid all costs. Throughout the whole thing we've basically had to liaise with him ourselves, and we're still seeing him most days at the hospital as we're both there for about 4 hours each day.

​ Sorry, but he seems to be a decent guy to me.-

Well yeah I agree but when you've smashed into someone on a bike and it's entirely your fault, then it's the least you can do really isn't it.

[kimbathewhitelion]

You should feel very lucky that he paid any medical costs. Your experience is very golden & a bit surprising that the man didn't have you charged with jay walking or causing his accident.

I was clipped by a car & thrown from the bike in a very crowded tourist area, the police impounded my bike, then sometime between them impounding it & me (falling in & out of consciousness) being carried by a stretcher into the ambulance (small pickup with a shell), my expensive phone, US strapped Riding goggles were stolen. My wallet which was tightly fitted in my front pocket was also cleaned out (about 10k). And so happens, days after, the police had no record of the accident. Did find the bike in police impound. Though it was insured thru the rental place, I was still given the lie that it wasn't & thus had to pay a marked up price to fix it, despite showing up with half my face in bandages. Found out later after paying for the repairs, the bike was insured. My hired daily taxi driver offered to help. She got a copy of the insurance policy from the owner so I could take advantage of Gov med reimbursement portion covered under the policy.

You are VERY lucky, to get someone with a good heart, it could easily of gone a completely different direction.

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[sirchai]

Diagnosed with a cracked pelvis,with no X Ray?

Has a cracked pelvis and can walk from the hospital?

Dream on.

X-rayed the next day.

She was wheelchaired out of hospital, but walking the next day.

X-ray picture (right hand-side at the top of the bone, small crack)

The X-Ray is shit. But does show that it isn't just a little cut. Good luck, please get it checked again. Cheers-

[cardinalblue]

As my friend likes to say about LOS, their sh*t is loose...

Don't expect western well-run programs, systems or practices. They have a different slant of the world..

CB

[Greg Nixon]

There seems to be trend on Thai Visa Forum that the victim is at fault. This must be posted by farangs who do not feel good about themselves. Perhaps they are alcoholics or are here for sex tourism. Perhaps they feel bad about themselves because they could not find work in their home countries. At any rate they are transferring the bad feelings they have about themselves to others.

PLEASE STOP BECAUSE YOUR CRITICISM IS NOT CONSTRUCTIVE.

In this case one could say

Wear brighter clothing or have a flashing red -light as a precaution.

Insist at the hospital to have sufficient exams made - if necessary lay down and scream as if in pain.

While the victims were being examined you could have recruited a Thai speaking friend who knows English and gone to the police station.

It is unlikely that I would have had the presence of mind to do any of these things because I was the victim in a motorbike accident. I avoided sufficient examinations partly because I was too stunned to realise I had been unconscious. Luckily there was nothing seriously wrong and a very good doctor at a private clinic cured all my small problems arising from this accident.

Although the motorbike that collided with mine came from a side street without looking the police said it was my fault because I was going too fast. I was not because I know I was going about 40 km/hr and there were no skid marks and when I came to I was still on the motorbike. Thankfully i had knocked the offending parties fender off and caused him to go to ground. He was sufficiently good to come and check on my condition but he was so dumb not to look if any traffic was coming. Many side streets do not have stop signs and even if they do how many times have you seen someone actually stop at one ?

[Greg Nixon]

He agreed to pay all her medical costs and bought her some food from 7 11. He has since paid all costs. Throughout the whole thing we've basically had to liaise with him ourselves, and we're still seeing him most days at the hospital as we're both there for about 4 hours each day.

​ Sorry, but he seems to be a decent guy to me.-

A decent guy would not be driving drunk. A decent guy would not have caused this accident.

[timewilltell]

He agreed to pay all her medical costs and bought her some food from 7 11. He has since paid all costs. Throughout the whole thing we've basically had to liaise with him ourselves, and we're still seeing him most days at the hospital as we're both there for about 4 hours each day.

​ Sorry, but he seems to be a decent guy to me.-

A decent guy would not be driving drunk. A decent guy would not have caused this accident.

I think I would be directing my anger at the scum who call themselves police here - and from where I come from, though many love to hate the police, They do at least make some attempt at doing their job in complete contrast to here.

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[kimbathewhitelion]

There seems to be trend on Thai Visa Forum that the victim is at fault. This must be posted by farangs who do not feel good about themselves. Perhaps they are alcoholics or are here for sex tourism. Perhaps they feel bad about themselves because they could not find work in their home countries. At any rate they are transferring the bad feelings they have about themselves to others.

PLEASE STOP BECAUSE YOUR CRITICISM IS NOT CONSTRUCTIVE.

In this case one could say

Wear brighter clothing or have a flashing red -light as a precaution.

Insist at the hospital to have sufficient exams made - if necessary lay down and scream as if in pain.

While the victims were being examined you could have recruited a Thai speaking friend who knows English and gone to the police station.

It is unlikely that I would have had the presence of mind to do any of these things because I was the victim in a motorbike accident. I avoided sufficient examinations partly because I was too stunned to realise I had been unconscious. Luckily there was nothing seriously wrong and a very good doctor at a private clinic cured all my small problems arising from this accident.

Although the motorbike that collided with mine came from a side street without looking the police said it was my fault because I was going too fast. I was not because I know I was going about 40 km/hr and there were no skid marks and when I came to I was still on the motorbike. Thankfully i had knocked the offending parties fender off and caused him to go to ground. He was sufficiently good to come and check on my condition but he was so dumb not to look if any traffic was coming. Many side streets do not have stop signs and even if they do how many times have you seen someone actually stop at one ?

You're really clueless about this country. The old & longtime saying here, many ways very true in how assuring it is to know how little rights you have here. Which is close to none unless your very rich. Is "if the Farang (white foreigner) wasn't there, it would never have happened." You can be walking down the street & get robbed...you know where they work, can identify their face...means nothing unless you want to pay for the investigation or better yet make it viral (probably get banned from the country for such an action as well) & the publicly will force a free investigation. Foreigners here are barely guests, barely tolerated unless your generating large sums of money for them - actively that it, not as a tourist, business owner (owners of bars, restaurants, small remote hotels or hostels) or retiree.

Grow a brain or go home back to your narrow minded life.

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[poweratradio]

I am not in Bangkok but in Samui, every night when I am out on my motorbike I am scared to death (for them) when I see people walking peacefully alongside the main road, maybe on the left side of the line, yes, but also on the left side of the road that is to say with cars and motorbike coming full speed in their back.

Its seems to me they are playing with they lives, however most of them are holidays maker, walking relax, sometimes a few kilometers from one place to another totally zen. As you said in your story, the man was probably drunk, how many like him on Thai roads, too much for sure. Never never would I walk alongside any Thai road at night time, or yes but like an Indian on the path of war, so sometime I thought I was a bit paranoiac...reading your story I know I am not. Anyhow best wishes for your girl friend, it could have been much worst.

This is Thailand TIT

[poweratradio]

There seems to be trend on Thai Visa Forum that the victim is at fault. This must be posted by farangs who do not feel good about themselves. Perhaps they are alcoholics or are here for sex tourism. Perhaps they feel bad about themselves because they could not find work in their home countries. At any rate they are transferring the bad feelings they have about themselves to others.

PLEASE STOP BECAUSE YOUR CRITICISM IS NOT CONSTRUCTIVE.

In this case one could say

Wear brighter clothing or have a flashing red -light as a precaution.

Insist at the hospital to have sufficient exams made - if necessary lay down and scream as if in pain.

While the victims were being examined you could have recruited a Thai speaking friend who knows English and gone to the police station.

It is unlikely that I would have had the presence of mind to do any of these things because I was the victim in a motorbike accident. I avoided sufficient examinations partly because I was too stunned to realise I had been unconscious. Luckily there was nothing seriously wrong and a very good doctor at a private clinic cured all my small problems arising from this accident.

Although the motorbike that collided with mine came from a side street without looking the police said it was my fault because I was going too fast. I was not because I know I was going about 40 km/hr and there were no skid marks and when I came to I was still on the motorbike. Thankfully i had knocked the offending parties fender off and caused him to go to ground. He was sufficiently good to come and check on my condition but he was so dumb not to look if any traffic was coming. Many side streets do not have stop signs and even if they do how many times have you seen someone actually stop at one ?

You're really clueless about this country. The old & longtime saying here, many ways very true in how assuring it is to know how little rights you have here. Which is close to none unless your very rich. Is "if the Farang (white foreigner) wasn't there, it would never have happened." You can be walking down the street & get robbed...you know where they work, can identify their face...means nothing unless you want to pay for the investigation or better yet make it viral (probably get banned from the country for such an action as well) & the publicly will force a free investigation. Foreigners here are barely guests, barely tolerated unless your generating large sums of money for them - actively that it, not as a tourist, business owner (owners of bars, restaurants, small remote hotels or hostels) or retiree.

Grow a brain or go home back to your narrow minded life.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

WOW To harsh even for anyone using this form. I was deleted previously for simply using CAP letters and the above is allowed??? Come come moderators where are you now?????

[shaurene]

I will give you my thoughts.

1: you should have called the police.

2: they probably took you to a state hospital. Where they penny pinch.

3: you should have asked for X-ray for your G/f.

4: you should have also asked the hospital to call the police also or you should have told your g/f to call the police at the hospital.

Forgive me but I think you are a bit dumb.

[kimbathewhitelion]

I will give you my thoughts.

1: you should have called the police.

2: they probably took you to a state hospital. Where they penny pinch.

3: you should have asked for X-ray for your G/f.

4: you should have also asked the hospital to call the police also or you should have told your g/f to call the police at the hospital.

Forgive me but I think you are a bit dumb.

There is something called "Shock" case you're unaware of the term. In those Hospitals ("Government", they don't have State Hosp in Thailand) there's a very small percentage who speak English, which could add to the confusion & sudden culture shock but I think more the Hosp itself if it's the 1st time you've been in a 3rd world Hosp where their is usually just one doctor on staff.

Common practice would be to just clean & bandage up the cuts/wounds.

The hospitals is not obligated to involve the police & without a police number or the ability to speak Thai, the victim's friend calling would be pointless, or even filing a report would've been useless. How many people as a tourist knew the police phone number & the ability to speak Thai. Proper procedure would be to go to the police station the next day & speak to a English speaking officer.

"Shaurene", apparently you know nothing about this country.

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[strawpanda]

On a road with no footpath it is basic road safety to walk facing oncoming traffic.

[realenglish1]

Everyone is missing the point here . Find out if this moran driving the bike had insurance . If he did file a law suite . You have the right here I am surprised no one has told you that you can

[GAZZPA]

The police are only interested in enforcing the law if there is a financial gain for them. In your case there is nothing they are likely to get as I assume the rider was a local who they would assume had no money.. However if it were YOU on the motorbike then they would be there in a flash breathalising you and calculating how much you have to pay for the problem to go away,, guarantee.

This is the fundamental issue with the terrible fatality rates along with no real driving test required.

[shaurene]

I read this in the last ThaiVisa but in a reply to some one's comment you said you were unconsciousness in the hospital, I think but in your blog you were not.

[janpharma]

Thainess...

[sfbandung]

I was driving back home from Udon Thani the other day and said to my brother in law that I feel like it is just a matter of time before you have a prang with someone on a motor bike. I was turning left out of the Home Pro carpark and looking right for a break in the traffic as one does. Got the break and was about to charge out when a motorbike coming the other way on our side of the road wizzed past in front of me. If I had hit the gas I would have collected him and no doubt it would have been my "fault".

[Frank James]

I think it's a "Easter Miracle" that the guy offered to pay for anything. That's not what one usually hears in these tales. Hope your lady heals well. Chok dee.