Thai truck driver who knocked down and killed British couple fined just £18

[Fat Haggis]

almost 12 years ago to the day my nephew who was only 15 at the time, and an only son of my sister was tragically killed by a "motorist", under a cloud of suspicion, my nephew was no angel and a bit of a tearaway at that, and a small time player in the local drugs scene, he was lying drunk on an old disused road less than 50M from his home, as he knew his mother would knock the crap out of him if he turned up in the condition he was in.

The "motorist" was also another small time player, who that very same night, in the local town had come to blows with my nephew, and the wee fella put this guy down on his back..

For whatever reason, he decided to travel that disused road that night, and ran over my inebriated nephew, killing him instantly, he then fled the scene, and did NOTHING!!! Not a fuckinIg thing, he left my nephew dead on the road like roadkill, the driver then fled the scene, and drove back to the town and "stole" some lights from a similar make of car in an attempt to cover up his tracks, I was on the scene within 30 minutes, and everyone knew who the driver was, they had informed the police of all of this, I surveyed the scene and there was no brake marks no nothing it was a sharp corner and very light in the morning, this happened around 0400-0500, light enough at that time of year, I spoke to the police and told them who was the main suspect, and they dismissed it, the familiy Liason Officer was a bit more sympathetic.

The driver handed himself in 24 hours later, long enough to clear his alcohol level, and was charged with theft of the parts from another car as it was all caught on CCTV, he was never charged with failing to report and accident, or leaving the scene of an accident, or any other Road traffic related offences, as the lawyers said these will be difficult to prove!!!

There was a date set for his trial, there appeared to be enough evidence to send him down or charge him with the more serious offences, before this rat bastard went to court, he pleaded guilty to the theft, and that stopped the court hearing dead in its tracks, the sheriff had no choice but to accept his plea, based on the reason he was there, and fined the guy 40 pounds sterling,in a closed court, as the family were never informed of his plea, we were all outside the court waiting to hear the case, he didn't even have the decency to say to my sister that he was full of remorse.. he has never to this day done so, and for the past 12 years my sister has been trying to raise a civil action against him, my nephews short life was only worth 40 pounds, he walled free, my nephew was dead, and it drove my sister to a breakdown, mentally and her relationship with her partner of 20 years.

We, the family and friends have always suspected "foul play", the police took a different view, one day there maybe some justice and peace for my sister, but I'm not holding my breath.

So please guys, don't go around thinking that life is only cheap in Thailand, as there's circumstances very similar all over the world.

[bangrak]

Absolute madness!! Where on earth do these crazy laws and decisions come from! £18 pounds??? Disgraceful! Freed to murder without a worry about the poor people and their families he destroyed ....

Have you been there? Have you seen it happen? How do you come to the "murder" conclusion when the judge comes to the accident conclusion? How comes you only mention the 18 pounds but not the 2-year suspended jail sentence attached? Did you ever bother to look at your own countries laws (as I did above) and compared what you would get for an accicent with manslaughter (assuming not being drunk or driving to fast) back in your home country?

But of course... easier to bash than think before...

Guess you wouldn't write such unsensible trash when some of your loved ones would have been mowed away on their bicycles by a (let's say f.i.) Romanian truckdriver while training on a Swiss road, would you?

[bangrak]

There are several lessons in this (and so many other) tale(s) in xenophobic Thailand: 1) when you're not Thai and you die in Thailand, all your rights get extinct, 2) when you're Thai and you have an accident/incident involving non-Thai(s), make sure he's/they're dead to avoid most negative consequences, or, more simply, just get away when you can, your fellow Thais will look away for sure, and, may I add out of personal experience, 3) when you as Farang get involved or just witness an accident/incident wherein Thais are involved, (sadly, but true) get away asap, because, whatever happened, you will be set responsible for the lot..., and, most sadly, for all Thais, 4) don't worry at all, drive like morons, with or without insurance and/or driving license, get drunk and/or high, fall asleep or don't look at the road, you are a proud Thai, nothing can touch you, ...just avoid hitting some higher-up Thai, and all will be OK!

[bangrak]

The main roads in Thailand are no place for cyclists . If someone had warned them maybe they would have changed their minds and still be alive today .

Maybe TAT should warn all potential tourists to stay away from main roads, from vans and busses, disco's, taxis, trains, tall buildings, 'de-bugged' hotels, beach bar cocktails, lady boys, crappy reastaurants, you name it..., why not, to stay away from 'safety first' Thailand altogether? Do they care as long as the money keeps rolling in? Hush, maybe I am 'damaging the image of Thailand' now... truth hurts, but not here, it's just wiped away with desdain, you know, Farang bah...

[tangcoral]

1,000 baht, you guys forget that's 10 times the typical traffic violation fine.

[ClutchClark]

The main roads in Thailand are no place for cyclists . If someone had warned them maybe they would have changed their minds and still be alive today .

Maybe TAT should warn all potential tourists to stay away from main roads, from vans and busses, disco's, taxis, trains, tall buildings, 'de-bugged' hotels, beach bar cocktails, lady boys, crappy reastaurants, you name it..., why not, to stay away from 'safety first' Thailand altogether? Do they care as long as the money keeps rolling in? Hush, maybe I am 'damaging the image of Thailand' now... truth hurts, but not here, it's just wiped away with desdain, you know, Farang bah...

Guys who rant idiotic comments like you must love the internet. Back in my day, before all this technology, someone spouting off your lunacy would be forced to sit alone at the end of the bar because no one would even give him the time of day. Fortunately, we have the "ignore" button still available to us.

[jcisco]

Absolute madness!! Where on earth do these crazy laws and decisions come from! £18 pounds??? Disgraceful! Freed to murder without a worry about the poor people and their families he destroyed ....

Have you been there? Have you seen it happen? How do you come to the "murder" conclusion when the judge comes to the accident conclusion? How comes you only mention the 18 pounds but not the 2-year suspended jail sentence attached? Did you ever bother to look at your own countries laws (as I did above) and compared what you would get for an accicent with manslaughter (assuming not being drunk or driving to fast) back in your home country?

But of course... easier to bash than think before...

Comparative based arguments are utterly pointless and amount to if they jumped off a cliff, would you? But besides I do agree with you.

I am sick of hearing blah blah they do it so its ok, sort of crap. If that was the bar for acceptability than anything can be justified by just finding one example.

[IBoldnewguy]

Death happens.... and is permanent.... each morning a percentage of the world's population wake up and go about their business but do not live to make it back home.... in this regard life is not fair nor just.... Sadly, no amount of money nor degree of punishment (even execution) will bring the two victims back to life.

I believe the crux of all the emotion on this thread is that this situation makes us all realize how cheaply and quickly our own lives could be snuffed out by simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Some optimists believe that death does not happen without a higher religious purpose, in that case, one's life would be snuffed out cheaply and quickly simply for being in the right place at the right time.

The deceased were following a life dream of cycling around the world.... and while this would not make their deaths less of a tragedy.... I cannot imagine a more relevant way to end life.... by following a dream and doing something I loved. My respect and admiration to the deceased....

In order to exist just once in the world,

it is necessary never again to exist. Quotation by Albert Camus.

[trev666]

This story reads like some sick joke

[bangrak]

The main roads in Thailand are no place for cyclists . If someone had warned them maybe they would have changed their minds and still be alive today .

Maybe TAT should warn all potential tourists to stay away from main roads, from vans and busses, disco's, taxis, trains, tall buildings, 'de-bugged' hotels, beach bar cocktails, lady boys, crappy reastaurants, you name it..., why not, to stay away from 'safety first' Thailand altogether? Do they care as long as the money keeps rolling in? Hush, maybe I am 'damaging the image of Thailand' now... truth hurts, but not here, it's just wiped away with desdain, you know, Farang bah...

Guys who rant idiotic comments like you must love the internet. Back in my day, before all this technology, someone spouting off your lunacy would be forced to sit alone at the end of the bar because no one would even give him the time of day. Fortunately, we have the "ignore" button still available to us.

I don't know what you mean with 'back in my day', maybe we have different kinds of days, or yours might be long gone, and I should push the 'ignore' button for someone calling me names, but, hey... Just to put it in a nutshell, you just please name one single element of my 'stay away' list (except maybe the ladyboys, up to you) that you would call 'safe' in Thailand, not Swedish-safe, just basically, common sense, plain, SAFE... Can't you see how much 'saving face' (and thus avoiding, any, responsibility) is detrimental to every progress this country I love has the potential for?

[Thaddeus]

1,000 baht, you guys forget that's 10 times the typical traffic violation fine.

That would be the violations when nobody dies, nice comparison.

[jaywalker]

A motorcycle hit my wife in the driver's door about a year ago. He was illegally passing on a double yellow line, zooming around traffic as they do, and it broke his leg.

She was fined 2,000 baht for violation of right-of-way, and a further 10,000 baht to the "police" otherwise "she would have big problems".........WHY? She has a farang last name.

The cop actually said that to her.

"You have a farang husband. All farangs have big money"

Edit: Oh yeah, the moto driver had no driver's license nor insurance either.

Edited May 27, 2014 by jaywalker

[bristolgeoff]

this is Thailand where the bike is last on the list of transport.scooter is one up on the bike.sad it happened for the family.but I would not ride a bike in Thailand unless it had a motor and many lights.

[ClutchClark]

Edit: Oh yeah, the moto driver had no driver's license nor insurance either.

If this is true then its absolutely disgusting.

Any comparisons made about bicycle vs motor vehicle are correct only in that it could happen anyehere; however, in the US, this driver would be looking at jail time and heavy fines for operating a motor vehicle without a license and insurance. He would also have future driving privileges suspended for a period of time and would be forced into SR-22 auto insurance when he eventually did start driving again. Additionally, if the investigation proved negligence on the driver (as some posts here indicate) then a large civil penalty would be awarded to the victims' estate--no guarantee the driver would pay it but it would atleast mess his life up.

Still, some share of responsibility falls on the cyclists who chose to place themselves at risk.

The Right to be on the road does not equate with the 'might' to be on the road.

Edited May 27, 2014 by ClutchClark

[telldem]

Its quite ironic that they survived riding through the middle east only to die in Thailand. RIP

[Skywalker69]

and he'll be out doing it again already

says who? Do you know the driver? Did you follow him since the accident and examine his driving pattern? Seen any other accidents he had? Did you care to read that he had a "previous good character" meaning no accidents before this tragic event?

bunch of bashing <deleted myself> on here...

I guess it wasen´t one of your kids that was killed?

Edited May 27, 2014 by Skywalker69

[wprime]

Thai law in general is very forgiving of negligence, this reflects the culture of irresponsibility.

[Mosha]

People who live here know the system. 100K per victim to the police, and 100k to the victim's family.

Some people who live here think that they know the system and tend to forever go on about the superior knowledge that they possess when in reality they are just Thai bashers who make unjustifiable assumptions and generalisations.

It happened to a friend here. An unlit road he fot to a jubctionm he stopped and checked both ways. He pulled out and bang, A jerk on a bike with no lights was rravellinf at speed and hit my friend's truck. Landed 5m the other side and broke his neck

[cgphuket]

Good thing the driver didnt throw away a cigarette. The fine for that is 2000. Killing foreigners is apparently less serious than littering.

[Mosha]

I wonder what the consequences would be if the victims were well connected Thais?

[ezzra]

As tragic and heart braking as it is, this accident is no different to the many other thousands

accidents that take the life of thousands of people in Thailand, it sticks out because it happened

to a farang couple.....

[bangkokheat]

why dont you guys organize a protest and take some action instead of just posting on the internet about it?

face it, this is just entertainment for you.

you don't care enough to sacrifice any of your time.

can you be our leader

[LuckyLew]

Pretty impressive for Thailand

Life is now values at 9 quid

[jameson2wheels]

I'm a cyclist many years...all Mexico many times, then I go tu US. 3 years i cycle Mexico, into USA again,fly BKK -cycle Thailand, Lao, Thailand, India, Nepal...India is the worst by far - Thailand and Mexico the best.

Sounds like an unfortunate accident. I find in last 2 years travel before I retire here, that almost all drivers are very respectful of cyclist and admire them, and show great courtesy....including near Thaton an driver seeing me camped at Salaa - goes into town without asking me and brings back.."you like Beer !" big Leo, big smile..."where you go?" - Chiang Kong -"Ok I take you"..not the first Thai or Indian or Mexican or Lao to do this.

Cycling is dangerous. Look both ways 3 times. Keep an eye on drivers..dont daydream and maybe you are lucky like me so far.

long story sorry. I host riders on Warm Showers web, many riders touring in world. Few accidents.

USA statistics are worse.

Sorry for their pain and the family. I can get killed walking across the street here just as easily.

[Swiss1960]

For those defending the driver here is a section of the original report "Investigating police think the accident was caused by a combination of the Thai driver speeding and his falling asleep at the wheel. The 25 year old driver from Udon Thai province claimed the accident occurred when he dropped his hat and bent down to pick it up. Police have charged him with careless driving and he's out on 300k Baht bail." So please stop with the "I defend the Thais at all costs - without even knowing the circumstance" crap

Source: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/620209-driver-in-british-cyclists-fatal-road-accident-released-on-bail/?p=6128033#entry6128033

Thank you for this update, I was not aware of that. I have another update, I found this link on BBC where it mentions, that the fine was 10'000 Baht. This would then be a 1-month-salary fine together with the 2-year-suspended-jail.

Just few comments, also for many others who critiziced my posts:

• I am not a Thai appologist. There are a lot of things in Thai justice that are handled very different in Europe, but I am a foreigner to this land and have to accept the Thai way of doing things. I did mention in my post that such a sentence (2 years and 1 month of salary fine) is equal to verdicts in lot of European countries, IF the judge is convinced that it was a tragic accident and nothing else.
• For those who mention "if it would have been your relatives..." - yes, i would be devastated and would want the driver to be hang by his balls... but I would also have to accept that if the police can not give clear evidence to the judge about either recklessness driving, alcohol, speed or previous convictions, then the judge CAN hand down low and suspended sentences, IF he is convinced that the driver shows real remorse and IF he (the judge) is convinced that it "only" was a tragic accident. That is the same in Europe as it is here in Thailand.
• For those who mentioned 100K compensation for the victims family - as you are (maybe) aware, the victims family has to claim for such compensation and then - and only then - the judge could have handed over such compensation. It looks like the victims family was not there to claim such compensation, thus there is nothing in the ruling. Please bear in mind that in Europe, the victims families would have had to start another claim in court for such a compensation, because the accident is a matter of criminal law while compensation is a matter of civil law. In Thailand, both issues are dealt with in the same ruling, if their is a claim for compensation. Getting compensation in Europe is much more difficult than in Thailand.

I once had an accident where I crushed my car into a bus stop and only because all my guardian angels worked overtime, nobody was sitting there at the time of accident, otherwise I could have killed people. And it happened, because I was distracted by my mobile phone (previous to it been banned to use while driving). This Thai driver obviously - thanks again crobe for the update - was distracted by something, caused the tragic accident with two dead people (British, otherwise it would not make any news here), accepted his guilt, there was no proof of speed or alcohol or drugs, the driver did not have previous convictions - and thus, the sentence given to him is not that different from a sentence he would have received in a European court of law under the same evidence and circumstances.

That is the conclusion I have about this case, that is all I ever said in my posts - and that is also my final comment for this thread.

[zaphod reborn]

Unless you have access to all the reconstructive evidence, no one can pass judgment on the culpability of the truck driver. The law naturally gives a presumption that the motorized vehicle has a better opportunity to avoid the collision. Condolescences to the families and friends of the bicyclists. The roads in Thailand are dangerous, but, for bicyclists, the roads in many other countries are as well. With the popularity of bicycling in Thailand, there needs to be more investment in bicycle protected pathways to improve safety and enjoyment, especially for touring.

[edgarfriendly]

i dunno what swiss's agenda is but i guarantee he would not be happy if his parenst were killed accidentally or otherwose and the GUILTY aka NEGLIGENT party was fined just 1000 THB

And neither would the truck driver.

WHO could be satisfied at a 1000THB 'fine' and a pathetic suspended 2 year NOTHING?

but but but - thai people so poor people na, not lucky same you na..... can kill very cheap na.

mai dtong kid makk

chai-yoooooooo

[ClutchClark]

As tragic and heart braking as it is, this accident is no different to the many other thousands

accidents that take the life of thousands of people in Thailand, it sticks out because it happened

to a farang couple.....

Perhaps that is why it sticks out for you...but you don't speak for me.

Because they are farang the news ranks TV status.

I also read the Nation and see Thai roadway deaths and it affects me similarly to see life lost due to negligent driver sans license or insurance.. Same as it affects me when I read about such bicycle vs motor vehicle deaths in the US.

What afdects me differently about farang is I better understand their thought process.

Cheers

Edited May 28, 2014 by ClutchClark

[ClutchClark]

why dont you guys organize a protest and take some action instead of just posting on the internet about it?

face it, this is just entertainment for you.

you don't care enough to sacrifice any of your time.

can you be our leader

I have always enjoyed the humor of the group smart a$$.

[coconutbar]

1000 baht for double murder .................

100 years for bag of dope......

sounds about right to me.