Sympathy Or Their Own Fault?

[Naam]

If the Benz owner pursues the matter and the case is to be taken to court then you may step in and help. I mean, if you are sure that the money have to be paid then be a good Samaritan.

it goes without saying that the Benz owner will pursue the matter all the way up to the Supreme Court. after all 245 Dollars is a huge amount of money.

[PaullyW]

The OP would never make such consideration in his home country if the equivalent situation had occurred.

What is it about Thais that encourages us to give them our money? Do we pity them? Is it something aesthetic such as because they are small and brown and cute people? Is it selfish such as wanting to feel and them to know that we are superior? What's the dynamic going on here?

[AYJAYDEE]

The OP would never make such consideration in his home country if the equivalent situation had occurred.

What is it about Thais that encourages us to give them our money? Do we pity them? Is it something aesthetic such as because they are small and brown and cute people? Is it selfish such as wanting to feel and them to know that we are superior? What's the dynamic going on here?

wouldnt help out someone from the same small village for $250?? I would

[susan d]

she is heartless person. Insurance should cover in this case. So bad.

[POSA290103]

The OP would never make such consideration in his home country if the equivalent situation had occurred.

What is it about Thais that encourages us to give them our money? Do we pity them? Is it something aesthetic such as because they are small and brown and cute people? Is it selfish such as wanting to feel and them to know that we are superior? What's the dynamic going on here?

wouldnt help out someone from the same small village for $250?? I would

I don't know what the OP would do. I, on the other hand have given assistance, whether monetary or otherwise to people from many different countries including my homeland. The dynamic is just being human. Not everyone makes the same choices. This forum is a good example of that. The world would be a boring place if we all felt the same.

[POSA290103]

If the Benz owner pursues the matter and the case is to be taken to court then you may step in and help. I mean, if you are sure that the money have to be paid then be a good Samaritan.

it goes without saying that the Benz owner will pursue the matter all the way up to the Supreme Court. after all 245 Dollars is a huge amount of money.

Be careful, I think I'm feeling that word "facetious" again.

[harrry]

Buy the baby from the gardener for 8,000 baht, sell it on Ebay for 800,000 baht.

(Sorry - couldn't resist this JOKE)

Not what I would expect from you Simon43

[neverdie]

Buy the baby from the gardener for 8,000 baht, sell it on Ebay for 800,000 baht.

(Sorry - couldn't resist this JOKE)

Not what I would expect from you Simon43

He's a business orientated chap. Making money, making money, gets married, gives it all away then it goes round again. No wonder he needs to keep coming up with ideas

[harrry]

Buy the baby from the gardener for 8,000 baht, sell it on Ebay for 800,000 baht.

(Sorry - couldn't resist this JOKE)

Not what I would expect from you Simon43

He's a business orientated chap. Making money, making money, gets married, gives it all away then it goes round again. No wonder he needs to keep coming up with ideas

He has consistently made no bones that he is against trafficing and acts acordingly

[neverdie]

Buy the baby from the gardener for 8,000 baht, sell it on Ebay for 800,000 baht.

(Sorry - couldn't resist this JOKE)

Not what I would expect from you Simon43

He's a business orientated chap. Making money, making money, gets married, gives it all away then it goes round again. No wonder he needs to keep coming up with ideas

He has consistently made no bones that he is against trafficing and acts acordingly

This is how we all know he was just having a giggle...... even if it didn't tickle ur funny bone.

[mikebike]

I would do it, Karma will pay you back big time.

There is too much selfishness in this world as it is, I think we all in Thailand own something back as what a great place to live and enjoy and we are getting it for 20% the cost of our own country.

Wow, what a dumb post. Sorry. Karma? Is that like the the story of the guy in the sky who watches over all of us?

We foreigners owe Thailand exactly FA. We pay to play. Matters not what our currencies buy us here. We don't owe the Thais anything because their country is relatively uncompetitive and poor. Where do you get these strange notions?

Unlike Canada which is uncompetitive, relatively rich and now a yankee teat-sucker....

[POSA290103]

I would do it, Karma will pay you back big time.

There is too much selfishness in this world as it is, I think we all in Thailand own something back as what a great place to live and enjoy and we are getting it for 20% the cost of our own country.

Wow, what a dumb post. Sorry. Karma? Is that like the the story of the guy in the sky who watches over all of us?

We foreigners owe Thailand exactly FA. We pay to play. Matters not what our currencies buy us here. We don't owe the Thais anything because their country is relatively uncompetitive and poor. Where do you get these strange notions?

Unlike Canada which is uncompetitive, relatively rich and now a yankee teat-sucker....

He's in trouble then, them yankee teats are dry

[Eliot Rosewater]

bowerboy

One very rainy day, while working out at the gym someone came in with my motor bike plate in their hand attached to part of my fender. There was an accident, three young Thai girls on the way home from school had lost control and slid into two bikes, mine and another. The parents of the children were already there when I came out; it was obvious the Thai’s were not a wealthy family.

I watched as this fowl mouth Brit screamed and yelled profanities at the father over the amount of their settlement. I spoke with the girls (I can speak Thai) they were young 10 to 13 years and just adorable in the school uniforms, they were afraid and crying but not hurt. Finally the father and the Brit agreed on 3,500 baht, the father was literally counting 20 baht notes to settle the arrangement.

Then the father and I spoke, he apologized for his daughters driving and asked me what I thought it would cost to fix the bike. I said I was very happy the girls were not hurt and I understood it was just an accident in bad weather. I looked at the girls and said if they would agree to drive more carefully I had no problem paying for the repairs myself. The girls light up with smiles and all hugged me at the same time the mother and father thanked me, they all gave me a wai and that was that. It made me feel great, best 2,500 baht I ever spent.

What goes around comes around; it’s never a bad thing to help someone when you can, someday someone may do the same for you.

You]re a good man Robert!

I applaud the sentiment however, if they later die on the road then you will bear some responsibility for putting them there

A ten year old riding a motorcycle on Thai roads.....quite possible

Karma works both ways

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[AYJAYDEE]

bowerboy

One very rainy day, while working out at the gym someone came in with my motor bike plate in their hand attached to part of my fender. There was an accident, three young Thai girls on the way home from school had lost control and slid into two bikes, mine and another. The parents of the children were already there when I came out; it was obvious the Thai’s were not a wealthy family.

I watched as this fowl mouth Brit screamed and yelled profanities at the father over the amount of their settlement. I spoke with the girls (I can speak Thai) they were young 10 to 13 years and just adorable in the school uniforms, they were afraid and crying but not hurt. Finally the father and the Brit agreed on 3,500 baht, the father was literally counting 20 baht notes to settle the arrangement.

Then the father and I spoke, he apologized for his daughters driving and asked me what I thought it would cost to fix the bike. I said I was very happy the girls were not hurt and I understood it was just an accident in bad weather. I looked at the girls and said if they would agree to drive more carefully I had no problem paying for the repairs myself. The girls light up with smiles and all hugged me at the same time the mother and father thanked me, they all gave me a wai and that was that. It made me feel great, best 2,500 baht I ever spent.

What goes around comes around; it’s never a bad thing to help someone when you can, someday someone may do the same for you.

You]re a good man Robert!

I applaud the sentiment however, if they later die on the road then you will bear some responsibility for putting them there

A ten year old riding a motorcycle on Thai roads.....quite possible

Karma works both ways

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

no he wont

[ravip]

I did not read all the replies.

But if you feel sorry, can afford the cash give it!

It really is not necessary to evaluate a poor mans stupidity.

[KamalaRider]

Most of the Thai gardeners I see on Moobaans wouldn't even get out of bed for less than 300bht a half day.

His wife is working too, destitute on 900bht a day, are you sure?

As for the Merc owner, expensive car, best to park it in your driveway.

I would prefer not to say anything about people's intelligense, but I'm fairly tempted.

Find out what the real world is all about before writing ignorant replies.

The lowest salary to give a Thai person is 300TBH per day, so 2X300 TBH is 600TBH , BUT that is only registered employment with the labor office.

There IS NO set minimum wage outside the labor system.

It could be 50 TBH per day or even less for the poorest.

I personally would welcome your offer to refer to talk about people's intelligence.

When I stay in Thailand, which is more time then when I live in the west, I stay at the gf's Parents Farm on the outskirts on Bangkok.

FOR A FACT ... the gf's father employs one full time farm worker to manage the fish ponds.

He works 6 days a week.

Paid Bt 6,000 a month, has had a modest place built for him to live rent free on the Farm, has his elec, rice and fish paid for. He walks out of his door and he's at work.

When the Boss hires in casual Farm workers to harvest the fish, it's Bt300 for a 1/2 day, plus drinks (Water, soy milk, milk coffee, Red Bull, bottle of Whisky) and sometimes food.

So as for ... "It could be 50 TBH per day or even less for the poorest." ... please, unless you are genuinely hiring Thai Labours, keep those sort of comments to yourself and don't show your ignorance.

Are you daft? I'm talking about the poorest of poorest, and there's plenty of them.

What you are talking about is traded work, bloody different from a man or woman living in a town, city without any land of their own or maybe without family.

Do you really believe what you say is the norm or common truth about workers in Thailand? Sorry to say, I'm not the ignorant one here, sometimes I wish I was.

[ravip]

The OP would never make such consideration in his home country if the equivalent situation had occurred.

What is it about Thais that encourages us to give them our money? Do we pity them? Is it something aesthetic such as because they are small and brown and cute people? Is it selfish such as wanting to feel and them to know that we are superior? What's the dynamic going on here?

wanting to feel and them to know that we are superior?

Is this NOT the reason for ALL the bashing's?

To put it simply, majority is suffering from an inferiority complex!

[benalibina]

The OP would never make such consideration in his home country if the equivalent situation had occurred.

What is it about Thais that encourages us to give them our money? Do we pity them? Is it something aesthetic such as because they are small and brown and cute people? Is it selfish such as wanting to feel and them to know that we are superior? What's the dynamic going on here?

wanting to feel and them to know that we are superior?

Is this NOT the reason for ALL the bashing's?

To put it simply, majority is suffering from an inferiority complex!

Hmmm...interesting.....care to elaborate ?

[ravip]

...It could be 50 TBH per day or even less for the poorest.

In our soi ( Soi Maha Setee = Street of the Super Rich in the town we live in ) gardeners/ cleaners are picked up at their abodes with Volvos, Tunas etc. by the houseowners or his wifes.

All necessary tools are provided, iced water ( sometimes when a kid/ grandkid is with them, soft drinks ), brekkie, lunch, packed dinner, fruit/vegetables, empty plastic bottles/cans, clothes, school uniforms/shoes, toys, used phones/computers/TV's, whatever isn't used anymore is given to them.

During work, they are made as comfortable as possible, umbrellas, fans, aircon, chairs and mats can be used to free will.

The interaction is characterized by utmost respect.

After work, they are given 500 - 1000 ฿ + fare + money to buy sweets for the kids. KamalaRider, you have no idea how difficult it is to get a decent non live in help...

THAT is the way to do things!

Today, exploiting the poor is the name of the game at all levels - even globally.

(The rich becomes richer at the expense of the poor's carcass)

[AYJAYDEE]

...It could be 50 TBH per day or even less for the poorest.

In our soi ( Soi Maha Setee = Street of the Super Rich in the town we live in ) gardeners/ cleaners are picked up at their abodes with Volvos, Tunas etc. by the houseowners or his wifes.

All necessary tools are provided, iced water ( sometimes when a kid/ grandkid is with them, soft drinks ), brekkie, lunch, packed dinner, fruit/vegetables, empty plastic bottles/cans, clothes, school uniforms/shoes, toys, used phones/computers/TV's, whatever isn't used anymore is given to them.

During work, they are made as comfortable as possible, umbrellas, fans, aircon, chairs and mats can be used to free will.

The interaction is characterized by utmost respect.

After work, they are given 500 - 1000 ฿ + fare + money to buy sweets for the kids. KamalaRider, you have no idea how difficult it is to get a decent non live in help...

THAT is the way to do things!

Today, exploiting the poor is the name of the game at all levels - even globally.

(The rich becomes richer at the expense of the poor's carcass)

exploiting the poor is not something new. its always been that way

[KamalaRider]

Most of the Thai gardeners I see on Moobaans wouldn't even get out of bed for less than 300bht a half day.

His wife is working too, destitute on 900bht a day, are you sure?

As for the Merc owner, expensive car, best to park it in your driveway.

I would prefer not to say anything about people's intelligense, but I'm fairly tempted.

Find out what the real world is all about before writing ignorant replies.

The lowest salary to give a Thai person is 300TBH per day, so 2X300 TBH is 600TBH , BUT that is only registered employment with the labor office.

There IS NO set minimum wage outside the labor system.

It could be 50 TBH per day or even less for the poorest.

I personally would welcome your offer to refer to talk about people's intelligence.

When I stay in Thailand, which is more time then when I live in the west, I stay at the gf's Parents Farm on the outskirts on Bangkok.

FOR A FACT ... the gf's father employs one full time farm worker to manage the fish ponds.

He works 6 days a week.

Paid Bt 6,000 a month, has had a modest place built for him to live rent free on the Farm, has his elec, rice and fish paid for. He walks out of his door and he's at work.

When the Boss hires in casual Farm workers to harvest the fish, it's Bt300 for a 1/2 day, plus drinks (Water, soy milk, milk coffee, Red Bull, bottle of Whisky) and sometimes food.

So as for ... "It could be 50 TBH per day or even less for the poorest." ... please, unless you are genuinely hiring Thai Labours, keep those sort of comments to yourself and don't show your ignorance.

I too got an example, in my soi, there's a family of five,

Husband, wife and three school children, the man "works" as a garbage scavenger, runs around on his worn out saleng every morning until the garbage truck has collected most.

Sometimes he scores big, finding something worth more than 10TBH.

His aiming for cardbord, and plastics and do you know the given rate for that, I only have second hand information and that person tells me 50 satang per kilo.

I have no idea how much money the family makes per month but I certainly can't see any physical improvements on either the shack they are living in, nor can I see any luxury items around his shack.

He is working very hard EVERY day while his wife is tending their youngest child and the few chickens they have, whilest the two other children are in school

There are maybe thousands of these families in Phuket alone, if you don't believe me, I could take you for a ride and enlighten you with the non existant social welfare system in this country.

I wish someone could come up with a plausible figure how many lives under the minimum cost of living here in LOS.

And, yes I am actually genuinely hiring Thai labor, but I't a completely different matter as it's skilled staff.

Edited June 4, 2014 by KamalaRider

[KamalaRider]

Most of the Thai gardeners I see on Moobaans wouldn't even get out of bed for less than 300bht a half day.

His wife is working too, destitute on 900bht a day, are you sure?

As for the Merc owner, expensive car, best to park it in your driveway.

I would prefer not to say anything about people's intelligense, but I'm fairly tempted.

Find out what the real world is all about before writing ignorant replies.

The lowest salary to give a Thai person is 300TBH per day, so 2X300 TBH is 600TBH , BUT that is only registered employment with the labor office.

There IS NO set minimum wage outside the labor system.

It could be 50 TBH per day or even less for the poorest.

Have you ever tried to hire anyone? A lot of buildings and homes sit unfinished because labor at higher than minimum is not available. I pay more than 300 for temp labor. Not complaining but no one works that I know for under 300. Where are these 50 baht an hour workers? Nakon Nowhere where there is nothing to build or make or work on?

We don't always agree, but on this point ...

Just a simple question, when you try to hire people, do you go out to the shanty towns around in Thailand and search for workers or do you just ask a friend of a friend?

What is your recruit plan, do you advertise or how do you try to find these "skilled" workers?

As I don't have aclue about construction and the laws for it, I ask you, do you have to register every worker?

How many of the construction workers have been paid on a regular basis? Have they had any cutoffs from their pay because of missing equipment etc.?

I also don't know if the stories are true about workers in construction prefers not to work anymore in construction as they allegedly have been burned too many times by ruthless construction companies, forreign owned as well as Thai owned. Please enlighten me!

Edited June 4, 2014 by KamalaRider

[ravip]

...It could be 50 TBH per day or even less for the poorest.

In our soi ( Soi Maha Setee = Street of the Super Rich in the town we live in ) gardeners/ cleaners are picked up at their abodes with Volvos, Tunas etc. by the houseowners or his wifes.

All necessary tools are provided, iced water ( sometimes when a kid/ grandkid is with them, soft drinks ), brekkie, lunch, packed dinner, fruit/vegetables, empty plastic bottles/cans, clothes, school uniforms/shoes, toys, used phones/computers/TV's, whatever isn't used anymore is given to them.

During work, they are made as comfortable as possible, umbrellas, fans, aircon, chairs and mats can be used to free will.

The interaction is characterized by utmost respect.

After work, they are given 500 - 1000 ฿ + fare + money to buy sweets for the kids. KamalaRider, you have no idea how difficult it is to get a decent non live in help...

THAT is the way to do things!

Today, exploiting the poor is the name of the game at all levels - even globally.

(The rich becomes richer at the expense of the poor's carcass)

exploiting the poor is not something new. its always been that way

That is the ONLY way to get rich and 'develop' oneself.

[ravip]

The OP would never make such consideration in his home country if the equivalent situation had occurred.

What is it about Thais that encourages us to give them our money? Do we pity them? Is it something aesthetic such as because they are small and brown and cute people? Is it selfish such as wanting to feel and them to know that we are superior? What's the dynamic going on here?

wanting to feel and them to know that we are superior?

Is this NOT the reason for ALL the bashing's?

To put it simply, majority is suffering from an inferiority complex!

Hmmm...interesting.....care to elaborate ?

Simple. Why would someone ridicule another just because he is financially inferior to him?

In today's world, one has to accept that wealth is NOT distributed in a fair manner.

The law of the jungle RULES!

By hook or by crook, if you earn the wealth YOU rule.

Just observe how the so called 'developed' nations unashamedly destroy other less privileged nations to scrounge on their assets.

But... now it seems, slowly but surely things are changing.

[KamalaRider]

Most likely they are both scamming you. Amazing Gullible Farangs

This is almost certainly true. The penniless gardener and the rich Benz driver got together one afternoon over a beer and thought "what is the best way to scam 8,000 baht out of that stupid farang across the road?" an they came up with this. You have to admire the Thais for their genius.

Do shut up! how many Thai Merc owners do you really think would stoop down to even talk to a poor gardener. Stupid comment.

Sweet baby jesus, did IQs suddenly drop 20 points overnight? My post was so ludicrously 'tongue in cheek' that I think the average 4 year old would get it. What is the IQ of a 4 year old?

In almost every post here in TV, the words scammer, tricked, fooled, cheated appears and they all refers to Thai's.

Did you really believe I would recognise irony (if that's what it was) in a post like yours????

I think you have to work on your irony skills. How, when and where it's suitable to get the most value for it .

Apart from that, sorry if I over reacted a bit.

And another point when it comes to the english language, it's not my native language nor is it all of TV's readers/writers.

Edited June 4, 2014 by KamalaRider

[Robert2006]

bowerboy

One very rainy day, while working out at the gym someone came in with my motor bike plate in their hand attached to part of my fender. There was an accident, three young Thai girls on the way home from school had lost control and slid into two bikes, mine and another. The parents of the children were already there when I came out; it was obvious the Thai’s were not a wealthy family.

I watched as this fowl mouth Brit screamed and yelled profanities at the father over the amount of their settlement. I spoke with the girls (I can speak Thai) they were young 10 to 13 years and just adorable in the school uniforms, they were afraid and crying but not hurt. Finally the father and the Brit agreed on 3,500 baht, the father was literally counting 20 baht notes to settle the arrangement.

Then the father and I spoke, he apologized for his daughters driving and asked me what I thought it would cost to fix the bike. I said I was very happy the girls were not hurt and I understood it was just an accident in bad weather. I looked at the girls and said if they would agree to drive more carefully I had no problem paying for the repairs myself. The girls light up with smiles and all hugged me at the same time the mother and father thanked me, they all gave me a wai and that was that. It made me feel great, best 2,500 baht I ever spent.

What goes around comes around; it’s never a bad thing to help someone when you can, someday someone may do the same for you.

You]re a good man Robert!

I applaud the sentiment however, if they later die on the road then you will bear some responsibility for putting them there

A ten year old riding a motorcycle on Thai roads.....quite possible

Karma works both ways

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Well I did it because I felt the Thai family was honorable, they were responsible people that didn’t run like so many, the father was there accepting responsibility, willing to settle the costs man to man for the damage their daughters caused and I respected them for that.

The parents were driving an old motorbike with a side car that they sold food from and the girls were riding an older motorbike as well, from the look of the family I guessed they probably don’t have much. I had about 10 minutes to analyze the situation while he negotiated with the other driver, the father was a poor man, probably not well educated but he displayed dignity and self-control in the face of a very loud, rude negotiation with the other motorbike owner. The three girls were so cute and polite and so was the father when we spoke. I just didn’t have it in me to take money from them, that much money lost has no effect on my life but I believe it would have been a difficult financial setback for that family.

I received a lot of negative responses from my friends in the gym; they felt no Thai would ever give me a break like that and that I was foolish to not take their money. However I have no regrets and I would not change a thing, it was a chance for me to help some people I felt were worthy of the consideration, after all we have all made mistakes in the past while driving it’s not malicious just a mistake.

I don’t know for sure but I would imagine the oldest girl was driving not the 10 year old. Hopefully the girls will stay safe; I hope they learned a lesson about driving that day that will make them more respectful of the dangers of driving on the roads.

[geronimo]

Up your Karma and pay for it all!!

[Eliot Rosewater]

bowerboy

One very rainy day, while working out at the gym someone came in with my motor bike plate in their hand attached to part of my fender. There was an accident, three young Thai girls on the way home from school had lost control and slid into two bikes, mine and another. The parents of the children were already there when I came out; it was obvious the Thai’s were not a wealthy family.

I watched as this fowl mouth Brit screamed and yelled profanities at the father over the amount of their settlement. I spoke with the girls (I can speak Thai) they were young 10 to 13 years and just adorable in the school uniforms, they were afraid and crying but not hurt. Finally the father and the Brit agreed on 3,500 baht, the father was literally counting 20 baht notes to settle the arrangement.

Then the father and I spoke, he apologized for his daughters driving and asked me what I thought it would cost to fix the bike. I said I was very happy the girls were not hurt and I understood it was just an accident in bad weather. I looked at the girls and said if they would agree to drive more carefully I had no problem paying for the repairs myself. The girls light up with smiles and all hugged me at the same time the mother and father thanked me, they all gave me a wai and that was that. It made me feel great, best 2,500 baht I ever spent.

What goes around comes around; it’s never a bad thing to help someone when you can, someday someone may do the same for you.

You]re a good man Robert!

I applaud the sentiment however, if they later die on the road then you will bear some responsibility for putting them there

A ten year old riding a motorcycle on Thai roads.....quite possible

Karma works both ways

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

no he wont

Its quite clear he is encouraging small children to ride motorcycles, so without a doubt, yes he will.

[Eliot Rosewater]

bowerboy

One very rainy day, while working out at the gym someone came in with my motor bike plate in their hand attached to part of my fender. There was an accident, three young Thai girls on the way home from school had lost control and slid into two bikes, mine and another. The parents of the children were already there when I came out; it was obvious the Thai’s were not a wealthy family.

I watched as this fowl mouth Brit screamed and yelled profanities at the father over the amount of their settlement. I spoke with the girls (I can speak Thai) they were young 10 to 13 years and just adorable in the school uniforms, they were afraid and crying but not hurt. Finally the father and the Brit agreed on 3,500 baht, the father was literally counting 20 baht notes to settle the arrangement.

Then the father and I spoke, he apologized for his daughters driving and asked me what I thought it would cost to fix the bike. I said I was very happy the girls were not hurt and I understood it was just an accident in bad weather. I looked at the girls and said if they would agree to drive more carefully I had no problem paying for the repairs myself. The girls light up with smiles and all hugged me at the same time the mother and father thanked me, they all gave me a wai and that was that. It made me feel great, best 2,500 baht I ever spent.

What goes around comes around; it’s never a bad thing to help someone when you can, someday someone may do the same for you.

You]re a good man Robert!

I applaud the sentiment however, if they later die on the road then you will bear some responsibility for putting them there

A ten year old riding a motorcycle on Thai roads.....quite possible

Karma works both ways

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Well I did it because I felt the Thai family was honorable, they were responsible people that didn’t run like so many, the father was there accepting responsibility, willing to settle the costs man to man for the damage their daughters caused and I respected them for that.

The parents were driving an old motorbike with a side car that they sold food from and the girls were riding an older motorbike as well, from the look of the family I guessed they probably don’t have much. I had about 10 minutes to analyze the situation while he negotiated with the other driver, the father was a poor man, probably not well educated but he displayed dignity and self-control in the face of a very loud, rude negotiation with the other motorbike owner. The three girls were so cute and polite and so was the father when we spoke. I just didn’t have it in me to take money from them, that much money lost has no effect on my life but I believe it would have been a difficult financial setback for that family.

I received a lot of negative responses from my friends in the gym; they felt no Thai would ever give me a break like that and that I was foolish to not take their money. However I have no regrets and I would not change a thing, it was a chance for me to help some people I felt were worthy of the consideration, after all we have all made mistakes in the past while driving it’s not malicious just a mistake.

I don’t know for sure but I would imagine the oldest girl was driving not the 10 year old. Hopefully the girls will stay safe; I hope they learned a lesson about driving that day that will make them more respectful of the dangers of driving on the roads.

Is it legal for a 13 year old to drive a motorcycle here? If not or if she doesn't have a license, aren't you encouraging her to break the laws of this country?

Isn't it our duty as foreigner guests to follow and uphold the laws of our host country?

[Robert2006]

Eliot Rosewater, do you really believe it’s your duty as a foreigner to instruct Thai’s on how to follow their laws? The thought of me encouraging them to break laws or my duties as a foreigner never crossed my mind, I was there to be compensated for damage to my motorbike.

Do you think it would have been preferable for me to lecture the family on how to follow and uphold the laws of Thailand and accept their money to teach them a lesson? That is just not me, it’s not my duty nor do I feel obligated or qualified to council someone on Thai law and I feel it inappropriate to comment on the way someone else chooses to raise their children, that’s their business.

Sometimes poor Thai children are allowed or forced to grow up too quickly and they make the mistakes of inexperience. What they did is normal behavior in Thailand; it’s a regular experience to see young children driving, it’s the Thai way, that’s life in Thailand. Is it dangerous, are they too young to drive, absolutely but in Thailand they are basically allowed to make those decisions themselves.

I will never know for sure but I hope the girls and the parents learned from that situation; nothing is a better teacher than past experience. The experience could possibly have saved their lives giving them more knowledge about driving in bad weather, and the realization of how costly and dangerous driving can be. Possibly the parents stopped them from driving for a few years, there are so many possible outcomes it’s pointless to speculate, all we can do is hope the best for them.