Al Jazeera freelance journalist killed by Bangkok city bus

[webfact]

Al Jazeera freelance journalist killed by city bus

BANGKOK: -- A Thai freelance journalist working for Al Jazeera news channel Methi Muktari was killed when he was hit by a city bus near BTS sky train station at Ploenchit last night.

Methi is also editor-in-chief and announcer of the White Channel, a Muslim satellite news channel.

He was hit by a Route 511 cool bus running from Pak Nam to Sanam Luang while walking in front of the station at Plornchit around midnight.

Relatives said Methi will be buried today at Masjid Al-atik on Charoenkrung Soi 103 road at 4.00 p.m.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/al-jazeera-freelance-journalist-killed-city-bus/


-- Thai PBS 2014-06-05

[pisico]

All life is important but....

in Thailand a motor vehicle (truck, bus, motorcycle, scooter, etc.) trumps human life.

It matters not that to get a license the tests are more rigorous if laws are not enforced.

Thais have an endemic attitude of not paying attention to traffic laws. Zebra (pedestrian crossings) are systematically filled by scooters waiting at the red light. At the red light all vehicles just continue to make left turns as if it was green: the turn is allowed IF it is safe to do it. Going through a red light happens in front of the very eyes of policemen.

Over all, the government of all administrations has been remiss to educate the citizens that tourists come from different environments and may not know the quirks of this Sontam republic. After all, tourism accounts for a good chunk of the GDP.

Thailand already has the dubious distinction to be the number 1 country in the world in traffic fatalities. Check data at the WHO before you feel compelled to apologize for something inexcusable of this nature.

A soi dog crossing a street will bring traffic to a halt but... why not humans too. If the dog, according to Thais beliefs, could be a reincarnated or reborn ancestor, why not a human being too?

A lucid Thai friend says that is not only that a vehicle has more rank and value than a person in this society but, if the car is a Benz, then it commands even more respect than a Toyota.

I have seen this same attitude when lived in Central and South America. A vehicle trumps life in banana and Sontam republics...

[bkkjames]

Condolences...

Everyday this kind of thing happens to regular people and never makes the news.

Sent from my LG-P970 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[citizen33]

This is very sad. The news reminded me of when I was almost hit by a bus when crossing Asok at the junction with Sukhumvit years ago. This is the place where buses come around the corner from Suk on the wrong side (I think to get in a bus lane). I would swear that the driver actually accelerated, and if I hadn't looked over my left shoulder and leapt backwards very swiftly I wouldn't be here.

[webfact]

Journalist fatally hit by taxi

BANGKOK: -- A 34-year-old journalist was fatally hit by a taxi on Bangkok's Ploenchit Road and succumbed to his fatal injuries at the Police General Hospital Thursday morning.

The accident took place at midnight on Ploenchit Road under the BTS Ploenchit skytrain station where Metee Mooktaree was first hit by a taxi and the body then flew to stuck under an airconditioned bus on route number 511.


-- The Nation 2014-06-05

[nabbie]

Very sad. Hope someone will raise the possibility of the pedestrian precinct / zone for near future for the sake of people's safety.

[noitom]

Condolences to his family.

[petedk]

This is very sad. The news reminded me of when I was almost hit by a bus when crossing Asok at the junction with Sukhumvit years ago. This is the place where buses come around the corner from Suk on the wrong side (I think to get in a bus lane). I would swear that the driver actually accelerated, and if I hadn't looked over my left shoulder and leapt backwards very swiftly I wouldn't be here.

You are lucky. A couple of years ago I saw a western lady hit by a number 38 bus at that very place.

She died but I never saw anything in the papers.

Sent from my SM-G900F using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[WhizBang]

It would be nice if the sidewalks were soley for pedestrian use. No mototbikes, cars, trucks or bicycles. That includes no parking too.

[blacksuitdandruff]

I've seen many dogs and cats get run over by vehicles in Thailand. I've also seen many old dogs casually and easily cross 4-5 lanes of heavy traffic with no problem.

I've also seen several dogs peacefully sleeping in the gutters next to the curbs of multi lane streets with vehicles only centimeters away.

Physics will always trump pedestrian "rights" and walkways. Just follow the old dogs and you should be fine.

Edited June 5, 2014 by blacksuitdandruff

[chinostar]

And what about the increasing numbers of cars and pick ups driving without rear license plates?

Has this become a sort of Macho trend?

[khunken]

Thai PBS say he was hit by a bus - No 511. The Nation (& Bangkok Post) say he was hit by a taxi and ended up under the bus.

I tend to believe the Nation & Bangkok Post as the 511 busses are not driven by Schumakers - I use them regularly.

R, I. P.

[Robby nz]

Every death is one to many, and another family grieves.

Shouldn't have been much traffic around at that time with a curfew in place and the footpath shouldn't have been full of stalls, so why was he on the road ?

[ScreamingEagle101]

All life is important but....

in Thailand a motor vehicle (truck, bus, motorcycle, scooter, etc.) trumps human life.

It matters not that to get a license the tests are more rigorous if laws are not enforced.

Thais have an endemic attitude of not paying attention to traffic laws. Zebra (pedestrian crossings) are systematically filled by scooters waiting at the red light. At the red light all vehicles just continue to make left turns as if it was green: the turn is allowed IF it is safe to do it. Going through a red light happens in front of the very eyes of policemen.

Over all, the government of all administrations has been remiss to educate the citizens that tourists come from different environments and may not know the quirks of this Sontam republic. After all, tourism accounts for a good chunk of the GDP.

Thailand already has the dubious distinction to be the number 1 country in the world in traffic fatalities. Check data at the WHO before you feel compelled to apologize for something inexcusable of this nature.

A soi dog crossing a street will bring traffic to a halt but... why not humans too. If the dog, according to Thais beliefs, could be a reincarnated or reborn ancestor, why not a human being too?

A lucid Thai friend says that is not only that a vehicle has more rank and value than a person in this society but, if the car is a Benz, then it commands even more respect than a Toyota.

I have seen this same attitude when lived in Central and South America. A vehicle trumps life in banana and Sontam republics...

Apparently, Thais know something about the behavior of their ancestor and that is why they slow down for a soi dog.

[arjunadawn]

This is always sad- for anyone. I only hope it was not painful. May I share an observation?

Some years ago, while driving in the capital city of Yemen, I was struck (no pun intended) by the numerous people hit by vehicles everyday. It was really shocking. I realized that people step out in the street without looking. Indeed, as I watched more closely each day I confirmed that people stepped into traffic and kept walking. I asked our embassy translator, Hussein, "Dude, whats going on here?"

He told me the manner they practice their faith there is such that to look left or right would be questioning the will of god. Therefore, if they are hit, "god willing." If they are not hit, "god willing." But most never looked. It was one of the most unusual sights Ive noted in my travels.

(Sorry for intentionally sterilizing this. For those who know what I mean, I am only trying not to offend select TV readers).

[RickBradford]

The Thai press say he was initially struck by the taxi, causing him to be thrown into the path of the bus and killed.

The police have prepared a charge of homicide by negligent driving on the taxi driver, who has said that the supporting pillars for the Skytrain meant that he could not see the man starting to cross the road in time to avoid him.

[Loles]

RIP young journalist.

This was a newest road-death in TH without any reason. sad.

[Tomtomtom69]

Every death is one to many, and another family grieves.

Shouldn't have been much traffic around at that time with a curfew in place and the footpath shouldn't have been full of stalls, so why was he on the road ?

Unfortunately this is the second incident that has occurred around the curfew time - the first one being a woman who was attacked by a taxi driver and then threw herself into a canal at 2am a few days ago. A very sad incident of course but I think what is clear about this curfew is that a lot of people are not obeying it. If you could watch CCTV footage of major roads around Bangkok during the curfew hours, surely they wouldn't be completely empty just because of a 12am-4am curfew, which unlike in some stricter societies doesn't mean all that much in Thailand.

[Tomtomtom69]

The Thai press say he was initially struck by the taxi, causing him to be thrown into the path of the bus and killed.

The police have prepared a charge of homicide by negligent driving on the taxi driver, who has said that the supporting pillars for the Skytrain meant that he could not see the man starting to cross the road in time to avoid him.

Tragic. Words fail to express what an unnecessary death his was. However, one thing I have learned about living and traveling in Thailand is to NEVER walk across a road EVER. Always use the overhead pedestrian crossing even if it means walking 500m-1km down a footpath, walking across the footbridge and the same distance back again only this time on the other side of the road. Then again, for me personally I rarely walk at all in Bangkok as I drive from home to shopping mall, to work, restaurants etc. and thus have no need to do any walking on the streets on Bangkok. While that works for me, I realize that there are pedestrians out there and they should be respected.

[BeforeTigers]

How thr F does a grown man get hit by a goddamned 3m wide, 10m long bus?

[dddave]

That stretch of Ploen Chit down to Siam Sq. is dangerously confusing to pedestrians because one side of the divided road is one way but the other side is two way.

I damn near got squished by a bus crossing opposite Police headquarters once after getting off a bus. I crossed the inbound side no problem, waited on the divider looking left for outbound traffic and began to cross. The driver of the bus coming from the right must have been pretty skillful to miss me, a blaring horn the first clue of how close to dying I had come

There are no signs to warn that one side is two way.

It used to be that way at the Nana traffic light at the crossing at the police booth..Both sides were two way at certain hours and more than a few farangs took their last steps there. About ten years ago, a fellow was hit by a cement truck when crossing late at night. Soon after, they changed the configuration to what it is today.

[sumtingwong]

There are pedestrian overpasses going to BTS to cross the street. There is no need to risk crossing on the street where traffic can hit you. That would be foolish.

[chooka]

How thr F does a grown man get hit by a goddamned 3m wide, 10m long bus?

Have you ever used a pedestrian crossing in Thailand? It is suicide to use zebra crossing because drivers don't know what they are.

[crusader79]

Thailand already has the dubious distinction to be the number 1 country in the world in traffic fatalities. Check data at the WHO before you feel compelled to apologize for something inexcusable of this nature.

I thought it was a close second to Namibia, but point taken.

[Seastallion]

That stretch of Ploen Chit down to Siam Sq. is dangerously confusing to pedestrians because one side of the divided road is one way but the other side is two way.

I damn near got squished by a bus crossing opposite Police headquarters once after getting off a bus. I crossed the inbound side no problem, waited on the divider looking left for outbound traffic and began to cross. The driver of the bus coming from the right must have been pretty skillful to miss me, a blaring horn the first clue of how close to dying I had come

There are no signs to warn that one side is two way.

It used to be that way at the Nana traffic light at the crossing at the police booth..Both sides were two way at certain hours and more than a few farangs took their last steps there. About ten years ago, a fellow was hit by a cement truck when crossing late at night. Soon after, they changed the configuration to what it is today.

Similar reason I nearly copped it in Vientienne, but my own fault. Used to traffic coming from my right, I am in the habit of looking right first, then left. I stepped off the curb onto the road without looking left first, forgetting it is left hand drive there. Luckily the driver braked.

[chongtak]

The taxi driver will be charged a fine of 1000 baht for murder by negligence...

[Strangebrew]

Well he should have been walking with soi dog in tow. Look way I see if you don't like the way Thai's drive stay off the sidewalk.,They can't pass a drivers test what else can you expect?

[Chao Lao Beach]

A soi dog crossing a street will bring traffic to a halt but... why not humans too. If the dog, according to Thais beliefs, could be a reincarnated or reborn ancestor, why not a human being too?

A lucid Thai friend says that is not only that a vehicle has more rank and value than a person in this society but, if the car is a Benz, then it commands even more respect than a Toyota.

You hit the nail on its head.

[sumtingwong]

Did the taxi driver get a reward?

[bristolgeoff]

sad thing to happen but what was he doing on the road with traffic so busy.he was asking to be hit by a bus if he was in ih heavy traffic