Sad story of killed Brit in Pai

[CMfoodie]

CityNews - Thanundon “Earn” Pratangkham, 30, has reportedly admitted that he was at fault for the road accident that killed 25-year-old British expat Thomas Treharne Cottrell and severely injured his Thai girlfriend, Punika Ariayagun, 29.

Thanundon confessed to police that he accepted responsibility for the accident because he was in the wrong lane when he went around the curve on the Pai road and collided into Cottrell’s motorcycle on January 18.

Results of the drug tests supposedly taken several days after the accident have not yet surfaced.

At the end of January, Cottrell’s parents, Susannah and Nick Edward Cottrell, travelled from their home in Gibraltar to Thailand to bid farewell, cremate their son’s body and see to legal affairs, in what many local netizens are calling a severely mishandled case in the hands of Pai police.

The Cottrells went to Pai to meet with Police Lieutenant Kiatsakul Chairattanajaroen, who is in charge of their son’s case, with the intention of following up on the case’s progress.

http://www.chiangmaicitynews.com/news.php?id=4836

[robertthebruce]

Sad sad story....

But not unique in Thailand....

[Beng]

Rip

[raphoedon]

Lost my brother in a similar scenario in Samui, two motorbikes one drunk Thai man on the wrong side of the road on a sharp bend. Killed my brother and wanted compensation for his bike and loss of earnings.

[Lizard2010]

Waiting to see if this man is charged

What will happen to him

[worgeordie]

That does not happen often,a Thai taking responsibility for a wrong doing,

25 years, too young to die, RIP,

regards Worgeordie

[MisterTee]

Waiting to see if this man is charged

What will happen to him

If drug or alcohol use can't be proven, he will probably be charged with negligence resulting in a token fine. Not jail time.

No criminal intent could be proven in this case if the facts are as reported.

[Ulysses G.]

It be pretty easy to make a mistake on that road. It is very dangerous. If he was not drinking or taking drugs, it is admirable that he took responsibility.

[Puwa]

Lost my brother in a similar scenario in Samui, two motorbikes one drunk Thai man on the wrong side of the road on a sharp bend. Killed my brother and wanted compensation for his bike and loss of earnings.

That's revolting. I'm sorry for your loss.

[daveAustin]

Tell the girlfriend with crushed pelvis and the parents who had to endure him trying to worm his way out of trouble how admirable the driver is. It may only look 'admirable' to seasoned expats because 99 times out of a 100 a Thai would not NEVER admit responsibility.

And I am not in the least bit surprised that the Pai police have mishandled this case, because they are utterly incompetent in anything other than collecting tea money. Unfortunately when things go wrong here, you're on your own and totally at the whim of the puerile, fickle system. The police would have viewed his parents coming over and questioning them as interfering and a nuisance.

[giibaht]

Very sad case. Especially sobering as it seems this didn't happen at a sharp & narrow blind turn. I always slow down at such turns up in the mountains/country side, and honk to warn oncoming traffic. Still, I figure that only reduce the risk of head-on collision only so much.

Edited February 14, 2015 by giibaht

[trainman34014]

RIP the lad, best wishes for a speedy recovery for the young lass and condolences to the lads family.

If Parents in the Western World knew of the total incompetence of the RTP before their children or other relatives traveled to this country they would never allow anyone to come here. The Travel Industry in the West has a lot to answer for along with respective Governments that never forewarn tourists of the dangers lurking here and the complete disregard by the Thai authorities for the safety and wellbeing of its visitors.

A painful story, sadly to be repeated in similar cases on an almost weekly basis.

[colinneil]

Thai admit fault in a road accident.

That would be a first.

I was hit by a high ranking government official, police bloody joke , they said i was drunk ( no breath test ,no blood test no follow up) nothing.

Told my wife i was not earing a helmet (lies) neighbour has a photo of me taken seconds after accident , wih my helmet on my head, they said i had no tax on bike, no insurance, lies all present and correct.

His parents went to see officer in charge , wasting there time thats what they are doing. They will only get b..l...t story from police.

He was too young to die 25 so very sad, my condolenses to his family.

R.I.P. young man hope you have gone to a better place.

[EmptyHead]

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Lost my brother in a similar scenario in Samui, two motorbikes one drunk Thai man on the wrong side of the road on a sharp bend. Killed my brother and wanted compensation for his bike and loss of earnings.

They will always find a new low. Absolutely no respect for anything.

[NickJ]

Horrible sad story. Way way to young. Hope the girl is going to be able to get better and have a full recovery.

[Asiantravel]

Thai admit fault in a road accident.

That would be a first.

I was hit by a high ranking government official, police bloody joke , they said i was drunk ( no breath test ,no blood test no follow up) nothing.

Told my wife i was not earing a helmet (lies) neighbour has a photo of me taken seconds after accident , wih my helmet on my head, they said i had no tax on bike, no insurance, lies all present and correct.

His parents went to see officer in charge , wasting there time thats what they are doing. They will only get b..l...t story from police.

He was too young to die 25 so very sad, my condolenses to his family.

R.I.P. young man hope you have gone to a better place.

This is why whenever I see a police vehicle in my rearview mirror I am just as cautious and defensive with them as I am when I see a big bus or a minivan coming up quickly behind me

with their kamikaze style drivers.

The reason I view police vehicles this way is because I know if ever there was any incident involving a police vehicle the occupants can get away with anything

[Beetlejuice]

Tell the girlfriend with crushed pelvis and the parents who had to endure him trying to worm his way out of trouble how admirable the driver is. It may only look 'admirable' to seasoned expats because 99 times out of a 100 a Thai would not NEVER admit responsibility.

And I am not in the least bit surprised that the Pai police have mishandled this case, because they are utterly incompetent in anything other than collecting tea money. Unfortunately when things go wrong here, you're on your own and totally at the whim of the puerile, fickle system. The police would have viewed his parents coming over and questioning them as interfering and a nuisance.

Sadly you are right.

Thailand is a wonderful country to live unless or until serious problems occur and then at the mercy of a haphazard system and the laid back attitudes of the authorities. Unless victims of injustices and crime are people of high profile or know people in high places, then the odds of acquiring satisfactory conclusions to events like the OP are extremely slim.

[Greenside]

If by "a haphazard system and the laid back attitudes of the authorities." you mean incompetence, corruption and a total disregard for even the most basic principles of justice, you should come right out and say so. Understatement serves only to preserve the status quo.

[JulieM]

I've had wonderful support from the Thai police the two times I needed to involve them. In one case a total loser farang was deported, and in another case a Thai guy had to close his bar due to noise issues. My hat is off to the Thai cops.

[bangmai]

I would say we could learn from this tragedy, but doesn't everyone, who has been more than 2 Km from the Night Bazaar know:

Motorbikes are dangerous....

Motorbikes with passengers more so.....

Roads to Pai are curvy and mountainous ...

Thai Roads are as dangerous as it gets, on a good day....

Many drink and drive here......

About 1 Brit per day dies in Thailand; the majority in motorbike crashes....

A farang in an accident will rarely be compensated, and will likely be faulted....

There are lots of waterfalls, trails, mountains, etc.. right here in CM....

but, if you must.....

A mini-bus will take you to Pai for 199 THB.

Is any of this news to anyone?

RIP to the deceased, and condolences to his family, and may the young lady have a full recovery. Some justice would also be appropriate.

Edited February 16, 2015 by bangmai

[uptheos]

Any update on this?

[Duvidl]

And, unfortunately, mini-buses also get into trouble on the road to Pai.

http://news.thaivisa.com/thaivisa-news/several-farang-tourists-injured-in-van-crash/35603/

Edited March 7, 2015 by Duvidl

[Sparkles]

And, unfortunately, mini-buses also get into trouble on the road to Pai.

http://news.thaivisa.com/thaivisa-news/several-farang-tourists-injured-in-van-crash/35603/

Minor miracle that only 1 died in that accident. We've done it many times and always felt safer in the smaller 20 seat buses which have now gone off that route.

Vans always make me feel like a sardine in a can

[bangmai]

And, unfortunately, mini-buses also get into trouble on the road to Pai.

http://news.thaivisa.com/thaivisa-news/several-farang-tourists-injured-in-van-crash/35603/

and most walked away (except for the driver, who was shuffling very rapidly). BTW, 160 to Pai as of a few days ago. Everything I hear says I don't want to go there.

Greenbus rules!