Canadian family raising money to get son home after scooter crash in Thailand

[stevenl]

This story does raise an interesting point. Let say you are legally drunk, but are

carefully driving home even though you are a bit impaired. Then suddenly a

Thai bike with three people on it hit you, and one of them dies. Is it automatically

your fault if you are drunk, even though the Thai guy caused the accident ?

No.

[attento]

The funny thing about how they worded the title of this article. At first glance, I thought it was a humanitarian plead for help. Then I read and found it to be a drunk driving offense. Fooled again

Aren't all drunks really just pleading for help? Seems this kid didn't learn his lesson in Canada. Too bad his parents allowed him to come here to Thailand to screw up again.

I wouldn't exactly call him a kid. One article said he was 32 so I don't think he would need to check with his parents about coming to Thailand,

Chronological age is one thing, mental age is different matter !

Edited May 4, 2015 by attento

[cookee68]

What idiot goes to any foreign country with out insurance, it should be compulsory before you can enter to produce an insurance document, for your self and others

[halloween]

This story does raise an interesting point. Let say you are legally drunk, but are

carefully driving home even though you are a bit impaired. Then suddenly a

Thai bike with three people on it hit you, and one of them dies. Is it automatically

your fault if you are drunk, even though the Thai guy caused the accident ?

In NSW, yes apparently.

A friend on a bike, after a party and a few hours sleep, was on his way to work when involved in an accident with a car that came through a STOP sign. First action of police was to breath test both parties and all investigation of cause stopped with a positive reading.

[JAG]

where was his travel insurance when he come to Thailand.if he did he would be ok now and back home

I doubt travel insurance would help.

If he was driving drunk that would invalidate it, if he was driving without a licence, (his Canadian licence was suspended I have read), that would also invalidate it.

[halloween]

where was his travel insurance when he come to Thailand.if he did he would be ok now and back home

I doubt travel insurance would help.

If he was driving drunk that would invalidate it, if he was driving without a licence, (his Canadian licence was suspended I have read), that would also invalidate it.

I read his Canadian licence was suspended, too. I also read the date, 2003. OTOH in numerous accidents on Samui, the first thing they do at the hospital is check blood alcohol content and wipe your travel insurance if over the limit.

BTW recently found out in Oz limit is .05 and you will be charged AT level .05 rather than at more than.

[JAG]

I missed the date his licence was suspended.

I know that we all make mistakes, and I have on occasions done things which have made me shudder the day afterwards, but this chap seems to stretch the boundaries of recklessness.

[BSJ]

The guy is a 'drop kick' as we call stupid people back in Oz. I got no sympathy for him.

[bkkcanuck8]

Looks like the crowdfunding site that was up to $13,000 has been disabled..... I can only guess that it may have violated the terms of service.... maybe raising money to corrupt the criminal process is considered a violation?

[DavisH]

25,000,000 baht compensation? How much goes to the police? Think there's more to the story than is reported.

. Where did you get that Figure, I saw b100,000

Suggest you read the post again... what you saw was $100,000 not Baht $=dollars

100,000 dollars isn't 25 million baht. 250,000 dollars maybe, depending on the exchange rate.

[simple1]

<snip>

BTW recently found out in Oz limit is .05 and you will be charged AT level .05 rather than at more than.

Incorrect. Fines increase according to blood alcohol level reading and can include immediate ban from driving at time of arrest, prior to Court hearing, for high level reading. Other circumstances can increase the level of fine, length of ban from driving also increases according to blood alcohol reading, prior convictions for driving offenses and so on. Depending on the magistrate, low level reading often results in a 3 - 6 month ban from driving.

[MobileContent]

As far as I know the bloke even didn't had a license to drive a scooter in Thailand plus he was drunk and had past cases for drunk driving.

He picked the wrong country.

[HooHaa]

where was his travel insurance when he come to Thailand.if he did he would be ok now and back home

travel insurance does not pay out for drunk driving injuries

[MobileContent]

What idiot goes to any foreign country with out insurance, it should be compulsory before you can enter to produce an insurance document, for your self and others

I am paying yearly 3000 Euros that covers the whole Asia plus 500,000 Euros 4 life uf I got killed and if I am drunk and drive without a license I am still not covered.

[ratcatcher]

25,000,000 baht compensation? How much goes to the police? Think there's more to the story than is reported.

. Where did you get that Figure, I saw b100,000

Suggest you read the post again... what you saw was $100,000 not Baht $=dollars

100,000 dollars isn't 25 million baht. 250,000 dollars maybe, depending on the exchange rate.

".....250,000 dollars maybe, depending on the exchange rate. "

C$250,000 at today's exchange rate would get you around C$6,870,000.00 Six million, eight hundred & seventy thousand. Give or take.

http://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/convert/?Amount=250000&From=CAD&To=THB

[falangjim]

The funny thing about how they worded the title of this article. At first glance, I thought it was a humanitarian plead for help. Then I read and found it to be a drunk driving offense. Fooled again

Aren't all drunks really just pleading for help? Seems this kid didn't learn his lesson in Canada. Too bad his parents allowed him to come here to Thailand to screw up again.

His parents allowed him....`?

The little boy is 32 years old, do you think he is still asking them for advice?

Nowhere in the two original postings does it mention his age. Fine. If he's 32, then let him fry.

[Keesters]

morale of the story... do not ride scooters

Not at all. See post #34

[mick01827]

Driving drunk or not I've had 4 serious accidents here in Pattaya on my scooter. The last one I was going back to hotel (after dinner and a few beers) down a one way street and a drunk thai going wrong way on the same street hit me head on. I suffered a minor concussion and my wife lost vision in one eye and banged up her elbow pretty badly. Regardless I paid the drunk thai guy 2000 baht and got back on the bike and we went to the hospital the next day. In hindsight I could of walked over to soi 9 police box (we were on soi 10) but in the back of my mind the farang is always wrong here.

Maybe if you hadn't had 'A FEW BEERS' after dinner you would of been more alert and aware of your surroundings.

Think there's a lesson to be learnt....DONT DRINK AND DRIVE

Got sidetracked there. My point is between the potholes you can't see when it rains and the unpredictable-ability of Thais don't ride the scooters here. I still ride them to get to the gym once a day but after all these accidents I'm 41 with two herniated discs and terrible sciatica down my right leg. I was a successful lawyer at home now after 5 concussions my memory isn't great and your personality permanently changes after too many head injuries.

Be careful all on these scooters. I love driving them but be aware of the consequences driving them, especially drunk.

[ratcatcher]

Actually he's a charming young man and deserves everything coming to him..

http://www.campbellrivermirror.com/news/114741954.html?mobile=true

[mick01827]

Moral of the story; Don't rent scooters in Thailand.

Renting scooters isn't the problem, it's the people renting them that's the problem

People who have no riding experience

People who get drunk and ride the mopeds, with no riding experience, (I'm not saying it's ok to ride drunk if your an experienced rider)

People who have the incorrect travel insurance

[bkkcanuck8]

The first stories out claimed that it was a ransom for his freedom and releasing limited information so that other people would pay for his "freedom". It had to be adjusted as Phuketwan investigated locally of course. I have no doubt that all the details of the incident were available earlier but the story was being spun in the most sympathetic light so that they could raise funds to pay for his "ransom".

Nowhere in the two original postings does it mention his age. Fine. If he's 32, then let him fry.

Jason Hoffman, 32, recorded an alcohol level of 0.195 after the collision in which Pranee Pitaksaktamrong, 18, was killed instantly, according to police.

Other stories in chronological order of publication:

http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/family-selling-calgary-man-s-belongings-to-cover-fees-after-thailand-crash-1.2343303

http://globalnews.ca/news/1975760/campbell-river-family-raising-money-to-get-son-home-after-scooter-crash-in-thailand/

[jerojero]

25,000,000 baht compensation? How much goes to the police? Think there's more to the story than is reported????

How you come up with the 25 million baht number,, $100,000 USD is around 3.200,000 baht. In general a life is worth around 300,000 baht.. which is what you see on many insurance policies if one dies.

Second, the BIB have no business asking money this is a Civil Case, The BIB should be only concern with the lost of life! Again...

Family need to get a Lawyer quick if not already. Something is missing here in the story which is not unusual!

Calculation decimal error, sorry. However he's from Canada and exchange rate currently is CDN$1=25 baht...thus 2.5MM baht.

[zeichen]

He drove drunk, He didn't have a proper license or insurance, He is 32 years old but I still don't get how they get the 100k dollars quote. One family requested 100k, another family around 200k and the family of the deceased girl was around 1.5 million baht add on his hospital bills and police fines still should be less than 2million baht. Which is closer to 80k dollars.

The family of the man is making it sound like he is getting banged up abroad as an innocent victim.

I do feel that if he got a proper lawyer the families could be negotiated down as the girls were 3 on a bike, driving without helmets also.

However, I just don't understand why he doesn't get at least a few years in prison. It is manslaughter not an accident when you are drunk driving.

[lemonjelly]

Whether he's guilty or not, the fact that the Royal Thai Police take somebody to a filthy prison merely days after invasive surgery astounds me, I didn't realise how stupid they really are..... An afterthought, did a doctor approve his release from medical care knowing that the patient was going to be taken into the "care" of a prison system that would obviously put the patient's health at high risk? As for the ransom negotiations, I suppose it's a step up from the jet ski scam.

Who said the prison was filthy?

Here on Samui there is a prison wing at the government hospital.

It didn't mention that in the OP, maybe they took him to the prison wing in the hospital, but i'm still pretty confident that the local prison is probably filthy.

[halloween]

<snip>

BTW recently found out in Oz limit is .05 and you will be charged AT level .05 rather than at more than.

Incorrect. Fines increase according to blood alcohol level reading and can include immediate ban from driving at time of arrest, prior to Court hearing, for high level reading. Other circumstances can increase the level of fine, length of ban from driving also increases according to blood alcohol reading, prior convictions for driving offenses and so on. Depending on the magistrate, low level reading often results in a 3 - 6 month ban from driving.

Oh for Pete's sake, learn how to read. If the speed limit is 60 and you drive at 60 you will NOT be charged. The blood alcohol content is .05 and you WILL be charged at that level, which is a different interpretation of "limit". Can you grasp that?