Finnish man killed crossing Phuket road

[Lite Beer]

Finnish man killed crossing Phuket road

Eakkapop Thongtub

PHUKET: A Finnish man was killed instantly this morning (May 16) when a Honda CRV smashed into him while he was crossing a road in Rawai.

At 4am, Chalong police were called to the scene of an incident where a Honda CRV had hit a pedestrian on Patak Rd in Rawai.

Police and Ruamjai Kupai rescue workers arrived at the scene, near Moo Baan Patak Villa, to find the body Swedish man (name withheld until he family has been notified) lying in a pool of blood. He had suffered a broken neck. Police found a credit card in the victim’s pocket.

20 metres away, Phuket registered Honda CRV with its front damaged. The driver was waiting for police to arrive.

Witness said the victim had visited a friend in the area and when he ran across the road a Honda came at high speed from Chalong circle heading towards Karon and slammed into the victim.

The body of the victim was taken to Vachira hospital.

Police are contacting with the Finnish embassy and working on notifying the victim's family.

Police took the driver of the vehicle to Chalong police station for questioning before charging him with reckless driving causing death.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/swedish-man-killed-crossing-phuket-road-52349.php

-- Phuket News 2015-05-16

[NamKangMan]

"Witness said the victim had visited a friend in the area and when he ran across the road"

"Police took the driver of the vehicle to Chalong police station for questioning before charging him with reckless driving causing death."

So, if someone runs out in front of you, at 4am, possibly drunk, and you can not stop in time, the accident is your fault.

Interesting!!!!

[LivinginKata]

Another news report said it was a man from Finland ... whatever it is a sad death.

As for the SUV driver ... we all take that risk when we drive in Thailand. That's why I park the car up well before the drunks venture out.

[stevenl]

Yes, traffic is quite often speeding there, especially at night.

On the other hand, I have also been surprised on numerous occasions by people waiting in the middle of the road to cross the next section. But with poor lighting they are often almost invisible until you're nearly onto them, and the darker tints on the windows here don't help as well.

[Old Croc]

All the news sources state the victim was Finnish, including The Phuket News who were quoted in this thread.

[zaphod reborn]

RIP to the victim, and condolences to his family and friends.

Doubtful the Rawai police could ever establish fault in this automobile-pedestrian collision. Usually, adult pedestrians do not dart out in front of cars. But, at the time of early morning that this fatal incident occurred, it's possible the victim was inebriated and did just that. I don't expect the police have the capability of doing actual accident reconstructive work, so there probably won't be charges against the driver.

[Lite Beer]

All the news sources state the victim was Finnish, including The Phuket News who were quoted in this thread.

Swedish when I posted it.

Looks like they have since corrected things.

[stevenl]

All the news sources state the victim was Finnish, including The Phuket News who were quoted in this thread.

The first article here claimed he was a Swede. The original article has been changed.

[balo]

I beleve he was Finnish, not Swedish. Anyway tourists walking around at 4 am , and maybe drunk should not be allowed crossing roads, because they are not familiiar with how locals drive here.

[ezzra]

No need for drivers to flee anymore seeing the light sentences those killer drivers are getting of late...

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

"Witness said the victim had visited a friend in the area and when he ran across the road"

"Police took the driver of the vehicle to Chalong police station for questioning before charging him with reckless driving causing death."

So, if someone runs out in front of you, at 4am, possibly drunk, and you can not stop in time, the accident is your fault.

Interesting!!!!

If the driver was also drunk or was driving far beyond the speed limit (as the article suggests) then yes, he should be charged. If the driver was within the law then it is just an accident and I hope he is treated fairly. I at least give him credit for staying at the scene.

[T_Dog]

-wrong thread-

Edited May 16, 2015 by T_Dog

[stevenl]

No need for drivers to flee anymore seeing the light sentences those killer drivers are getting of late...

The sentence is not the reason people flee the scene, being under the influence and/or fear of locals are.

[stevenl]

"Witness said the victim had visited a friend in the area and when he ran across the road"

"Police took the driver of the vehicle to Chalong police station for questioning before charging him with reckless driving causing death."

So, if someone runs out in front of you, at 4am, possibly drunk, and you can not stop in time, the accident is your fault.

Interesting!!!!

Who says the accident is his fault? So far nobody.

Charging him is SOP, and only a means to gain some time to investigate a bit, outcome can easily be: driver not at fault.

[oneday]

RIP

7500 baht fine and 1 year suspended sentence...

...taking bets now...

[razer]

Well ... my respect to the driver who didn't disappear into the darkness. I wonder if the punishment for those who leave the scene, get caught and confess with tears in their eyes, is the same as for those who take responsibility.

Edited May 16, 2015 by razer

[pjthefey]

Swedish man gets hit.... They call the Finnish embassy. Awesome.

[Oziex1]

I think they meant the Swede is now finit.

[NamKangMan]

RIP to the victim, and condolences to his family and friends.

Doubtful the Rawai police could ever establish fault in this automobile-pedestrian collision. Usually, adult pedestrians do not dart out in front of cars. But, at the time of early morning that this fatal incident occurred, it's possible the victim was inebriated and did just that. I don't expect the police have the capability of doing actual accident reconstructive work, so there probably won't be charges against the driver.

"before charging him with reckless driving causing death" - the driver has already been charged.

[NamKangMan]

RIP

7500 baht fine and 1 year suspended sentence...

...taking bets now...

Depends if the driver is Thai, or farang.

You will need two different sets of odds.

[gemguy]

Well now...there you go...proves well enough that 2 people making mistakes at the same time make for a deadly accident.

Everyone has to be all the more careful and often enough less care free...or being in the wrong place at the wrong time can have nasty consequences.

RIP...to the deceased.

Cheers

[NamKangMan]

"Witness said the victim had visited a friend in the area and when he ran across the road"

"Police took the driver of the vehicle to Chalong police station for questioning before charging him with reckless driving causing death."

So, if someone runs out in front of you, at 4am, possibly drunk, and you can not stop in time, the accident is your fault.

Interesting!!!!

Who says the accident is his fault? So far nobody.

Charging him is SOP, and only a means to gain some time to investigate a bit, outcome can easily be: driver not at fault.

The driver shouldn't have been charged at all.

The "friend" he visited was his ex-girlfriend. They had an argument and he jumped in front of the car to commit suicide.

Case Closed.

[NamKangMan]

"Witness said the victim had visited a friend in the area and when he ran across the road"

"Police took the driver of the vehicle to Chalong police station for questioning before charging him with reckless driving causing death."

So, if someone runs out in front of you, at 4am, possibly drunk, and you can not stop in time, the accident is your fault.

Interesting!!!!

If the driver was also drunk or was driving far beyond the speed limit (as the article suggests) then yes, he should be charged. If the driver was within the law then it is just an accident and I hope he is treated fairly. I at least give him credit for staying at the scene.

The article did not mention the driver being under the influence.

It did, however, mention he was driving at speed. That said, I doubt any of the witnesses are qualified to make an assessment of what speed the vehicle was traveling at, upon impact, which can be relied upon in a Court of law.

As another member suggests, the Thai police do not have the expertise to use the crime scene to establish the facts.

In any case, the pedestrian should give way to vehicles when crossing the road, not vehicles give way to pedestrians, unless it is a desinated crossing.

If the pediestrian "ran" across the road, in front of the vehicle - pedestrian's fault.

If the pedestrian was standing in the middle of the road - mitigating circumstancees, but drivers fault.

Edited May 16, 2015 by NamKangMan

[ToddinChonburi]

They post a picture and make it all blurry, no need to even post a picture. RIP

[balo]

RIP

7500 baht fine and 1 year suspended sentence...

...taking bets now...

Bet is on.

My guess is 5000 baht and a clap on the shoulder.

[hugh2121]

"Witness said the victim had visited a friend in the area and when he ran across the road"

"Police took the driver of the vehicle to Chalong police station for questioning before charging him with reckless driving causing death."

So, if someone runs out in front of you, at 4am, possibly drunk, and you can not stop in time, the accident is your fault.

Interesting!!!!

It is if you are exceeding a speed limit or, of course, if drunk in charge.

[Nobb]

"Witness said the victim had visited a friend in the area and when he ran across the road"

"Police took the driver of the vehicle to Chalong police station for questioning before charging him with reckless driving causing death."

So, if someone runs out in front of you, at 4am, possibly drunk, and you can not stop in time, the accident is your fault.

Interesting!!!!

You are assuming the man who was killed was drunk. What about the speeding driver. Speed could be the factor and i think you should under stand that a man is dead. You must be very stupid person to make this response!

[grumpyoldman]

"Witness said the victim had visited a friend in the area and when he ran across the road"

"Police took the driver of the vehicle to Chalong police station for questioning before charging him with reckless driving causing death."

So, if someone runs out in front of you, at 4am, possibly drunk, and you can not stop in time, the accident is your fault.

Interesting!!!!

You are assuming the man who was killed was drunk. What about the speeding driver. Speed could be the factor and i think you should under stand that a man is dead. You must be very stupid person to make this response!

Nobb, I usually don't come to NKM's defense but be realistic. Calling NKM stupid when a man made a desision to run across the road at 4AM which led to his demise is sort of out of line. At 4AM how many cars do you think are there? Could not/see hear the vehicle charging out of the circle?

Anyway, bad deal all around, RIP and sorry to friends and relatives

[Valentine]

RIP

7500 baht fine and 1 year suspended sentence...

...taking bets now...

Bet is on.

My guess is 5000 baht and a clap on the shoulder.

Making jokes out of tragedy is bad taste. In nearly all cases we never get a follow up or hear what happened to the guilty party.

[Argus Tuft]

RIP

7500 baht fine and 1 year suspended sentence...

...taking bets now...

Bet is on.

My guess is 5000 baht and a clap on the shoulder.

Terrible post, shame on you