Foreign tourist dies at Chiang Mai zipline attraction

[connda]

i think this is the 3rd. incident at CM ziplines this year, 2 dead.2 injured?

Thailand Vacation Itinerary

------------------------

National Parks (dual pricing - out)

Tiger Park (mauling - out)

Visa Run + Chiang Rai tour (van deaths after head-on passing on blind curve)

Over-night Train from BKK to CM (derail, derail, derail, derail, derail)

Visit Karoke Bar (Son and Dad gang beat and put in hospital over bill)

Go Dancing (Foreigner in coma after bouncer gang beating)

Listen to music (Son injured, Father killed by band members)

Head to Nana Plaza for fun (2 ladyboys mug, rob drunk foreigner)

Zipline Adventure (2 dead, 2 injured in 2015)

Taxi tour of Bangkok (Driver kills passenger with machete over 50 THB fare)

Stay at Pattaya High-rise hotel (Foreigner dead after mysterious fall - possible suicide)

Relax at the pool (Foreign electrocuted by poorly installed pool light)

Plane trip to Thailand via Malaysian Air (Airplane disappears)

Note to self: Stay home this year and tour my own country (priceless!)

Edited October 14, 2015 by connda

[connda]

"There are several times when a person is NOT tethered to a safety line"

Jesus! It that really true? How on earth is that allowed? 50ft up in the air and you are NOT tethered? Is that the same for ALL the Zip Lines around Chiang Mai?

I keep re-reading the initial post and I can't see anything that said she was 50ft up in the air. People often get multiple fractures tripping off a curb on the side of the road.

Would you please point out where you got this information? Thanks.

Unless she suffered an heart attack at that split moment in time that the rope was not attached then they are responsible, and how would they possibly know if someone died of an heart attack, they tried to cover up the truth and should be charged for the death. end of story

You've raised two points here, both of them very important...

First, today Forensic Science is able to tell if someone died from a heart attack (by enzymes present in the blood) or from the impact of a fall. No problem. Simple science.

Next, "if' they tried to cover up the truth of an accident, YES, they SHOULD be charged with the death of this woman. So the crux of this matter lies in actually finding out the truth, rather than just making wild assumptions. Facts, rather than assumptions. Right now we have only two; she died and she fell and broke bones. Nothing more.

However, any accident makes for the ideal soapbox for Thai Bashing, and our usual Thai Bashers waste no time voicing racist remarks. Makes me wonder just why they stay in a country filled with people they hate so much...

Ya gotta think like Columbo or Kojak: Ziplines, wires - high in the air, platforms - high in the air. Multiple fractures from falling off curb - possible but unlikely. Multiple fractures from falling from high location - possible and likely. Heart attack causing multiple fracture without falling from high location - improbable and unlikely. Heart attack and falling from high location - probably and possible. Thais saving face - probable, possible, and likely.

It has nothing to do with hate. It has to do with accepting responsibility which is not a strong point in this culture, and it has to do with safety records which is not a strong point in this country. That's not hate - it just is. Calling something 'hate' simply because you do not wish to have some the the harsher realities of this particular country brought to your attention is...rather silly double-speak or ignorance. You're simply focusing your own disapproval (hate?) of an opinion of a poster. Hummm? See how easy it is to toss that word around. I don't think you hate the poster, and I don't think the poster hates Thais. There are serious problems in this country that should be voiced - the squeaky wheel gets the oil. You have to admit: Our 'farang' [isn't that a racist word] cultural bias is not to stick our heads in the sand when we see something amiss. We are opinionated. I don't think that's a bad thing. Your mileage will vary. lol

Edited October 14, 2015 by connda

[FolkGuitar]

Sorry, but I just don't believe in throwing people in jail for 'possible and likely.' Put the shoe on the other foot for a minute... Someone 'thinks' it's 'possible and likely' that you committed some egregious act. Maybe you did, but maybe you didn't. The facts aren't available yet. Would you feel that you are being treated fairly if people are ready to execute you before the facts are actually known? I don't think you would. It's called 'Lynch Mob Mentality,' and more than one innocent person has died because of it. I'm not saying that in this case the zip line company is innocent of wrongdoing. I'm saying 'we don't have the facts.'

[LarryBird]

LarryBird, on 14 Oct 2015 - 10:59, said: I guess you are implying this poster is me, which it's not.

Really? Why is this night different from all other nights?

I wouldn't go through the time and effort required to post from somewhere else to waste my time on you.

Really? Why is this night different from all other nights? LOL!

Having already been suspended twice for stalking me, spending God only knows how many hours tracking down all my posts so you can hit the 'like' button so I get the notice, then unliking them again so they don't show up on the screen, visiting my 'profile' page day after day.... Larry, it seems as if you actually DO waste your time on me, and I'm flattered. Concerned about your stability, but flattered.

I am guessing you are one of those people that says 'innocent until proven guilty'.

Oh... My... God! Can you imagine?!? I'm one of THOSE! (I certainly hope my friends and neighbors never find out.)

What a concept! Innocent until proven guilty.... Actually dealing with facts instead of conjecture born out of knee-jerk and often racist emotion.... Shocking idea, that, eh?

The basis for virtually every modern justice system in the world today, yet you, in your ignorance, laugh at it.

Larry, we can always count on you for a good laugh, even though it's usually at your expense.

As usual, the point went right over your head, and this is going to be difficult for you to understand, but I agree with 'Innocent until proven guilt' in a COURT of LAW. Ok? There is however a difference in speculating about things on internet forum, which you don't seem to understand. Sorry that you missed the point, and ruined your good laugh, but people on an internet forum will tend to speculate on things before the decision made in court case two years down the road... Now, in Thailand, you may not be aware, but people will tend to pay their way out of having to go to trial, so we never see 'real justice' , or those 'facts to come out' that you seem to be so eager to wait for. As MaeJoMTB has already mentioned, a settlement has been awarded. You can wait all you want to see what that means, the rest of us will use our brain.

Just an FYI as to why I even looked for this thread. There was a bad accident near my house, and I looked to see if it was covered on CM108. I scanned the site and saw the ziplining accident and thought 'oh wow, I wonder what old FolkGuitar has to say about this one?' And there you were chirping away with your usual view point.

Anyway, you think I am so funny and stupid, I am open to an IQ test whenever you want. Tell me how many points you are willing to spot me as well, since you think you're so much smarter. If you are open to the idea, I will agree to leave the forum, if I lose, so long as you agree to the same conditions.

[MaeJoMTB]

i think this is the 3rd. incident at CM ziplines this year, 2 dead.2 injured?

Thailand Vacation Itinerary

------------------------

National Parks (dual pricing - out)

Tiger Park (mauling - out)

Visa Run + Chiang Rai tour (van deaths after head-on passing on blind curve)

Over-night Train from BKK to CM (derail, derail, derail, derail, derail)

Visit Karoke Bar (Son and Dad gang beat and put in hospital over bill)

Go Dancing (Foreigner in coma after bouncer gang beating)

Listen to music (Son injured, Father killed by band members)

Head to Nana Plaza for fun (2 ladyboys mug, rob drunk foreigner)

Zipline Adventure (2 dead, 2 injured in 2015)

Taxi tour of Bangkok (Driver kills passenger with machete over 50 THB fare)

Stay at Pattaya High-rise hotel (Foreigner dead after mysterious fall - possible suicide)

Relax at the pool (Foreign electrocuted by poorly installed pool light)

Plane trip to Thailand via Malaysian Air (Airplane disappears)

Note to self: Stay home this year and tour my own country (priceless!)

You forgot all the guys in CM that slip in the shower and die, not to mention the tourists that mysteriously died in their sleep in bed. Remember the guy in Pattaya? slipped on his poolside, hit his head, and drowned in his pool.

Staying at home in ain't all that safe.

[MaeJoMTB]

Sorry, but I just don't believe in throwing people in jail for 'possible and likely.' Put the shoe on the other foot for a minute... Someone 'thinks' it's 'possible and likely' that you committed some egregious act. Maybe you did, but maybe you didn't. The facts aren't available yet. Would you feel that you are being treated fairly if people are ready to execute you before the facts are actually known? I don't think you would. It's called 'Lynch Mob Mentality,' and more than one innocent person has died because of it. I'm not saying that in this case the zip line company is innocent of wrongdoing. I'm saying 'we don't have the facts.'

Sorry, didn't you see my post about the settlement.

1.9Mbht cash payment, 6 expenses paid trips to CM for the Chinese relatives, and the body shipped home.

I spoke too soon, two of the staff appear to have admitted guilt.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/863033-chiang-mai-police-charge-employees-in-zipline-tourist-death/

Edited October 15, 2015 by MaeJoMTB

[LarryBird]

It's interesting FolkGuitar was happy to falsely accuse me of posting under another screen name without proper information, but other members speculating on a suspicious 'heart attack' is way out of line!!

[MaeJoMTB]

I keep re-reading the initial post and I can't see anything that said she was 50ft up in the air. People often get multiple fractures tripping off a curb on the side of the road.

Would you please point out where you got this information? Thanks.

Here

http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1444734610&section=12

[FolkGuitar]

I keep re-reading the initial post and I can't see anything that said she was 50ft up in the air. People often get multiple fractures tripping off a curb on the side of the road.

Would you please point out where you got this information? Thanks.

Here

http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1444734610&section=12

Well, I read it three times, and still didn't see anything about her falling 50 feet. In fact, it doesn't say anything about her 'falling' at all, does it. It says the broken neck was the result of an 'abrupt stop' at the end of the zip line. And as zip line never terminate right on the ground, she probably was dead long before she reached the ground as the staff must have removed her harness and taken her off the line.

Once again, and for the third time, I'll repeat that I've never said that the company wasn't responsible for the accident. I simply say that I'll wait for the facts. That the family accepted just $50,000 for the life of the woman 'suggests' to me that even THEY don't think the company at fault. How much would you demand if it was your relative?

[LarryBird]

That the family accepted just $50,000 for the life of the woman 'suggests' to me that even THEY don't think the company at fault. How much would you demand if it was your relative?

Wow, just wow. Are you serious? See if you can rethink this one...

[FolkGuitar]

I guess your relatives aren't worth much, but most people would be incensed at such a ridiculously low figure as compensation for the death of a loved one if they thought the company was at fault.

[jim cortesos]

Bungy jumping ..zip lining...free falling with wing like para's.on snow boards ... light aircraft..copters..petting pit bulls...swimming with sharks..its a jungle out there' Be carefull.

[coulson]

I guess your relatives aren't worth much, but most people would be incensed at such a ridiculously low figure as compensation for the death of a loved one if they thought the company was at fault.

In Thailand, unfortunately, the particapant is becoming accountable for everything.

From seatbelts to condoms, as they say, up to you!

[ronwparker]

Sad-is she Chinese?

[spidermike007]

Use the zip lines at your own peril. Just presume adequate safety measures have not been taken. And always presume the authorities are asleep at the wheel, when it comes to public safety. We are all expendable. Get the word out.

[FolkGuitar]

Your posts continue to make no sense.

They make perfect sense to me. Are you sure you want to have you IQ measured?

Because the victims family took a settlement which you deem small, that means the zipline company wasn't at fault?

That's a rather broad assumption, even for you. We have no idea at this point if the company was or was not at fault. All we know is that the family deemed this insignificant sum just value for the incident that took the life of their family member. To make any other assumption is ridiculous. We do know that the Thai police have filed charges of negligence against two employees, and the Media is following the situation. But that is ALL we know right now.... Neither guilt or innocence.

Are you at all familiar with what the size of the settlement packages are in, say, the case of a road accident?

Yes. Do you have another question?

Nice job trying to imply that people who believe that a settlement happened in the 1 million baht plus range don't love their family members as much as you do.

I don't love their family members at all.

Edited October 16, 2015 by FolkGuitar

[MaeJoMTB]

That's a rather broad assumption, even for you. We have no idea at this point if the company was or was not at fault. All we know is that the family deemed this insignificant sum just value for the incident that took the life of their family member. To make any other assumption is ridiculous. We do know that the Thai police have filed charges of negligence against two employees, and the Media is following the situation. But that is ALL we know right now.... Neither guilt or innocence.

The two employees admitted guilt, full confession, we did it, we put two people on one zip.

The insurance has agreed to pay out the maximum amount in the policy.

The company has added their own money on top of the insurance payout.

Your posts are, quite frankly, ridiculous.

If you read the full article, you would have the full details.

http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1444824230&section=12

"According to Police Lt.Gen. Thanitsak Theerasawat, the two ordered the tourist to ride on the zipline with another tourist at the same time, which caused the sling to accelerate too fast. The zipline eventually hit the end of the line with such force that her neck was broken, Thanitsak said."

"Santi Pitikam, a representative of Flying Squirrels, told reporters the company will pay 100,000 baht to compensate to the victims family, while the companys insurance will also contribute 1 million baht."

Maybe you think the police tortured a confession ...... is that it?

If you think the payout is not enough, blame the zipline company for not buying a bigger insurance policy.

Edited October 16, 2015 by MaeJoMTB

[harness]

Tourists are gluttons for punishment. They'll be back, swimming with the box jellyfish, riding the ziplines , piling onto the overloaded boats, travelling at the speed of sound in vans etc

People will die. That's what people do. Mai pen rai na.

[Gforcejunkypkt]

Just FYI, my buddy got this LINE message from zip-line co. owner earlier today:

On behalf of the Flying Squirrels, we would like to express our sincere condolences for the unexpected death of the Chinese tourist during the activity at Flying Squirrels. This is the first and the most severe incident since Flying Squirrels is founded. Although this incident has seriously affected the business, it is incomparable to the loss of the family member.

Flying Squirrels would like to express our sincere condolences and sympathy to the family of the deceased and we ensure to take responsibility for this incident in the best manner possible.

In any way, we have no intention to conceal or distort the information. We have informed primary information of the incident received from the team in charge, rescue unit, and doctor's diagnosis to the family of the deceased accordingly. We would like to reaffirm that for our adventure-oriented travel business, safety of the tourists is our first priority. We have learned from this incident and we will put more efforts in monitoring and checking our team's operation to prevent such incidents in the future.

Management Team,

Flying Squirrels Zipline Adventure.

As a side note I have no relationship with this company whatsoever other than knowing one of the guys who originally built/started it (and has not been associated with it for some time now), so if you have any doubts about the sincerity or accuracy thereof, don't heckle me

[coulson]

Just FYI, my buddy got this LINE message from zip-line co. owner earlier today:

On behalf of the Flying Squirrels, we would like to express our sincere condolences for the unexpected death of the Chinese tourist during the activity at Flying Squirrels. This is the first and the most severe incident since Flying Squirrels is founded. Although this incident has seriously affected the business, it is incomparable to the loss of the family member.

Flying Squirrels would like to express our sincere condolences and sympathy to the family of the deceased and we ensure to take responsibility for this incident in the best manner possible.

In any way, we have no intention to conceal or distort the information. We have informed primary information of the incident received from the team in charge, rescue unit, and doctor's diagnosis to the family of the deceased accordingly. We would like to reaffirm that for our adventure-oriented travel business, safety of the tourists is our first priority. We have learned from this incident and we will put more efforts in monitoring and checking our team's operation to prevent such incidents in the future.

Management Team,

Flying Squirrels Zipline Adventure.

As a side note I have no relationship with this company whatsoever other than knowing one of the guys who originally built/started it (and has not been associated with it for some time now), so if you have any doubts about the sincerity or accuracy thereof, don't heckle me

I met the guy who orginally started the phuket bungy, his wife kicked him out and he was on the street on a honda 50. Despite that he should be now glad to be out of that business, it points to the same problem that someone shows up with the money and regardless of their intentions on how to run their business it gets diluted by local politics, owning partners and fundamental common sense in day to day running.

Just had a chat with a mate who just replanned their christmas family getaway to Malaysia, Samui was looking too expensive and they weren't too hot on the news surrounding siam.

I hear the same thing often, reckon this will be the worst high season to date, comparing to the expectations.

[drbill]

I feel sorry for the deceased tourist and family,but this is Thailand not Singapore. If you are not cautious

and or do no take a defensive self preservation attitude while here you will risk limb or life. I learned that

well over 40 years a go. I honestly believe that as the country is advancing and no longer a third world developing

nation the dangers have increased. More attractions,cars,tourists and people and more accidents. Safety concerns

are not a high priority for many. I do believe by the mid century there will be change as the number of trial attorneys

increases , corruption decreases and a younger more educated and aware populace has more influence . Or am

I dreaming. Still a great place to live and much more regulated and perhaps less free from a personal perspective

compared to the 1960's and '70's.

[MaeJoMTB]

What about the poster you falsely accused of being me?

If paranoid is the way to describe a person thinking everyone is out to get him

What would be the term to describe a guy that thinks one person is out to get him using many different alter-egos?

[Chicog]

They're screwed anyway, all the Chinese will go to Hong Kong now.

The long awaited follow up to writer/director/actor Xu Zheng's breakout 2012 hit Lost in Thailand, Lost in Hong Kong (港囧) exceeded even the most optimistic projections, grossing a staggering $106.2 million on its opening weekend from ~270,000 showtimes. The comedy opened with a bang, earning $1.7 million from midnight shows and $32.9 million total on Friday, both opening day records for a Chinese language film and the third best debut overall behindFurious 7 and Avengers: Age of Ultron. Saturday was even bigger with $38.3 million, the second highest single day gross in China box office history next to Furious 7's opening Sunday.

[VIPinthailand]

the one who invented the gravity is an idiot.!

[FarangKino]

the one who invented the gravity is an idiot.!

yip - that imbecile Isaac Newton has a lot to answer for. He also said for every action there is an equal an opposite reaction - well I beg to differ Sir Isaac Smartypants - let's have a wee look at the tree and the Chinese wifie's neck - nope, there ain't a lot of equality there old bean

[CharlieH]

A number of petty bickering posts removed.