Chiang Mai police charge employees in zipline tourist death

[webfact]

Police Charge Employees in Zipline Tourist Death
By Teeranai Charuvastra
Staff Reporter


Two employees from the Flying Squirrels zipline attraction in Chiang Mai reported to police today to face charges.

CHIANG MAI — Two staff members of a tourist attraction in Chiang Mai province have been charged with fatal negligence after a Chinese tourist died on a zipline ride operated by the company on Sunday.

Atiwat Orkam, 23, and Thaweesin Pongpanasawasdi, 31, both employees of the Flying Squirrels zipline company, surrendered to police today and acknowledged charges of negligence resulting in death.

Police identified them as the employees in charge when Chinese tourist Wang Qi broke her neck while riding the zipline line and later died.

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.

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1444824230&typecate=06&section=


-- Khaosod English 2015-10-15

[ChrisY1]

But the operator doesn't have any problems................!

[MESmith]

I don't know what surprises me more. The police getting to the bottom of this, or journalists following up on a story!

[ezzra]

a slap on the wrist and an appropriate donation to the police's Chives regal foundations,

on your bikes guys, and don't do it again, you hear?

[jacko45k]

Extreme incompetence, to force tourists to double up and hence use the zipline for too many at once without any consideration of the consequences.

And for what reason other than to speed things up for their convenience.

Insufficiently trained, lacking in common sense.

The mangers also need to be punished for employing these guys.

Has the zipline been closed down, for good?

I always thought ziplines had some speed limiting device on them.

Edited October 15, 2015 by jacko45k

[sotsira]

I don't know what surprises me more. The police getting to the bottom of this, or journalists following up on a story!

Atiwat Orkam, 23, and Thaweesin Pongpanasawasdi, 31, both employees of the Flying Squirrels zipline company, surrendered to police today and acknowledged charges of negligence resulting in death.

In reference to the above quote, it seems the police didn't do too much.

Edited October 15, 2015 by sotsira

[puukao]

I'm not THAT upset with this news. Her family gets 1.1 million, which is 1.09 million more than I expected.

But this is going FAST, I think, because high season is upon us. Dragging out this story would not be good for business.

As I've said before, best to just avoid these kinds of "adventures" altogether.

[northernboy]

I'm not THAT upset with this news. Her family gets 1.1 million, which is 1.09 million more than I expected.

But this is going FAST, I think, because high season is upon us. Dragging out this story would not be good for business.

As I've said before, best to just avoid these kinds of "adventures" altogether.

I guess we are to assume you would rather have a mere 1.1 million than your loved one. if it were a westerner who died I would read messages of total outrage and condolences to the family but instead this sort of comments... TV strikes a note of ...

[NCC1701A]

she was a Chinese DOCTOR. Her life is worth $30,985.91 USD?

Sorry Chinese lady doctor. RIP.

[NCC1701A]

So what do the two guys who are responsible for her death do now?

Go hang out with the bouncers in Phuket?

[gandalf12]

Extreme incompetence, to force tourists to double up and hence use the zipline for too many at once without any consideration of the consequences.

And for what reason other than to speed things up for their convenience.

Insufficiently trained, lacking in common sense.

The mangers also need to be punished for employing these guys.

Has the zipline been closed down, for good?

I always thought ziplines had some speed limiting device on them.

To force them? Thy should have told these guys to take flying leap. Shows how silly some people can be.

[MESmith]

I'm not THAT upset with this news. Her family gets 1.1 million, which is 1.09 million more than I expected.

But this is going FAST, I think, because high season is upon us. Dragging out this story would not be good for business.

As I've said before, best to just avoid these kinds of "adventures" altogether.

This moving fast, because the chinese embassy are pressuring the BiB. Read the full article.

[jspill]

Police said the company originally reported she had suffered a heart attack.

From the link in OP

[DavidB4]

jacko45k, my thoughts exactly = it's called a brake and they had them where I went zip lining in Costa Rica and the type of accident they describe here I believe would be impossible there, besides the simple fact that they don't let people stand on the platform...in the way....they clear them out. This is another one of those unbelievable unsafe operations that Thailand is unfortunately becoming known for. Maybe the PM should look into it...yeah right.

[zaphod reborn]

The directors of the zip-line company need to be criminally prosecuted. The company will pay the fines of these two employees who are mere scapegoats for a company that surely proclaims "safety first", but, in reality, pays no attention to safety on their fairly dangerous entertainment business. Bring them to court, and make the directors show their records with respect to purchase of safety equipment, employment of maintenance technicians, and safety inspectors. When they don't produce that evidence, give them an appropriate prison sentence, liquidate the company, and pay real compensation to the families of people who have died on the zip-lines, as well as those lucky enough to have only be injured.

[jimstar1]

Easy stay a way Holiday else where plenty of other great places to go

[NCC1701A]

"The investigation is expected to be finished within 15 days, according to Police Lt. Col. Thaworn Nantisaen, the officer in charge of the case, citing an appeal from the Chinese Consulate in Chiang Mai.

“My commander and the public are paying a lot of attention to this case,” Thaworn said. “And the Chinese consulate also requested us to finish this investigation within 15 days, and I believe that it would be finished in time.”

"At first we all laughed because nothing in the history of the Thai police force has been done in 15 days... so this a first for us. We are very proud of our work on this case."

Edited October 15, 2015 by NCC1701A

[emilymat]

My only comment on this tragic story (for the tourist that is) is that TVF posters who show initial scepticism about instant 'suicide' verdicts andare often criticised, are fully justified. Sad as that might be.

[kkup]

The company should be charged, who knows what training they give these guys, for what, 300 baht a day? Charge the owner of the company.

[WitawatWatawit]

"The investigation is expected to be finished within 15 days, according to Police Lt. Col. Thaworn Nantisaen, the officer in charge of the case, citing an appeal from the Chinese Consulate in Chiang Mai.

My commander and the public are paying a lot of attention to this case, Thaworn said. And the Chinese consulate also requested us to finish this investigation within 15 days, and I believe that it would be finished in time.

"At first we all laughed because nothing in the history of the Thai police force has been done in 15 days... so this a first for us. We are very proud of our work on this case."

In the interests of fairness to our beloved BIBs, I have to correct you as one case was resolved in a week ... it was about 20 years ago. Japanese couple arrived at DM, caught taxi, were taken to remote area, killed and possessions stolen. It created such a stink that the BIBs caught a taxi driver (note the indefinite article), charged him, tried him and he was sentenced to death all in the space of one week. This is a true story, I assure you.

Mr NCC, you owe the BIBs a grovelling apology for impuning their professionalism.

(PS: For non-native English speakers, this posting should be read as sarcasm.)

[cyberfarang]

Extreme incompetence, to force tourists to double up and hence use the zipline for too many at once without any consideration of the consequences.

And for what reason other than to speed things up for their convenience.

Insufficiently trained, lacking in common sense.

The mangers also need to be punished for employing these guys.

Has the zipline been closed down, for good?

I always thought ziplines had some speed limiting device on them.

They were probably following their employers instructions.

[masuk]

Extreme incompetence, to force tourists to double up and hence use the zipline for too many at once without any consideration of the consequences.

And for what reason other than to speed things up for their convenience.

Insufficiently trained, lacking in common sense.

The mangers also need to be punished for employing these guys.

Has the zipline been closed down, for good?

I always thought ziplines had some speed limiting device on them.

Yes. Tourists are issued with a forked piece of wood, and you brake using this by holding it down on the zip-line

I kid you not!

[OnTheRun]

Thailand needs to introduce a corporate manslaughter law, or if they have already then enforce it. Accidents like this will continue to happen until those at the top of the chain are held responsible, then we may see some action. It certainly made a big difference in the west when management were held liable for work / leisure related accidents.

[MaeJoMTB]

she was a Chinese DOCTOR. Her life is worth $30,985.91 USD?

Sorry Chinese lady doctor. RIP.

Local news in CM said 1.9Mbht ....... error in translation somewhere.

Don't know which report was correct.

But still a very small amount.

Original report with full details, and two other CM zip company accidents listed this year.

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

Edited October 15, 2015 by MaeJoMTB

[hgma]

It seems a proper initiative to get consular involved when deaths occure.

Yesterday on channel 7 there was extensive coverige (and detectives)of the murder of a Japenese 83 year old man and it ws until consular presence was mentioned and showed it all made sense to me.

draw B stayes closed.

RIP to both victims,....

[IAMHERE]

a slap on the wrist and an appropriate donation to the police's Chives regal foundations,

on your bikes guys, and don't do it again, you hear?

well, at least not to another Chinese.

[allan michaud]

I always thought ziplines had some speed limiting device on them.

Only on planet earth, on planet Thailand employees are guilty when the boss runs a shoddy business.

Thailand is the absolute last place you should ever consider doing dangerous sports.

[cruisemonkey]

As I've said before, best to just avoid these kinds of "adventures" altogether.

And because we're talking about Thailand, also avoid: scooters, cars, buses, boats, aircraft... and anything electrical.

[joejai]

Why even bother with "usual comments"? These places are over-flowing with negligence and incompetence. A young lady lost her life by placing her trust with two losers and a company that puts profits first ahead of safety.

Edited October 15, 2015 by joejai

[DaveinAsia]

What a joke. More like keeping up appearances. "Fire and charge' the 2 employees and everything can go back to business as usual just in time for high season.

They will be out by tomorrow and working over at uncle Lek's karaoke bar but the media will tell us they are doing time.

It's so predictable that it's almost funny.....almost