Russian husband killed, wife seriously injured in car crash in Pattaya

[rooster59]

Russian husband killed, wife seriously injured in car crash in Pattaya

PATTAYA: A Russian man was killed and his wife severely injured when they were hit by a speeding vehicle in front of the Ambassador Jomtien Hotel late Saturday night.

A British man was arrested following the accident that happened at 10 minutes after midnight.

Police said Oleg Yuzhikoy, 37 died at the scene with broken skull. His wife, Svetlana Ivanova, 31, was rushed to the Bangkok Pattaya Hospital.

They were hit by a speeding Fortuner while they were crossing the road back to their hotel room.

Police arrested Michael Ashbrooke, 42, on charge of reckless driving, causing deaths and injuries. But the British man claimed that he was not the driver. He told police that the driver had fled the scene after the accident.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/Russian-husband-killed-wife-seriously-injured-in-c-30275301.html

-- The Nation 2015-12-20

[craigt3365]

It's a disgrace not to put a traffic light there. Hundreds of crossings every day. I see these poor souls having to run across the road, children in tow, as speeding cars won't stop for them. Just honk. Terrible. Far too many accidents right around there.

[Happy Grumpy]

Who owns the Fortuner?

[Happy Grumpy]

It's a disgrace not to put a traffic light there. Hundreds of crossings every day. I see these poor souls having to run across the road, children in tow, as speeding cars won't stop for them.

Traffic lights will make Thai drivers stop?

Yer 'aving a larf mate.

Edit, btw, those traffic lights cost 4.5 Million US Dollars to install.

RiP and a speedy recovery to this poor couple.

[KittenKong]

It's a disgrace not to put a traffic light there. Hundreds of crossings every day. I see these poor souls having to run across the road, children in tow, as speeding cars won't stop for them. Just honk. Terrible. Far too many accidents right around there.

I thought there are traffic lights there. Arent they just turned off or not working?

Either way I agree that it is a hideously dangerous area, even in daylight.

[KittenKong]

Edit, btw, those traffic lights cost 4.5 Million US Dollars to install.

Surely that cant be possible, even allowing for vast overpricing and kick-backs.

[RIJoe]

I don't imagine he will recover too speedily.

[craigt3365]

Traffic lights work great on this part of Suk. In many years of driving here, I've only seen a few cars run red lights. Jump them? Run through late? A lot. But never ignore them. Traffic stops. At least around here.

The Ambassador is one of the largest hotels in the world. Thousands are staying there right now and walking across "death highway" all day and night for cheap food on the other side of the road, with no light to allow them to pass safely. Very poor way to treat your tourists.

[docshock13]

If Mr. Ashbrooke was not the driver, is he going to tell the police who was?

[worgeordie]

If Mr. Ashbrooke was not the driver, is he going to tell the police who was?

Maybe Lord Lucan,Jack the Ripper,who ever he was he must have been

a fast runner to leave Mr. Ashbrooke in his dust.

regards worgordie

[trigpoint]

it is a very dangerous junction, I have had tourists (Russian I guess) rush across the road in front of me, expecting me to slow down, which I do, Thai drivers do not slow down for pedestrians, but the tourists maybe haven't found out about this quirk of local drivers. There is a pedestrian bridge about 100 yds away as well. RIP to man, and a good recovery for his wife.

[Aussieroaming]

It's a disgrace not to put a traffic light there. Hundreds of crossings every day. I see these poor souls having to run across the road, children in tow, as speeding cars won't stop for them.

Traffic lights will make Thai drivers stop?

Yer 'aving a larf mate.

Edit, btw, those traffic lights cost 4.5 Million US Dollars to install.

RiP and a speedy recovery to this poor couple.

Bit hard to have a speedy recovery when you are dead

[Pete Beale]

It's a disgrace not to put a traffic light there. Hundreds of crossings every day. I see these poor souls having to run across the road, children in tow, as speeding cars won't stop for them.

Traffic lights will make Thai drivers stop?

Yer 'aving a larf mate.

Edit, btw, those traffic lights cost 4.5 Million US Dollars to install.

RiP and a speedy recovery to this poor couple.

Bit hard to have a speedy recovery when you are dead

It's happened before so I'm told, but at Easter not Christmas time.

[Khun Riki]

Who owns the Fortuner?

Is it important?

[crazygreg44]

It is a long time due the municipality build an OVERPASS for pedestrians in front of the Ambassador, for a safe crossing of the Sukhumvit road. There are no lights, and even if there were traffic lights, we all know that Thai drivers ignore them or run red lights.

Build a d..m overpass . . .to much has already happened at this crossing, too many casualties in the recent years. Remeber the one when a mother tried to save her child from a speeding truck with a maniac at the wheel, while she saved her daughter, she was caught under the truck and died everybody watching.

It is a disgrace that nothing happens at this location, if I was a russian tour operator, I would stop my people from using this hotel

Rest in Peace, dear fellow, and may the wife get through . . . .

[Chicog]

So assuming there was in fact another driver, presumably they are going to hang on to Ashbrooke until he hands himself in - sober.

[KittenKong]

It is a long time due the municipality build an OVERPASS for pedestrians in front of the Ambassador, for a safe crossing of the Sukhumvit road.

There is an overpass. It's been there for years. But if the Russians staying in the Ambassador are anything like me they take one look at the overpass and think "With my knees? Sod that."

I'll walk for miles on the flat but I wont climb stairs for anyone or anything if I can avoid it.

Traffic lights and effective police controls are the answer. Few Thais would run a red light once they have been fined 10,000B a couple of times for so doing.

[steve187]

Always a bad place to drive past, do you stop and allow them to walk into the path of an overtaking madman, or drive past ,

There is a bridge a short distance away, maybe some barriers need to be erected to encourage its use.

RIP and hopefully a good recovery for the wife,

if the arrest man was the driver, then i hope he is dealt with in a court of law.

[aussiandrew]

It's a disgrace not to put a traffic light there. Hundreds of crossings every day. I see these poor souls having to run across the road, children in tow, as speeding cars won't stop for them. Just honk. Terrible. Far too many accidents right around there.

Sorry to hear this sad news. I think there is also an overpass bridge in this area.

[puukao]

you know if you are an idiot driver.

you know if you drive like a fool.

you know if you drive reckless

today is the day you change

yes, i'm talking to you!!!!

and drinking and driving is not easier in Thailand than UK.......

[never me]

Traffic lights work great on this part of Suk. In many years of driving here, I've only seen a few cars run red lights. Jump them? Run through late? A lot. But never ignore them. Traffic stops. At least around here.

The Ambassador is one of the largest hotels in the world. Thousands are staying there right now and walking across "death highway" all day and night for cheap food on the other side of the road, with no light to allow them to pass safely. Very poor way to treat your tourists.

Very poor way to treat your tourists

They dont care about the tourist only the money they bring with them.

[mikebell]

This is a notoriously dangerous crossing. I pass it twice a week after midnight. Things are not helped by two or three of the road lights being out just by the crossing. It has been like this for MONTHS. There are always stretches of Suk where the lights are out - in a proper civilised country the local council would be sued for its inability to maintain its responsibilities. Failing that The Ambassador should put new bulbs in. They make millions out of the Russians; hiring a guy to wave a dim torch for a couple of hours a night is not enough.

[craigt3365]

There is an overpass some 100M or more north of the hotel. Many need to cross the road and go south for Mimosa or other places near there. So it's quite a bit out of the way. I do see it being used, but rarely.

I call this stretch of road "death highway". There are fatalities every weekend, and for sure every week. Our Thai friends own an ambulance service. Every night, they just sit on a corner near our house waiting for a call...which they know they'll get.

The drivers speed like crazy and stop for nothing. Especially the buses. I've seen/heard many accidents. A light would sure help slow things down. As would effective police enforcement of the speed limit.

[dendijk]

It is a disgrace in many places around Pattaya how people have to cross the street.

Pattaya beach road, the crossing at walking street, Second Road, Thappraya where it meets Thepprasit and i am sure all of us can think of many many more.

These are our guests, why isn't Pattaya municipality taking much better care of them?

At Ambassador there is a crossover bridge however just about 50 meters up from the main entrance, but hardly anybody uses it. Ambassador security just keeps sending people over that road. Why not close that crossing off completely for people being able to walk and only keep it open and safe to cross for the elderly and less abled.........

[oneton]

I drove past there on Saturday before this event and pointed out to my son, visiting from the UK and currently learning to drive in Thailand, what a terrible crossing this is, as it has a zebra crossing on a highway with no noticeable indication for traffic to slow down or stop. My sympathies to those involved. Actually I hadn't noticed the overpass, which should be highlighted for use, and remove this dangerous crossing.

[craigt3365]

I drove past there on Saturday before this event and pointed out to my son, visiting from the UK and currently learning to drive in Thailand, what a terrible crossing this is, as it has a zebra crossing on a highway with no noticeable indication for traffic to slow down or stop. My sympathies to those involved. Actually I hadn't noticed the overpass, which should be highlighted for use, and remove this dangerous crossing.

Interesting point. I'm not sure there are paintings yet. They just refinished the road and the lines have not been put back. And where they were past the new surface, are hardly visible now.

I had to go to Pattaya city hall a few months ago. While waiting for some paperwork, I walked across to Tesco. Used the ped crossing, which had a light...almost got hit by a van...and then a truck. Many don't stop for these lights in Pattaya. Even those right in front of city hall!!!!!!! With police all over the place. Lovely...

[i claudius]

I feel sorry for the couple , but why did they not use the bridge and so often i see tourists crossing the road , just putting their arms out as if demanding that cars stop for them , because they are on holiday they think the world stops , again RIP .

[oneday]

This intersection is very dangerous. There is virtually no traffic control and tons of tourists and locals crossing over Sukhumwit in both directions.

[overherebc]

i slowed down and stopped at a zebra crossing to allow an older Thai lady and her granddaughter to cross. As they started walking in front of me I looked in the mirror and saw a bike about to tear past me, when I pushed the horn it stopped the lady and she almost died of fright as the bike missed them by about 6 inches and he was not going slow.

I've wondered whose fault it would have been had the bike hit them.

[craigt3365]

I feel sorry for the couple , but why did they not use the bridge and so often i see tourists crossing the road , just putting their arms out as if demanding that cars stop for them , because they are on holiday they think the world stops , again RIP .

I don't think we know the specifics, but many nights, especially weekends, Ambassador has a "rent a cop" out there stopping traffic for pedestrians to cross. Maybe they weren't there at that exact moment? But if they put people there to control traffic, it should be done for most of the day and late into the night. Otherwise, people have a false sense of security and a precedent has been set.