5-year-old Australian girl killed in tragic motorcycle accident in northern Thailand

[brewsterbudgen]

Very sad indeed.

I was watching a father dote over his young daughter near Pattaya a few weeks back and she was around five. Mum and Dad put their helmets on and the daughter was standing up front with no protection. I thought the most precious thing in their life, and they don't seem to care about her safety.

It took many decades for western countries to appreciate and then abide by safety laws regarding helmets, seat belts (front and rear) and child car seats. It will be the same and most likely longer in Asia.

[sanukjim]

Five year old on a bike in Thailand, probably no helmet? Parents should have had more sense, but maybe they did not know Thailand is about the most dangerous place in the world to ride a motorbike.

Yeah well done, just what the parents need at this moment in time. Finger pointing!

I disagree,If the parents do not learn a lesson from this then the 6 year brother may be do for the same fate later on". Hey its OK to ride to the store on a motor bike while in Thailand".

[Elfin]

Such a tragedy! It makes me think of my 5 year old daughter. Give your children and grandparents an extra hug today.

Today is Australia Day, so this sad news makes it even worse.

RIP both of you.

[khun custard]

RIP

Very sad news to start off Australia Day 2016

[raphoedon]

Tragic - RIP

BUT- i would also say - som-nam-na!

What did the 5 year old do on a bike?

Did any one of the 2 have a helmet? i guess not!

after all this is Thailand

Wow I guess this site really is full of a####s!

Why are u on it then??

Ever heard freedom of speech?

[fcgprg]

Whatever happened in the accident was not the fault of the inocent little Girl R.I.P

[Dukeleto]

A complete tragedy! Heartfelt sorrow for the parents and family.

[Scott]

Some nasty, off-topic posts have been removed. I suspect others will need to be removed as well.

Please exercise a little care in your responses.

[Jing Joe]

Couldn't find any more on "Stickboy" website but could it be that the "little Australian girl Sonya" was from George's previous marriage?

Would this explain why she was on "holiday" in Thailand?

Sure the article says "grandmother" killed too, but maybe actually her step-grandmother?

My reason to think a bit deeper about this is a concern about the extra tragic grief for her probable "Aussie" mother whose little one wont ever be coming back from a holiday?

Of the hundreds being killed daily world wide, many hearts have been touched in this forum about one dear little girl.

Peace "little Sonya Davis".

Edited January 26, 2016 by Jing Joe

[SOTIRIOS]

....!@#$%^&*(.......

...God !!!......

[pomchop]

Very sad indeed.

I was watching a father dote over his young daughter near Pattaya a few weeks back and she was around five. Mum and Dad put their helmets on and the daughter was standing up front with no protection. I thought the most precious thing in their life, and they don't seem to care about her safety.

It took many decades for western countries to appreciate and then abide by safety laws regarding helmets, seat belts (front and rear) and child car seats. It will be the same and most likely longer in Asia.

In Vietnam most ALL adults wear helmets. I do believe since 2008 they have made and ENFORCE tougher laws to include the kids.

The key is not the law but the enforcement.

Fig. 1. Observed proportion of adults and children wearing motorcycle helmets in four cities in Viet Nam, 2008

[Mot Dang]

Such a common accident in Thailand involving motorcycles, either being hit from behind whilst turning right, or hit whilst stopped at a red light. My family has lost two nephews both ways, and neither culprit caught, hit and run. Both accidents involved plenty of witnesses but none would come forward and identify the drivers. Thailand is not a country where civic duty is a part of conscience. Never has been.

[Gulfsailor]

RIP.

This is my biggest fear when my daughter visits her Thai grandparents. No one is wearing a helmet there, and just learned they are letting her ride by herself as well (she is 12). And of course no helmet. Goes against everything I tried to teach her. But I did warn the Thai in-laws now; if she has a fatal motorcycle accident overthere, I will consider it manslaughter on their part, and they will surely come to regret it!

[meatboy]

Very sad indeed.

I was watching a father dote over his young daughter near Pattaya a few weeks back and she was around five. Mum and Dad put their helmets on and the daughter was standing up front with no protection. I thought the most precious thing in their life, and they don't seem to care about her safety.

I see this everyday too, avoiding the 300 baht fine is more important than the safety of their children.

From the brief description of the accident it sounds like one of my pet hates in Thailand, you slow down and indicate to turn right only to have someone behind you think it is a good idea to overtake you on the right hand side. I have had countless near misses where this has happened.

you beat me to it,the wife is always on about these ignorant,self centered morons that overtake you even when you indicate your turning right.

this poor child and her parents will suffer for the rest of their lives.

as for the car driver deleted,deleted deleted.

rip.little angel.

[brewsterbudgen]

Very sad indeed.

I was watching a father dote over his young daughter near Pattaya a few weeks back and she was around five. Mum and Dad put their helmets on and the daughter was standing up front with no protection. I thought the most precious thing in their life, and they don't seem to care about her safety.

It took many decades for western countries to appreciate and then abide by safety laws regarding helmets, seat belts (front and rear) and child car seats. It will be the same and most likely longer in Asia.

In Vietnam most ALL adults wear helmets. I do believe since 2008 they have made and ENFORCE tougher laws to include the kids.

The key is not the law but the enforcement.

Fig. 1. Observed proportion of adults and children wearing motorcycle helmets in four cities in Viet Nam, 2008

Hopefully Thailand will follow their lead. I'd be interested to see the statistics for today, especially in rural areas. My family are from Laos and wearing helmets in the village is generally ignored.

[zakk9]

Sad it is, but it happens almost every day in LOS.

And will continue for the foreseeable future. While crash helmets for kids can be purchased they would be well beyond most people's budgets even if they thought they were worth buying.

Very sad.

BS! Children's helmets of reasonable quality are less than 500 baht. A motorbike is at least 30,000. The truth is that most people in Thailand simply don't see the point in protecting children from accidents. More than 900 children are injured in traffic accidents every day here. I don't know how many of them die, but the total number of traffic fatalities in the country is 70-80 per day. Sorry to say, but although every road death is a tragedy, most of those in Thailand are self inflicted and preventable.

Edited January 26, 2016 by zakk9

[brewsterbudgen]

RIP.

This is my biggest fear when my daughter visits her Thai grandparents. No one is wearing a helmet there, and just learned they are letting her ride by herself as well (she is 12). And of course no helmet. Goes against everything I tried to teach her. But I did warn the Thai in-laws now; if she has a fatal motorcycle accident overthere, I will consider it manslaughter on their part, and they will surely come to regret it!

I'm with you. I fight a losing battle with this too, although my son is only 10 months.

[xerostar]

I have a 6 year old daughter living on a farm in Northern Thailand.

As the ages of victims given by reporters are not always accurate, my heart skipped a beat when I saw the headline today.

The poor little kid - RIP. The parents must be absolutely devastated! I can't imagine the pain that they would be suffering now.

My daughter's aunt or grandma has driven her to school every day on a scooter (without helmets) since she was 4.

I have no control over the situation. I am now divorced and live in Bangkok.

Not that I could influence the situation anyway because her mother just does what all Thai people do.

No thought is given to the consequences of ignoring safety.

Knowing the high road toll in Thailand, I live with a constant fear that something could happen to her.

I took the family to live in Australia but the mother was homesick and took the children back to the farm.

I expect many other expat fathers have experienced the same anguish as their children's lives are put at risk.

[richard_smith237]

This is so heartbreaking to read... I really feel for the family for such a tragic and unnecessary loss....

This is a reminder to us all - take great care, especially when out on the roads.

I have a 2 year old - there is one Rule - When going in a Car, the Car seat is always used - There is no other option (and of course no bikes) IF they want to go somewhere without me, take my car, my Brother in Law takes my lad out to the shops sometimes, he takes my car.

All know that the moment they don't use the car seat is the moment they will never be trusted alone with my Son.

Sometimes my In-Laws don't understand my Rules (i.e. Car seats, son not allowed in the Kitchen or the Balcony) - but they accept it because they've seen how I react if those rules are broken. When awful news such as this surfaces it gives my In-Laws some understanding of what can happen and how such tragic outcomes can arise from something seemingly innocent.

[WhizBang]

And there will probably be no charges against the driver who killed them, and certainly nothing of any substance. Therein lies the real problem in Thailand. No accountability.

This is also the main reason I will not get on a motorcycle in Thailand.

Edited January 26, 2016 by WhizBang

[paddyjoe41]

Heartbreaking and tragic RIP both persons,it will be very difficult for the woman in particular to come to terms with such a tragety.Now is not the time to go spouting about right or wrong.Far better to try to organise some sort of fund to supply all children with helmets,im sure everyone would contribute in some way or other to try to protect these poor children,and try to give them a life in the future world.

[alanrchase]

And there will probably be no charges against the driver who killed them, and certainly nothing of any substance. Therein lies the real problem in Thailand. No accountability.

This is also the main reason I will not get on a motorcycle in Thailand.

There is little information in the article yet speculation on the accident is rife. No mention of helmets, no mention of indicating a right turn, no mention of speed, yet blame is being handed out.

Tragic accident. RIP.

[Saan]

This is a double tragedy - a grandmother and her five years old granddaughter have died.

If people have any sensitivity they would not be dissecting the cause of the accident at this time.

Think of the child's mother who has lost both her mother and daughter.

My heart bleeds for the parents.

[spidermike007]

This is a terrible story. But frankly, the fact that she was five years old means nothing to me. Her life was of no more importance than the thousands of others that die on these roads every year. Kids are given favorable treatment in the media. Sure her life was cut short. I get that. But, was she given a high quality helmet to protect her? Would you allow your daughter to ride on a motorbike here, without one? Some responsibility has to fall on the shoulders of the grandmother, for allowing her to drive without a good helmet. 90% of bike deaths are caused by impact to the head. The skull is a fragile thing. About as fragile as an egg, some experts say.

[fxe1200]

Sad it is, but it happens almost every day in LOS.

And will continue for the foreseeable future. While crash helmets for kids can be purchased they would be well beyond most people's budgets even if they thought they were worth buying.

Very sad.

If you can afford 40.000 THB for a motorbike or scooter, you surely have the money to buy a decent helmet, or two,

[johny100]

Turning on the road

[chaiyapoon]

Very very tragic.We too have a nearly 5 year old that loves riding on our motorcycle usually 3 up and yes it's dangerous but so is living these days. I have been driving and riding in Thailand for over 12 years without a accident that needed a insurance claim.Quite a lot of that in Pattaya that is if anything getting worse I ride as defensibly as I can but like others have said being hit from behind is the one thing you just can't totally control.

Nothing we say can help their loss but please don't post unhelpful and hurtful posts dare I say think before you post.

[abitmiffed]

Tragic - RIP

BUT- i would also say - som-nam-na!

What did the 5 year old do on a bike?

Did any one of the 2 have a helmet? i guess not!

after all this is Thailand

Som nam nah ???really? You heartless pr::k.

[dvpscott]

The biggest scrooge and worry of every 2 wheeler transport is be hit from behind by a distracted

or a wayward driver, while riders of the bike/moto can control what is going on in front and to their

sides, nothing they can do to avoid being hit from behind.....

If they turn right across the front of a car without looking or indicating then they failed to do something that could easily have been done and would probably have saved their lives.

all thai car drivers drive on the white line,in the middle of the road,do not now the width of there car,also think they are the only on the road,never give way to others.so young.

[springheeled jack]

another terrible tragedy on our roads I cant really comment on this because there doesn't appear to be much information forthcoming they were on the point of doing a u turn when they were hit by a car from behind that's as far as it goes .