Yann55 Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 (edited) No competent folks setting it up, I reckon. It's like those times when you return home and see some repairman in shower shoes and shorts repairing the lift in your 20 storey apartment building. So ... if he were wearing a dungaree and boots, that alone would vouch for his competence ? ... There is a funny French saying, which has a particularly interesting ring when you live in Thailand : 'l'habit ne fait pas le moine', meaning the robe is not what makes the monk. In my 30 years of knowing this country (with half of those actually living here) I have been again and again impressed and amazed at the extraordinary ingenuity and inventiveness of local workers. With just a few tools, they work wonders. Hell, they often invent tools. Many of them still like to repair a damaged piece rather than just get a new one, and take it as a challenge. Personally my reaction to a terrible accident like this would be to question the maintenance. Now there's a big problem in this country, and greed, rather than incompetent workers, is usually what's to blame. Where I live, I see a cable car transporting people back an forth between the beach and the top of a 200m tower. When I go to walk on the beach every morning and clearly see the beach side of the mechanism as well as the car itself I find what I see seriously disquieting (and I come from an region of Europe where cable cars are very common). Considering how little money is obviously put into the maintenance of that rickety old thing, I'd say the workers are actually to be praised for avoiding disaster on a daily basis. Edited February 22, 2016 by Yann55 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterphuket Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 No competent folks setting it up, I reckon. It's like those times when you return home and see some repairman in shower shoes and shorts repairing the lift in your 20 storey apartment building. And why no officials tasked to check the equipment before it starts taking riders? Because they are no better then the people they have to monitor!! It's all so easy to explain in this country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterphuket Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 No competent folks setting it up, I reckon. It's like those times when you return home and see some repairman in shower shoes and shorts repairing the lift in your 20 storey apartment building. And why no officials tasked to check the equipment before it starts taking riders? ... Brown envelope.... check good good, OK OK. All from under the shade of nearby umbrella and iced glass of Singha. Do you realy think that officials are better? Please wake up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balance Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 To all of posters to this terrible accident: Thailand is a third world country, maybe a barely emerging one; Thailand has a bad case of xenophobia coupled with a nationalistic streak that all but precludes taking advice from anyone, especially farang. Thais will not ask a store clear where something is located because they, being on a higher status rung, are supposed to know where it is, and by asking face go missing. Thailand, along with many other countries around the world DO NOT want to be "third world" or "emerging." They want a western standard of living but have no sense at all of the historical facts of how Europe and the U.S. got to be 1st world countries by raping and pillaging third world countries for dirt cheap natural resources and labor. And like a pancake lava flow, the new layers ooze over the preceding ones. One could even conclude that this is the "natural order" of things. But destroying the earth and enslaving people all in the name of getting rich is not the natural order of things. It is taken western countries centuries to gain a little understanding of this truth, and they are continuing to fight bloody political battles against the rapers and pillagers, to maintain a dim beacon of civilization. And the ugly truth is that the oligarchies of the third world or emerging countries don't want to hear about what is right from those who got their time at the unfettered feed trough. They want their time, as much time as they can lie, steal, cheat to get. They will not give up their power or privilege to ease the plight of those who pay the price for the painful economic and social transition. Downstream, this includes not just ignoring maintenance, but the concept of maintenance. So, in the scheme of things, two girls getting hurt on a carnival ride might be considered a good day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Confuscious Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 No competent folks setting it up, I reckon. It's like those times when you return home and see some repairman in shower shoes and shorts repairing the lift in your 20 storey apartment building. And why no officials tasked to check the equipment before it starts taking riders? I started to read the comments, but gave up after the first page. "You pay peanuts, you get monkeys." I see many of these fairy rides setup at the local market or at the temple fairs. When I saw the construction of these things, the people operating it (mostly young boys to save money), the material of construction of these things (old and rusty) and the safety (or the lack of safety) I said to myself "NO WAY that I would let my child step into one of these "things"." But this is Thailand. Very few people have the money to spend on a Western made "Fairy ride". And very few people have the money to buy a ticket for such a "Fairy ride". I have seen improve these things over the years. But it is still far from a Western device with safeties all over the place and qualified operators. There will be many Somchais before the safety standards will be like 30 years ago in the West. Meanwhile, keep bashing on the poor Thai families who can not afford an expensive Fairy ride. Have a happy Makha Bucha day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterphuket Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 Its amazing how many experts are on this forum, I owned and operated one of these OCTOPUS rides for a number of years (a 1940s version) There is and always was a weakness in the Arm Carrier bolts, We changed ours to 80 tonne bolts sourced through Caterpillar.(never broke another one) It also has the chains to guard against the arm (in event of a failure) hitting another arm, an upgrade we did in the 80s. although the drive system is very old ie 40s 50s system we upgraded to hydraulics in the 70s. On viewing the footage it would appear the arm locator bolt broke allowing the arm to move far enough sideways that it either hit the ground or more likely the drive control rod wrenching it to a stop and probably breaking the second arm locator bolt. The operator did all he could to stop the ride in as shorter time possible the ride turns at 8rpm and counter rotates at 4 rpm. The operator would have risked having his wrists broken performing the emergency stop. These are a very good and safe ride when operated properly, we personally never had an accident in over 20 years of operation. they were built in the USA and over engineered which has given them an excellent lifespan with good maintenance and upgrades they will perform for a long time yet. There is a lot of talk on standards and I admit after looking at some carnival equipment in Thailand at being less than impressed but there must be some standards being set and adhered to as the anti clash chains on this particular device only came into being in the 70s so they would have been installed in Thailand unless this machine had been sourced second had since that upgrade came along. Yeh, it's what you say "good maintenance and upgrades" but that is the biggest problem in this country. Maintenance?? never heard of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Grumpy Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 (edited) The day I let my children use a fast moving, dangerous piece of equipment that's been 'maintained' and 'managed' by a Thai, is the day I shove a Durian up my @rs3. Edited February 22, 2016 by Happy Grumpy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaullyW Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 No competent folks setting it up, I reckon. It's like those times when you return home and see some repairman in shower shoes and shorts repairing the lift in your 20 storey apartment building. So ... if he were wearing a dungaree and boots, that alone would vouch for his competence ? ... There is a funny French saying, which has a particularly interesting ring when you live in Thailand : 'l'habit ne fait pas le moine', meaning the robe is not what makes the monk. In my 30 years of knowing this country (with half of those actually living here) I have been again and again impressed and amazed at the extraordinary ingenuity and inventiveness of local workers. With just a few tools, they work wonders. Hell, they often invent tools. Many of them still like to repair a damaged piece rather than just get a new one, and take it as a challenge. Personally my reaction to a terrible accident like this would be to question the maintenance. Now there's a big problem in this country, and greed, rather than incompetent workers, is usually what's to blame. Where I live, I see a cable car transporting people back an forth between the beach and the top of a 200m tower. When I go to walk on the beach every morning and clearly see the beach side of the mechanism as well as the car itself I find what I see seriously disquieting (and I come from an region of Europe where cable cars are very common). Considering how little money is obviously put into the maintenance of that rickety old thing, I'd say the workers are actually to be praised for avoiding disaster on a daily basis. Yes! Culture is the issue and not inherent capability. Now, what's worse? Someone who has the ability to understand right from wrong and chooses wrong (endangering people) or someone who simply doesn't understand right from wrong?In my view, one can be trained but the other perhaps not so easily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seedy Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 Troll / Flaming post removed Keep the Personal Attacks off this Forum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lvr181 Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 (edited) No competent folks setting it up, I reckon. It's like those times when you return home and see some repairman in shower shoes and shorts repairing the lift in your 20 storey apartment building. And why no officials tasked to check the equipment before it starts taking riders? Some posters just have to learn - NO CLEVER FARANG/CAUCASIAN IDEAS IN THAILAND PLEASE! TIT!!!! A full and speedy recovery to the girls. Edited February 22, 2016 by lvr181 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ggt Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 Like most everything one does in Thailand...there are risks involved due to either unregulated commerce or regulated but not enforced... Many accidents each year due to people trying to have a little fun with fairground rides, jet skis, boating, and taking public transportation... Bad experience or sometimes last experience for many... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sawadee1947 Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 Scary stuff. I hope the girls recover. Time to close these rides. probably 500 baht fine will do Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
masuk Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 No competent folks setting it up, I reckon. It's like those times when you return home and see some repairman in shower shoes and shorts repairing the lift in your 20 storey apartment building. I stayed in a quite high condo at Jom Tien earlier this month. A lift was being serviced, and the notice on the door apologised for the inconvenience as they "were replacing the string." yoiks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Transporter Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 "A carnival ride collapsed..." I take it that there is no Thai version of: "Righty Tighty, Lefty Loosey". The brakes failed. ------------------------------------------ I tried to teach them many, many times the uses of a torque wrench, as part of my job. Example: Rebuilding a 6.2 liter truck diesel engine........USE a torque wrench.....Pffff Farang! No need! The entire concept made them look at me like I had corn growing out of my ears. Head gasket leaked = water in the combustion chamber = bent piston rod = starting all over again from scratch..... = "Please Sir, you are clever. Show me torque wrench?" Try explaining a torque-resistant nut to them (it's tapered on one end as well as slightly oval shaped = it DOES NOT get loose with out extreme, deliberate effort)..... Nah, these nuts from Somchai's shop will be just fine. I tell them, that yes, it will indeed work for a few months, and then it will fall apart.......I get more blank stares. I gave up on trying, and I tried off & on for a decade. This was all with the RTA too..... that pillar of society. You cant teach the unteachable as they already believe they know everything and if by chance they dont the monks and prayers will cover it. My whole village think I am mad because I care too much. They keep saying "Don't care!" meaning "Give Up!" I think they want me to stop wasting my time showing them. Very kind of them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Transporter Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 When these similar accidents happen in the UK it all gets swept under the carpet too as those running the fairgrounds are not of fixed address if you know what I mean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
springheeled jack Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 I don't think these fairground rides are insured and they are certainly not maintained because of the amount of accidents per year all the best to these two young ladies hope they pull through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metisdead Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 A nonsense post nitpicking on the news article has been removed as well as the replies. If you wish to inquire to the news source about their article, you can find the contact details here: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1394438403 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BSJ Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 It's hard to remain positive about safety matter when you see what goes on here. My beef is they rarely use flat or spring washers when fastening stuff. I fixed that by going to an engineering supply and bought an assortment of washers 4mm to 12mm......flat and spring. And I do a lot of my own maintenance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ebcal Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 This just underscores the basic theme that you cant trust that things are safe in countries like Thailand, compared to many other countries that have more safety regulations and discipline to enforce or check things. We all take a lot of safety for granted in our everyday lives, From riding an amusement park ride, to a zip line, to stepping on some covering on the sidewalk and not thinking twice that someone was smart enough to make sure it was secure and could support and hold, to taking a shower with the electric water heater wired and grounded properly, same for swimming pool lights, to walking across a green light and assuming cars are stopping on the red. Ride a bus and assume the tires or brakes are checked, or that the driver have enough sleep. Or some sign or object you are walking under wont fall. The list just goes on and on. We make assumptions everyday that you just should not do in Thailand, where they dont pay attention to regulations, or even more cases of cutting corners to save money. Yes, happens everywhere, but more often in some countries. When in countries like Thailand, you really need to take your own safety into your own hands more. Now, granted, one cant watch for everything, but it behooves you to at least keep it in mind and try to do more than your normally might. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazza40 Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 (edited) I made my way up to the North end of Walking Street & told the cops sitting in the middle of the road at their desk. One guy spoke perfect American English & said "Yeah. It does that all the time. Don't worry about it". Perfect American English is an oxymoron. Americans can't even pronounce the word aluminium correctly. Edited February 22, 2016 by bazza40 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mankondang Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 "A carnival ride collapsed..." I take it that there is no Thai version of: "Righty Tighty, Lefty Loosey". Only applies for Right Hand threads. Have you ever changed the wheels, on both driver and passenger sides of your car? I will leave you to check.. as doing is learning... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tartampion Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 Too many deaths for a "developping but civilized country" like thailand, at the expenses of the tourists (farangs but also thais). Rule nr 1 here : don't trust anyone, don't trust anything. Still alive after 17 years in the "land of smiles" applying this rule on a daily basis (no smile on the faces of these 2 girls and many others who have enjoyed the local high standards of safety) ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemonjelly Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 "A carnival ride collapsed..." I take it that there is no Thai version of: "Righty Tighty, Lefty Loosey". Only applies for Right Hand threads. Have you ever changed the wheels, on both driver and passenger sides of your car? I will leave you to check.. as doing is learning...Both driver and passenger side are r/hand threads... Lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foexie Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 A catastrophe just waiting to happen, and no doubt, no such thing as OSH or safety inspections in this country. 'It is Thailand, nothing like that ever happens here." Here we go again. Only in Thailand these things happens. Better then check this out: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incidents_at_European_amusement_parks This is Europe: of cours nothing like that can ever happen here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bear78 Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 sad.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stickylies Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 No competent folks setting it up, I reckon. It's like those times when you return home and see some repairman in shower shoes and shorts repairing the lift in your 20 storey apartment building. And why no officials tasked to check the equipment before it starts taking riders? ... Brown envelope.... check good good, OK OK. All from under the shade of nearby umbrella and iced glass of Singha. locally AKA "no bpoblèèèm" ... i love this ... and then they dare to say: "farang no understand" ... @ thai reading this: this farang understand (sic) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thechook Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 From the photo it looks old rusty and extremely poorly maintained. You can actually see the rust under the seats Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChoakMyDee Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 The day I let my children use a fast moving, dangerous piece of equipment that's been 'maintained' and 'managed' by a Thai, is the day I shove a Durian up my @rs3. Well said my friend. There is no way in hell my young daughter will get anywhere near one of those rides! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overherebc Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 I made my way up to the North end of Walking Street & told the cops sitting in the middle of the road at their desk. One guy spoke perfect American English & said "Yeah. It does that all the time. Don't worry about it". Perfect American English is an oxymoron. Americans can't even pronounce the word aluminium correctly. I think you might find it's the other way around. ( Ally ) I'm a Brit' by the way. Hope the girls get better soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overherebc Posted February 23, 2016 Share Posted February 23, 2016 I made my way up to the North end of Walking Street & told the cops sitting in the middle of the road at their desk. One guy spoke perfect American English & said "Yeah. It does that all the time. Don't worry about it". Perfect American English is an oxymoron. Americans can't even pronounce the word aluminium correctly. I think you might find it's the other way around. ( Ally ) I'm a Brit' by the way. Hope the girls get better soon. It.docx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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