Despite safety assurances, more tourists hurt at adventure attractions

[webfact]

Despite Safety Assurances, More Tourists Hurt at Adventure Attractions
By Teeranai Charuvastra
Staff Reporter


Still image of someone jumping into ‘Grand Canyon Hangdong’ in Chiang Mai province in a video posted Aug. 24, 2015. Source: Palapilii Thailand / YouTube

CHIANG MAI — Two foreign tourists were hurt in separate incidents at Chiang Mai adventure tourism sites in the past week, four months after authorities pledged to improve safety standards in response to a string of incidents.

A European tourist reportedly fractured his spine after cliff-jumping into a former quarry this past weekend, while a Chinese tourist was slightly injured on the same zipline ride a Chinese tourist snapped her neck and died in October 2015.

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1456311316&typecate=06&section=


-- Khaosod English 2016-02-25

[nottocus]

I guess if you are going to try some kind of dangerous, adventure sport, you can't complain if it all ends in tears.

[kotsak]

The guy in OP photo looks like he is going straight for the rock

[canathai8]

Just proves for the million'th time that foreigners take on more inherent risk in Thailand than in their country of origin.

Combine that with an ignorance of Thai culture - and substandard safety in the LOS - and VOILA - the perfect storm for foreigner fatality after fatality after fatality...

It's not rocket science

[colinneil]

Safety? Whats that a word that Thais cannot understand.

[FolkGuitar]

"A European tourist reportedly fractured his spine after cliff-jumping into a former quarry"

I'm surprised to learn that people actually get injured doing dangerous things.

I'll bet this may account for the fact that fewer people are injured in libraries than when swinging from trees? Hmmmm......

While there is no doubt that the safety standards are lower (or non-existent) in less developed countries, a bit of common sense goes a long way.

I'm not about to trust an old bungee cord to keep me alive in a country where I might not trust the the sanitation of the chicken being sold right next to it.

People die every day participating in sports in western countries. These days virtually all skiers wear helmets to improve their odds. There are no rules REQUIRING helmets... People wear them because they think before they act.

A little thought goes a long way, especially BEFORE the government steps in to protect you.

[Emster23]

I guess renting a motorbike doesn't qualify as "adventure attraction".... heck taking an elevator in some places is fraught with danger. Actions speak louder than words, but do involve some effort and confrontation.

[jaywalker]

I guess if you are going to try some kind of dangerous, adventure sport, you can't complain if it all ends in tears.

I guess for some folks the normal dangerous stuff isn't good enough.

"Let's go do it in Thailand Dude, where it'll be 10 times more dangerous"

[villagefarang]

For the most part people seem to be having a great time at the Grand Canyon but I suppose there will always be someone pushing things a bit too far. I figure if people want to be stupid, it is up to them. I would guess there are more accidents on the narrow access road and congested roadside parking than in the water. Asians seem to go there to take pictures with farangs doing most of the crazy stuff but that is just an observation from one visit. It did look like they had closed down the climbing wall.

Edited February 25, 2016 by villagefarang

[Lupatria]

Safety assurance and standards in Thailand?

If you are ready for the real big bang: book a one way a trip on a mini bus! Survivors will be awarded with a high-rise hotel room with balcony.

[PostmanPat]

As nearby residents, we ve watched the development of the so called grand canyon from literally nothing and no visitors to the mayhem it is today and all in the last two years or so. In fact, the entrance area where people now pay their 50 baht used to be a piece of waste ground where people dumped old domestic rubbish on a fairly regular basis.

Such a "facility" as this simply wouldnt be allowed to operate in Europe without significant infrastructure and safety standards being addressed. The road which passes by there is a very narrow village type back road, on a good day, all along that road from where it starts as a turn off the Samoeng Road, there is only just enough room for two vehicles to pass each other as they go in opposite directions, and now, for a few hundred metres where everything from motor cycles to tour buses park on the side of the road passing by there is very difficult indeed, and yet, has the question of vehicle parking been addressed as in getting a piece of the significant empty land around there and turning it into a parking lot....no, of course not, "not my problem" the owner of the canyon would say....and yet, it SHOULD be their problem as it would be in most other parts of the world. Put simply, in Europe, or USA, or Australia, could you for example open a new water sports centre without addressing where people park? No, of course not, thats why planning departments exist!

On safety, I sometimes drive by there when I have no choice as I have a couple of friends living nearby, and on this I dont have exact detail, but bearing in mind that the water there is deep....VERY deep, and people jump off highish cliffs into the water, are there lifeguards there in case people get into trouble? Highly unlikely, but someone surprise me and tell me they do have lifeguards?! Again, in Europe, you cant even run a hotel swimming pool without there being a life guard present at all times!!

Once again, it seems to me that the so called Grand Canyon has been developed by an opportunist who is looking to turn maximum profit from minimum investment....issues such as parking, personal safety etc would be essential pre requisites anywhere else, but sadly, not here !!

Edited February 25, 2016 by PostmanPat

[villagefarang]

I do not disagree with the above post but I don’t see it as a negative. While we were there the other day I found myself thinking how a place like this would be over regulated in the West and stripped of all its charm and appeal. I like that there are still places like this.

We encountered similar mayhem in the mountains near Mae Kam Pong with narrow roads and chaotic parking but that simply made the places that much more interesting and nobody seemed to be complaining.

[PostmanPat]

I do not disagree with the above post but I don’t see it as a negative. While we were there the other day I found myself thinking how a place like this would be over regulated in the West and stripped of all its charm and appeal. I like that there are still places like this.

We encountered similar mayhem in the mountains near Mae Kam Pong with narrow roads and chaotic parking but that simply made the places that much more interesting and nobody seemed to be complaining.

So is part of its "charm and appeal" that parking is often impossible without disturbing other nearby residents, and on safety, ambulances with wailing sirens are there every couple of days to deal with incidents/ accidents? "charm and appeal" for me would be somewhere safe to park without disturbing local residents, and lifeguards or similar to watch over the whole place!!

[villagefarang]

I do not disagree with the above post but I don’t see it as a negative. While we were there the other day I found myself thinking how a place like this would be over regulated in the West and stripped of all its charm and appeal. I like that there are still places like this.

We encountered similar mayhem in the mountains near Mae Kam Pong with narrow roads and chaotic parking but that simply made the places that much more interesting and nobody seemed to be complaining.

So is part of its "charm and appeal" that parking is often impossible without disturbing other nearby residents, and on safety, ambulances with wailing sirens are there every couple of days to deal with incidents/ accidents? "charm and appeal" for me would be somewhere safe to park without disturbing local residents, and lifeguards or similar to watch over the whole place!!

I simply have a less authoritarian attitude I suppose. It could be that some people like it here because things are a lot less regimented than in some other countries.

[chilli42]

I am all for adventure sports but what gets into people's heads to do them in third world countries where you can be sure the safety standards and accountability are low. This is not just Thailand it's all third world countries. I would not think of letting my kids on an amusement park ride in this country.

[steve73]

My local swimming pool in the UK stopped people using the diving boards for "safety reasons" except for two 1/2 hour periods each day, when there were pool restrictions and extra lifeguards (And the 5 & 10m boards were always closed except for private diving club use).

Certainly too much is now overregulated in the Nanny states, although some pursuits are still largely unregulated.

"Adventure" experiences will always be risky - that's why people do them.

But I do agree that safety precautions in normal situations here should be improved and accountable. I really don't want to consider taking a hot shower or crossing at a green traffic light to be the "adventure experience that it often is.

[trainman34014]

Was up there to eat last week and what's happening now has ruined the 'charm and appeal' of the place and turned it into a mess IMO. It used to be somewhere special in its natural state and all our visitors loved it the way it was.

Just like concrete, commercialism follows us all over the world and destroys everything it touches.

[sanukjim]

The words here "safety assurances" should by " safety inspections".Even if you could properly sue if you get hurt on an attraction you may be get about $300 to $2000 USD..covering a bit of your hospital bill .This is even for a death of said person.Of course a bit of bribe money means " Just send the inspection forms to my office as I am busy this week. You can pick them up on the same day."

Edited February 25, 2016 by sanukjim