Is a life in Thailand worth less than in the West?

[retarius]

Of course it is, especially if it is an ordinary person's life.

[bangrak]

'Is a life in Thailand worth less than in the West?' Most certainly! Period

[hansnl]

Life is cheap.

Anywhere in the world.

War, traffic, murder, too much or too little, all those things make life cheap.

We rant about an idiot on a shooting spree, and we accept daily loss of life by traffic.

Thailand different?

Really

[bangon04]

Na, people in the West just have an severely inflated view of their self worth. Dead is dead from the highest to the lowest all human life is worth exactly the same no use making a big song and dance about anyone's passing.

Life in the "civilised" West seems to be about accumulating Stuff. House, Car, bank account, ornaments, furniture, gardens, swimming pools, gadgets, all for status and to show others evidence of a good life.

then at the last moment it becomes painfully obvious that nobody can take their "Stuff" with them into the next life.

Letting go of all the stuff seems to be harder in the West than in the Eastern cultures. Does that mean life is cheaper? Or does it mean that Death is more Expensive in the West?

[sawadee1947]

Nothing new in this article. However good to remind us where we are living and where we came from. 80 road side deaths seems too low even. UN says appr. 100, because you have to count those who die later.

But what is her point actually?

There will be not a sudden change here, if you are lucky within the next generation.....hope die last

[piersbeckett]

One of the issues I wrestle with over here is the value given to individual life

"The value given"..., as long as you do nothing about others valuing your life, your life will be cheap. You have to make your own value, just like all the HiSo, politicians, tycoons, VIPs, government officials, generals in this and any other country do. If you are content with what "they" value your life at, then that's exactly the value of your life...

So, the issue I wrestle with your article is your passive acceptance and then questioning the outcome, while the fundamentals are the same all over the world.

You got it!

[ScotBkk]

The US would seem to be the exception.

The amount of gun related deaths there

Mistake

Edited March 31, 2016 by ScotBkk

[nemrut]

The US would seem to be the exception.

The amount of gun related deaths there

Can I ask WHY. you pitched in about the US when the OP is relating the whole entire subject around Thailand? This is another paradox on Thaivisa where no matter how hard one tries to make ones self clear about a story - a TV member chips in after a few lines feeling the need to - wants to - compelled to - about letting us know other comparisons in other countries. Why discuss Thailand at large in these Thai expat forums if a certain majority can't help themselves rabbiting on in the same mundane tone that takes away the interest from the main theme.

Just saying .... No offense my friend

Does the headline not make a direct comparison to the West?

If the US is considered part of the 'West' then it's only fair they are used as an example to counter such an inflammatory assertion.

[torpedo1970]

Not even news, but i guess it had to be written by a foreigner on a slow news day....

answer is yes, after all TIT

[Colabamumbai]

Yes and death is a big party here.

[balo]

Thailand is Thailand , good or bad, but I can only talk about my life. I feel my life is important and my relatives lifes and people I care about. As an expat living in Thailand I do everything I can to think safety , as I would do in Europe. However there's nothing we can do with the standard of the roads , local criminals with guns , stupidity etc ,

So do I feel safe here? Yes in fact I feel more safe here than when I lived in Europe. I have neever experienced any dangerous situations yet after 5 years living here. But that's because I value my own life and make sure everyone around me also follows my "rules". You can't change everyone but at least try to protect yourself from the madness around you.

Edited March 31, 2016 by balo

[ThaiKneeTim]

As I mentioned elsewhere before; Thais don't even value their own life, so they will take unnecessary risks, even ignore obvious dangers, because they believe that their fate is already set out and nothing they do in this life is going to change that.

My gf frequently comments on the erratic driving of her fellow Thais with saying "she wants to go [to] paradise". It seems that Buddhists are worse than those whacky evangelical Christians (Remember Harold Camping?) in the USA who await the rapture with glee.

If you don't value your own live, and take care to preserve it on the basis that you'll be with loved ones in paradise, why would you care about a total strangers loss of life?

[Oziex1]

Na, people in the West just have an severely inflated view of their self worth. Dead is dead from the highest to the lowest all human life is worth exactly the same no use making a big song and dance about anyone's passing.

We make a big song and dance about death in the West to at least try and reduce needless loss of life, some efforts are a little misdirected and can create the nanny states some of us are trying to escape.

Life is precious and I believe in our efforts to preserve it with road safety, air safety and many other campaigns to keep us aware and to take care.

[siliconvalley]

Wow...

You tell me.

A truck would rather hit a motorcycle filled with family. To avoid a dog.

[lostinisaan]

A German killed an innocent Thai on his way to the south coming from Sisaket. Mao maak, mai pen rai, na khrap. One million baht and all were happy. Excluding the victim.

[lostinisaan]

Wow...

You tell me.

A truck would rather hit a motorcycle filled with family. To avoid a dog.

Nope, the brakes didn't work. Drug drivers don't care about dogs.

[MockingJay]

Is it??? For the West certain lifes are worth nothing, my friend... see for yourself:

Edited March 31, 2016 by MockingJay

[tomross46]

It all depends on which western country you are talking about. Lets look at Chicago, Detroit, Washington DC or New Orleans. Life is cheep. All these cities have strict gun control laws, but there is mass killings anyway.

[lovelomsak]

In Canada life has little value. We have lots of talk but in reality life has little value in Canada. In general I think Thailand is no different.In my own family a niece's husband murdered, at work (it is said the police know who did it but cannot get enough evidence to charge the person) unsolved murder. My older brothers brother in law murdered coming home one night,no one ever charged or caught. The same brother went missing 15 years ago cannot find him anywhere just disappeared. So there you go 2 murders and a missing person just from my family alone. Mind you I have been left for dead here in Thailand but not Canada.

[willyumiii]

It depends on the value of your life insurance policy....or if you have one or not!

Seriously, I think the attitude toward death has a lot to do with believing in reincarnation.

One door closes, another door opens....no big deal.

[nausea]

First, it's a compensation culture,rather than a retribution culture. We had this in England, in Anglo-Saxon days. Second, most Asian cultures, at a societal level, place little value on an individual human life. They're just big collectives. I would place Russia in this category. Third, no matter the societal indifference, at an individual level the pain is just as great as in Western societies - the grief, the loss of a loved one.

[uthaithanirules]

most Asian cultures, at a societal level, place little value on an individual human life. They're just big collectives. I would place Russia in this category.

Gaaah, I keep hearing three main points here about how supposedly all thais are

1. As Ive quoted you there, they place little value on individual life - Dont you think, thats really just because the've grown up squished in like sardines all their life? Australia, Britain, Canada, even the US doesnt have the population densities places like Bangkok, Hong Kong, Singapore do

2. They believe in reincarnation, so they dont value their own life - How many christian theists back home, do you think actually believe after death they are going to sit around playing backgammon with St Peter?

How many thais actually believe in Buddhism as opposed to just going along with everyone else, how many you think actually believe they could come back as a turtle. If it was true thousands would off themselves everyday because they were having a bad day

3. Thainess/ Losing face - particularly curious coming from australia, like drunken aussie yobbos dont arc up when they lose face, or Russians, Brits, Americans

Pffft, to all of it

[taony]

Well, since here you can plow your car into another on the highway and kill to people - which requires a national uproar for the police to even pretend to do something, while at the same time the "PM" himself reacts to a girl dancing on a car by calling for new laws to prevent it from ever happening again, I'll have to say yes.

Messed up priorities indeed.

[nausea]

Well yes, I agree with you Uthai. Please read my last sentence.

[Ghostnigel]

Seems like their lives are worthless to themselves, and even their family...you see them on motorbikes, riding with one hand, and holding a child in the other. No protection, nothing.

Or a 5 up family with 3 little 'uns hanging on, no helmets.....i know its their only mode of transport sometimes, but safety is non existent with poorer Thais....shame really.

[geriatrickid]

Yes.