Japanese man dies after being hit by train while taking selfie on Death Railway

[rooster59]

Japanese man dies after being hit by train while taking selfie on Death Railway

Image: Thairath

KANCHANABURI:-- A Japanese man has died after being hit by train while he was trying to take a selfie on the Death Railway in Kanchanaburi.

Businessman Haruhisa Saito, 52, suffered serious injuries to his head along with six broken ribs when he was hit by the train on Saturday morning.

Thai media reports that Mr Saito was trying to take a selfie and did not seem to be aware the train was coming behind him. Despite the driver sounding the train’s whistle several times, Mr Saito failed to move out of the way.

The impact of being hit by the train resulted in Mr Saito being thrown from the bridge and onto the ground 5 metres below. The accident was witnessed by hundreds of tourists who were nearby at the time.

Thairath reports that Mr Saito was the president of Silvec Co Ltd in Chonburi and had been taking employees from the company on a trip to Kanchanaburi when the accident occurred.

Rescue workers rushed Mr Saito to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

Source: Thairath

-- 2016-05-22

[canopus1969]

How ironic

[cgphuket]

The irony makes my day.

[piersbeckett]

I can't seem to raise a lot of sympathy; classic irony; he couldn't move out of the way because he was busy getting the perfect shot - how Japanese!

[colinneil]

What goes around comes around.

[hansnl]

A family member, buried nearby, would probably call this poetic justice.

[hansnl]

A few family members, one of them buried nearby, others having been "working" for his emperor, would probably call this poetic justice.

[hansnl]

Thick fingers probably.

Sorry for the double entendre, as it is.

[thaiduncankk]

Day off for Thai bashing, looks like it's the Japanese's turn, albeit in tragic circumstances.

[edwinchester]

A family member, buried nearby, would probably call this poetic justice.

The victim was born 19 years after WW2 ended how on earth is this justice?

[hawker9000]

Why would a Japanese person want a selfie of all things standing on the site of such a great national shame? 'Would be like a German wanting a picture of himself standing next to one of the ovens.

[Stray]

If the train operator had time to sound the whistle, several times, why didn't he swerve around the guy taking photos of himself?

Afterall, as everyone should know, you are obligated to give way to those who are ignoring everything going on around themselves and playing with their telephones.

[SOTIRIOS]

....would like to hear what some of the 'witnesses' have to say...

...impossible not to hear a train whistle....

[Briggsy]

Didn't a Dutch guy fall out of the same train last year whilst taking a photo.

The locals will say evil spirits are up to no good on this line.

[thaiduncankk]

....would like to hear what some of the 'witnesses' have to say...

...impossible not to hear a train whistle....

Not if you're 'mutton Jeff'.

[hawker9000]

Didn't a Dutch guy fall out of the same train last year whilst taking a photo.

The locals will say evil spirits are up to no good on this line.

If there are any such, and they're up to no good, this would certainly be the place for it...

Can't understand why Japanese ever even go near this.

[lifeincnx]

Why would a Japanese person want a selfie of all things standing on the site of such a great national shame? 'Would be like a German wanting a picture of himself standing next to one of the ovens.

You would be surprised. In fact, there are a lot of Japanese apologists who think they acted swell during WWII. That said, I bet it was one hell of a photo.

Here's a photo of a Darwin Award candidate taking a train selfie, and being kicked by the train's conductor so he wouldn't fall into the train.

[Jingthing]

Yes, this is undoubtedly ironic, but still a tragic accident and that man had about as much to do with the Japanese role in WW2 as I did.

[losername]

How ironic

Trivia Warning: sorry guys. Even more ironic that the Japanese Colonel who commanded the POW camp in the film The Bridge on the River Kwai, was also called Saito.

[tezzainthailand]

A family member, buried nearby, would probably call this poetic justice.

He wasn't even born when the Japanese committed those atrocities. To call it poetic justice is a ridiculous comment. Is it poetic justice if a 52 Australian has a heart attack and dies while taking a photo of Uluru just because his British ancestors committed atrocities against the Aboriginals in the 19th and 20th centuries?

[maximillian]

Death railway indeed.

Sorry for the Japanese man.

[hobobo]

A family member, buried nearby, would probably call this poetic justice.

The victim was born 19 years after WW2 ended how on earth is this justice?

Maybe he visited the place where his father/uncle/even grandfather killed so many... Reminds me of "Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence"

[oldsailor35]

Day off for Thai bashing, looks like it's the Japanese's turn, albeit in tragic circumstances.

Thank god it was a Jap. Delayed justice in my opinion !

[alanrchase]

....would like to hear what some of the 'witnesses' have to say...

...impossible not to hear a train whistle....

Yes, as usual with your posts. "Murder".

[oldsailor35]

Yes, this is undoubtedly ironic, but still a tragic accident and that man had about as much to do with the Japanese role in WW2 as I did.

Tragic fact is that despite "Butchering" millions of innocents with bayonets, swords etc., they still think that they were doing Asia a favour and steadfastly refuse to allow their schools to teach the real facts maintaining that they were freeing Asia from western colonialism. The Imperial Japanese Army were nothing more than slave driving head lopping bastards.

[cbuddha]

Day off for Thai bashing, looks like it's the Japanese's turn, albeit in tragic circumstances.

Thank god it was a Jap. Delayed justice in my opinion !

Never too late to show your racism, eh?

"Jap" is an ethnic slur, whether you think it's justified or not.

Any moderators willing to do the right thing?

Thanks.

[apetley]

Day off for Thai bashing, looks like it's the Japanese's turn, albeit in tragic circumstances.

Thank god it was a Jap. Delayed justice in my opinion !

Justice is meted out to perpetrators of a crime. This guy was born two decades after the end of WW2.

[alanrchase]

Yes, this is undoubtedly ironic, but still a tragic accident and that man had about as much to do with the Japanese role in WW2 as I did.

Tragic fact is that despite "Butchering" millions of innocents with bayonets, swords etc., they still think that they were doing Asia a favour and steadfastly refuse to allow their schools to teach the real facts maintaining that they were freeing Asia from western colonialism. The Imperial Japanese Army were nothing more than slave driving head lopping bastards.

Yes, 70 years ago. How is your birth countries history? All rosy no doubt.

[tezzainthailand]

Yes, this is undoubtedly ironic, but still a tragic accident and that man had about as much to do with the Japanese role in WW2 as I did.

Tragic fact is that despite "Butchering" millions of innocents with bayonets, swords etc., they still think that they were doing Asia a favour and steadfastly refuse to allow their schools to teach the real facts maintaining that they were freeing Asia from western colonialism. The Imperial Japanese Army were nothing more than slave driving head lopping bastards.

And the British weren't exactly 'Mother Theresa like' when they were on a quest to expand their empire. The Union Jack is called the 'butcher's apron' for a reason you know.

[alanrchase]

Yes, this is undoubtedly ironic, but still a tragic accident and that man had about as much to do with the Japanese role in WW2 as I did.

Tragic fact is that despite "Butchering" millions of innocents with bayonets, swords etc., they still think that they were doing Asia a favour and steadfastly refuse to allow their schools to teach the real facts maintaining that they were freeing Asia from western colonialism. The Imperial Japanese Army were nothing more than slave driving head lopping bastards.

And the British weren't exactly 'Mother Theresa like' when they were on a quest to expand their empire. The Union Jack is called the 'butcher's apron' for a reason you know.

I am British and agree. I do not feel any shame as it had nothing to do with me. We trogged around the world abusing everyone we could. To this day I have no idea how such a small country managed it. Did we improve things? Possibly. The question remains, "what did the Romans do for us"?