Eight month old baby killed after collision with teenager on bike


Image: Daily News

HAT YAI: -- A Hat Yai family has called for justice after an eight month old baby was tragically killed in a motorcycle accident caught on a dash cam.

The video shows a teenager on a motorcycle clip the side of another bike throwing a mother, daughter and baby to the tarmac, reported Daily News. The accident happened on July 12th. The baby boy hit his head and died in hospital two days later.

Pin Bunprasert, 50, who is a relative said that the teenager on the bike following was swerving and showing signs that he was drunk. She said that he had refused to accept responsibility or even apologize for the accident.

A report has been lodged with Hat Yai, Songkhla, police but Pin said the case is still not resolved. The family are demanding compensation from the motorcycle rider.

Source: Daily News


-- 2016-07-21

My first day in Thailand I wondered if I would read about these kids of accidents all day, every day.......but luckily I don't. Or it's not reported.

RIP. This stuff is heart breaking.

Appalling from almost every conceivable perspective.No helmet for the baby, no real action from the police, no Thai netizens being up in arms, calls for money as opposed to justice by the family, no apology or even regret from the other involved rider. But the saddest part is it isn't even surprising, RIP to the little one. The stupidity and selfishness of others 100% caused their premature demise

So the mother has no culpability in the death of her child? I think she does. An eight month old baby on a motorcycle on a public road is ridiculous.

Unbelievable that a mother carrying an 8 month old baby on a motorbike critical of someone who "clip" her bike! Only in Thailand

So the mother has no culpability in the death of her child? I think she does. An eight month old baby on a motorcycle on a public road is ridiculous.

Yes, unfortunately there's plenty of blame to go around but taking responsibility is almost unheard of here.

How many times have we seen families on motor bikes including a babe in arms with minimal thought of safety ?

I don't know who is at fault here yet but it doesn't matter how safe a driver / rider you are, or think you are, it doesn't mean everyone else is.

The claim the rider was drunk because he was swerving from side to side may or may not be true but how many times do motorcyclists of all ages carve up the traffic as a matter of course ?

Edited July 21, 20169 yr by NongKhaiKid

R.I.P. little one.

Makes me also sick that the police officer let everyone drive by without a helmet , but hey he is only there to guide the traffic right ?

At least i see them here in Chiang Mai sometimes fining the motorbike drivers without helmets even when they are busy guiding the traffic in rush hour.

Sad story. Such a young age to die at.

Blaming poor people for having no other means of transportation really isn't the answer.

Sad story. Such a young age to die at.

Blaming poor people for having no other means of transportation really isn't the answer.

But each of us has the responsibilty to make our children as safe as possible regardless of our financial sutuation: If you can afford a motorbike you can afford a helmet for your baby

Sad story. Such a young age to die at.

Blaming poor people for having no other means of transportation really isn't the answer.

Yes people need the transport they can afford, or in many cases can't really afford, but what's wrong with using it safely ?

Being poor isn't an excuse for that.

Sad story. Such a young age to die at.

Blaming poor people for having no other means of transportation really isn't the answer.

But each of us has the responsibilty to make our children as safe as possible regardless of our financial sutuation: If you can afford a motorbike you can afford a helmet for your baby

Are there helmets for such young children? I'm not trying to be smart, I honestly don't know/have never seen them. Just asking....

Seen it live twice now.

One with mum dad boy and baby with no helmets lose the bike on a wet corner. Second dad and 2 kids t boned by dad and one kid on bikes the kids went flying in the air and even though there was blood but no deaths it was bloody sickening.

Would then put on helmets after that ? Probably not.

And it doesn't set a great example when the same police who book people for no helmets and carrying kids actually do the same themselves..

Nothing is going to change when it's the mai bpen rai attitude on the roads.

Sad story. Such a young age to die at.

Blaming poor people for having no other means of transportation really isn't the answer.

But each of us has the responsibilty to make our children as safe as possible regardless of our financial sutuation: If you can afford a motorbike you can afford a helmet for your baby

Are there helmets for such young children? I'm not trying to be smart, I honestly don't know/have never seen them. Just asking....

Yes, there are. Most cover up to the chin line (rugby scrum cap style)

Sad story. Such a young age to die at.

Blaming poor people for having no other means of transportation really isn't the answer.

But each of us has the responsibilty to make our children as safe as possible regardless of our financial sutuation: If you can afford a motorbike you can afford a helmet for your baby

I think you will find that trying to put a helmet on a child so young would not work, even if they made one small enough as a child's neck around the base of the skull wouldn't support extra weight, a helmet would only assist in the child's neck being broken, likely at C1,c2 type level.

I did read something about this once, I just can't remember where.

It's easy to be critical of folk who can't afford a car and remember Thai folk have been getting around like this ever since Motorcycles have been around. No point trying to apply western standards to every infraction.

How do u expect folk to get around.

Sad story. Such a young age to die at.

Blaming poor people for having no other means of transportation really isn't the answer.

But each of us has the responsibilty to make our children as safe as possible regardless of our financial sutuation: If you can afford a motorbike you can afford a helmet for your baby

Are there helmets for such young children? I'm not trying to be smart, I honestly don't know/have never seen them. Just asking....

Here's some information regarding bicycle helmets and why it's not advised for small infants

http://www.helmets.org/little1s.htm

Sad story. Such a young age to die at.

Blaming poor people for having no other means of transportation really isn't the answer.

Let's not hear how some people are trying to force western values upon Thailand. These people spout what appears to be understanding of the poor third world and how no one can afford to be responsible for safety, whether it pertains to motor vehicles, healthcare, drowning, etc.. It is as though they value the lives of Thais less than they value their own and those of other westerners. If someone can afford to buy a motor bike, that person can afford to buy a proper safety helmet for themselves and the other passenger. That's passenger, singular, not plural, as in 4 underage kids on one bike If they cannot , then they should not be allowed to operate a vehicle. If someone operates an automobile and does not make sure everyone is wearing a seat belt, then it is the driver's fault for any injuries that could have been prevented with their use. If they have a driver's license then they were made aware of these safety laws. If they are driving without a license then they should be arrested, fined and their motor vehicle confiscated.

It is the government's responsibility to pass and enforce statutes that ensure the safety of its citizens. If the government has enough money to purchase useless submarines, it has the funds to provide safe and affordable public transportation for all of its citizens. Making excuses for lack of safety based on people being too poor and stupid is just another sign of racism and discounts the abilities of people who are very capable of learning based on the fact that they don't look like you.

Edited July 21, 20169 yr by jaltsc

Ok, what are the chances the this will happened when a whole family is riding on a rickety bike preforming

a circus act of balance? it's only a matter of when that such tragedy will take place?....

Lets not be mad at the drunk teen who could have caused the deaths of all of them, helmets or not, depending on how the crash finished off and who was coming up from behind.

It is a fact of life that probably more than 80% of infants in Thailand get carted around on motorcycles. I managed to keep it from happening with my kids, but we have cars. Very few people up here have a car and they need to get around too.

Let's face it, the attitude towards road safety here is a fail from the word go. There is a reason Thailand has more fatalities per capita then every country in Asia and Africa except Libya.

Sad story. Such a young age to die at.

Blaming poor people for having no other means of transportation really isn't the answer.

I think this is a road safety issue, not a rich vs poor issue.

I been visiting Hua Hin for the past eight years for a month at a time. So a lot of time in Thailand for a visitor and I have seen babies, toddlers and children barely hanging on the back of mopeds and scooters while their parents dart in and out of traffic.

There has to be a better way than that.

This was an 8 month old child that died, barely able to walk. As neverdie has pointed out helmets are not suitable for such an infant. It was the irresponsibility of the mother who appeared to be the driver and the daughter behind her holding the child.

If they know who the man on the other bike was then maybe some charges can be laid.

Too many people here treat tiny children on motorbikes as packages. We've all seen them holding a baby in one arm and steering with the other. Only a matter of time before an accident.

Very sad and my sympathy goes to the family. My anger goes to those people who only last week here on TV, were trying justify, that riding like this is Thai culture. Well shame on you. I will say it again just because it is culturally acceptable does not mean it is right.

“The family are demanding compensation from the motorcycle rider” … it all boils down to money in the end.

Sad story. Such a young age to die at.

Blaming poor people for having no other means of transportation really isn't the answer.

I think this is a road safety issue, not a rich vs poor issue.

I been visiting Hua Hin for the past eight years for a month at a time. So a lot of time in Thailand for a visitor and I have seen babies, toddlers and children barely hanging on the back of mopeds and scooters while their parents dart in and out of traffic.

There has to be a better way than that.

In Bangkok the bikes that overtake in oncoming traffic during rush hour often have little kids between the driver and the handlebars. Again, if you have no choice try to make the best decisions i.e. drive slowly, don't play chicken with oncoming traffic etc.

It's horrible, but is down to "bad culture". I doubt any parent in the UK would dream of driving a car with infants in without them being in an appropriate baby / kid / child seat, regardless of how poor they are. However, in Thailand, they don't give enough consideration to the infants' safety. This is probably down to education / awareness, hence (in my opinion) it falls in to the category "bad culture". However, being a parent should override everything else and the parents' should have the safety of their children at the front of their minds at all times.

I'm sure it would be perfectly feasible to fix some kind of seat or protection to the front or back of a motorbike, providing some level of protection, especially if the infant also wore a rugby style cap or a cycle style helmet, i.e. something that wasn't too heavy, but provided something more than no protection to the head. This may not be feasible; it may even offer less protection than the protection offered by being squeezed between other bodies - if that's the case, don't travel with infants on a motorbike...unless you are prepared to risk their lives.

Edited July 21, 20169 yr by BwindiBoy

“The family are demanding compensation from the motorcycle rider” … it all boils down to money in the end.

I am sure they are not permitted to take a pound of flesh, so what else can you do?

Do you imagine their grief is an act ?

This was an 8 month old child that died, barely able to walk. As neverdie has pointed out helmets are not suitable for such an infant. It was the irresponsibility of the mother who appeared to be the driver and the daughter behind her holding the child.

If they know who the man on the other bike was then maybe some charges can be laid.

Too many people here treat tiny children on motorbikes as packages. We've all seen them holding a baby in one arm and steering with the other. Only a matter of time before an accident.

It is amusing on this forum, the folk that live in Thailand, attracted to the place because it was so different to their ho e countries, then they get here and rant and rave about all the things they want to change.

One of the reasons Thailand is the way it is (cost factor) is because there's different ideals here, different standards, different beliefs, different culture and different economics, just to mention a few.

Sure it's sad a child died but what are people expecting here?

Both parties are at fault here. Thailand direly needs some stringent traffic laws especially regarding motorcycle (number of riders allowed, helmet, changing lanes, staying in the same lane, etc.)

I know it's hard to enforce or even harder to implement. So deal with these senseless deaths until they will wake up!

And even if they do wear helmets some of the quality is so poor on the cheap ones you might as well be wearing a egg shell.

Sadly for a lot of families quality products are out of their reach.

Unfortunately, incidents such as this one are common place.......apart from the family that loses a child in this manner, no-one really cares.....often Thailand is a sad and tragic place for us foreigners to witness these events almost daily......until we become inured to the carnage!

What a waste of time writing about this is.