Relatives scream blue murder after pick-up driver fails to let ambulance pass

[webfact]

Relatives scream blue murder after pick-up driver fails to let ambulance pass

 

Picture: Daily News

 

BANGKOK: -- A pick-up driver is at the center of a big controversy after he refused to let an ambulance pass after a minor scrape on his vehicle.

 

Despite the pleading of the ambulance crew who were on their way to get a very sick 74 year old woman the pick up driver told them they must for the insurance.

 

He said he didn't want his standing with the insurance company to be affected.

 

Another ambulance was urgently summoned - but it was not in time to save Chusri Ornsamphan, 74, who Bang Bua Thong police said died at her home.

 

Now the furious relatives want to confront the pick-up driver who they say acted disgracefully. They asked: "How would he feel if it was his relative?" Many called him the dregs of society.

 

Bang Bua Thong cops had to deal with the angry mob at Chusri's home when they found out about the ambulance and the pick-up. Chusri was lying dead at the scene as tempers flared.

 

Earlier they had had to attend the minor accident involving the ambulance driven by Natchaphon Sakhorn, 35, and the pick-up driven by 53 year old Chaiwat (whose surname is being withheld by police).

 

Natchaphon said that he had pleaded with Chaiwat to let him and a nurse and assistant do their duty and go to pick up the dying woman.

 

There was just a bit of white paint from the ambulance on Chaiwat's truck but he wanted to wait for the insurance to sort it out. The accident happened as the ambulance tried to squeeze past the pick-up and enter Soi Wat Lat Pla Duk off Kanchanapisek Road.

 

Picture Thairath

 

Natchaphon contacted his call center who dispatched another ambulance but it was not in time to save the woman who had been suffering from chest pains and difficulty breathing.

 

In the end police charged both drivers at the station with negligent driving and fined them 400 baht each. Chaiwat offered to pay both fines but Natchaphon declined saying he would pay his own.

 

The incident comes after it was revealed earlier in the week that 20% of patients die in ambulances while being rushed to hospital. Some of these occur because selfish drivers refuse to let them through.

 

On Tuesday a pick-up driver in Chiang Mai blocked off an ambulance with a dying person in the back because he seemed to have been upset about being overtaken.

 

Sources: Daily News, Thairath

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-01-19

[DM07]

Lost for words! What a scumbag!


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[trogers]

Just the normal Thai mentality... as seen frequently in road rage episodes.

 

Wait for NLA to do catching up on this social sickness, perhaps after another coup a few decades in the future...

[Scott]

I always pull over and get out of the way for an ambulance with lights flashing, but many, many people don't.   There are a fair number of ambulances on the elevated expressway between Chonburi and BKK.   I travel that road frequently.   I assume a number of those ambulances are taking people to hospitals with more specialized care than can be found in Chonburi.    They travel quite quickly in the outer most lane, but a lot of people just don't move over for them.  

 

On the ambulance (and police and other emergency vehicles), they need to have and follow strict guidelines about the use of lights and sirens.   On more than one occasion, I have seen them traveling with the lights on and then pull over somewhere and get coffee.  

[ezzra]

Yeah, da hell with your emergency and a person in dire need of medical help, I have to worry about the screeches on my car. me, me, me, it's mind over matter for me you see, I don't mind, and you don't matter.....

[Somtamnication]

Every day this happens. I am usually the only idiot who pulls over, because then the car behind me comes in front of to pass and block the ambulance.

 

It doesn't stop me because I have hope.

[the guest]

Thailand is in many ways is still playing catchup. The government (and I use that terminology very loosely) has a responsibility to protect it's citizens, but as we have witness over the years, RTA's (being the second worst in the world), and now the complete disregard for life (generally-speaking) that Thais must start taking more responsibility in their lives. Time, and time again, this type of stories appear in the headlines. Thais must be taught in schools, on TV, and in every day life, that it's not about me me me, which at the moment seems to be the case. Sad.

[z42]

Scum. Pure and simple. Surely the cops can't duck out of their responsibilities here. People like this pickup driver need to be locked up as a lesson to others.

 

If i was the ambulsnce driver i would have told him to shove it and driven off. 

 

Come on RTP, prove you're not just a complete bunch of <deleted> and go arrest this @$$#ole now ?

[lemonjelly]

Welcome to Asia 

[teatree]

Compare and contrast with Thailand:

How Germans React to Ambulance Siren

 

 

[lavender19]

I think they will have form one their committees to wàste time and money and waffle about this for a few years

[impulse]

Shameful behavior, for sure.  

 

But it's a little disingenuous for local social media to rag on this guy when the vast majority of people on the road here don't hesitate to drive in the emergency lane when it suits them, and very few actually get out of the way of ambulances.  Glass houses and stones.

[steve187]

2 hours ago, Scott said:

I always pull over and get out of the way for an ambulance with lights flashing, but many, many people don't.   There are a fair number of ambulances on the elevated expressway between Chonburi and BKK.   I travel that road frequently.   I assume a number of those ambulances are taking people to hospitals with more specialized care than can be found in Chonburi.    They travel quite quickly in the outer most lane, but a lot of people just don't move over for them.  

 

On the ambulance (and police and other emergency vehicles), they need to have and follow strict guidelines about the use of lights and sirens.   On more than one occasion, I have seen them traveling with the lights on and then pull over somewhere and get coffee.  

sometimes the emergency vehicle will get stood down/cancelled.

[Cockwomble]

Somchaism at it's finest.

 

 

[Toronto]

I live in Ubon, and I see this happen quite often. Suppose it's the same all over LOS. Back in the States this would be a hefty fine. 

[SABloke]

Insurance for paint flecks I told my sister in law to stop claiming for things unless she seriously damaged the bodywork of her car. I warned her that her premiums would go up (past the cost of small repairs). She didn't listen. Her latest qoute was 26 000 Baht a year for her little Mazda. Not 1st class.

[SABloke]

So this a hole got someone killed in order to get an increase in p.remiums smart move -_-

[Scott]

20 minutes ago, steve187 said:

sometimes the emergency vehicle will get stood down/cancelled.

That I understand, but stopping by to get coffee and then leaving with the lights still on seems like it just might be misuse.   I don't judge; when I see the flashing lights or hear a siren, I get out of the way.  

[Titan1962]

The traffic and common sense here is a major problem,we all agree with that. The cities are getting choked with traffic and most times there is not enough room to pull over and let the emergency vehicles pass. Part of living in the city I suppose,and yes the emergency lane does get used for cars wanting to turn left. The bikes use it all the time.

But the emergency services should have cameras fitted so they can capture the idiots that completely disobey the rule to move out the way when possible.like the idiot in the black pickup. That should have been sent straight to the police. The police should have taken the video straight to the culprit and charged him. Repossessed his car.Disqualfied him from driving,and shown that on all the TV channels at prime time.

then maybe people here will get the message. Hit them in the hip pocket,because money and pride are the only things that seem to matter to most people.

[dinsdale]

ME ME ME ME ME ME

Hard to find a car without a little scrape or two. Thing is though in the vid the pickup was black. Photo is clearly not the same car.

[fruitman]

7 minutes ago, Scott said:

That I understand, but stopping by to get coffee and then leaving with the lights still on seems like it just might be misuse.   I don't judge; when I see the flashing lights or hear a siren, I get out of the way.  

 

Last month my neighbour died at home (cancer). Ambulance came with wailing lights, left the lights on while loading her in and left with lights on into BKK-traffic.

 

 

[ramrod711]

Pulling over for an ambulance should be an automatic response. Knowing that it could be you or a loved one should make it so. Having a dash cam in the ambulance in conjunction with a law that made 10,000 baht fines mandatory for offenders WOULD make it so.

[SaintLouisBlues]

11 minutes ago, ramrod711 said:

Pulling over for an ambulance should be an automatic response. Knowing that it could be you or a loved one should make it so. Having a dash cam in the ambulance in conjunction with a law that made 10,000 baht fines mandatory for offenders WOULD make it so.

Reality Check - you're in Thailand

[moonoi]

ME ME ME ME ME ME
Hard to find a car without a little scrape or two. Thing is though in the vid the pickup was black. Photo is clearly not the same car.

It's 2 different incidents, the video is a different one from Chiangmai

[01322521959]

I hope this is not a reflection of Thai society as a whole. Though I fear that in general it is especially from the attitude of drivers on the road. I've never seen them make any real effort to get out of an ambulances way. In the UK cars go up verges, drive into peoples driveways just to give the ambulance free passage.

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[otherstuff1957]

The first time my wife saw an ambulance overseas she was amazed.  When everyone pulled to the side and let the ambulance through, she said "This would never happen in Thailand". 

[01322521959]

 
Last month my neighbour died at home (cancer). Ambulance came with wailing lights, left the lights on while loading her in and left with lights on into BKK-traffic.
 
 

So they just use sirens when no needed. Sounds like some retraining is in order.

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[sangfroid]

11 minutes ago, 01322521959 said:

I hope this is not a reflection of Thai society as a whole. Though I fear that in general it is especially from the attitude of drivers on the road. I've never seen them make any real effort to get out of an ambulances way. In the UK cars go up verges, drive into peoples driveways just to give the ambulance free passage.

Sent from my i-mobile_i-STYLE_219 using Thaivisa Connect mobile app
 

I hope this is not a reflection of Thai society as a whole .......IT IS!!!

[daveAustin]

1 hour ago, teatree said:

Compare and contrast with Thailand:

How Germans React to Ambulance Siren

 

Exactly same in UK. On the main bridge through town, every single vehicle will pull up over the pavement and the central reservation to let them pass. It is a combination of education, manners, empathy, respect, nous and not wanting get a huge fine and/or look a complete prat for not doing so. If an ambulance scraped a car, the ambulance would just carry on and get the person to hospital with any insurance issues sorted out later - common sense. If a car refused to move because of a scrape or whatever, aside from being manhandled and moved by a member of public or the ambulance driver, the cops would be on them in a heartbeat. If a person died because of this act, they would likely end up in court on a manslaughter charge and be taken apart in the media.

[optad]

I can't get past the instilled value system that justified the blocking act. A rationalisation took place which has pretty ugly ramifications.