British woman died in Thailand after scooter drove into truck's path

[Jonathan Fairfield]

British woman died in Thailand after scooter drove into truck's path

Badminton champion Rebecca Shaw was killed in accident after her friend steered vehicle across four-lane dual carriageway

 

An English badminton champion died in Thailand when her friend drove their scooter into the path of a truck, an inquest has heard.

 

Rebecca Shaw, from Bradley, near Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, was on her way to swim with elephants with Julie Robinson when the accident happened on a four-lane dual carriageway in Phuket in December 2015.

 

Shaw, 32, who played for the England badminton team 10 times and was described by her family as a “real-life angel”, was travelling in Thailand after doing a yoga course in Bali.

 

Full story: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/jan/27/british-woman-rebecca-shaw-badminton-died-in-thailand-after-scooter-drove-into-trucks-path

 

-- The Guardian 2017-01-28

[NCC1701A]

RIP. 

 

At least the Guardian is putting the dangers of coming to Thailand out there for all the see. Lets hope this senseless death serves as a warning to others.

[KhunBENQ]

35 minutes ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

when the accident happened on a four-lane dual carriageway in Phuket in December 2015.

December 2015?

Typo?

 

[johng]

December 2015?
Typo?
 

maybe not a typo accident in 2015 results of inquest released 2017

[Dannythebull]

Poor girl shame for her  family.  What was the outcome of her friend driving the bike. 

[dunroaming]

I remember it being reported at the time.

[mercman24]

dont know what you mean "the dangers of coming to Thailand" nothing of the sort, her friend drove across traffic, you would get killed in any country riding like that,  obviously riding a scooter like a thai.

[Assurancetourix]

" He said it was unclear whether Klomkhan was driving too fast.  "

 

Every vehicles made in the world, even in Thailand , have a computer inside it;

it's very easy to know the speed of a vehicle , even the truck is destroyed or the driver say : I was riding at a slow speed ..

 

We had the same example with the driver of the Mercedes who killed two thai students at about 250 km/h when pushing their car at that speed .

[Aachen]

2 hours ago, Assurancetourix said:

Every vehicles made in the world, even in Thailand , have a computer inside it;

Who told you this? Dream on.

[onthesoi]

...on her way to swim with elephants

 

It was only a matter of time!

[joebrown]

3 hours ago, mercman24 said:

dont know what you mean "the dangers of coming to Thailand" nothing of the sort, her friend drove across traffic, you would get killed in any country riding like that,  obviously riding a scooter like a thai.

"don't know what you mean"? Have you any idea how high the incidence of road deaths is in Thailand? FYI it's the 2nd worst country in the world and that's probably because people who die later ie. not at the accident scene aren't factored in to the overall road death count!

Maybe it's just the wording of your comment 'obviously driving like a Thai" that's wrong, but if not it seems you agree that Thai driving standards leave a lot to be desired.

[rooster59]

Conflicting accounts blur blame in death of British badminton champion in Phuket crash

The Phuket News

 

 

PHUKET: Conflicting accounts have blurred responsibility for the deadly accident that killed English badminton champion Rebecca Shaw in Phuket last month, when her friend drove their scooter into the path of a truck, an inquest in England has heard.

 

Ms Shaw, from Bradley, near Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, was on her way to swim with elephants with Julie Robinson when the accident happened on a four-lane dual carriageway in Phuket in December, reported the Guardian. (See story here.)

 

Shaw, 32, who played for the England badminton team 10 times and was described by her family as a “real-life angel”, was travelling in Thailand after doing a yoga course in Bali.

 

The inquest into her death at Bradford coroner’s court heard the exact details of the accident remained unclear due to conflicting accounts from witnesses. (See story here.)

 

The coroner, Martin Fleming, said the driver of the Toyota pickup truck, Natthaphon Klomkhan, told police he was driving at approximately 60kmh on the morning of December 12 when the scooter, on which Shaw was a passenger, drove from a side road across the lane of traffic and in front of his vehicle, the Guardian noted.

 

Mr Klomkhan said he braked, sounded his horn and flashed his lights but was unable to avoid a collision.

 

Ms Robinson, who could not be contacted to attend the inquest, said she checked there was no traffic before she drove across the road and claimed the driver was travelling too fast and failed to slow down, change lanes or pull into a large car park by the road.

 

In an email sent by Robinson to the coroner in July, she said: “He just drove straight into the back of the scooter, sending both of us flying through the air at some height.

Full story: http://www.thephuketnews.com/conflicting-accounts-blur-blame-in-death-of-british-badminton-champion-in-phuket-crash-60826.php#j0LMjLbgslgrD1J0.97

 

 

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2017-01-28

 

[impulse]

He ruled Shaw, who was wearing a helmet, died as a result of head injuries sustained in a road traffic collision.

 

Mr Klomkhan said he braked, sounded his horn and flashed his lights but was unable to avoid a collision.

 

The pickup driver got to testify.   She didn't.

 

One more data point.  You cross the safety Rubicon when you climb on the scooter, not when you decide whether or not to wear a helmet.

 

[Get Real]

6 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

RIP. 

 

At least the Guardian is putting the dangers of coming to Thailand out there for all the see. Lets hope this senseless death serves as a warning to others.

Wishful thinking! Here, there is too small respect for human life, so nothing changes. For the people who comes to Thailand there is a believe that driving here is like home, or it´s perfectly okey to drive without a license. A combination that always leads to disaster.

[alien365]

If he had time to flash his lights, he had time to BRAKE! 

[BKKBrit]

8 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

RIP. 

 

At least the Guardian is putting the dangers of coming to Thailand out there for all the see. Lets hope this senseless death serves as a warning to others.

For the love of God...read the story. The motorbike driver...Robinson...pulled out in front of the pick up truck. 

 

Quote  "Robinson, who could not be contacted to attend the inquest, said she checked there was no traffic before she drove across the road and claimed the driver was travelling too fast and failed to slow down, change lanes or pull into a large car park by the road."

 

By this statement alone she knew she had erred and expected the truck driver to take evasive action. 

 

Not all driving accidents can be blamed on Thais. The only sensible, non-xenophic part of your comment is "lets hope this senseless death serves as a warning to others" - No Matter where they are when they drive...you might correctly add. 

[NamKangMan]

59 minutes ago, BKKBrit said:

For the love of God...read the story. The motorbike driver...Robinson...pulled out in front of the pick up truck. 

 

Quote  "Robinson, who could not be contacted to attend the inquest, said she checked there was no traffic before she drove across the road and claimed the driver was travelling too fast and failed to slow down, change lanes or pull into a large car park by the road."

 

By this statement alone she knew she had erred and expected the truck driver to take evasive action. 

 

Not all driving accidents can be blamed on Thais. The only sensible, non-xenophic part of your comment is "lets hope this senseless death serves as a warning to others" - No Matter where they are when they drive...you might correctly add. 

 

 

"Not all driving accidents can be blamed on Thais." - sure, but it only seems to be farang being incarcerated for serious accidents.  

 

For some reason, "brake no work" doesn't seem to be a reasonable excuse for a farang here, but seems ok for the Thai's. 

 

Now, what was that you were saying about xenophobia?

[Psimbo]

51 minutes ago, NamKangMan said:

 

 

"Not all driving accidents can be blamed on Thais." - sure, but it only seems to be farang being incarcerated for serious accidents.  

 

For some reason, "brake no work" doesn't seem to be a reasonable excuse for a farang here, but seems ok for the Thai's. 

 

Now, what was that you were saying about xenophobia?

I guess if she'd got a baht bus (even though we are not in Pattaya) she would have survived! Keep banging the drum.

[milesinnz]

Klomkhan said he braked, sounded his horn and flashed his lights but was unable to avoid a collision. - all from 60 KPH.. an achievement, perhaps he could have used his brakes harder instead...... not sure what the stopping distance is from 60 Kph, but not a lot..... 20 metres ?

[SaintLouisBlues]

29 minutes ago, milesinnz said:

Klomkhan said he braked, sounded his horn and flashed his lights but was unable to avoid a collision. - all from 60 KPH.. an achievement, perhaps he could have used his brakes harder instead...... not sure what the stopping distance is from 60 Kph, but not a lot..... 20 metres ?

Closer to 30+, and that's on a decent road surface http://www.brakingdistances.com/60Kph

[jacko45k]

Just finished reading a very similar thread of a head on with a truck in Phuket.

What is it with driving down there this time of year?

[Moti24]

Thais don't use their brakes in situations like this, they only flash their lights and appear to accelerate instead of slowing down.  As far as the driver ding 60 KPH, I don't think so; it's pedal to the metal all the time.  On top of that, the traffic laws are a joke, and are probably written by somebody who has never ridden a motorcycle or driven a car.

 

In a similar situation, about 10 years ago, I was riding my motorcycle along BangNa-Trat Road in Samut Prakarn, a four lane dual carriageway with a u-turn bridge in the centre.  I wanted to use the u-turn, so about 100 metres before, seeing the road behind me was clear, I started moving across the 4 lanes towards the u-turn bridge.  A policeman suddenly jumped out from the sidewalk and waved me over to the nearside.  He asked me why I was in the second lane, to which I replied that I was going to use the u-turn bridge.  He told me that I can't move over the 4 lanes like that, and have to ride along the inside lane until I was level with the u-turn bridge, stop, then cross the 4 lanes when the road was clear.  He got his ticket book out and was going to write me a ticket, but decided against that, probably because I spoke to him in Thai (My Thai wasn't very good then, but I could get by).  I see motorcyclists stop on the left side before crossing the road every day, and often think back to that time on BangNa-Trat.

 

I have ridden large motorcycles since I got my Triumph Bonneville and leather jacket at the age of 16, but I don't even like going to the local 7/11 on my 125cc Yamaha here; it's a dodge the idiots ride, every time.  My dash cam in the car is running before I take the handbrake off.  It doesn't matter how good a rider/driver people think they are, when they come to the LOS, it's a different ball game.

 

No doubt the pick-up driver in the post got away with it, and still drives like a maniac.

[elgordo38]

18 hours ago, Assurancetourix said:

" He said it was unclear whether Klomkhan was driving too fast.  "

 

Every vehicles made in the world, even in Thailand , have a computer inside it;

it's very easy to know the speed of a vehicle , even the truck is destroyed or the driver say : I was riding at a slow speed ..

 

We had the same example with the driver of the Mercedes who killed two thai students at about 250 km/h when pushing their car at that speed .

I guess the case is not being pushed at any speed. Gone but not forgotten. 

[RichardColeman]

Makes no difference. In Thailand only the Thailand version will be accepted - in anything.

[robertthebruce]

8 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Just finished reading a very similar thread of a head on with a truck in Phuket.

What is it with driving down there this time of year?

 

Road Carnage is not just Phuket, it's all over Thailand......, we all see it when we go travelling to other Provinces....

 

Driving is not a Pleasure here, and it will take years to change....unfortunately....

 

 

[jinners]

23 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

RIP. 

 

At least the Guardian is putting the dangers of coming to Thailand out there for all the see. Lets hope this senseless death serves as a warning to others.

Yeah, the Guardian, great news from that rag, and "the dangers of coming to Thailand out there for all the see' yes, driving across a 4 lane highway is only dangerous in Thailand. <deleted>?

[zaphod reborn]

Very sad. So many tourists hop on bikes or ride in mini-vans ignorant of how dangerous these activities are in Thailand.

Edited January 29, 2017 by zaphod reborn

[Assurancetourix]

11 hours ago, SaintLouisBlues said:

Closer to 30+, and that's on a decent road surface http://www.brakingdistances.com/60Kph

Right ; and thank u for the link;

 

On wet roads or slippery ones ( sugar cane on the road for  example ) you must x 2 so 60 meters to stop when driving at 60 km'h ; if u know how to use your brakes;

if u don't know and nearly 99,9 % of thai drivers don't know , , and u have a truck pickup, u will go in the ditch .

Edited January 29, 2017 by Assurancetourix

[farcanell]

Emergency braking, while steering, flashing lights and sounding horn.... yer right!

 

at the risk of being called an apologist, I'm pretty sure it's fair to assume that ms robinsons account is more believable.

 

that said.... it's back to that old chestnut about deliberately putting yourself in harms way, when riding on Thai roads... even if an experienced rider, as it takes awhile to effectively work out the chaos that is the norm for road users here.

[Thechook]

On 1/29/2017 at 2:23 AM, alien365 said:

If he had time to flash his lights, he had time to BRAKE! 

Flashing your lights in Thailand means you are coming through no matter what and get out of my bloody way.  Seen many vehicles driving down the wrong side of the road flashing thier lights without a care for others.