Two Germans killed in Samui road accident, Russian charged

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, docshock13 said:

Unless I missed something, it seems the Germans on the bike entered the Russian's lane in an attempt to overtake the pickup and smashed head on into Russian. 

If so, how can the Russian be charged? 

Because this is Thailand and logical thinking doesn't apply.

[FitnessHealthTravel]

This is a very sad story. Honestly I am not surprised this doesn't happen more often on Samui. There is little or no Policing at all. They turn up after the carnage, it's disgraceful really. People are pretty much free to do what they want (if they have the stones) and it often does not end well.

[Mister T]

58 minutes ago, MadMuhammad said:

Yeah it was a bit of a mess. Fractured skull, subdural haemotoma, acquired brain injury, fractured cheek and sinuses ($1200 full face helmet), brachial plexus injury (arm movement coming back now), sucking chest wound (punctured lung), fractured all my ribs, bruised heart, ruptured spleen, traumatic hernia, 3 fractured vertebrae, fractured left knee, fractured and penetrated left ankle.

2 weeks in a coma and 3 months in a brain injury ward. I still take it as a win though! ?

'Thanks for the kind thought 

Know how lucky you feel, had almost the same injuries nearly five years ago. The whole investigation blamed the pickup driver, several Thai witnesses and a good investigator. Had several court appearances trying to get her insurance to pay up. After seven months and still in a wheel chair, the judge said she would not award damages until I paid a one thousand baht fine for contributing to the accident. If I was not there, it would not have happened.

[MadMuhammad]

2 minutes ago, Mister T said:

Know how lucky you feel, had almost the same injuries nearly five years ago. The whole investigation blamed the pickup driver, several Thai witnesses and a good investigator. Had several court appearances trying to get her insurance to pay up. After seven months and still in a wheel chair, the judge said she would not award damages until I paid a one thousand baht fine for contributing to the accident. If I was not there, it would not have happened.

Unbelievable. Actually it is, TIT. I was extremely lucky, if you can say lucky, to have my accident in Melbourne, Aus. Victoria has one of the best transport accident insurance schemes on the planet and they took care of me extremely well.

If this had have happened to me in Thailand I feel I'd unfortunately be a dribbling mess with zero mobility.

I'm still shaking my head you had to pay the 1k. Hope you're up and about now mate.

[Mister T]

14 minutes ago, MadMuhammad said:

Hope you're up and about now mate.

Thank you, graduated to a walking stick. Have lots of fun at airports, bells and whistles going off at screening. Lift my trouser legs, flash the scars and they wave me on through.

Just a small warning for others, as with MM, I had full riding safety gear on that I bought in Aus, would have been dead without it.

[Grumpy Duck]

Using my great wisdom and assorted life experiences I proclaim the driver of the pickup to be at fault! What happened to him? Did he even stop to give aid after causing the accident? 

Oh wait, 

just in case it is taken as a serious comment, this is tongue in cheek

levity people

but on a more serious note RIP to the victims. Hope the Russian fares well. 

[ttrd]

8 hours ago, docshock13 said:

Unless I missed something, it seems the Germans on the bike entered the Russian's lane in an attempt to overtake the pickup and smashed head on into Russian. 

If so, how can the Russian be charged? 

It may have something to do with that he drove over the speed limit as stated in the article (in addition to that it may  appear signs of alcohol in the blood samples taken later)

More information to come...

[Lucky mike]

Helmets ?

[docshock13]

33 minutes ago, ttrd said:

It may have something to do with that he drove over the speed limit as stated in the article (in addition to that it may  appear signs of alcohol in the blood samples taken later)

More information to come...

Yep that could be it.  My post was going on the first report which was sparse on details. 

[impulse]

One more data point.  2 Germans on a 2 wheeler and a Russian in a 4 wheeler experience the same accident.

 

The one with 4 wheels survived.  The guys on 2 wheels didn't.

 

Condolences to the loved ones left behind.

 

[Tofer]

I'm surprised to read the few posts that refer to the Russian being perceived guilty simply because he was here! I experienced this in Saudi Arabia and found it just as ludicrous then. If you are in country legally then you have every right to be there / here.

 

I live in fear of someday having a child on a bike under my wheels. I wonder what the scenario would be in this instance as the child, under aged and an unlicensed driver, definitely should not have been on the road... 

 

Anybody had any experience of this?

[JungleBiker]

7 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Thats why it's important to drive here with 1st Class insurance with a 200,000 baht bail bond.

1

 

It's even worse in Laos because the police won't accept a bail bond. They will impound the vehicle and driver until "compensation" has been paid to the grieving family regardless of whether the victim was at fault or not. No doubt they take their cut for services rendered. It's all about making money, not enforcing laws and serving justice.  And note that if the victim was at fault, the insurance company of the surviving party will NOT reimburse the money that is paid as "compensation". If their client was not at fault then why should they pay??   

[Foozool]

When you drive a car and you see some "kamikazi" ☠️ overtaking, just pull over to your left and don't you think that have right to stay in your way. 

Especially there could be no witness/no camera. 

This is Thailand, people life is more important than your "driving rights".

The law could work different for Thai.

law is flexible, you know. ?

 

[Gandtee]

10 hours ago, docshock13 said:

Unless I missed something, it seems the Germans on the bike entered the Russian's lane in an attempt to overtake the pickup and smashed head on into Russian. 

If so, how can the Russian be charged? 

The mysteries of the orient.

[Tchooptip]

No later than yesterday night in Samui between Chaweng and Lamai, we found ourselves face to face with a car overtaking a lorry.

It was at the top of the hill we saw the car at the last second, my wife was driving maybe at 50kh not more, and there was enough room on the left to avoid it.

But should have we driven a little too fast, not sure we could have avoided this car?  As a rule, personally, I almost never ever overtake anyone on  Samui's mined roads.

I am particularly sorry for the young man pillion passenger. The driver was probably driving too fast, but only probably since the Russian said: was overtaking a pickup truck on the two-lane road when it crashed into the front of his car going fast...So? 

[mikiea]

10 hours ago, docshock13 said:

Unless I missed something, it seems the Germans on the bike entered the Russian's lane in an attempt to overtake the pickup and smashed head on into Russian. 

If so, how can the Russian be charged? 

your confused , it is apparent you do not speak cop thaineeze .

[NanLaew]

20 minutes ago, Tchooptip said:

No later than yesterday night in Samui between Chaweng and Lamai, we found ourselves face to face with a car overtaking a lorry.

It was at the top of the hill we saw the car at the last second, my wife was driving maybe at 50kh not more, and there was enough room on the left to avoid it.

But should have we driven a little too fast, not sure we could have avoided this car?  As a rule, personally, I almost never ever overtake anyone on  Samui's mined roads.

I am particularly sorry for the young man pillion passenger. The driver was probably driving too fast, but only probably since the Russian said: was overtaking a pickup truck on the two-lane road when it crashed into the front of his car going fast...So? 

Did the buggers flash their lights at you to get out of the way as well?

 

Very similar view to what I experienced coming over the brow of a hill up in Isaan a few years back except it was a bus overtaking something slower and he hit ALL his brights and I aimed at the black hole where I last saw the hard shoulder. Pulled over, stopped and shaking so much that I didn't put it back in gear and carry on for about 10 minutes.

 

I only drove around Samui for about a month while I was working down there and saw more road idiocy in an hour than I'd see in a day up here. Even the Big C parking lot was scary!

[Winniej]

6 hours ago, InMyShadow said:

It's just a formality. Doesn't mean He is guilty but that's just how the thai justice system works

 

Charge maybe an innocent party with a crime and it's just a formality . 

No wonder it's such a backward joint 

[pattayahenry]

in thailand, they dont have the western concept of "my lane". for a thai its no big deal to overtake into oncoming traffic, because he relies, that the other will give way, as he is required by thai law. so if the police decides, the road was wide enough for 2 cars plus the overtaking bike, that can get very costly for the russian.

[mikiea]

6 hours ago, InMyShadow said:

It's just a formality. Doesn't mean He is guilty but that's just how the thai justice system works

 

oh .... and you know that how  ?....hahaha hahaha hahaha ,  armchair lawyer's , i love them . keep me smiling .

[moe666]

As usual everyone jumping to conclusions, I know someone who hit a guy on a bicycle and killed him. The police arrive and he shows them the camera and right away they say bicycle to blame. The man was drunk on the bicycle and pulled in front of another car and then into the front of my friends car and wham, dead on arrival.

 

My friend did give the family 50,000b they had wanted more but my friends wife says no he not a rich man. End of story. 

 

Stop jumping to conclusions about things you know nothing about. Also have a cam in your car

[r136dg]

What if they ran into a power-line pole? Would PEA be charged with reckless stillness? 

[toddsaed]

tailgating at high speeds,  coming at you head on,  see the Thais do it every day, motorbikes in your lane, no turn signal, you name it , they do it, corruption inexcusable traditionally by poli ce

[robsamui]

What a joke this nation is!

Two years ago my friend was overtaking a car at night - at a moderate speed of about 50 Kph - when he saw a motorbike with no headlights coming straight at him.

 

The police told him that even if the bike had no lights, if the collision happened over the center line, he was at fault.

 

And the accident today the police are saying that if some kids on a bike drive head on into your car, even if you are on the correct side of the road, it's your fault.

 

I swear to God the police here make up a new law to fit every accident.

 

And the most depressing thing of all - the police are the judge and jury - there are no courts you can appeal to (unless you want to spend millions of baht and be tied up in Thailand for the 4 years it will take for them to eventually find you guilty anyway.)

[Elkski]

1200$ AUD helmet's.  Wow.   

 

Sounds like driving without front & rear can is crazy.   

[Si Thea01]

16 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Whenever there is an Road Traffic Accident which involves a death it is normal procedure in Thailand to automatically charge the surviving driver with 'Reckless Driving Causing Death'...  

 

Thats why it's important to drive here with 1st Class insurance with a 200,000 baht bail bond. These charges are often later dropped when it is proven the driver is not at fault. 

 

That said, it would be extremely concerning for someone in such a situation, I'm sure many BiB have profited from such concern in the past. 

I don't know it that is correct or not where you indicate that it is normal procedure to automatically charge the surviving driver, as my wife, who is Thai, was involved in a fatality early last year, and this did not occur.  Admittedly, she had first class insurance and the assistance of an insurance company representative, who acted on her behalf and the insurer, with it being established that the motorcyclist was at fault.

[Elkski]

I imagine it's a big difference if driver is Thai like your wife or farang.  

[Araiwah]

12 hours ago, Tofer said:

I'm surprised to read the few posts that refer to the Russian being perceived guilty simply because he was here! I experienced this in Saudi Arabia and found it just as ludicrous then. If you are in country legally then you have every right to be there / here.

 

I live in fear of someday having a child on a bike under my wheels. I wonder what the scenario would be in this instance as the child, under aged and an unlicensed driver, definitely should not have been on the road... 

 

Anybody had any experience of this?

No but I did have a middle aged motorcyclist on the bonnet of my car a few years back which made me jump as I was making a u turn and looking left at the traffic coming round the opposite corner to join the flow. Apparently it was my fault that this idiot decided to cut across 2 lanes of incoming traffic whilst riding against the flow and try to make an illegal u turn. Basically the cops turned up and said I should pay 25000bt for it to go away. Luckily I had a connection quite high up in the RTP ( he was trying to woo my girl's friend) and I ended up getting 2000bt from the motorcyclist and a groveling apology from the shell shocked cops. 

[Araiwah]

10 hours ago, pattayahenry said:

in thailand, they dont have the western concept of "my lane". for a thai its no big deal to overtake into oncoming traffic, because he relies, that the other will give way, as he is required by thai law. so if the police decides, the road was wide enough for 2 cars plus the overtaking bike, that can get very costly for the russian.

So why do they bother with white lines? 

[impulse]

5 hours ago, Si Thea01 said:

I don't know it that is correct or not where you indicate that it is normal procedure to automatically charge the surviving driver, as my wife, who is Thai, was involved in a fatality early last year, and this did not occur.  Admittedly, she had first class insurance and the assistance of an insurance company representative, who acted on her behalf and the insurer, with it being established that the motorcyclist was at fault.

 

I'd bet that the insurance guy quietly took care of the bail bond during the time it took to establish that the scooter was at fault.  Since they do it every day, it may have been as simple as a nod to the cops that you've got cover.  You (and your wife) may not have even had to know everything that was going on in the background from a legal standpoint.  That's what the 200,000 bail bond clause is for.  (Edit:  and keeping in mind that's just my guess, I'm happy to hear that it can be that seamless should I be in an accident with good insurance.  I had visions of a day or 2 in the hoosegow while the insurance company came up with the dough.)

 

Related to the accident under discussion here, it seems that one linked article has the police charging the guy, and another article indicating that they're contemplating charges.  In either case, it makes sense to do something that would keep the guy from scooting toward the nearest international airport while they're investigating.  

 

Just because he was in the correct lane doesn't mean he wasn't drunk, or speeding, or  pulling out into traffic, or any of a dozen scenarios that need to be determined before he's allowed to leave the country.  It may be days before any blood work comes in on him and the deceased, and CCTV footage is viewed and any witness statements.