Phuket

Mr Lucky · #1 30-12-2006, 17:36

This letter to the Phuket Gazette got me thinking.

Whenever I spot someone in trouble on the road - a wreck or injury - my first inclination is to stop and offer help. However, my wife warns against this in Thailand. "They'll blame you and make you pay," she says.

Thankfully I've never been forced to leave someone dying on the road - there have always been Thais with mobile phones hanging around gawking so my assistance would only confuse things.

But I'm curious to hear if anyone has had a good/bad experience helping someone in trouble in Thailand.

stevem · #2 30-12-2006, 18:31

Been discussed previously

http://www.phuket-info.com/forums/ne...s-pattaya.html

LivinLOS · #3 30-12-2006, 18:47

After being here a while I would act thai and simply pass on by unless I thought it was life saving and required and I was the only one possible..

I wrote on here how some Thai guy came and got right in my face nearly starting a fight when I tried to stop a dog that had been stunned from being completely run over by other traffic..

I watched two thais crash on Nanai, farang stops and tries to help, we are watching from the offshore bar, we tell him to leave them alone and leave them too it, he leaves as a policemen arrives and both the Thais start to blame the farang (he had departed) who was totally uninvolved.. Thai face preserved, blame the farang..

If you have any choice at all.. Leave well alone.. If theres any Thai around.. Try to get them to help (unlikely).. In the absolute last resort then think about it first, if someone arrives will you like to Thai eyes as the guilty party ??

Mr Lucky · #4 30-12-2006, 19:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevem

Been discussed previously

Thanks Stevem. I actually did a search and saw that thread (from back in May), but after reading the beginning I thought it was about stepping in on altercations between Thais.

Lots of good advice about not getting involved. Though I'm curious whether anyone currently on the forum has had an experience where they got involved anyway.

(Damn - I hope to god if I ever need help that a farang gets involved!)

dawsey · #5 30-12-2006, 19:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Lucky

(Damn - I hope to god if I ever need help that a farang gets involved!)

From my point of view, its a very strange idea to keep distant from a life threatening accident, but the expats and contributors of the thread that Stevem quoted have far more experience in these matters.

I do know that if I saw a farang involved, I would have to stop and see if any help was needed and suffer the consequences later. Its just human nature from a farang way of thinking.

t0rn · #6 04-01-2007, 07:45

I had an accident in Udon a couple of months ago. Was driving a large 4x4 and knocked down a thai on a motorbike (well, I think he drove into the back/side of me).
He was carted off to hospital, I got lots of help from thai's who were around, police judged it equal blame and I got off with paying no money at all.

stevem · #7 04-01-2007, 07:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by t0rn

I had an accident in Udon a couple of months ago. Was driving a large 4x4 and knocked down a thai on a motorbike (well, I think he drove into the back/side of me).
He was carted off to hospital, I got lots of help from thai's who were around, police judged it equal blame and I got off with paying no money at all.

The way things are handled up country is very different to Phuket and even Bangkok. You would be extremely lucky to get away with that in Phuket. A visit to a temple afterwards would be in order.

cybernator_uk · #8 04-01-2007, 08:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by LivinLOS

After being here a while I would act thai and simply pass on by unless I thought it was life saving and required and I was the only one possible..

I wrote on here how some Thai guy came and got right in my face nearly starting a fight when I tried to stop a dog that had been stunned from being completely run over by other traffic..

I watched two thais crash on Nanai, farang stops and tries to help, we are watching from the offshore bar, we tell him to leave them alone and leave them too it, he leaves as a policemen arrives and both the Thais start to blame the farang (he had departed) who was totally uninvolved.. Thai face preserved, blame the farang..

If you have any choice at all.. Leave well alone.. If theres any Thai around.. Try to get them to help (unlikely).. In the absolute last resort then think about it first, if someone arrives will you like to Thai eyes as the guilty party ??

I remember the inital post when you said about the dog. This tho is good advice. Most of us would stop to help... Its just the moral thing to do BUT the thing is Thailand is not the same and being blamed when you are just trying to help is not right. But there you go back to Thais not wanting to lose face.

marc26 · #9 04-01-2007, 12:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Lucky

Thanks Stevem. I actually did a search and saw that thread (from back in May), but after reading the beginning I thought it was about stepping in on altercations between Thais.

Lots of good advice about not getting involved. Though I'm curious whether anyone currently on the forum has had an experience where they got involved anyway.

(Damn - I hope to god if I ever need help that a farang gets involved!)

this is a little off topic but i got in the middle of a fight when a girl came at my gf with a henieken bottle
i floored the girl, then proceeded to fall on my ass and have 10 girls fighting over me
alot of people thought i should have stayed out of it, since it was 2 thai girls fighting
i just think what type of person does that make me if i sit there and let my gf ive known for 2 years, at that point, get injured just because shes thai and im farang

Crustasian · #10 04-01-2007, 22:49

The Good Samaritan rule on attempting First Aid out here is fraught with danger.

Back in UK most first aiders would help straight away.But out here you may be blamed for the entire thing.The family of the wounded Thai may decide that you did the wrong treatment and you get hit with all the bills.

wylos · #11 05-01-2007, 01:46

well i suppose it has something to do with it.....

havin been in an accident myself,from what i remember first person to approach me was a thai(moto taxi driver),i remember him shoutiing as i buckled my bike and flipped off comin around a corner late in the night,actually ill re phrase that....early in the mornin last january(as some of u remember).
im sure he was the one who phoned for the ambulance,2nd person to assist me was a thai girl,i think she was with her falang BF.i remeber crawlin to the side of the road,and she was strokin my head,tellin me not to worry and he was keeping me concious asking me questions,name,where am i from etc....
and trying to rip my lacoste shirt off my back to rap around the wound.......a bit stupid of me possibly, but i wasnt losing any blood,so i declined.555555,it was real lacoste by the way.really would like to meet that couple again.
but in this situation,i myself would find it very hard to just turn a blind eye,of course it is a different scenario,but what have things come to if i cant lend a hand just because im scared of getting the blame.

anyway a litle story for ye......bit emotional now

wylos · #12 05-01-2007, 01:50

i have heard of some other cases of playing the good samaritan going well tits up.....

people faking accidents on side of the road to get someone to pull over then rob them,now that is sly,i suppose another reason to be wary.

jimholio · #13 05-01-2007, 22:31

What about when a farang has a traffic accident, doesnt the thai stay and help then either?

wylos · #14 05-01-2007, 22:41

each case to thier own...........read the above.

Kim6969 · #15 06-01-2007, 00:40

Well,imho when i wake up in the morning and look at myself in the mirror i dont wanna see a spineless chickenshit wanker who walked away from a accident previous night BECAUSE i was to boneless and afraid of getting involved!!!

Mr Lucky · #16 06-01-2007, 09:02

This issue points up the need for farangs to have the number of a good Thai lawyer in their mobile, especially if they're going to spend more than a single holiday here.

The key to any Thai negotiation is the ability to make a phone call and get a bunch of locals to come and back you up. It's all about numbers here - how many people can you get on your side......and how much cash do you have?

RobRoy · #17 03-02-2007, 06:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Lucky

Thanks Stevem. I actually did a search and saw that thread (from back in May), but after reading the beginning I thought it was about stepping in on altercations between Thais.

Lots of good advice about not getting involved. Though I'm curious whether anyone currently on the forum has had an experience where they got involved anyway.

(Damn - I hope to god if I ever need help that a farang gets involved!)

I did, many years ago in Pattaya. Two young German kids lost control of a superbike on the beach road. No hard hats, badly hurt. I mixed in because there were lots of Thais on the scene, trying to loot their pockets and really p#ssed because I stopped them. A Swiss guy got his GF to call an ambulance but I had to watch both boys die before it got there. The Swiss got the job of informing their families. Things like this I'd like to forget but it's like it was just yesterday.

Mr Lucky · #18 03-02-2007, 07:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobRoy

I did, many years ago in Pattaya. Two young German kids lost control of a superbike on the beach road. No hard hats, badly hurt. I mixed in because there were lots of Thais on the scene, trying to loot their pockets and really p#ssed because I stopped them. A Swiss guy got his GF to call an ambulance but I had to watch both boys die before it got there. The Swiss got the job of informing their families. Things like this I'd like to forget but it's like it was just yesterday.

Good for you stepping in. Though the kids couldn't appreciate it, I'm sure their families did.

Dodger · #19 03-02-2007, 09:15

A friend of Oli's was here on holiday, came out of Tai Pan and saw a Thai guy lying on the pavement in a really big pool of blood. Even though I told him previously be cautios if you see a Thai in an accident, as a first aider he rushed in, turned the guy on his side, stemmed the flow of blood and kept him conscious. All of this was watched by a large crowd and a police officer. The guy had been stabbed and no one was helping, a van arrived two guys jumped out chucked the body in the back of the van and sped off towards the hospital.

Once this had happened the police officer came straight over to Oli's friend and asked him, did he do it, was he involved? when he said no, he then asked him why would he help a thai guy?, did he know who stabbed him, were they friends of his etc. A few thai girls came to his rescue and explained the situation, even though he was fairly certain the Police guy had been there when he came out of tai pan.

Anyway just to put a pleasant ending to this story, two of the girls were so impressed he had gone and saved a thai guy for no other reason than having a good heart, they ended up with him for the night for free. First threesome he said he had ever had, so maybe we should consider who is watching any accident we witness, stunners, definately get involved!!!