Minivan, bus and road accidents

[Nereus]

Thai cop on big bike kills pedestrian on crossing
https://today.fox-24.com/news/72318.html

Article appears to be a dodgy translation, but its in some of the Thai news outlets.

The likely outcome? Cop will get away with it, junta will crack down on big bikes. After all, it was the bike that killed her not the asshole riding it.

Policeman charged with reckless driving, causing female doctor's death


https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... tors-death

A crowd control policeman has surrendered to police and admitted to driving a big bike that hit and killed a female doctor in Bangkok on Friday, according to media reports.

The woman was identified as Waraluck Supawatjariyakul, a doctor at Chulalongkorn Eye Centre at the Department of Ophthalmology in Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Medicine.

The fatal accident occurred on Friday at 3.10pm. While Dr Waraluck was using the zebra crossing to walk across Phayathai road in front of Bhumirajanagarindra Kidney Institute Hospital, she was struck by a Ducati Monster big bike.

The doctor was seriously injured and admitted to Rajavithi Hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.

The big bike driver was initially reported to be a policeman who left the scene after the accident.

The accident was reported widely on across media, drawing comments from viewers and readers who called for the policeman to surrender and for eyewitnesses to provide information for police to catch him.

On Sunday, Pol Maj Gen Nakarin Sukonthawit, commander of the Protection and Crowd Control Division of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, identified the big bike driver as Pol L/Cpl Norawich Buadok, an officer under his command.

He said Pol L/Cpl Norawich had surrendered to Phayathai police.

Pol Maj Gen Nakarin said that from his conversation with his subordinate, Pol L/Cpl Norawich was heading for Victory Monument after picking up some documents at the Metropolitan Police headquarters.

He admitted he was driving fast and that after suddenly switching to the far right lane, he sped over the zebra crossing without noticing that other vehicles had stopped, and hit Dr Waraluck. He was also injured and was admitted to Police General Hospital.

Pol L/Cpl Norawich was initially charged with reckless driving, causing death. He confessed to the charge and was released without bail.

Pending the completion of a report, an appointment was made for police investigators to hand him over to prosecutors on March 9 for indictment.

The big bike was sent to the Traffic Police Division for examination. The investigators were waiting for the result of the examination and the autopsy report on Dr Waraluck. Both will be included in the evidence to be forwarded to prosecutors, Pol Maj Gen Nakarin said.

A funeral for Dr Waraluck is being held at Sala 3, Wat Phrasrimathat Mahavoraviharn, in Bang Khen district of the capital. The cremation has been scheduled for Jan 26.

[Big Boy]

This is exactly the way people drive at the Bluport and Bangkok Hospital pedestrian crossings in Hua Hin. They don't think the red light applies to them. Worse still, Bluport employ people to encourage drivers to run the red lights. On more than one occasion I've seen people cross the road after the Bluport staff have encouraged people to run the lights.

Road safety and Thailand should not appear in the same sentence.

Additionally when my son had an accident involving a police officer, the police officer was riding a bike with no licence plate, road tax or insurance (sound familiar?). These were considered minor offences and not taken into account.

[Nereus]

Ducati cop who killed doctor faces 7 charges

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... -7-charges

The Metropolitan Police Bureau has laid seven charges against the policeman who hit and killed a woman doctor with his Ducati Monster motorcycle on Friday.

MPB deputy commissioner Pol Maj Gen Jirasant Kaewsang-ek said on Monday that Pol L/Cpl Norawich Buadok was charged with reckless driving causing death, using a vehicle without a licence plate, failing to keep his motorcycle in the left lane, failing to give way to someone using a pedestrian crossing, using a vehicle with unpaid annual registration tax, using a vehicle that lacked required equipment, and not having third-party vehicle insurance.

He said Pol L/Cpl Norawich's blood alcohol test was negative.

Pol L/Cpl Norawich confessed to the offences. He was temporarily released without bail because he turned himself in and did not tamper with any evidence or witness and did not commit any violent act, Pol Maj Gen Jirasant said.

more at link

[buksida]

Good that they're throwing the book at him, but its probably because the media has got hold of the story. He'll be on a desk job once it all blows over.

[Big Boy]

Good to see Thailand is still the best at something.......

Zebra-crossing death highlights deadly hazards of Thai roads
https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40011451

[hhinner]

Driving dangerously and killing someone isn't a violent act?

Anyway they could grab any number of bike riders and charge them with the same offences any day of the week (except causing death). But they don't. Nobody cares until someone dies AND there's video evidence on Facebook and YouTube.

Many car drivers are the same, but lucky because they can't squeeze through gaps like m/bs can.

[buksida]

An average of 55 per 100 accidents involve pedestrians being hit by motorists coming from the opposite direction,

That says it all really, and people will continue to do it all the while the "police" turn a blind eye as they're too busy shaking down restaurants for money (or driving the wrong way themselves).

[Dannie Boy]

The Thai road death rate is more than 10 times that in the UK - I wonder how much of that is due to poor training and how much to lack of enforcement (obviously both, but which is the greater)? The sad fact is that it’s a sad waste of so many lives!!

[Big Boy]

IMHO if the law was enforced, people would soon learn when it was costing them money.

[Dannie Boy]

IMHO if the law was enforced, people would soon learn when it was costing them money.

You’re correct - fines and a (proper) penalty points system would no doubt do wonders!!

[buksida]

Dream on, not going to happen. The junta has more pressing priorities such as arresting book store owners, locking up online critics, stomping on the media, and harassing beer drinkers at night.

Daily road deaths have outpaced covid deaths every day this year AFAIK, yet they don't close all the roads in the country or do anything about it as they simply don't care.

[Big Boy]

A few big knobs are doing the easiest thing in the world - talking about what is needed to resolve the problem at pedestrian crossings. I think we could all do that and come to similar conclusions. However, we all know the answers, but how will they enforce them? None of it works until the enforcers get off their arses.

Bangkok governor hopefuls float ideas on preventing accidents at zebra crossing


https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40011451

[hhinner]

Saw a newspaper article or opinion some time ago that said calling something an accident implies no one is at fault.

[PeteC]

The man and his father, who is also a policeman, have gone into the monkhood. "They had no plans to become laymen again, according to media reports." Nice gesture but is it sincere, or is it simply a way to try to avoid further prosecution?

Policeman who killed doctor enters monkhood

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... s-monkhood

[caller]

The man and his father, who is also a policeman, have gone into the monkhood. "They had no plans to become laymen again, according to media reports." Nice gesture but is it sincere, or is it simply a way to try to avoid further prosecution?

Policeman who killed doctor enters monkhood

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... s-monkhood

Not sincere. Suthep did the same, to repent for his sins. Then he just carried on where he left off, when he came out.