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Driving, Accidents, and Repercussions in Asia

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  • Driving, Accidents, and Repercussions in Asia

    In Thailand, it's a common warning to those who drive, from those who know. If you get into a car accident, sometimes, you have to worry more about the local population than you do the police. In fact, mob violence towards those involved in accidents is so common, that even the police will acknowledge that sometimes it's best to leave the scene of an accident and head directly to the nearby police station. Of course, such behavior can be viewed as "inappropriate" once you end up in court, so choosing to leave an accident should only be considered if one thinks their life is in danger. Now, in the western world, these things are not even considered, But get into an accident in a small village in Asia, more typically Muslim villages, and you could be looking at a lot of potential danger. These people do not resort to the legal system and courts when it comes to justice; sometimes, it gets doled out on the spot.

    A recent news article in Phuket is typical of such behavior:

    PHUKET: A pickup truck travelling at high speed collided with a motorbike on the main road through Pa Khlok yesterday evening, killing the rider and passenger, and slamming into a house set back from the road at about 7:30pm.

    Emergency rescue first-responders from the Kusoldharm Foundation arrived at the accident scene, in front of the Pak Cheet Mosque about five kilometers west of the Heroines’ Monument, to find a mob of angry villagers attacking the pickup driver, 32-year-old Nontee Sangnuang, a resident of Rassada, north of Phuket Town.

    The Phuket-registered Toyota Vigo pickup was heavily damaged and lying on its side beside the house.

    The bodies of two local residents, Pairot Wisetsombat, 55, and Lamyong Dudpayak, 45, were lying dead nearby.

    Mr Nontee escaped from his vehicle and managed to clamber inside the back of one of the Kusoldharm rescue pickups to avoid further beating by the mob.

    The angry villagers then attacked the rescue vehicle, causing minor damage to it. They pulled Mr Nontee out of it and started to kick and punch him.

    Mr Nontee then managed to flee to the Pa Khlok Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor) rescue vehicle parked at the scene. Sensing more danger, the Pa Khlok (OrBorTor) rescue officers sped off, taking Mr Nontee to safety.

    Still angry, the mob turned their frustration on the Kusoldharm officers, asking them why they didn’t help the two people on the ground.

    “We tried to explain to them that both [Mr Pairot and Ms Lamyong] were dead when we arrived at the scene, but some of the villagers didn’t seem to understand,” one of the rescue officers explained to the Gazette.

    In the ensuing confusion, the rescue officers in one of the two Kusoldharm vehicles at the scene managed to take Ms Lamyong’s body to the Thalang Hospital morgue, but the rescue officers with the other Kusoldharm vehicle had to wait for the police to arrive before they would be allowed to take Mr Pairot’s body.

    Mr Nontee was taken to Thalang Police Station for questioning and to be tested for alcohol, before being sent to Thalang Hospital for treatment of minor injuries sustained in the beating.

    The villagers blocked the road in protest, which ended about 30 minutes later, with police clearing the way to allow traffic through.

    Mr Nonee tested positive for alcohol, delivering a blood-alcohol reading of 177mg (a BAC reading of 0.17).

    He is now being held at Thalang Police Station. PHUKET GAZETTE
    Experienced Community organizer. Yeah, let's choose him to run the free world. It will be historic. What could possibly go wrong...

    "You're just a jaded cynical mother****er...." Jeffpeg

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  • #2
    Talking about dangers on the roads in Thailand:

    PHUKET: An American expat has told of her shock at witnessing two men furiously masturbating by the side of the road in the Patong-Karon hills.

    Long-term expat Amy Bensema, 36, was driving her motorbike home on August 19 when she spotted two naked “Asian-looking men” masturbating and shouting obscenities at passing cars and motorbikes.

    The incident happened just after 4pm, a few meters before the corner where the Secret Cliff Resort is located. Ms Bensema had just finished work in Bang Tao and was en route home to Nai Harn.

    She said there were lots of cars and motorbikes passing the men at the time and that at least 10 people must have witnessed the “shocking scene”.

    “It was crazy. The men walked out of the jungle on the right-hand side of the road. They were naked and both were masturbating. As I got closer, I saw they were going at it furiously [sic] and one used his free hand to throw cans at cars,” she said.

    As Ms Bensema got closer the men both shouted for her to “Come here”.

    “They were wagging their tongues and making horrible faces at me,” she said.

    “At that point I turned away, accelerated and didn't look back.”

    Ms Bensema stopped at a construction site on the other side of the hill and told a security guard what had happened.

    “He laughed, but then quickly apologized when he saw how upset I was. He told me to go to the police station to report the incident,” she said.

    Ms Bensema stopped at a police box in Karon and then at Chalong Police Station to report the incident.

    Chalong Police Sub-Inspector Sutham Sriprasom confirmed the incident was recorded and that a verbal complaint had been made. He urged members of the public to call the police if anyone witnesses a similar act.

    “We are not looking for these people since it is not a big crime, but if we do catch these men then they will be charged with public obscenity and fined between 500 and 1,000 baht,” he said.

    Ms Bensema, who has lived and worked on the island for more than five years, said she hoped the police could catch the men.

    “It’s not safe to have people like that running around. I really hope that no one was walking up there, who knows what would have happened,” she said.

    This is not the first time Ms Bensema has been the victim of “flashing” on Phuket.

    “A similar incident happened to me in Nai Harn a few years ago. It’s crazy that people would do that in public. I think people should know that these things happen so they can stay safe and be careful when driving alone.”

    If you witnessed the incident on August 19, or witness a similar crime, officers at Chalong Police Station can be contacted directly at 076-381247 or 191 for emergencies.
    Phuket Gazette
    To put this into perspective, a thousand baht is about thirty dollars...
    Experienced Community organizer. Yeah, let's choose him to run the free world. It will be historic. What could possibly go wrong...

    "You're just a jaded cynical mother****er...." Jeffpeg

    (more comments in my User Profile)
    russbo.com


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