American tourist praised after helping to free person trapped in car in Chiang Mai

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American tourist praised after helping to free person trapped in car in Chiang Mai

 

Picture: Sanook

 

An American tourist has been praised for stopping to help at the scene of an accident in Chiang Mai on Sunday.

 

Twenty six year old Ray Aber (name transliterated) had only arrived in Chiang Mai a short time earlier and was travelling in a taxi from the airport to Pai.

 

It was during the journey Ray came across the scene of the accident in Mae Taeng, where summer storms had uprooted a tree causing it to fall on a vehicle, injuring three passengers inside and leaving one of the passengers trapped inside the vehicle.

 

Sanook reported that Ray, an engineer, told the taxi he was travelling in to stop at the scene while he went an assisted in freeing the person who was trapped in the vehicle. The report said Ray and other rescuers worked for more than an hour in torrential rain to free the person.

 

Sanook also reported a 56 year woman died in the accident.

 

Source: Sanook

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2019-04-22

[chrisinth]

Good for him, kudos.

 

If you think you have skills that can help in a circumstance like that, get the sleeves rolled up. That said, if there is a command structure setup already, become part of the team, don't go gung ho and try to do everything yourself.

 

I know a lot of people are going to comment on avoiding situations like this, it is why I said 'if you think you have skills' that can help save lives. 

[Aussieroaming]

Well done fella

[hotchilli]

Good man, many would have driven by just looking out the window.

[MeePeeMai]

See, good farangs are welcome in Thailand!  (bad ones get out)

 

 

[freedomnow]

+1 for the farangs vs some of the hobos that wash up in the news reports.

[Cake Monster]

Having all the relative skills ( and more ) to deal with a situation such as this, I would never, ever use those skills here in Thailand again.

A few years ago, whilst driving in Pattaya, I witnessed a car leave the road at speed about 100M ahead of me.

There was no other vehicle involved.

Being fully qualified through MSA traIning in the UK, i pulled up to offer some assistance behind the vehicle which was on its side and 2M down in a concrete drainage channel, and badly damaged.

As I jumped down into the channel to reach the driver, a Thai guy pulled up on a Motorcycle, and started shouting and gesticulating at me.

Whats all this about I thought. Another motorist who was Thai started shouting back at this guy on the bike, who then took off at pace.

It transpired that the Guy on the Bike was accusing me of being involved in, and indeed causing the accident. It was only because the other Thai driver had also witnessed the car go off the road, and really lambasted this guy on the Bike, that I did not find myself in a very serious situation indeed.

I struggle with this in my head, as my training with the MSA taught me to respect life, and to help people that need it in a crisis. 

However, self preservation is the order of the day, and we were also instructed never to put ourselves in a situation that could be dangerous or be a threat to our own wellbeing.

Well done to the young man who stopped to help, he is a good, decent  Human Being. 

Always think before going in to help would be my serious advice to anybody in this kind of situation.

 

 

 

 

[Happy Grumpy]

23 minutes ago, MeePeeMai said:

See, good farangs are welcome in Thailand! 

 

 

The police in Pai haven't given him their famous welcome yet. 

[sammieuk1]

Well done that man. it was only today I hauled a fallen motor cyclist to some safety with a gaping to the bone foot injury outside a pharmacy as everyone looked on had to get my Mrs to buy a dressing as he was left on the road as cars and huge bus  manoeuvred around his head lucky someone cared enough to call an ambulance as I kept his heavily bleeding foot elevated and carried him off the scorching tarmac ????  

[MickeyDelux]

Thank you American

[hmficc]

Twice I have witnessed  road accidents and been the one to respond while many other watched. One died and one lived. Something in the culture that keeps kind people from responding in an emergency.

[sammieuk1]

13 minutes ago, puukao said:

this isn't about you.  don't hijack this thread with some story of you being great and best best and the best of the best....blah blah

 

it was only today I saved 14 kittens from a mouth of a croc and then hunted wild buffalo to feed a family of 32 and then rescue 8 cats from a burning building while giving cpr to 23 people who almost drowned.  but it was after lunch when i really helped.......

What a complete moron go play on the road ????

[MeePeeMai]

5 hours ago, Cake Monster said:

However, self preservation is the order of the day, and we were also instructed never to put ourselves in a situation that could be dangerous or be a threat to our own wellbeing.

Well done to the young man who stopped to help, he is a good, decent  Human Being. 

Always think before going in to help would be my serious advice to anybody in this kind of situation.

I can relate, I was an EMT on an ambulance for 12 years and our 1st instinct is to stop and help.

 

Back in the 90's (on one of my trips to Bali) I was driving around in Denpasar with an Indonesian friend of mine and we came around a corner (heavy traffic) and there was an old woman laying face down in the middle of the street.  She looked dead but I couldn't tell for sure.  Nobody stopped to help her so I immediately pulled over and my Indonesian friend had a panic attack and started yelling NO, NO! DON"T STOP!

 

What?  Why?  She needs help I said.  He said that I would be blamed for her death or injuries and that I would have "BIG problems with the police" and that there would be no witnesses to help me (other than him and the police would not believe him because he was my friend).  He said if she's dead then you cannot help her and if she's mentally disturbed she might be faking it just to get attention but if she's hurt then you could be held responsible and have to pay for everything.

 

That made me think (still nobody had stopped and numerous motorbikes and cars just by drove right around her).  She did not appear to be breathing or moving at all so I thought about it for a minute and then just took off.  

 

Had there been others stopped there before me it would not have been a problem but do to the circumstances, you're right... sometimes (not always) it's better to just drive on by.

[Nyezhov]

45 minutes ago, puukao said:

 

it was only today I saved 14 kittens from a mouth of a croc and then hunted wild buffalo to feed a family of 32 and then rescue 8 cats from a burning building while giving cpr to 23 people who almost drowned.  

ya shoved your tongue in my mouth you freak. Next time let me drown.

 

I sure know why you want to play lifeguard

[Nyezhov]

1 hour ago, MickeyDelux said:

Thank you American

Hes from NYC or nearabouts. No one else wears a Mets shirt unless they are really from NYC

[mike787]

Well done!!!  Give him an elite visa - seriously! 

[hgma]

HEAR -HEAR !

 

[RJRS1301]

Nice to see he assisted.

Hope he has not suffered vicarious trauma, and has assistance to support him.

My respect for all Emergency workers as well

 

[Lucius verus]

10 hours ago, MeePeeMai said:

I can relate, I was an EMT on an ambulance for 12 years and our 1st instinct is to stop and help.

 

Back in the 90's (on one of my trips to Bali) I was driving around in Denpasar with an Indonesian friend of mine and we came around a corner (heavy traffic) and there was an old woman laying face down in the middle of the street.  She looked dead but I couldn't tell for sure.  Nobody stopped to help her so I immediately pulled over and my Indonesian friend had a panic attack and started yelling NO, NO! DON"T STOP!

 

What?  Why?  She needs help I said.  He said that I would be blamed for her death or injuries and that I would have "BIG problems with the police" and that there would be no witnesses to help me (other than him and the police would not believe him because he was my friend).  He said if she's dead then you cannot help her and if she's mentally disturbed she might be faking it just to get attention but if she's hurt then you could be held responsible and have to pay for everything.

 

That made me think (still nobody had stopped and numerous motorbikes and cars just by drove right around her).  She did not appear to be breathing or moving at all so I thought about it for a minute and then just took off.  

 

Had there been others stopped there before me it would not have been a problem but do to the circumstances, you're right... sometimes (not always) it's better to just drive on by.

Yes,  when I was in Indonesia in the early 80's I was told never to stop at the scene of an accident because being white (rich) I could be blamed.

Never driven in Thailand and probably never will.

 

Asia is far too uncivilised to drive in without any stress.

Back home driving is just a normal daily function, if there's an accident everyone has insurance and a fully equiped ambulance will be there asap.

Not in Asia.  Dont drive. Don't get involved although well done to the American chap. I don't know if I would help until the situation actually arises.  Maybe.

[JimmyJ]

On 4/22/2019 at 2:43 AM, Cake Monster said:

Having all the relative skills ( and more ) to deal with a situation such as this, I would never, ever use those skills here in Thailand again.

A few years ago, whilst driving in Pattaya, I witnessed a car leave the road at speed about 100M ahead of me.

There was no other vehicle involved.

Being fully qualified through MSA traIning in the UK, i pulled up to offer some assistance behind the vehicle which was on its side and 2M down in a concrete drainage channel, and badly damaged.

As I jumped down into the channel to reach the driver, a Thai guy pulled up on a Motorcycle, and started shouting and gesticulating at me.

Whats all this about I thought. Another motorist who was Thai started shouting back at this guy on the bike, who then took off at pace.

It transpired that the Guy on the Bike was accusing me of being involved in, and indeed causing the accident. It was only because the other Thai driver had also witnessed the car go off the road, and really lambasted this guy on the Bike, that I did not find myself in a very serious situation indeed.

I struggle with this in my head, as my training with the MSA taught me to respect life, and to help people that need it in a crisis. 

However, self preservation is the order of the day, and we were also instructed never to put ourselves in a situation that could be dangerous or be a threat to our own wellbeing.

Well done to the young man who stopped to help, he is a good, decent  Human Being. 

Always think before going in to help would be my serious advice to anybody in this kind of situation.

 

 

 

 

You had a "one off" situation which defused rapidly and caused no problem.

What if the witness hadn't pulled up? The guy was yelling at you, not jumping off the cycle and attacking you.

 

Mountain. Mole Hill.

 

Not worthy of being used as an excuse to suggest people not be helpful to others in need.

[Burma Bill]

On 4/22/2019 at 3:18 PM, Aussieroaming said:

Well done fella

Well done indeed!! Mae Taeng is located at the start of the notorious route 1095 to Mae Hong Son with its 1,800 or more hair pin bends and there are many accidents without summer storms.