Kazakh Tourist, 22, Killed In Phuket Motorbike Crash

[webfact]

Kazakh tourist, 22, killed in Phuket motorbike crash
Phuket Gazette

PHUKET: -- A tourist from Kazakhstan has died from head injuries after a motorbike accident on the Patong beach road early yesterday morning.

Lt Thawatchai Srimai of the Patong Police explained that the tourist, aged 22, was riding his motorcycle at high speed from the Thara Patong Beach Resort & Spa at about 1:30am.

“He tried to make a turn [onto Sawatdirak Road] at the football field, but slid because of water that had collected on the road. He fell off the bike and hit his head on the road,” Lt Thawatchai added.

Police were soon at the scene with Kusoldharm Foundation rescue workers.

“He was bleeding profusely from a cut on his head, and died on the way to Patong Hospital,” Lt Thawatchai said.

“He was not wearing a helmet,” he added.

Police officials recorded the accident and contacted the Kazakhstan embassy in Bangkok.

The Gazette is withholding the victim's name until it has been confirmed his next of kin have been notified of his death.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2013/Kazakh-tourist-22-killed-in-Phuket-motorbike-crash-21005.html


-- Phuket Gazette 2013-05-10

[laurentbkk]

poor guy , too young to die .... but one more time with a helmet he could have been saved ...... hope many thais will read this article ....and many foreign tourists also.

[JetsetBkk]

poor guy , too young to die .... but one more time with a helmet he could have been saved ...... hope many thais will read this article ....and many foreign tourists also.

Let's be honest, very little will change in the next several years. Tourists will come here, leave their brains at the airport, copy what the Thais do, ride without helmets, have 'accidents' and die. This is how it has always been.

It will only change when the police enforce the laws and fine every single bike rider they see for not wearing a helmet.

And we all know that won't happen any time soon.

RIP tourist from Kazakhstan.

[eezergood]

Self inflicted = YES

Sad = Yes

Strange = No

Suprised = NO NO NO

All that aside, that corner can be a nighmare with the crazy bus/minvan drivers & there is oil all over the road

[andreandre]

As posted..high speed and in attention to the road surface and possible drinks at the time ..a disaster waiting to happen.the lack of a helmet is secondary to the other facts...RIP to the guy..

Maybe the story is wrong [as is often here] but if he was travelling on the beach rd you cannot turn right into Sawatdirak Road as reported as its a one way road leading up to the beach..?

Edited May 10, 2013 by andreandre

[merijn]

poor guy , too young to die .... but one more time with a helmet he could have been saved ...... hope many thais will read this article ....and many foreign tourists also.

Let's be honest, very little will change in the next several years. Tourists will come here, leave their brains at the airport, copy what the Thais do, ride without helmets, have 'accidents' and die. This is how it has always been.

It will only change when the police enforce the laws and fine every single bike rider they see for not wearing a helmet.

And we all know that won't happen any time soon.

RIP tourist from Kazakhstan.

But now days even most of The thai's are wearing helmets.

Only the tourists think that this is only required back home and not in Thailand.

And racing at 01:30 on the beach road !!!

[tolsti]

As posted..high speed and in attention to the road surface and possible drinks at the time ..a disaster waiting to happen.the lack of a helmet is secondary to the other facts...RIP to the guy..

Maybe the story is wrong [as is often here] but if he was travelling on the beach rd you cannot turn right into Sawatdirak Road as reported as its a one way road leading up to the beach..?

The other news source which can't be mentioned said that it was in fact the road going up at the football stadium...Soi Nat Patong.... and yes, that turn can be nasty.

[surfinglife]

I work on an oilfield in Kazakhstan and in my on and off 10 years here I have seen maybe a grand total of 5 motorbikes. People don't ride them here and obviously don't know how to....so why would someone who has never ridden a bike get on one in Thailand of all places,, on the wrong side of the road, without a helmet, without a license, probably pissed, at night.......as they say, the idiots' mothers are always pregnant......RIP but your own fault...and many other of your countrymen and your Russian cousins to follow I'm afraid.....

[rwaaslance]

I just rented my first motorbike yesterday... luckily it came with a rental helmet. And I WILL be wearing it.

But does anyone know where I can go to get a youth helmet? I'll be driving around Kamala Beach (NOT at 1:30am) with my 9 year old son. They gave us two helmets, but his is not sized for a child. I've only been in Thailand for two weeks, so I'm still finding my way around. Any helps is appreciated.

Thanks.

[fisherd3]

poor guy , too young to die .... but one more time with a helmet he could have been saved ...... hope many thais will read this article ....and many foreign tourists also.

Won't make the slightist difference !

[andreandre]

As posted..high speed and in attention to the road surface and possible drinks at the time ..a disaster waiting to happen.the lack of a helmet is secondary to the other facts...RIP to the guy..

Maybe the story is wrong [as is often here] but if he was travelling on the beach rd you cannot turn right into Sawatdirak Road as reported as its a one way road leading up to the beach..?

The other news source which can't be mentioned said that it was in fact the road going up at the football stadium...Soi Nat Patong.... and yes, that turn can be nasty.

Yes..Soi Nat patong it would be..bit weird when the local cop doesn't know one road from another... ...but really, that turn is no ''nastier'' than any other corner,anywhere around here..

[xylophone]

poor guy , too young to die .... but one more time with a helmet he could have been saved ...... hope many thais will read this article ....and many foreign tourists also.

Let's be honest, very little will change in the next several years. Tourists will come here, leave their brains at the airport, copy what the Thais do, ride without helmets, have 'accidents' and die. This is how it has always been.

It will only change when the police enforce the laws and fine every single bike rider they see for not wearing a helmet.

And we all know that won't happen any time soon.

RIP tourist from Kazakhstan.

But now days even most of The thai's are wearing helmets.

Only the tourists think that this is only required back home and not in Thailand.

And racing at 01:30 on the beach road !!!

Have to disagree with your statement..............yes many will be wearing helmets when driving past police only to take them off once passed. In addition, every day I am out I do random counts of the % of Thais wearing helmets and it would be less than 50%. The count goes up after police set up traffic stops, but decreases when they are not visible.

Several friends have noted the same thing. And to make things worse I have seen Thais with no helmets lined up behind a stopped police ute (and overtake them) when all the BIB would have to do is to get out of the ute and nab at least half a dozen offenders, but they don't.

[Phronesis]

No sympathy from me. NONE whatsoever.

I was nearly killed twice yesterday at Kalim. Both instances by young North Africans riding big scooters at ridiculously high speeds. No helmets, no shirts, but...they did have their aviation sunglasses on.

Heads up there is a lot of sand on the roads in Patong at the moment.....more motorcycle deaths to follow shortly.

Edited May 11, 2013 by Phronesis

[Phronesis]

I just rented my first motorbike yesterday... luckily it came with a rental helmet. And I WILL be wearing it.

But does anyone know where I can go to get a youth helmet? I'll be driving around Kamala Beach (NOT at 1:30am) with my 9 year old son. They gave us two helmets, but his is not sized for a child. I've only been in Thailand for two weeks, so I'm still finding my way around. Any helps is appreciated.

Thanks.

Good Mum

You need to go to the BIG SUPERCHEAP that is located on Thep Krasattri road north of Phuket Town in the middle of the Island.

Ask for directions (Super cheap Yai Tee Nai?) to get there or take a Thai friend with you.

Ride from Kamala>Surin>Chern Talay>Ban Manek>Turn right (head south) at Heriones Monument>Stay on left and do not take by pass road on right>keep heading south up over hill with speed humps>back down again on flat still heading south into Phuket Town>watch for ESSO gas station on right>just south passed ESSO make a U Turn to head north> SuperCheap on left just north past ESSO.

They have a huge range of helmets.

You can get an AVEX TEEN AGE helmet that is 100% ABS and sell for around 200THB. They are a smaller size and they have very some cool looking colour schemes so that your son will be keen to wear it.

Edited May 11, 2013 by Phronesis

[JetsetBkk]

I just rented my first motorbike yesterday... luckily it came with a rental helmet. And I WILL be wearing it.

But does anyone know where I can go to get a youth helmet? I'll be driving around Kamala Beach (NOT at 1:30am) with my 9 year old son. They gave us two helmets, but his is not sized for a child. I've only been in Thailand for two weeks, so I'm still finding my way around. Any helps is appreciated.

Thanks.

The small helmets DO exist - but I haven't needed to look for them, so don't know where to buy them. There are a lot of shops in Phuket Town that sell helmets and bike parts, e.g. Supercheap, but maybe your best bet is to ask other bikers.

[JetsetBkk]

But now days even most of The thai's are wearing helmets.

Only the tourists think that this is only required back home and not in Thailand.

And racing at 01:30 on the beach road !!!

Definitely not "most". Even at Central traffic lights they don't bother:

There are 6 people on that samlor not wearing helmets - one baby inside the sidecar that you can't see and one young kid in front of the driver. Two of them are precariously balanced on the edge of the sidecar, plus the stupid girl sitting sideways on the pillion seat.

What am I supposed to do if one of them falls of the back and I run them over?

Ooh, I know. I'll 'flee the scene'.

.

[Travelman868]

I work on an oilfield in Kazakhstan and in my on and off 10 years here I have seen maybe a grand total of 5 motorbikes. People don't ride them here and obviously don't know how to....so why would someone who has never ridden a bike get on one in Thailand of all places,, on the wrong side of the road, without a helmet, without a license, probably pissed, at night.......as they say, the idiots' mothers are always pregnant......RIP but your own fault...and many other of your countrymen and your Russian cousins to follow I'm afraid.....

It should be illegal to hire a big bike to anyone without a proper licence. This is the third death in two weeks on that same road

In Pattaya there are so many Arabs riding these bikes all without licences. Total Madness

[stevenl]

I just rented my first motorbike yesterday... luckily it came with a rental helmet. And I WILL be wearing it.

But does anyone know where I can go to get a youth helmet? I'll be driving around Kamala Beach (NOT at 1:30am) with my 9 year old son. They gave us two helmets, but his is not sized for a child. I've only been in Thailand for two weeks, so I'm still finding my way around. Any helps is appreciated.

Thanks.

The small helmets DO exist - but I haven't needed to look for them, so don't know where to buy them. There are a lot of shops in Phuket Town that sell helmets and bike parts, e.g. Supercheap, but maybe your best bet is to ask other bikers.

On Koktanod Road in Kata is a small shop that sells all kind of helmets, I bought one for my kid there.

[Just1Voice]

poor guy , too young to die .... but one more time with a helmet he could have been saved ...... hope many thais will read this article ....and many foreign tourists also.

Let's be honest, very little will change in the next several years. Tourists will come here, leave their brains at the airport, copy what the Thais do, ride without helmets, have 'accidents' and die. This is how it has always been.

It will only change when the police enforce the laws and fine every single bike rider they see for not wearing a helmet.

And we all know that won't happen any time soon.

RIP tourist from Kazakhstan.

But now days even most of The thai's are wearing helmets.

Only the tourists think that this is only required back home and not in Thailand.

And racing at 01:30 on the beach road !!!

Have to disagree with your statement..............yes many will be wearing helmets when driving past police only to take them off once passed. In addition, every day I am out I do random counts of the % of Thais wearing helmets and it would be less than 50%. The count goes up after police set up traffic stops, but decreases when they are not visible.

Several friends have noted the same thing. And to make things worse I have seen Thais with no helmets lined up behind a stopped police ute (and overtake them) when all the BIB would have to do is to get out of the ute and nab at least half a dozen offenders, but they don't.

I would have to say the opposite is true in CM. In the 5+ years I've been here, I've seen a steady increase in the use of helmets. Like you, I like to observe, and sometimes even count the number of people on bikes, and how many are with/without helmet. Yesterday at busy intersection during evening rush hour, I counted 27 people on bikes. Only 5 without.

[DRONGOH]

poor guy , too young to die .... but one more time with a helmet he could have been saved ...... hope many thais will read this article ....and many foreign tourists also.

They may read it but they won't change. 26000 a year of motorbike deaths here. Must be really determined.

[JetsetBkk]

On Koktanod Road in Kata is a small shop that sells all kind of helmets, I bought one for my kid there.

Also in Phuket Road, about 600m up from immigration, on the right, and about 70m south of the traffic lights at Kra Road:

Edited May 11, 2013 by JetsetBkk

[cocopops]

poor guy , too young to die .... but one more time with a helmet he could have been saved ...... hope many thais will read this article ....and many foreign tourists also.

Let's be honest, very little will change in the next several years. Tourists will come here, leave their brains at the airport, copy what the Thais do, ride without helmets, have 'accidents' and die. This is how it has always been.

It will only change when the police enforce the laws and fine every single bike rider they see for not wearing a helmet.

And we all know that won't happen any time soon.

RIP tourist from Kazakhstan.

But now days even most of The thai's are wearing helmets.

Only the tourists think that this is only required back home and not in Thailand.

And racing at 01:30 on the beach road !!!

I said to my girl the other day while driving through Chiang Mai - "the police crackdown has worked, it looks like we're must be up to 60 or 70% wearing helmets now."

"Look again this evening", she smiled. And she was right. Here they wear them during the day when the cops are out, take them off at night when they are not.

Ah well. Wearing a helmet half the time is better than never...

[JetsetBkk]

I said to my girl the other day while driving through Chiang Mai - "the police crackdown has worked, it looks like we're must be up to 60 or 70% wearing helmets now."

"Look again this evening", she smiled. And she was right. Here they wear them during the day when the cops are out, take them off at night when they are not.

Ah well. Wearing a helmet half the time is better than never...

Yes, I hardly ever see a BIB after dark in Phuket either.

[Mudcrab]

I work on an oilfield in Kazakhstan and in my on and off 10 years here I have seen maybe a grand total of 5 motorbikes. People don't ride them here and obviously don't know how to....so why would someone who has never ridden a bike get on one in Thailand of all places,, on the wrong side of the road, without a helmet, without a license, probably pissed, at night.......as they say, the idiots' mothers are always pregnant......RIP but your own fault...and many other of your countrymen and your Russian cousins to follow I'm afraid.....

It should be illegal to hire a big bike to anyone without a proper licence. This is the third death in two weeks on that same road

In Pattaya there are so many Arabs riding these bikes all without licences. Total Madness

That is a bad thing??

[vijer]

I would say if you don't care about your brain getting scrambled then why should anyone else. The only exception I make is for people under the age of 18. Same goes for seatbelts.

[PascalDufoor]

I just rented my first motorbike yesterday... luckily it came with a rental helmet. And I WILL be wearing it.

But does anyone know where I can go to get a youth helmet? I'll be driving around Kamala Beach (NOT at 1:30am) with my 9 year old son. They gave us two helmets, but his is not sized for a child. I've only been in Thailand for two weeks, so I'm still finding my way around. Any helps is appreciated.

Thanks.

guess tesco lotus have them, or bicycle shops. Good luck and keep it safe

[laurentbkk]

poor guy , too young to die .... but one more time with a helmet he could have been saved ...... hope many thais will read this article ....and many foreign tourists also.

Let's be honest, very little will change in the next several years. Tourists will come here, leave their brains at the airport, copy what the Thais do, ride without helmets, have 'accidents' and die. This is how it has always been.

It will only change when the police enforce the laws and fine every single bike rider they see for not wearing a helmet.

And we all know that won't happen any time soon.

RIP tourist from Kazakhstan.

But now days even most of The thai's are wearing helmets.

Only the tourists think that this is only required back home and not in Thailand.

And racing at 01:30 on the beach road !!!

I dont know where you live but I can assure you around my office and house (pathumtani) you see more people without helmet than with.