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Vancouver woman killed, Calgary woman injured in traffic accident in Thailand


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Apologise to the departed re this comment, but on the issue of funding post tragic event, the gofundme phenomena is a mindset amongst younger people that will not go away.

 

They really think someone out there will fix the problem post hoc. The cases where this is true bare some responsibility for those many that don't. Insurance is exactly what it is supposed to be. Not buying it and getting into a jeep is beyond silly and almost a failure of education.

 

 

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31 minutes ago, optad said:

Apologise to the departed re this comment, but on the issue of funding post tragic event, the gofundme phenomena is a mindset amongst younger people that will not go away.

 

They really think someone out there will fix the problem post hoc. The cases where this is true bare some responsibility for those many that don't. Insurance is exactly what it is supposed to be. Not buying it and getting into a jeep is beyond silly and almost a failure of education.

 

 

Yep, helping these people creates a moral hazard which causes more people harm then it helps.

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These two had no business renting any vehicle, let alone a short wheel based Jeep

with off road tires and going on an extended trip, Phuket to Bangkok. They are young,

lack driving experience (based on age), driving on the opposite side of the road

than they are used to, in a country with a horrific road safety record.  An accident

waiting to happen and unfortunately it did.

RIP and condolences to family and friends.

 

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(Edit. The article just appeared (online) on the Phuket Gazette site - however it is just a repost of the story from the Canadian news sites.)
 
I find it odd that this story doesn't seem to have been reported in the Thai (English language) press at all. I've been checking the various Phuket news sites (Phuket Wan, Phuket Gazette, Phuket News - web and Facebook sites), the Phuket forum here, assorted google searches and so on and the only place this story appears seems to be in Canadian news media.
 
Considering all the less "newsworthy" articles posted since the start of the year on those sites, I find it rather amazing that this story somehow escaped their notice. It also seems odd that the stories (in the Canadian press) all refer to the accident having happened "last week" without giving an actual date.
 
 
Going to contact the Canadian papers about this.
 
 

Already major news reported in Canada's networks. CBC CTV
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Just now, nisakiman said:

Looks like a Suzuki Jeep to me. Those things fall over at the drop of a hat. Narrow track, high centre of gravity. Not a vehicle I'd choose for a drive from Bangkok to Phuket.

 

Poor kids. Probably their holiday of a lifetime. Life just isn't fair sometimes.

"Looks like a Suzuki Jeep to me."

Well then, you obviously know nothing about the Suzuki that is known in Thailand as the Caribian. The Jeep in the picture is a Jeep not a Suzuki.  I have owned one for 10 years and it is a very popular, reliable and capable vehicle on and off road.........when driven as it should be. I have never had an incident where the vehicle wanted to turn over, even when I dropped my hat.   It is not a sophisticated, fast or even particularly comfortable vehicle but they can go almost anywhere. They are hugely popular with the Thai off-road guys.

One look at the interior will prove that it is a typical open back rental type Jeep popular at seaside resort towns like Phuket and Pattaya etc..

Since you did not read the articles posted, they were actually trying to travel from Phuket to Bangkok and died  near the Phuket Island causeway connector. 

Your last 3 comments are the most accurate.

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23 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

I'll never understand why people travel to places like Thailand and have no insurance to cover them in case of problems.  It places a huge burden on family and friends.  Trip insurance is relatively cheap.  And should have been mandatory when renting a car.  From the article:

 

 

I understand it, but I never do it.  Shame on their parents for not accounting or demanding they get some sort of insurance before they go.  Now it is supposed to be all hands to the pumps to give aid and support.

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13 hours ago, mercman24 said:

words fail me when these people come to a foreign country with no insurance.

especially the young, they think they are bullet proof but sadly they are not, Thai wet roads are lethal, as the tar oils come to then surface when the roads are wet, but tourists are not aware of this.

You may be surprised too learn that tar oils rise to the surface in Canada and all other countries as well. We also have vicious winter ice and snow which require the ability to handle a vehicle in, ahem, somewhat slippery conditions. At 22 these ladies would have had plenty of experience in slippery conditions. Unfamiliarity with the vehicle's peccadilloes would be a much more likely cause.

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There is a lesson to be learned here.

 

Always carry travel insurance and if it's not a typical car you might have to pay more premium to get a jeep covered.

 

Check weather forecasts often and ask locals questions about road conditions ahead. Always inquire about mud/land slide conditions ahead.

 

Rent a safe, heavy vehicle especially with surface water on the roadway.

 

Don't drink alcohol, nor use a cell phone while driving.

 

Get a good nights sleep prior to any trip.  Sleep deprivation can be worse than driving under the influence of alcohol.

 

I suspect the light vehicle lost traction from surface water on the roadway which was the proximate cause of the accident. Speed and exhaustion could have been a factor as well.

 

I also question if the vehicle met government safety standards?

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16 hours ago, Kerryd said:

I find it odd that this story doesn't seem to have been reported in the Thai (English language) press at all. I've been checking the various Phuket news sites (Phuket Wan, Phuket Gazette, Phuket News

Although the vehicle was rented in Phuket the accident apparently happened in Phang Nga Province. Vehicle accidents elsewhere don't always get reported in Phuket.

(FYI  - PhuketWan has been defunct for more than a year even though the website is still up.) 

The injured girl is now in the Phuket International Hospital after being transferred from another hospital, possibly Phang Nga.

I wonder if the rental company knew they were taking the jeep off the Island, often rental agreements don't allow such travel. In any case it's more a fun beach type vehicle and unsuitable for long, open road travel in monsoon conditions. Probably lost it on the first tight bend after opening it up.

On a brighter note. the funding appeal seems to be going well with the target not far off.

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23 minutes ago, mikebike said:

You may be surprised too learn that tar oils rise to the surface in Canada and all other countries as well. We also have vicious winter ice and snow which require the ability to handle a vehicle in, ahem, somewhat slippery conditions. At 22 these ladies would have had plenty of experience in slippery conditions. Unfamiliarity with the vehicle's peccadilloes would be a much more likely cause.

The driver was from Vancouver (which, admittedly, covers a large area),  but if she was from downtown or the coastal area, she would be unlikely to have had a lot of experience in slippery conditions.  It rains at least 56 inches a year in Vancouver, with snow being a rare visitor.

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16 hours ago, sanukjim said:

A Jeep is one of the most dangerous off road vehicles for one not familiar with it.

A real Jeep, a Landover Defender (and forebears), are not dangerous to drive if you just realise what you are driving.

All those contraptions called Jeep, in fact bad imitations, are simply dangerous to drive around in.

By anyone!

 

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9 hours ago, optad said:

Apologise to the departed re this comment, but on the issue of funding post tragic event, the gofundme phenomena is a mindset amongst younger people that will not go away.

 

They really think someone out there will fix the problem post hoc. The cases where this is true bare some responsibility for those many that don't. Insurance is exactly what it is supposed to be. Not buying it and getting into a jeep is beyond silly and almost a failure of education.

 

 

Yes this gofundme idea was good at first but now it has taken on a life of its own. People seem to have lots of money for travel but always overlook the insurance side of things. 

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The driver was from Vancouver (which, admittedly, covers a large area),  but if she was from downtown or the coastal area, she would be unlikely to have had a lot of experience in slippery conditions.  It rains at least 56 inches a year in Vancouver, with snow being a rare visitor.

True, but how many peeps in Van who drive don't get out to Whistler, 'Loops, etc...? And if not, she would be familiar with wet conditions!!

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6 hours ago, ratcatcher said:

"Looks like a Suzuki Jeep to me."

Well then, you obviously know nothing about the Suzuki that is known in Thailand as the Caribian. The Jeep in the picture is a Jeep not a Suzuki.  I have owned one for 10 years and it is a very popular, reliable and capable vehicle on and off road.........when driven as it should be. I have never had an incident where the vehicle wanted to turn over, even when I dropped my hat.   It is not a sophisticated, fast or even particularly comfortable vehicle but they can go almost anywhere. They are hugely popular with the Thai off-road guys.

One look at the interior will prove that it is a typical open back rental type Jeep popular at seaside resort towns like Phuket and Pattaya etc..

Since you did not read the articles posted, they were actually trying to travel from Phuket to Bangkok and died  near the Phuket Island causeway connector. 

Your last 3 comments are the most accurate.

 

You're correct in your assumption that I know very little about Suzuki jeeps (which is what they always referred to them as where I lived). In fact the last time I drove one was about fifteen years ago when I hired one in Phuket.

 

They were a popular rental car on the Greek island where I lived, and 8 - 10 years or so ago, the older, boxy design Suzukis were forever falling over going round corners. A lot of people were killed or injured as a result. It was common knowledge among the locals that this model was inherently unstable., and the hire companies would warn against taking corners too fast in them.

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On 25/01/2017 at 10:13 AM, blazes said:

The driver was from Vancouver (which, admittedly, covers a large area),  but if she was from downtown or the coastal area, she would be unlikely to have had a lot of experience in slippery conditions.  It rains at least 56 inches a year in Vancouver, with snow being a rare visitor.

 

20 hours ago, mikebike said:

True, but how many peeps in Van who drive don't get out to Whistler, 'Loops, etc...? And if not, she would be familiar with wet conditions!!

 

The driver (Ali) was from Calgary. How much experience she may have had driving in slippery conditions we'll never know, but as we pretty much all know, few people drive here like they would at home any ways. Also, I've found many of the curves on Thai roads seem to get "sharper" as you get into them. Like the overpass leading to Highway 7 from Sukhumvit (where so many accidents occur). I've found a few others while riding the bike around the country like that as well. Something you'd rarely encounter in Canada.

 

Note: A friend of the other girl (Nezi) has apparently flown to Phuket to help her. So far she has posted a generic pic of some books she says she is reading to her and a generic post about the great hospital staff. No pics of her friend or anything else but a bunch of links to items apparently being auctioned off to raise money. The GoFundMe has passed $56,000 so far (of the $75,000 goal).

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38 minutes ago, Kerryd said:

 


The driver (Ali) was from Calgary. How much experience she may have had driving in slippery conditions we'll never know, but as we pretty much all know, few people drive here like they would at home any ways. Also, I've found many of the curves on Thai roads seem to get "sharper" as you get into them. Like the overpass leading to Highway 7 from Sukhumvit (where so many accidents occur). I've found a few others while riding the bike around the country like that as well. Something you'd rarely encounter in Canada.

Our experiences vary... I have encountered a boatload of decreasing radius corners on my bike in Canada.

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18 minutes ago, mikebike said:

Our experiences vary... I have encountered a boatload of decreasing radius corners on my bike in Canada.

"decreasing radius corners"

 

Thanks - I couldn't remember that term for the life of me ! I don't recall encountering any in Canada myself (I'm from BC myself). Of course, we in BC like to make fun of drivers from the the Prairies and their inability to deal with curves.

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4 minutes ago, Kerryd said:

"decreasing radius corners"

 

Thanks - I couldn't remember that term for the life of me ! I don't recall encountering any in Canada myself (I'm from BC myself). Of course, we in BC like to make fun of drivers from the the Prairies and their inability to deal with curves.

Maybe its an east-of-the-praries thang!! Where I lived they cocked-up a brand new cloverleaf so badly transports were rolling over within days. 2 yrs and millions of taxpayer dollars later they corrected their geometry!!

 

As an aside, as a biker, decreasing radius corners can be fun and challenging!! Was in New Brunswick one time and had passed a gentleman on an older Kawaski Venture. A beautiful coastal road. Encountered a particularly surprising and challenging DRC followed immediately by a Scenic Lookout. Stopped for some pics and a ciggy and was witness to the Venture guy scrapping his floorboards and riding out a nightmare! He kept it up but needed more than a ciggy to regain his composure!!

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13 hours ago, Kerryd said:

 

 

The driver (Ali) was from Calgary. How much experience she may have had driving in slippery conditions we'll never know, but as we pretty much all know, few people drive here like they would at home any ways. Also, I've found many of the curves on Thai roads seem to get "sharper" as you get into them. Like the overpass leading to Highway 7 from Sukhumvit (where so many accidents occur). I've found a few others while riding the bike around the country like that as well. Something you'd rarely encounter in Canada.

 

Note: A friend of the other girl (Nezi) has apparently flown to Phuket to help her. So far she has posted a generic pic of some books she says she is reading to her and a generic post about the great hospital staff. No pics of her friend or anything else but a bunch of links to items apparently being auctioned off to raise money. The GoFundMe has passed $56,000 so far (of the $75,000 goal).

I grew up in Calgary and took my first driving test there in a blizzard. On the other hand I had to teach my brother how to drive in the snow even though he had a license (in Calgary). 

 

Snow driving doesn't directly equate to rain, and nothing equate to driving a small wheelbase vehicle, only experience...Just ask my friend who's foot was amputated when his jeep rolled on a hill.

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On 1/24/2017 at 2:52 AM, samsensam said:

 

yet another sad story from the thai roads.

 

in my experience lebanon is the only place with more dangerous roads than thailand, but then i was there shortly after the civil war had ended so life was pretty cheap.

 

Try Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait highways ... utter bedlam!

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1 minute ago, AlexRich said:

 

Try Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait highways ... utter bedlam!

Oh I have been there. They have absolutely no excuse. Hot sticky asphalt, good quality vehicles and dead and dying people everywhere. I got hit walking in a crosswalk by a guy who decided to jump the light in Riyadh! 

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14 minutes ago, smccolley said:

Oh I have been there. They have absolutely no excuse. Hot sticky asphalt, good quality vehicles and dead and dying people everywhere. I got hit walking in a crosswalk by a guy who decided to jump the light in Riyadh! 

 

That might have been me, sorry! :cheesy:

 

In Jeddah, when the traffic got too bad, I recall driving over the pavements and central reservations to get clear. I also saw a few 10 year old boys driving their Dad's 4x4's ... like lunatics, not to mention the one's that hang out of the cars and ski along the tarmac in their sandals. Inshallah!

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Since this story has not been reported by Thai media , the friend of the surviving girl should at least take some pictures from the hospital and also together with her friend.

A lot of strangers are donating money to them right now.  

 

 

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12 hours ago, smccolley said:

Oh I have been there. They have absolutely no excuse. Hot sticky asphalt, good quality vehicles and dead and dying people everywhere. I got hit walking in a crosswalk by a guy who decided to jump the light in Riyadh! 

Thanks for the warning guys just struck it off my Bucket List. I will stay put. The world is getting to be a dangerous place plus I am getting to slow in dodging things. 

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On 1/25/2017 at 8:07 PM, Kerryd said:

 

 

The driver (Ali) was from Calgary. How much experience she may have had driving in slippery conditions we'll never know, but as we pretty much all know, few people drive here like they would at home any ways. Also, I've found many of the curves on Thai roads seem to get "sharper" as you get into them. Like the overpass leading to Highway 7 from Sukhumvit (where so many accidents occur). I've found a few others while riding the bike around the country like that as well. Something you'd rarely encounter in Canada.

 

Note: A friend of the other girl (Nezi) has apparently flown to Phuket to help her. So far she has posted a generic pic of some books she says she is reading to her and a generic post about the great hospital staff. No pics of her friend or anything else but a bunch of links to items apparently being auctioned off to raise money. The GoFundMe has passed $56,000 so far (of the $75,000 goal).

wow.  so plan poorly, don't carry insurance and then grub for money.  56k.  Does the go fund me site keep a list of the donors optional or not, so that the receiver can pay back the help later on? 

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