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Phuket Motorcycle Crash Kills Man, Injures Pregnant Wife

Sunday, June 16, 2013
PHUKET: A Burmese man was knocked from his motorcycle and killed about 6pm today on the beach road in Karon.

A truck heading from Karon circle towards Kata tried to pass the rider and knocked him off his motorcycle.

The man's wife, riding pillion, was also dislodged. The man was not wearing a helmet and was killed on the spot when his head hit the roadway.

A strong wind was blowing at the time.

The woman, five months pregnant, was injured. She and the body of her husband were transported to Vachira Phuket Hospital in Phuket City.

Phuketwan supports Mothers or Motorcycles (MoM), an action group that promotes the wearing of helmets by all motorcycle riders and road safety.

Comments

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Might is right and get out of my way seems to apply on Phuket and due to this attitude the results are tragic no helmet is also a carefree attitude and shows how riders scoff at the law evidently its rarely enforced
the motorcycle road toll is highly over represented on the island for these sorts of reasons and many others changes and enforcement is needed
condolences to family and friends.

Posted by slickmelb on June 17, 2013 02:29

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Deepest sympathies to the young lady and her family for her and their loss

Posted by Scanner on June 17, 2013 02:37

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I know that we can not bring back this poor man and father from an unborn child, but maybe, just maybe, it is possible to teach the youngsters that it is "cool" wearing a helmet. I am a specialist in motorcycle helmets, this was my job for more than 20 years in Germany. I worked out a concept how to teach the children and teenagers about what and why and how. The concept is far to long to present it here, but I will forward it by mail and maybe, just maybe, there will be some sponsors, who will like it and believe it or not, sometimes it is possible that the kids can teach the elders then their new knowledge. I know it will work and if we could rescue just one of them per year, it would be worth it.

Posted by happychris on June 17, 2013 08:34

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I imagine the driver has been charged with driving causing death or similar? And what is the nationality of the driver, as a Truck driver I imagine is a Thai. Is that why Phuketwan has again blamed a "Strong wind blowing at the time" in defense of the Thai involved?

Posted by jimmy on June 17, 2013 10:45

Editor Comment:

We don't make excuses for anybody, simply report the facts. A reader also confirmed that a strong wind was blowing at the time. We don't know that it had any bearing on the crash and we didn't report that it had any bearing on the crash.

As a Thailand-based news organisation, our policy is to not specify the nationality of people unless they are non-Thais. It's standard procedure at news outlets everywhere to not mention the nationality of people unless they are non-citizens of that country or nationality has some special relevance.

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Ed, can you please confirm if any charges have been laid against the Thai truck driver that killed this motorbike rider?

Posted by jimmy on June 17, 2013 13:34

Editor Comment:

Sorry, our staff are all working on other stories right now.

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@jimmy: I am not defending the truck driver here, but consider the situation. A bike drives from Karon to Kata, strong wind from the sea, bike driver has to lean over to the right-hand side to compensate the wind and go straight ahead. Now a truck passes and suddenly blocks the wind from the right. If you as bike-driver are not completely aware of the situation, you will end up crashing in the left side of the truck. Motorbike and strong crosswinds are as evil as airplanes and crosswinds.

Posted by Fritz Pinguin on June 17, 2013 20:04

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Feel deep sorrow for the young widow.

More likely the truck overtook from the left side, which is why the body (which appeared anglo, not burmese!) was lying on the right side of road. Moreover the road is straight as an arrow in that section.

Posted by Anonymous on June 17, 2013 23:47


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