News Analysis
PHUKET: A Russian couple have been killed in a horrific motorcycle crash that highlights the need for tourists to be warned repeatedly about riding bikes on Phuket.
The two 35-year-olds - on a red-plate motorcycle - lost control at speed on a straight stretch of road in Phuket's central Thalang district about 9.15pm last night.
After the pair came off the motorcycle in Dom Chom Tao Road near a 7-Eleven, they were struck and killed from behind by a pickup and died on the road.
The pickup stopped at the scene. The couples' heads were crushed. They were not wearing safety helmets.
The crash came not far from the junction with Thepkasattri Road, Phuket's main north-south artery. Dom Chom Tao Road - route 4030 - leads on to Surin beach.
The double fatality took the toll on Phuket for the Seven Days of Danger campaign to five in just three days - with four days remaining.
Authorities now face an uphill battle to keep the toll to less than the six deaths recorded last year. So far there have been 13 crashes, with 13 people injured.
The double fatality of the Russians is the worst fatality involving expats on Phuket since two Frenchmen died riding a motorcycle that crashed at Karon beach in September.
An American, Theodore Paul Roe, 51, and a ladyboy were killed in a motorcycle crash in Viset Road, Rawai, on December 20. Another expat died on a motorcycle when his bike crashed into a pickup in Phuket City on December 21.
Days earlier, Sopiyev Shihnazar, 27, from Turkmenistan was killed in a motorcycle crash riding between Patong and Phuket City on December 16.
A surge of expat motorcycle deaths also blighted the last Christmas-New Year festive season on Phuket.
In concentrating on the New Year, Phuket safety officials appear to ignore the excessively high proportion of foreigners being killed on Phuket virtually all year long.
While drinking and riding increases at New Year, Westerners who drink usually drink more while on holiday at any time of year - and they hire motorbikes without regard to the risks.
Most successful road safety campaigns are developed all year through awareness of the dangers highlighted in statistics.
Yet Phuket Public Health department chose in April to end the supply of monthly figures to Phuketwan. Accurate updates on the road toll have been impossible since then.
We cannot tell you whether the toll is being reduced or growing worse in 2012 compared to last year. We cannot tell you whether scores more have died or whether more lives have been saved.
All we can report with accuracy is that expats die on motorcycles in disproportionately greater numbers than locals.
Authorities need to urgently reexamine their approach with a full understanding of the differences in rider habits and experience between locals familiar with the dangers and less aware expats.
For the second year in a row, the deaths of expats on motorcycles in the Christmas-New year period is far beyond acceptable levels.
To lower the toll among both expats and locals, regular monthly updates on all aspects of the Phuket road toll should be provided to all Phuket media immediately from January, 2013.
Update
Cherng Talay police said the crash was definitely not a hit-run, but the pickup stopped some distance from the crash. The couple had been holidaying on Phuket for about a month, an officer said.
They spent time first at Karon then moved to Cherng Talay, where a friend had a house. The motorcycle had been rented.
*An earlier report incorrectly stated that two men were killed.
One might be forgiven coming to the conclusion that the safety of foreigners on Phuket is not of much interest to local authorities.
Covering up the real numbers successfully seems to be a good enough solution.
Never mind how many lose their lives.
Plenty more (money) coming on the next flight anyway.
Posted by Andrew on December 30, 2012 09:14
Editor Comment:
I'm not that cynical about the motives. Someone probably decided the time spent compiling the figures each month could be better spent doing something else.