Gaybutton wrote: ↑Sat Jul 15, 2023 3:34 am
If the company failed to meet their legal requirements, then both. With the motorbike maniacs neither the company nor the police are living up to their responsibilities. If they were, would this keep happening year after year?
If the Arab Motorcycle Scum present valid motorcycle licenses, legal obligations are likely to be met by the hire company. Even if it's just by the one person hiring the bike(s).
Since we're not there when the hiring is done, neither you nor I know.
Also, in Thailand, the only laws that matter are those that are enforced.
On the other hand, we know the brown shirt mafia are the one of the most useless & corrupt organisations around. We have offered several reasons why they don't police as they should. One or more of these reasons is likely to apply.
We have plenty of examples of the policing following the money rather than the law.
Jun wrote: ↑Sat Jul 15, 2023 3:52 am
Since we're not there when the hiring is done, neither you nor I know.
They are not hiring from reputable companies such as Hertz or Avis, but local mom-and-pop shops, so it's true, we don't know, but I think it's a reasonably good guess. I'll give you three of them . . .
As for the police, much of how they operate is on my "I Don't Get It" list, such as enforcing helmet laws, but apparently for the most part ignoring the goings on with the Arab motorbike maniacs. And yet there are numerous news items about the police out there enforcing local Thais street racing - arrests, hefty fines, confiscating the motorbikes especially if they have been illegally modified, suspension of driving licenses. It goes beyond me as to why the motorbike maniacs get away with it night after night, year after year with apparent impunity.
While it is easy to believe the police are inept, the reality is they are far from it. When serious crimes need to be solved they usually succeed, and quickly. If you've been reading about it, the most recent being they very quickly had the perpetrators of that terrible murder and dismemberment of that German gentleman caught and arrested.
I'll grant that a hell of a lot of corruption goes on among the police, and often the higher up the rank, the greater the corruption. I actually like some forms of the corruption. For example, when I have been stopped by the police for some sort of traffic violation, whether valid or contrived, most of the time instead of having to trek to the police office and endure endless lines to pay a traffic fine, it's hand over three or four hundred baht, thank you very much, you're on your way, and that's that. I'm hardly ever stopped, but on the few occasions when I was that's the way it worked. Only once did the police officer make me go to the office to pay the fine - and I was guilty. I ran a red light - not intentionally - I didn't notice it - but the police officer did.
Gaybutton wrote: ↑Sat Jul 15, 2023 5:24 am
While it is easy to believe the police are inept, the reality is they are far from it. When serious crimes need to be solved they usually succeed, and quickly. If you've been reading about it, the most recent being they very quickly had the perpetrators of that terrible murder and dismemberment of that German gentleman caught and arrested.
I'm not claiming the police are inept.
However, they are certainly corrupt. On my very first trip to Thailand, there was one of those holidays when the bars were supposed to be closed. I saw a couple of police go into one bar in Sunee Plaza and they came out brazenly counting the money.
More recently, towards the end of the ridiculously prolonged covid restrictions, we have seen the police raid Jomtien to close the bars, some of which have restaurant licenses, whilst allowing a noisy and crowded bar to remain open within earshot of their HQ.
What we don't get is consistent, fair & correct enforcement of the law.
They're too busy collecting bribes.
In addition to corrupt, I suspect they are lazy.
Rather than put a stop to the Arab motorcycle hooligans, they regularly set up late night road blocks on the same pieces of road to shake down nice compliant victims. For this, barely any physical effort or thought is required & they get to deal with nicer people.
As for catching criminals, we just have to hope they always get the right people.
Jun wrote: ↑Sat Jul 15, 2023 3:08 pm
As for catching criminals, we just have to hope they always get the right people.
I know you didn't say they are inept. I didn't mean it that way. I was referring to what seems to be a general opinion.
As for catching the right people, I can't think of any cases in which the wrong people were arrested. That's not my complaint. My complaint is when nobody gets arrested even though arrests should take place, such as the motorbike maniacs.
Now the police are doing something to put a stop to this nonsense. I hope this time it will really stop them, permanently. It also looks like they are finally going after the shops that rent motorbikes to them.
________________________________________________
Pattaya Police Crack Down on Foreign Motorbike Racers
By Goongnang Suksawat
15 July, 2023
The Pattaya City Police have cracked down on foreign motorbike racers and motorbike rental shops renting to foreigners without proper licenses and documentation.
On Friday night around midnight (July 14th) more than 50 officers led by the Acting Chonburi Provincial Police Commander Colonel Boonsarn Sinthong and the Pattaya City Police Chief Colonel Thanapong Poethi inspected roads where foreign motorbike racers allegedly gathered in large groups in the Pattaya area. Some of these are Soi Yensabai and Soi VC.
Colonel Boonsarn told the Pattaya News “We have immediately taken action after receiving complaints from locals that many foreign motorbike racers have caused a public nuisance. Legal action will be taken against motorbike riders both Thai and foreigners if they are found commuting any illegal act.”
“We have also publicized to motorbike rental operators to check their customers for proper legal requirements. They must keep copies of their driving licenses and passports. They have to make sure that motorbike renters understand and follow traffic rules especially not to cause a public nuisance. Motorbike rental operators must provide helmets for customers. Modified motorbikes especially with loud exhaust pipes are illegal to use.” Colonel Boonsarn added.
“Most of the foreign motorbike racers are Kuwaiti youth aged 18-25. They are on vacation from school during July to August and come to Thailand in large groups for summer break.” Colonel Boonsarn explained.
“We have also resurveyed the numbers of motorbike rental shops as many of them were shut down during the Covid-19 pandemic and new shops have opened. Some of the newer ones may not be aware of the strict rules and regulations required under Thai law to rent motorbikes.” Colonel Boonsarn concluded.
The patrols and police presence led to dozens of foreigners, mostly Kuwaiti, coming out to the streets near Soi Yensabai where police were inspecting to listen to police who were announcing the rules in different languages on loudspeakers. Many applauded the police and some even posed for pictures and selfies. It was unclear, however, if the message being delivered would be heeded.
Pattaya News wrote: ↑Sun Jul 16, 2023 11:51 amModified motorbikes especially with loud exhaust pipes are illegal to use.” Colonel Boonsarn added.
Nothing about it being illegal to rent them out ?
Surely they need some basic laws which specify that vehicles rented for on road use have to be legal for use on the road. Anything driven or ridden away is clearly used on the road, so should be road legal.
Whist they are at it, Thailand could pass some laws preventing people from riding fast bikes and have similar laws for hiring them out.
In the UK, you either have to be 21 or 24 to ride the fastest bikes, depending on which license you get. Nothing stops Thailand doing something similar, with whatever age or license limits they like.
Speeding and disregarding any semblance of safety or responsible driving, sooner or later something like this was bound to happen. Apparently the accident victim had no license or paperwork, which means if he even has medical insurance they probably won't pay. My guess is since they were going the wrong way against the traffic, that alone lets the insurance company off the hook. That means at best he will probably have huge hospital bills and to literally add insult to injury, he might have to lose his leg too. On top of that he also will probably have to pay for the motorbike damage. It is entirely possible he also might have to face charges.
I don't wish physical harm on anyone, but this guy was out there at 4:30am disregarding the rules, speeding, and acting like a moron. Hey, this is fun, huh?
Neither he nor the driver were even wearing a helmet. If he does have to lose his leg, that is the wrong kind of sudden life changer nobody would want, but even though he was a passenger, his own behavior caused it to happen. With an injury that severe, you can guess for yourself at the kind of speed he was going when it happened. Not good for something like this to happen to a 19 year old who could have come to Pattaya, obeyed the rules, have a wonderful holiday, and return home unscathed. I'm sorry for him, but he has no one to blame but himself. And the driver, who apparently was not so severely injured, will have to spend the rest of his life knowing what his own behavior resulted for his friend.
I hope the rest of them learn a lesson from this, but apparently these geniuses still treat the whole thing as nothing but a joke. I hope nobody else will have to learn the hard way. But as long as this kind of behavior continues, accidents are inevitable. I'm just glad it did not involve an innocent bystander.
Can you imagine the phone call to his family back in Kuwait? "Mom, Dad, guess what . . ."
When he returns to Kuwait and goes back to school, think about what he'll have to write if the teacher wants a "How I Spent My Summer Vacation" essay.
___________________________________________________________________
Kuwaiti Motorbike Racer in Pattaya Nearly Loses His Leg in Motorbike Accident
By Tanakorn Panyadee
16 July, 2023
A 19-year-old Kuwaiti man sustained a severe leg injury after the motorbike he was riding as a pillion grazed against a street barrier on South Pattaya Road early this morning.
At 04:30 AM on July 16th, Sawang Boriboon rescuers rushed to South Pattaya Road near Bali Hai Pier in response to a traffic accident report. They found two Kuwaiti men suffering injuries.
The first victim, whose name was not revealed by the rescuers, suffered superficial damage. He was lying next to his Honda PCX motorcycle. However, the second victim, a 19-year-old Kuwaiti man named Mr. Naser Alazemi, was found lying on the road, crying in agony. He suffered a severe wound on his left leg around the knee area. The injury was so severe that his leg was at risk of being amputated, the rescuers described.
The rescue personnel provided initial medical assistance on-site before transporting the two men to the hospital. Around 10 of their friends, also Kuwaiti nationals, were present at the scene of the accident.
The Pattaya News interviewed a Thai eyewitness, Mr. Sawas Emprakhon, 39, about the mishap. He said that Mr. Naser was pillion-riding a motorcycle with his friend and was reversing uphill against the traffic. The two seemingly did not pay attention to the road as the rider constantly looked back to converse with Mr. Naser. Their motorcycle then grazed forcefully with a concrete barrier, causing it to topple over and nearly cutting off Mr. Naser’s leg.
The two men remain under close medical attention at a local hospital. The police are investigating the accident as well as trying to identify the agent that leased the motorcycle to the two men. The rider and Naser did not have helmets, licenses, or proper registration, insurance, or documentation.
The Pattaya News notes that this accident happened just one day after the Pattaya police launched a major crackdown on a gang of Middle Eastern motorbike racers on Soi Yensabai and Soi VC.
It was unclear how many people were arrested, but according to the report, the presence of police attracted almost a hundred Kuwaiti men, who somewhat cheered, laughed, and even posed for pictures, as the police warned them not to drive dangerously and race around the street at night.
I witnessed the “Crackdown” there were at least 100 Kuwaiti assholes and maybe 5-6 police, the Kuwaitis were taunting the police and the police were clearly intimidated. Given this why would anything change? Most of this scum sleep all day as you see the vast numbers of their motorbikes parked in front of the hotels they frequent. They begin their escapades in the evening till the sun comes up…..those of us who live here know it is highly unlikely to see a policeman after 10 PM.
"In the land of the blind the one eyed man is king"
Undaunted wrote: ↑Sun Jul 16, 2023 9:40 pm
I witnessed the “Crackdown” there were at least 100 Kuwaiti assholes and maybe 5-6 police, the Kuwaitis were taunting the police and the police were clearly intimidated. Given this why would anything change?
Exactly.
It is easier for the police to collect their tea money off nicer and more respectful people.
They are only going to bother rounding up the scum if forced into it.
Next time they should turn up with the army for support.
