Guest Posted July 20, 2006 Report Share Posted July 20, 2006 Anyone see this news report? 2 foreigners, a boyfriend and girlfriend killed, crossing a road in Bangkok i think?? They had flags to wave as part of some government 'safe road crossing' scheme......i don't recall much detail, as it was in one of the papers i briefly glanced at....but holy cow! Crushed to death by some truck, which unsurprisingly didn't stop, despite it being a crossing and flags being waved.....anyone got a link to this? Nasty nasty incident Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palatkik Posted July 20, 2006 Report Share Posted July 20, 2006 It's on the Bangkok Post web site archive: Two tourists run over on zebra crossing Category : TEXT / General News 19 Jul 2006 < FULL TEXT > WASSAYOS NGAMKHAM Two foreign visitors were crushed to death by an excavator as they held aloft road safety flags while crossing a busy road in Bangkok yesterday. British tourist Gary Thomas Chambers, 28, and his Norwegian girlfriend Hanne Karlsen, 20, were seen waving the flags to alert passing traffic before stepping out onto the pedestrian crossing in front of the Princess Hotel on Lan Luang road in Pomprap Sattruphai district. A witness said the two were then hit by an eight-wheel backhoe. The heavy vehicle mowed them down in the bus lane, crushing them both to death. Pol Maj Akarachai Chamchoi, inspector of Nang Loeng station, said each of the tourists was carrying a safety flag. The flags were placed on the roadside so pedestrians could use them to signal oncoming vehicles to stop _ part of a government road safety campaign called ''Safe Crossing With Flags''. Pol Maj Akarachai said the excavator belonged to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. The driver, Saichon Innork, 35, a city employee, was charged with reckless driving. Mr Saichon said there was a problem with his brakes. He was driving back from a landscaping site and as he approached the hotel he spotted the two tourists but was unable to stop his vehicle. Police said the tyres had almost no tread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted July 20, 2006 Report Share Posted July 20, 2006 So he was speeding in a bus lane. Probably wanted to get back quickly because he had no brakes. p.s. Must have been the tourists' first visit, if they really put any faith in flags stopping Thai drivers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nervous_Dog Posted July 20, 2006 Report Share Posted July 20, 2006 Thai staff for some reason VERY upset by this, more so than other farang deaths, no idea why????? Personally I think what happened was the farangs in question acted as I did nearly 10 years ago and expeccted the Thai's to stop at a zebra crossing, of course they don;t and have no idea why the road has large white stripes, maybe to go faster seems to be the average Thai thought. Sad, DOG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoiledCowboy Posted July 20, 2006 Report Share Posted July 20, 2006 The large white stripes are used to accurately line you up with, much like the crosshairs in a telescopic rifle sight N D... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavanami Posted July 20, 2006 Report Share Posted July 20, 2006 Safety flags. hell...they need to have AK-47's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junglesoup Posted July 20, 2006 Report Share Posted July 20, 2006 Very sad and ironic story. And a story that is typical of Thailand. You can understand the insurance survey stating Thailand is the most dangerous country to visit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bangkoktraveler Posted July 20, 2006 Report Share Posted July 20, 2006 The safety flags are used to properly identify who the next target will be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted July 20, 2006 Report Share Posted July 20, 2006 I thought the zebra crossings were sort of like the starting gate at a horse race track. All of the motorcycle riders line up there, waiting for the light to turn yellow in the other direction so they can go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bangkoktraveler Posted July 20, 2006 Report Share Posted July 20, 2006 It is used for that also. the zebra stripes are muti-purpose,. I was wondering if falangs can play this game, not as the pigeons but as the players who rack up the most kills? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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