Depends who you hit

Road accidents with multiple fatalities are a sad fact of life in Thailand.

In May, a pickup full of migrant Burmese workers crashed and killed 13 of the workers; the driver was trying to evade the police. In November, a van drove off an elevated expressway and nine occupants were killed. The driver’s attention had been diverted. Last week, five people died and fifty were injured in a fifteen vehicle pile-up. The list is long, and nobody really gives a shit; apart from those affected by the incidents. We see the news, express regret, and move on. The authorities promise to take action in respect of whatever they decided contributed to the accident, do nothing, and get back to lining their pockets. It’s the way of the world.

Yesterday a car hit a van in Bangkok, the van plunged off the expressway, and eight people died. Just another accident, but the media exploded. Why?

Well, for a start, unlike the thirteen Burmese workers who died, the dead in this crash were Thai university graduates; and we all know that five Thai university graduates are considered of more value than thirteen Burmese workers. And the icing on the media-frenzied cake was the fact that the apparent cause of the accident was a sixteen year old girl, with no driving licence, from a very well-connected family. Oh, how delicious; a perfect opportunity to wring our hands at the enormity of the tragedy and pour scorn and hatred on the girl.

The foreign forums have been stupidly vicious enough, but they have been as nothing compared to the venom unleashed on Thai social media (according to my local informant). By the end of today, the consensus seems to be that she is the spawn of the devil who deliberately caused the crash; rather than an unfortunate young girl who should never have been given the keys to a car, and then made a mistake with a result which will haunt her for the rest of her days.

Of course, if she had hit a van full of Burmese workers, nobody would have paid any attention.

Not a good example of Buddhism in action, Thailand.

Comments 🔗

2010-12-29 | Bangkokram says

My wife and several Thai friends on Facebook have joined in the witch hunt. When I asked her which was more important, the Burmese or Thai? I got the “Why do you ask such silly questions”? Look.

2010-12-30 | Wentworth says

You’ve hit the nail on the head. Wasn’t much of an uproar when that twat mowed down some innocents at a bus stop with a Benz a while back. They were lowly Thais just a rung above Burmese in Thai eyes I suppose. This scenario of 9 own goals oops I mean 8, sorry I counted the driver by mistake is going to be fascinating to watch play out. What is obvious is that anyone who drives a white Honda civic is a danger to all.