There are so many scooter accidents that some Western insurance companies refuse to insure people who ride two-wheelers in Thailand.
Accidents involving two-wheelers are so numerous that Dr. Liviu Vedrasco of the WHO in Bangkok said:
"If you take two-wheelers out of the equation, Thai roads are no more dangerous than those in Switzerland, the UK or the USA."
Because 73% of road deaths are among two-wheeler users.
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Two-wheelers in Thailand: 18,000 deaths per year
In 2015, the WHO reported 26.3 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants (18,000) each year on two-wheelers in Thailand.
There are 1,740,000 two-wheelers in the country compared to 768,788 cars.
15,800 children are injured each year and 700 die.
Children do not wear helmets, especially if they are passengers, which leads to many deaths among passengers.
53% of drivers wear a helmet compared to 19% of passengers.
Thai advertisement to raise awareness about road accidents
Insurance companies no longer want to pay
Every month there are new appeals on social media from Thailand to provide financial support to someone who has had a motorcycle accident.
There is the section on run-over dogs, but for Thailand we are talking more about the section on run-over tourists!
And while many tourists don't have insurance, others have insurance that refuses to pay, like here:
An English woman injured on her motorbike, the insurance refuses to pay
where we learn that the insurer refuses to pay, stating: "Your British driving license does not allow you to be on a two-wheeler in Thailand, even as a passenger. We pay nothing."
Shortly before, it was a Frenchman who was able to benefit from his insurance after a motorcycle accident, but who had the misfortune of having a second one as a passenger and for this one, the insurance refused to pay!
If you want to know more about insurance and the best solutions for getting insurance, see our article:
Travel insurance: why a bank card isn't enough
See also:
Transportation in Thailand, getting around in the land of smiles
Motorcycle license in Thailand: how to get it
Prepare your trip to Thailand
Book bus, train, or boat in Thailand
Manage your money while traveling with Wise
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1 comment
A land of smiles, except in the islands where tourists go diving and where some do whatever they want.