Travel Tip #15: Think Twice Before Renting a Motorbike in Thailand!
Thailand is a world of wonder, a place of exploration, a place full of excitement. There's nothing more thrilling and adventurous than seeing the country on a motorbike which can be rented for less than $10 dollars a day. It's what most people do, and most people have a blast, see things they never would have seen, and make unforgettable memories.
Now I'd totally recommend doing so if and only if you have some decent experience riding a motorbike and are comfortable driving on the left side of the road. If not, you may quickly become another sad statistic. Motorcycles are notorious world wide for being dangerous; but with inexperience, shoddy roads, crazy drivers, and a lack of traffic enforcement; an already dangerous mode of transportation can be even more so.
I recently spent about a month on the Island of Koh Pha Ngan. During my time there I did not rent a bike. But I met plenty of people who did. I met plenty of people bruised, scraped from head to toe, injuries leaving life long scars, and even fingernails ripped off. As I mentioned in my latest Travel Report my friend Thomas almost died on the side of the road, as the bike slipped on gravel as he was going up a steep hill. The bike landed on top of him, punctured an artery above his foot and he almost bled to death on the side of the road.
What is most important for Thailand's tourist industry is that the tourist dollar keeps flowing. No experience on a bike, no problem. No license, no problem. No helmet, no problem. Are you scared? Do you have a bad gut feeling about this? Don't worry you'll be fine, 250 baht ($7.50) please. Just sign here and the bike is yours for the day. And you're responsible for overpriced repairs to the bike too. Also if you hurt yourself, don't worry there are clinics set up all over the islands to bandage you up, clean out your wounds, and charge you up to ten times what is normally charged for Thai people.
I've seen vacations ruined, bodies ruined, and lives ruined with the anything goes carefree attitude. It's something that you really need to think twice about before doing. Statistics are hidden online detailing the amount of motor bike deaths and injuries. A quick google search said as many as 60 are known to die each month from motor bike accidents, and that's just on the Island of Koh Samui. This sounds like an exaggeration but still wouldn't surprise me that much. Another statistic shown for the whole country was over 12,000 die each year in accident related deaths with 70% of them being on a motor bike. Compare this number to 3,000 each year in the whole of the UK.
I can remember riding my bicycle around the Island of Koh Samui 5 years ago, I recall seeing three motorbike accidents in just one afternoon. Riding a motor bike in Thailand is a real danger, and to think twice about doing so is a real Travel Pro - Travel Tip! Until next time. -Dan "World Travel Pro!"
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