You may have seen or read in the news that earlier this week a 49-year-old American and a 19-year-old Thai woman died on Soon Karn Kha Road in Ban Chang in Rayong province. The motorcycle hit a concrete block at high speed, killing the motorcyclist and passenger.
The local population agrees that this accident is not a coincidence. It is, according to them, a terrifying case of "Tua Tai Tua Thaen" - the work of a restless spirit who claimed another soul.
Two accidents in the same place
A local motorbike taxi driver, Suthon Suklonleua, said the American was on his way to Pattaya in an 800 CC Red Kawasaki after picking up the teenager from a bar. Whether the American had drunk too much or not, the fact is that at the beginning of 2017 a Thai man on an 800 CC red Ducati died in exactly the same place. Apart from the similarities of the engine specifications, both accidents happened at exactly the same time.
No coincidence
Suthon explains that it cannot have been a coincidence that the accident happened at that place. In addition, near the bodies of the victims, the numbers 18 and 58 were painted on the road surface. These were placed there by contractors who will asphalt the road.
He said many in the area – people who wouldn't dare drive here at night – were convinced that this could only mean one thing. The numbers will be in the next lottery, so the numbers are now highly sought after and will be hard to buy. For example, a serious motorcycle accident can still bring good luck to a few.
Source: Thai Rath
In a country with a reasonable to good education, people then analyze whether improvements can be made that will benefit road safety. In a country with little or no education, people throw it at 'ghosts'.
Everyone can of course believe what they want, and this was also interesting for me in the beginning to find out how my wife and her family thought about this.
I have often wondered that immediately after an accident almost the entire village empties to write down the car registration number of the crashed driver.
As many believe, this number would bring great luck, because the spirit of the deceased can influence this according to many Thais.
If this really hides the truth, then with the many road deaths that Thailand has to regret, more than in other countries, most Thais could bathe in wealth.
Better hear, see, and be silent because you can't change this superstition that they got with the first rice soup, surely.
Even those who keep you satisfied say they don't believe it, yet secretly keep thinking and acting on the same mystery.
When things get too crazy, I try to keep my blood pressure in check, as long as it's hard, and don't come back until they've regained their sobriety from yet another lottery loss.
Dear John, wise indeed not to get worked up about the (super) beliefs of others. Will definitely benefit your blood pressure. By the way, I have a kind request for you. Please insert a space after the comma in your comments. Would improve readability. Sometimes you do, but most of the time you don't. m.f.gr.