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What should I do after accidentally hitting a dog in Thailand?

accidents involving petsdog owners responsibilityThailand traffic rulesexpat advice Thailandlegal implications Thailandanimal welfare in Thailandvisa implications for foreign workers
May 10, 2024
6 months ago
Jack ****************
ORIGINAL POSTER
Last night I had the misfortune to run over a dog. I am sad for the dog and sad for its owner- just a shitty situation all around.

What are the rules surrounding this? We live in an ally and when entering the dog was laying in the roadway. (I believe it is an easement for a third property). The dog eventually got up to run away, but turned and went under the wheel. :(

Both parties are farang.

Dog doesn't belong unattended in the road, but I am willing to help some with the vet. But the guy is talking about needing to not work for 6 weeks to take care of the dog.
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The situation revolves around an expat who accidentally hit a dog lying in the road, leading to discussions about responsibility, legal implications, and the owner's demands for compensation. Responses suggest the dog owner may be attempting to exploit the situation, with many comments emphasizing that the driver is not legally liable for the dog's care or any time off work required by the owner. The consensus is to offer to pay for the vet bills directly if needed but to avoid admitting fault or compensating for time off work. There are also insights into local law enforcement's likely indifference and the challenges of navigating pet ownership in Thailand.
Aaron *******
The mistake you made is offering to pay anything. That's construed as an admission of fault by the dog's owner. Now he is pushing it for more. If facts are as you stated, you are not at fault, thus pay nothing. Offer to pay nothing. "No good deed goes unpunished."
6 months ago
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Jeffrey *******
Go to hospital and explain how you are depressed and have a traumatic experience. Need meds, can’t take care of yourself.

Dog owner responsible.

Car tires need replacing.

Money for blessing at temple for car and new tires. Maybe get new car too.
6 months ago
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Shauna ******
The owner of the dog is liable for any damages to the vehicle. If you feel morally obligated help. Otherwise you are not at fault here.
6 months ago
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Brian ********
A couple things. Six weeks off of work for a falang means they need a work visa. If they don't have one, you have them by the proverbial cajones. If they do have one, I don't think they can go without working for 6 weeks, in which case you have them by the proverbial cajones. Offer half the vet bill paid directly to the vet and hang the visa over his head.
6 months ago
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Kev *********
@Brian *******
 don't pay 1 baht.
6 months ago
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Kev *********
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Michael **************
I would pay the 6 weeks and no vet bill but he would be subject to spare of the moment visits to make sure he is attending to dog
****
if he is not there when you visit you do not pay
6 months ago
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Vera **************
The new law,, fines up to 40 000 and jail up to 3 years ( from memory ) if you intentionally kill. In your case Sounds like a genuine accident . It is not surprising reading idiotic comments from all the idiots most of whom not only do not live in Thailand but have any compassion what so ever. As a human being , which you appear to be , offering to pay half or some of vet bills is sufficient enough from legal and from moral point of you. If other guy wants more than that, tell him to take you to court. Note police will not take any action Neither will the courts. Pay directly to hospital and keep the proof. Yes some Thai in this instance would try to extort money , but all it is , is an attempt to extort
6 months ago
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Michael ********
Let us know the outcome
6 months ago
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Julie ******
Dogs must be on a leash
6 months ago
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Anita ******
It was an accident. I would maybe pay half the vets bills. But not for him to have 6 weeks off !!!
6 months ago
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Kev *********
.no no no.
6 months ago
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Kev *********
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Shannon ********
Man. Tell this guy to f off
6 months ago
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Chrisna **********
Ask for the vets DIRECT bank details.. not the owner.. you want the vets bank details. Also in future, drive slower, it will avoid incidents like this and give you time to brake in time. Good luck.
6 months ago
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Ricky ********
The owner should not leave his dogs on the road. Don’t give him anything. He is obviously stupid and lazy. Reverse over it next time.
6 months ago
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Ross ***********
interesting to know vets Bill
6 months ago
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Jack ****************
ORIGINAL POSTER
So the update on this... My Thai lawyer, irritatingly, did not write back- it's as though he has other things to do on the weekend... But I went down to the police station to get some perspective too. If they wind up officially involved I suspect they will try to arbitrate some kind of cost split to keep the peace, but OFFICIALLY roads are for cars not dogs. Potential Gray area in that it's an easement, not a public road- but the law specifies public or private road (technically an easement isn't either one, but I'm confident it is covered).

I plan to offer him a small something mostly to assuage my own guilt- I am sad that there is sadness- but I suspect the conversation is going to go off the rails as A) he is very upset and B) sort of telegraphed he is a bit skeezy... As time goes on I am more and more angry that I now have this emotional burden because he is a shitty dog owner. I'm a sensitive guy. Shrug. My plan is to avoid the whole concept of him being a knucklehead unless he escalates. Wish me luck I guess
6 months ago
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Kev *********
@Jack ***************
 offering any kind of recompense may be seen as accepting responsibility. DON'T DO IT.
6 months ago
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Kev *********
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Simon *******
His the dog owner paying towards any damage to your bike and compensation for the anguish it has caused you..

It's not your fault in any yes I feel for the dog for ha is an irresponsible owner.
6 months ago
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Terry **********
So if the guy needs 6 wks off work to look after the dog, I hope he's got a work VISA.
6 months ago
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Brian *******
If you believe that he must take 6 weeks off of work, I have a lake in desert that I can sell you
6 months ago
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Michael *******
It’s a suck …….help with the vet bills and move on
6 months ago
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Kev *********
@Michael ******
 no. Don't give 1 baht. It's a sign of liability
6 months ago
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Kev *********
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Tim *********
I don't know a country where working people take weeks off work to nurse a pet. And this one simply won't do it unless you're daft enough to pay him to. Seriously, it's not your fault and the dog is not your responsibility.
6 months ago
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Dan ********
@Tim ********
 I knew a girl in London, kept taking days off for her 'house rabbits' various ailments and a fortune in vets bills. And then when the fucking thing died, Jesus. She would have settled for two weeks grievance leave. I had to voice my opinion. And then she came back to work, having instantly bought an identical rabbit. "Get fucking insurance this time" I said. "You know what Boulbs, that's a fucking good idea" 🤣
6 months ago
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Dan ********
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Kev *********
Tell the owner to fk off. Don't offer to help with vet's bills it's not your responsibility.
6 months ago
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Kev *********
If a dog chases a motorbike and bites the rider or causes an accident, see who claims ownership then? Eh? Not my dog 😂
6 months ago
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Kev *********
First hand experience. If you deliberately ran the dog over you must compensate owner 20,000 baht. If the dog ran in front of you and ended up being killed. You have no responsibility. My landlord is a lawyer and gave me this information when i killed a dog. The owner asked me to take the dog to a vet but I refused. I didn't want to get landed with vet's bill. The owner had a car.
6 months ago
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Jack ****************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Kev ********
 good data thank you.
6 months ago
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Kev *********
@Jack ***************
 welcome.
6 months ago
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Kev *********
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Jody *******
You shouldn't talk about his wife that way though... :/
6 months ago
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Larry *******
Two times I’ve had dogs run into my front wheel at a90 degree angle. One time involved a trip to the hospital and a CT scan. Never thought of asking the irresponsible owner to pay for medical expenses. For those who don’t ride bikes in Thailand you can’t possibly understand the sheer number of uncontrolled dogs.
6 months ago
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Kev **********
tell him to get stuffed. Falang; is he being guided by the money grabbing Thai family probably, Any accident with a falang is your fault in their book, they probably don't give a shit about the dog,,
6 months ago
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John **********
Tell him to piss off and don’t continue any further dialogue with the prat!! Galls me when people try to exploit a relatively innocuous situation, if he wants to pursue it further he’s on a loser!! And he knows it!!
6 months ago
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Albert *******
He can take a whole year off if he wants , just YOU don’t pay for shit . And if it’s a problem just go to the police and ask if you’ll need a lawyer. Don’t waste time playing peoples silly money games
6 months ago
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Kevin *******
If you get bitten by a dog owners are supposed to give you 300 baht and an egg ! My son and wife scarred for life ! Wife got nothing ! A teenager came past our house on a motorbike kicked my dog in the mouth and got a scratch ! Mom came down demanding 300 baht mother-in-law gave her 200 still bitching about it ! I wouldn't have given them anything!
6 months ago
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Lynnette *******
@Kevin ******
 he wasn't bitten. He injured the dog. He's doing the decent thing and offered to help pay vet not the dogs owner.
6 months ago
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Lynnette *******
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Lynnette *******
You've injured the dog. You've offered to do the right thing and help pay vet bills. You don't need anyone else's permission or approval. Just confirm the offer and say you'll pay direct to vet. That's it.
6 months ago
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Mika ********
@Lynnette ******
 exactly this !
6 months ago
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Mika ********
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Kevin *******
6 months ago
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Kevin *******
Lol take them both the vets and have both of them put down ! doggone!
6 months ago
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William ***********
As soon as dude mentioned 6 week’s unemployment pay it was time to ride off into the sunset.
6 months ago
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John ********
.. anyway, about your visa...
6 months ago
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John ***********
I feel sorry for the dog and only hope that someone takes some responsibility for its welfare.
6 months ago
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Garry ********
Not your fault mate and the farangs should realise this, I have dogs everywhere where I live I'm zig zapping all over the road to avoid them it drives me insane. 1 dog per family is enough in my opinion especially if you can't afford to feed them, I know this sounds harsh and against thai culture to put them down,,, but 🙄 what do you do?
6 months ago
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Russell *****
I have an idea. Conflict is settled. We are all upset now over this dog, a potential child according to
@Eoin ******
, as a solution he can pay all of us a 6 week holiday so we can mourn the dog, kick a kid if we so choose, and watch porn, eat hummus and masterbate. Sorry you hit the dog
@Jack ***************
! Be at peace over it, that’s of course you weren’t finger banging the phone like you were accused of lol. Pava Scotty you’ve won the internet today. Take a day off…paid of course thanks to Eoin
6 months ago
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Jack ****************
ORIGINAL POSTER
Pava Scotty word.
6 months ago
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Jack ****************
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Julie ***********
Absolutely no way should you be liable for the owner of said dog to take time off work, think they are taking advantage of the situation. You've offered to help pay for vets bills etc and that should be it, but I would also say you want to see copies of invoices from vet before you part with any cash, and pay vet direct if you must.
6 months ago
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Peter *********
BBQ
6 months ago
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Marco *******
Just keep it moving it's his responsibility to make sure the dog ain't all Over the place, give him nothing.
6 months ago
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Robin ********
Ignore the fool
6 months ago
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Juls ******
The guy lived obviously long time here...😅
6 months ago
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Sumudu ***********
That's great that you want to help the mutt - terrible that someone is trying to exploit the situation
6 months ago
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Mark *****
Bloody dogs causes more accidents here, I blame the low educated owners 😕
6 months ago
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Jeff *********
@Mark ****
 dogs and Thai culture…. I will never understand 😳
6 months ago
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Mark *****
@Je**
, I was a dog lover before moving to Thailand
6 months ago
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Jeff *********
@Mark ****
 definitely not a good place to live if you’re a dog lover. we have 3 all adopted from the landfill outside the village, all healthy and happy 😃
6 months ago
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Jeff *********
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Jack ****************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Mark ****
 he is an Aussie 555
6 months ago
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Jack ****************
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Jeff *********
The owner of the dog should be paying you for undo stress!!
6 months ago
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Jack ****************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Jeff ********
 there is quite a bit of that.
6 months ago
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Jack ****************
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John ********
Makes a good green curry 🍛
6 months ago
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Jeff *********
Is this a joke?
6 months ago
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Diane **********
Speak to the tourist police about that. They were asking to let them know about any ' extortion' or unsavory demands. They will also help with negotiations between the parties.

Just a thought,
6 months ago
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Michael ********
There fault if the dog is allowed to roam on street. You can check that with local orbortor not the police (i had issue with guy down road dogs) although with two farangs not likely they will be interested
6 months ago
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Marty *********
I live in a farming village. Lots of dogs sleeping in the road day and night. They are used to motorbikes driving around them. With the car I have to be careful. Still, there are several dogs limping around on three legs. I wouldn’t be the first.
6 months ago
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Steve **********
@Marty ********
 ask the police what the Kings position is on Soi dogs.

No I won't tell you, the police have to.
6 months ago
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Christopher ***********
@Marty ********
 Dogs seem to manage perfectly well on three legs. Two like that in my Soi.
6 months ago
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Christopher ***********
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Phil ********
If the guy was that concerned about his dog then he shouldn't have left it in the street.

Tell him you will go
*****
on the vets bills, take it or leave it would be my response.
6 months ago
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Damo ***********
@Phil *******
 and the more he complains and tries to negotiate.. change it to
*****
..
6 months ago
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Peter **********
@Phil *******
 I wouldn’t even go
*****
, but assess the damage on the car and tell the owner he may praise the lord that I won’t sue him for the damages of the car.
6 months ago
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Christopher ***********
@Phil *******
 More than reasonable! Time off work is taking the Mick.
6 months ago
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Christopher ***********
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Duncanc **********
What employer would grant 6 weeks leave for this?
6 months ago
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ธารา ********
@Duncanc *********
 For a Thai employer they would fire you for taking one week off.
6 months ago
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ธารา ********
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Damo ***********
Let the guy take as much time off work as needed to look after his dog. You are not obligated to pay anything to him if he chooses to take time off work!
6 months ago
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Jack ****************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Damo **********
 just block the crazies
6 months ago
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Steve **********
@Damo **********
 don't use logic....you lose
6 months ago
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Damo ***********
@Steve *********
 if your comment is going to make any sense at all.. you are saying for him to pay the guy for taking time off work! Think before you comment.
6 months ago
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Steve **********
@Damo **********
 a fool would pay a guy to take time of work for this incident.

I believe I said ' use logic '
6 months ago
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Damo ***********
@Steve *********
 you are all over the place.. cya 👋
6 months ago
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Steve **********
@Damo **********
...?

Are you 12. Or just not an English reader ?
6 months ago
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Steve **********
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Mark ***************
I also need six weeks off
@Ja**
, can you help please?
6 months ago
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Johann *********
@Mark **************
6 months ago
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Jack ****************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Mark **************
 I was thinking about this a few minutes ago. Even if there is a legitimate need for the dog to be monitored in this way- them cancelling "6 clients a day for 6 weeks" is probably not the right answer when you can pay someone 300 baht a day (probably less) anyway. Shrug. The guy was/is upset. None of us do our best thinking under duress.
6 months ago
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Mark ***************
That's a generous way of thinking about it Jack, yeah, what you say is true about thinking under duress.

Thai dogs seem to specialise in lying out in the road, if I had 100B for each one I've driven around bla bla bla... bad luck to have one turn under a wheel though, commiserations here
6 months ago
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Jack ****************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Mark **************
 I am of two minds. It reminds me of Luis CK bit about "of course there should be peanut warnings". I slowed down, but did not stop. If I could go back I could've avoided it. But if you stopped to wait for the dogs to get out of the road you would never get anywhere. There is a sort of silent negotiation that happens where the dog, depending on how entitled he feels or how strong his survival instinct is, slowly gets out of the way. This was that, except the dog panicked and made a U-turn and ran into my wheel. It's fucked up. But of course OBVIOUSLY the owner shouldn't let the dog roam unattended. If I'd been on 2 wheels with one of the kids there would be violence happening.
6 months ago
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Jack ****************
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Marty *********
This seems like one of those situations where a Thai policeman dispensing justice at the scene of the accident seems appropriate.
6 months ago
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Ben **********
@Marty ********
 thai cop..

"You have problem with dog?"

Thai cop shoots dog.

"Now, no problem with dog"
6 months ago
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Steve **********
@Ben *********
 sadly...true !

The dogs 'owner ' needing a two week paid vacation, needed ..........

Well, you fill in blank
6 months ago
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Steve **********
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Jack ****************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Marty ********
 so this is actually interested... I went to the police box to try and get an understanding before the conflict escalates... It was VERY difficult to get a straight answer. They were very invested in trying to mediate. The cynic in me suspects it was the potential to pocket a commission. But at face value it felt like they were interested in finding the right solution even more than applying the letter of the law.
6 months ago
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Marty *********
@Jack ***************
 Yeah! It’s a strange thing to an American but, on reflection, avoids a lot of court cases and seems to dispense a measure of justice. It’s totally ripe for abuse but is used frequently in Thai society. Even if you pay the policemen - whatever, it just seems fast and convenient. I have no idea how this would play out between two farangs and an injured dog though.
6 months ago
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Marty *********
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