The preparations for the 10th anniversary of the tsunami that killed 250,000 people around the Indian Ocean are underway in Thailand, where more that 5,000 people died. Relatives and relief volunteers are due to arrive for the ceremonies.
The toll was shocking. Today the Bangkok Post reminded us of another toll: 26,000 people are killed on Thai roads -- five times the number of Thailand's tsunami deaths -- every year.
The Post was focusing on cars but the fact is that more than 4 in 5 road deaths and serious injuries involve motorbikes and scooters.
If you are travelling in Thailand, the most dangerous thing you can do is rent and ride a motorbike. Do it in shorts and no crash helmet and you go off the scale. It feels odd for me when I warn our young volunteers because, when I was younger than their ages, my need for speed and my 350cc Triumph 21 combined with suicidal enthusiasm.
Now, in Thailand, I still ride on the back of bikes sometimes -- usually motorbike taxis, if I want a mobile photo platform, when I get stuck for other transport and, very occasionally, with a friend who delights in the freedom and thrill. I am sure I would enjoy the freedom and the wind in my hair if I had any.
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