By now, you should have heard of some updates of the 14 year-old Thai student named Nitcharee Peneakchanasak who lost both of her legs in the MRT, Ang Mo Kio station, two months back. I’m going to blog about it anyway.
I recently watched an interview with Nicharee via Channel 3 Thailand through Youtube. It was all in Thai so I doubt many of you would understand and that’s why I’m going to share some main points here in the Thai’s point of view and of course the victim herself and the family.
Regards to the interview on 15 June 2011, Channel 3 Thailand News. Reported by Sorayut.
Besides the sadness of this incident, the great news is that Nitcharee is now almost fully-recovered from the injuries from her time in Tan Tok Seng hospital. She complimented the fast process of healing the hospital has provided as well as thankful to all the encouragement from everywhere. She is now back home in Thailand.
During the ending of part 1 to beginning of part 2 of the interview.
The father of Nitcharee claimed that the medical fees in Singapore is well above 1 mil Baht or SGD 40,000 and SMRT did not claim responsibility for the medical bills or even helped to lighten that financial burden. However, SMRT did offer to give them 120,000 Baht or SGD 5000 when her treatment was completed and was ready to return home.
Nitcharee said during the interview that she was standing about 1 foot behind the yellow line when pushed by the crowd as the train was approaching. They were rushing to get in front of everyone else so that they could board the train first. She couldn’t balance herself with that pressure from the back so she fell on to the tracks. She was still conscious at that moment on the railway and she immediately shouted for help as she knew that something tragic was going to happen.
Although we do not know the truth behind what truly happened that day, I am sure we have all experienced the pushing and rushing of the rowdy crowd when we are taking the MRT.
Nitcharee has a dream to be a psychiatrist to help people. She said that this accident made her stronger, firstly encouraging herself to get through this horrifying ordeal then move on to helping others.
If we ever thought we had a tough life, then maybe we should look at this incident and think over again. Let’s all pray for the best for her.
ps. I’m not judging but only translating here. However, please feel free to share your points of view on this matter.
References : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67H2TLMjxxM&feature=player_embedded
It is strange that it was widely reported in the local media that the reason for her falling down on the tracks was because she feelt dizzy. If she was being pushed, which was highly possible, we should sound the alarm as it could happen to any body as well. Further more, MRT did not reveal the outcome of it’s investigations after viewing the security tapes. I hope she can help shed more light on the matter to prevent future mishaps.
S$5000 only? Damn.
i m shocked that she was pushed by the ppl. SMRT not only should take responsibility for this, they out to be shamed. #smrtfail
Thanks Nira for translating her interview on the Thai channel.
I am shocked that she was pushed, I hope the press here will report the truth after the full investigation is completed.
Singaporeans have donated 400,000 to her already! I saw it in the news today
Generous people. That’s great.
I am so disappointed that SMRT is only paying $5000, which is not even a quarter of the full fees. This is very depressing because this is a serious injury. I am sure she’ll have good karma outta it and be able to achieve what she wants in the future. This clearly is a bully situation!
If you guys can think carefully, it is not SMRT’s fault that she fell onto the tracks. It is rather the fault of the crowd, (A.K.A Singaporeans) who pushed her down.
If is due to some equipment failure or the poor construction of the facilities; yes I will agree that SMRT should bear full costs of her bills. In this case, shouldn’t the police arrest everyone who was at the station that day and fine them? (Just kidding! :P)
Yes, i agree that considering that it is an accident the fault does not lie solely on SMRT.
IF it is true in which we still do not know yet, if she was being pushed or she was feeling faint and thus cause this whole episode. Lets make one thing clear. The ‘crowd’ no longer comprise of JUST Singaporeans in current day, but Foreigners MAINLY Chinas. Singaporeans here do not really do much of a pushing rather the China people staying and working here does all these unseemly stuff. So take care when pointing fingers to just a certain group of people.
After all thanks to our government import of Mainland China people, we have more China people walking everywhere and trains especially packed with them. So partly its due to the migration system that went wrong. Thus causing such sad episodes of accidents and killings on the rise in the once safe Singapore.
Wasn’t she feeling unwell on that unfortunate day of accident?? So now Singaporeans are at fault for “pushing” her? Er excuse me, there’re 2million foreigners here and none of them had actually been shoved to the tracks. SMRT isn’t liable for anything, not even her medical fees as a matter of fact. There’s no cause of action even if she tried to sue SMRT. It was clearly negligence on her own part. My heart do go out to her though. I hope she can be an inspiration to others out there.
According to the interview, she said she was feeling fine on that day. No one is at fault until we know the truth.
dont know whats her motive for giving two different replies to sg and thai. money?
I Honestly dont see how this is SMRT’s fault at all. Whether or not she was pushed, or she felt dizzy has nothing to do with SMRT. Train stations everywhere in the world just draws a yellow line that is not to be crossed (especially when a train is coming). The fact that Singapore has some stations that have doors is a bonus.
If she was pushed, the people who pushed her should be the ones to blame. They should pay for her $40 000 surgery. $5000 from SMRT is more than generous as they do not even need to pay a single cent in the first place.
If she was dizzy, she should know better than to stand so near the yellow line. It’s her fault this way. SMRT’s $5000 is basically paying for her mistake.
Just read the news today, her family’s gonna sue SMRT for 3.4million. Seriously?! Her parents are such opportunists. Fancy trying to cash in money from their daughter’s mishap. What is she to them? An ATM? I guess the 400k donations would come in handy to pay the legal fees. I highly doubt they have a case at all. Let’s just wait and see.
Let’s look at it from both points of view.
both points of view would be either
1) their daughter is irresponsible (standing so near the line even though she is feeling sick)
or
2) they are suing the wrong people. they should find out who pushed her and sue that person. not SMRT
them suing SMRT looks like they just want to make a quick buck, and like s said, like opportunists.
Thank you for your opinion.
1) There are CCTV in every station. However, SMRT did not release the results. Why?
2) Previous incident the people have either committed suicide or felt onto the train tracks, the CCTV footage were released. Why not this time?
does it really matter if SMRT releases the CCTV footage? The reason is either that she was dizzy or someone pushed her.
Unless there’s a reason to believe that SMRT is protecting the person who pushed her, then they are to blame. If not, then SMRT is not at fault.
Honestly, Singapore is already so safe (I used to live there) compared to so many other countries. The train system is top-notch, one of the best in the world if i say so myself. It is just a bonus if they put up safety barriers. Otherwise, the yellow line should be warning enough. This is NOT smrt’s fault.
I think it does. Well again, that’s just my opinion.
To CC, so you don’t live in Singapore anymore? Good. Then shut your face.
I think it is smrt fault because they know and try their best to up ridership but without providing a safe environment. This is not the first time someone fell onto the tracks but smrt, with the Malaysian CEO refused to install barriers, citing the high cost of providing them, even after so many people fell and died after being run over by the trains. The mainstream media are also at fault because they always report as the trains being hit by people instead of the other way round. They always focus on the inconveniences that followed the incident rather than reporting on what actually happened. this has been going on for years. Its good that she is suing smrt so Singaporeans can get to know what is really happening and pressure the Malaysian cEO to install barriers in all mrt stations to prevent another tragedy from happening and not be deterred by her excuse of high cost. Is 3.4 million singapore dollars high enough to install smrt doors?
There is some good points there.
SMRT is at fault if LTA has regulated that all open plaforms must erect barrier and SMRT has failed to do so.
Pending the release the of the video and findings after the investigation, we can’t conclude that SMRT is at fault at this stage. There are just too many unanswered questions:
Q. Was it an individual or a crowd that pushed her?
Q. Was it accidental or intentional?
Q. What was the lapse time from the moment she fell onto the track and hit by the train?
Q. Did the control manager has sufficient time to stop the approaching train but failed to do so?
I think it was insensitive that SMRT’s offered the family $5000 as a compensation, it appears that SMRT was trying to pull a quick one. However SMRT has just released a statement to clarify that the initial $5000 and the subsequent $10,000 were not compensation but as a good will gesture to cover the family initial expenses pending the investigation.
In the meantime, SMRT & LTA should come out and tell the public what interim measures they have or will put in place immediately on all station platforms without barrier to minimise and prevent a recurrence. Unlike PUB, they have immediately fenced up all open drainages since the tragic accident at whampoa 2 weeks ago.
Very detailed info esp those that related with LTA. Thanks Ray.
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