If you have been driving the streets of Pattaya lately,
you surely have noticed all the construction. You may also have noticed the
signs warning drivers of possible hazards resulting from that construction.
What you might not have known is that those signs are the result of the hard
work put in by a German tourist, Daniel Kleiner. The following is his story
and how he came to start his crusade of safety.
Daniel
Kleiner is a 53 year old engineer from Munich, Germany. He was divorced 2
years ago and has a 27 year old daughter. He migrated to Munich with his
pregnant wife after the invasion of the former Czechoslovakia by Warsaw
treaty armies, where he was involved in the reform policy in 1968. Native
Hungarian speakers, Kleiner and his wife gave birth to their daughter 2
weeks after arriving in Munich. Kleiner worked for many years at Siemans,
one of the largest companies in Germany, in the field of Technology Research
and Development.
In 1984, Kleiner moved to Nether Bavaria, where his wife worked as a medical
doctor. Mrs. Kleiner couldn’t get permission to work in Upper Bavaria
because at that time she hadn’t yet obtained her German citizenship. The
couple bought a large old house in 1985, did a lot of renovations, then
opened a medical office for Mrs. Kleiner in the house where she still works.
During that time, Daniel Kleiner also worked as a house builder.
After his divorce, Daniel returned to his apartment in
Munich. In July 1995 he accompanied a friend to Pattaya, and has since
returned 4 times.
By his second visit, Kleiner began to coach a local soccer team, and
eventually won a championship cup sponsored by Pattaya Police. By this time
he had already begun to see some dangerous places on the streets caused by
road construction.
In his youth, three of his young friends died in a traffic accident
(motorcycle crash with a lorry). Later, in Germany, the son of his friend
lost his life at the tender age of 24 in a traffic accident resulting from a
lorry driving on the highway without rear lights. And through his wife’s
profession (medical doctor) he has seen the results of terrible traffic
accidents. So, Daniel felt he needed to do something to prevent possible
traffic accidents here in Pattaya.
Daniel has taken it upon himself to construct and help
place road hazard warning signs around town at various places where
construction has made the roads unsafe. Through the help of local police,
Daniel has begun to accomplish his goal of making the roads safer.
Daniel Kleiner’s painting and
sign-making skills have been put to work making our roads safer.
“I want human beings to do more to prevent traffic
accidents,” Daniel told Pattaya Mail. “This is very important everywhere,
but especially in a country like Thailand where the traffic is growing very
rapidly. So, when I am in Thailand and see some dangerous things on the
streets, I will do something to better prevent traffic accidents. I don’t
know why, but I feel I have to.”
