Here's one reason you need a dashcam on the roads of Thailand......hooligan biker gangs.
These are underaged kids, riding probably unlicensed and insured bikes, provided by the parents. If, and when, they create some carnage, the 'poor' parents will avoid being financially responsible. You are unlikely to recover the cost of any damages they do to you or your vehicle. They may even attempt to get you to pay for damage to the illegal bike being operated by an illegal rider.
It's pretty common for 2 or more school age kids to be killed in single motorbike accidents, and when you are near middle or high schools, the roads are crowded with 3-4 kids on a bike, no helmets, no license....and a cop directing traffic at the intersection or crosswalk in front of the school....and doing nothing.
The 14 year old son of a friend of mine recently ran the borrowed motorbike of his grandfather off the road, doing more damage to the bike than he did to himself.
(Didn't see any bruises or injuries, but I'm sure he was sore)
The bike needed a few hundred bucks in replacement parts.
The family and village aunties made a fuss over the kid, and went to the accident site to do some ritual. I looked at the accident site (He created a path through a corn field running off the road) and can only guess he was screwing around....not paying attention, texting....something...and ran off the road.
A little shrine to his vehicular incompetence was erected on the spot, while they blocked a lane on a somewhat busy road during commuting hours.
I felt sorry for the grandfather.......poor farmer...I sourced the parts and bought the crucial ones online. He happily bolted them on. (Including a new front wheel I had built at local shop tor 20 bucks. )
Within a few days 'junior' was back riding 'grandpas' bike, and bugging his mother for money to buy RED wheels for the motorbike. Never any hint of 'damn, I wrecked somebodys bike, I need to pay for this...'
A month later he had the new red wheels, and I see him hot-rodding through the village.......he also found the money for a loud exhaust. Mysteriously, the license plate is gone. (had one) I don't know what happened to the new, normal wheel I bought the grandfather?
The grandfather has relinquished the new-ish bike to the favored grandson, and is now riding the ancient bike that was owned by a son.......who died in a motorbike crash...(different bike) 20 years ago.
Nothing changes.