richard_smith237

Thats very true... My Son is 138m (8 yrs old)... he still has his car seat (Britax KidFix III - brought over from the UK because the are over 2x the price here !)... he sits higher and can see out of the window etc. We travel with a Mifold - which is a device will keeps the lap-belt in place and brings the shoulder strap down to shoulder level. https://mifold.com But, there are times that we go in the car without a car seat. We put the belt on, if its up near his neck, we put the cross-body part of the strap behind him and rely on the lap-part of the belt.....

Thats not true... there is a knock on impact to others when not wearing helmets and seatbelts in situations where had a seatbelt or helmet been worn serious injury and / or death could have readily been avoided. And think about persons head smashing into yours because they weren’t restrained in an accident. (same goes for items in the boot (trunk) and is why we always have the luggage cover pulled across). But... Imagine you are in a fender bender... an accident, a 50:50 fault incident... the other party was not wearing seatbelt and smaked their head hard enough to cause injury or death when normally, if wearing a seatbelt that would be sufficient to protect them..... there is a knock on effect to all parties, including the other driver.

86.8% of statistics are made up on the spot. The harm caused by bad parking is hidden and not immediately obvious. In example the Op describes (photo’s) its not really an issue and is perhaps an over reaction, however, that is the thin end of the wedge. Absolultey agree... some people are looking for the problem, looking for outrage. Their behaviour is certainly somewhat neurotic. Again, I’d agree, but we can’t deal in absolutes - some issues are important. People have also show that when exercising their personal freedoms they can act selfishly - the very reason for laws and policing of those laws is because people can’t be trusted to act within widely acceptable and reasonable limits when exercising their personal freedoms. You may be fine, I may be fine... many may exercise their personal freedoms without any impact on others, but it takes a minority to ruin it for the many which is why laws exist. The identification and discussion of certain issues is not ignorance of other real more important issues. Additionally, just because more serious issues exist it does not mean the seemingly less serious issues are not also important or worthy of discussion, debate, complaint or policing. Many of the issues against with which voice objection in Thailand also exist in many of our home countries... no one suggests otherwise... However, we are not on a UK or US centric forum. The discussions held here are ’Thai-centric’ its stands to perfect reason that for those of us that live here and contribute to a Thai based forum, that the discussion surrounds Thailand, be the positives or negatives. Neither is preferable... at all....

No body asked you to come on here and pass a comment.... So why is the Ops opinion or even judgement any less valid than your's ? Regarding the title - Selfish.... that is a word that can readily describe the traffic conditions in Thailand. Many of the woes, the grildlock, the blocking entrances, not stopping at pedestrian crossings etc... are all borne of nothing more than selfishness.... Now as far as judgement goes... are you not being judgement in your ‘bet’ that the Op can’t afford a truck and doesn’t have a family ??? Just because parking doesn’t outrage you, it doesn’t mean it isn’t an issue. On the small soi I live down, its enough for two way traffic... then a car parks, so its one way traffic at that point. Then another decides if that driver has parked their car there, they can also park there - then before we know it the road is one way for a 100m or more because loads of cars have decided to park where they want without consideration to others... It then takes us 20mins to get out of the Soi in the morning instead of 5mins..... Multiply that over a city like Bangkok and we have far more unnecessary traffic than there would be if people were not selfish...

I've refused taxi’s because the seatbelt stalk was not there. It used to be ridiculous - most taxi’s didn’t have the seatbelt stalk (which was pushed under the seat).. then the law that seat belts must be available in taxis came in a few years back and it was enforced... but that has slipped lately and I’m finding more taxi’s (and grab cars) that I’ve refused to take because they have no rear-seat belt..... (this matters to me, especially when going on an express way).

That's crazy thinking to me. Wearing a seatbelt in a car or a helmet on a motorbike is only to protect your life. There is no downside to it. Not trying to argue with you, I'm just seeing things differently. I believe these laws requiring our safety are a necessity and should be enforced. Agreed..... I shouldn’t be permitted discretion as to whether or not my child needs to be in a car seat / wear a seat belt or not..... Any parent who doesn’t think their child should wear a seatbelt or be in a child seat and believes its there choice is a negligent parent. Additionally, there are many in Thailand who simply do not know the risks - such laws may save ’some’ children - that said, I believe this will just be a paper law which for the most part is ignored. ------ I see very wealthy families rock up at my son’s school... Children get out of their Alphards and Merc not a child seat or seatbelt in sight... the parents just don’t consider them necessary.

Agree with your sarcasm.... The comment you quoted highlights the avoidance of responsibility... It doesn’t matter IF the wires belong to a private company, they are being placed in a public area, thus its uptown to those in public office to ensure they are safe. As always any responsibility is deflected and side stepped.

Because he wasn’t wearing a helmet - so some idiots proceed that as he wasn’t wearing a helmet he wasn’t safe so it must have been his own fault for not seeing the wires !!!.... (some completely illogical and irrational fools on this forum).... It clearly wasn’t his [the old expats] fault, and neither is the the ladies fault. Fault lies primarily with the workers and companies for not removing the old wires when putting in a new one. Fault lies with authorities for not ensuing a better job is being done to police this mess and prevent it from happening.

There have already been many deaths from this issue.... ... So... to take your comment a little further... It may take the death of a someone considered important for something to be done about this problem for authorities to hold a two-week crackdown.

Unfortunately there is an elephant in the room.... and that elephant is not standing by idly but its s spaffing off into face of the lawmakers who’s laws and regulations go completely unenforced..... Laws are pointless if they are ignored and unenforced. That said, the recognition that seatbelts (for the whole vehicle) and child safety seats are required is a good thing... but again, will the police bother to enforce them after the first two weeks of announcements and crackdowns ? Then of course, that elephant is still in the room knocking one out over all the policy makers.... what about the pickup trucks with people stuffed in the flat bed ????? Motorcyclists without helmets etc etc etc.... Its great that Thailand is bringing in important laws.... but none of this means anything when that huge big fat elephant in the room is being completely ignored.... Thailand needs to address law enforcement on the roads, until then laws are pretty much irrelevant.

So are we not allowed an opinion ???..... When I have discussions with my Thai friends there is an incredible amount of common ground on many of the issues we discuss on this forum. Thai’s have very much the same opinions and complaints we have....

Pro’s and cons... the cons being more people are getting injured and dying because the police don’t enforce the laws... And... I get more tickets in Thailand than I ever did in the UK... thinks such as going 123kmh on the expressway rated ro 120kmh, or crossing the solid white line at junction (when the line is very poorly placed etc)...

Thats a good point... I don’t own a watch, I have a cheap nokia 3310 phone, I drive a rickety old motorcycle, I wear tattered and worn clothes and live in a s#it hole..... No one is going to rob me !!!!

Motorcyclists don’t have pockets ???..... Not quite the end of !!!

It would seem a great idea at first... but thats because I’m not a teacher with the skills to handle such a situation.... But, does teaching that ’trouble student’ that its acceptable for authority figures to hit someone weaker and powerless; even if it is just a rap across the knuckles, the right thing to do ??? Now, I would expect a qualified and well trained teacher to have the skills to handle such a child. I would expect support from the school and I would expect the education authorities to have a system in place whereby students who are a repetitively difficult and who could not be dealt with by a the teacher and the school to be schooled in an alternative establishment where they are less disruptive to other students and where there are better trained specialist to deal with their behaviour. I know this is difficult in Thailand, particularly because of the money in the government schools, but also because of the attitudes towards such children. Hitting a child because they are late, forgot their homework, were talking in class, didn’t remember the right uniform etc is outrageously wrong and is a far far cry from dealing with a highly disruptive or violent child. But, even when dealing with a highly disruptive or violent there are other options before resorting to physical means of punishment. As has been reported numerous times over the years, in Thai schools it is often the case that ‘other options’ are not sought and the go to response is violence - this is wrong.

At my age and with so few teeth, my wife now chews my grapes first Wife tried ‘treading’ mine !... ..... forgot I wasn’t wearing the mirrored sunglasses in the mall !!!...

Violence of any kind is unacceptable.... this would be in an ideal word. The issue of course is that many of us recognise the realities of life and that we do not live in an idea world. I would like to argue that there is never any need for violence, but there are scenarios in which I would not hesitate to use violence - but these are extreme scenarios and not involving children or in a school. A school environment has to be a safe place for children - violence of any kind cannot be tolerated or sanctioned in a school, even in extreme situations. Is violence ever accepted in an civilised adult work place ????.... Why should it ever be accepted in a school ?

You obviously have no experience of, understanding of or exposure to schools such as Bangkok Patatana, Harrow Bangkok, NIST, ISB, Bangkok Patana, Shrewsbury, St Andrews, Bangkok Prep..... .... Just to name a handful which are all head and shoulders above the average comprehensive schools in the UK. I have a child at one of the above mentioned schools. I have friends and family in the UK who’s children go to good comprehensive schools in good area’s of the UK... the Bangkok International Schools are just a lot lot better at what they do.... (IMO). I also have family who’s children are at Private Schools in the UK - in having discussions with parents and the students the standards appear comparable to the International Schools listed above.

I think there is a higher risk of contracting covid or any illness in any built up area.... Is there even a true handle on how much covid there is out there and where it is ??? So many people now contract Covid-19 and treat it as a cold (we did and just stayed away from everyone). I don’t think blaming people for travelling is fair. Perhaps people could take an ATK when they arrive where they at their destination, just to be sure. We did recently (when travelling in from the UK) and given the queue at security and general airport chaos, and transit chaos and queue numbers I’m amazed we didn’t catch covid !!! (again). But, really, where do we draw the line now ????...... Of course, risk doesn’t disappear, but Covid is not the risk it once was. Is it not time to move on ? I’m sure there are people who fall gravely ill from covid, but there are also people who are falling gravely ill from influenza, food poisoning and many other factors.... In perspective, is Covid-19 still a magnitude of severity greater than other illnesses ???

No thats what he’s written or implying at all - he is recognising that the issue may not be as black and white as many of us like to believe. We are after all dealing with an imperfect system that doesn’t suit every child. Given your response it can be interpreted that your reading comprehension has suffered... did your school fail you ????

I suspect that is always a possibility, but one a good school and teacher has experience of and can deal with. At my sons school there are kids who are from overwhelmingly wealthy backgrounds... Family backgrounds many of you on this forum will have heard of... Owners of Major Shopping Malls and huge companies.... Some of these children are undoubtedly spoiled at home, we’ve been away on holidays with some of these families. There is a range in how the children are treated by the parents... some parents simply give the child everything they want, give into their every whim... whereas other parents are clearly more responsible and are grounding their children as much as possible. For the most part, the kids are lovely, even the ones who are completely spoiled by their parents - usually when they are that spoiled they are only behaving like this at home. Good teachers set their own standard in the class room, the children know this. Obviously as the children age and they realise the power their extremely wealthy parents have and they may attempt to flex - however, a good school will not worry about dealing with this. The top schools can be selective - there are waiting lists. Some extremely wealthy and powerful families are waiting for a couple of years to get their children into their preferred school. The parents had to fight and wait to get their children in the school... they will not wish to compromise this position with their child misbehaving.

As confusing as "teachers" always are. You are entirely happy to take money from the fascists of the Thai education system, but not to enrol your precious ones, or to even try to change/fix the fascist system. Excellent example of sheer hypocrisy. I hope your beloveds grow up and make you try to explain all that, which you cannot. He [SoilSpoil] cannot change the system he can only improve his lot. Its not hypocritical at all that he has worked in the Thai Governments schools, recognises their flaws and instead chooses to home school his child. It could be argued that this is an extremely sensible thing to do. Hopefully SoilSpoil's child will grow up with a decent enough education that he doesn’t embarrass himself and jump to such sanctimonious and pathetic judgements that you have just made !!!!

Perhaps flatulance is also an issue.... mask wearing clearly protects riders behind from breathing the flatulate left downstream from riders up ahead..... I think that adequately covers the issue of ‘dilution’ in open air with regards to Covid-19....

Unless freedom of movement is stopped there is always a risk of transmission anywhere, as there is transmission of any respiratory disease. Your comment simply reads that you have a chip in your shoulder about those from Bangkok for some reason. Can someone from your village tranmit the virus to those in another village?.... y’know the only people who cop it and get covid in other smaller villages is from stupid people coming from your village not wearing a mask ??? or is it only blamed on Bangkok ? I think you get my point there - mask wearing may help, but is not the sole prevention method. Vaccines and antibodies are a major factor and how many people in your village who 'copped it’ were vaccinated ??

Answer is simple, you are almost 6 times more likely to die from flu, pneumonia, and other respiratory disease than a motorcycle accident. Flu's are contagious and accidents are not Over 31,000 people die each year from flu and pneumonia, 5500 from motorcycle accidents. https://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/thailand-influenza-pneumonia Edited 3 hours ago by Skallywag A utterly flawed comparison to the point of being quite silly... ... Not one person in Thailand evaluates the risk of not wearing a facemask vs the risk of not wearing a helmet on the basis of a World Wide statistic that they are 6x more likely to die from a respiratory illness. Additionally - your '6x more likely figure’ includes aggregate whole population numbers world wide and as such the comparison is fundamentally flawed... not even an apples vs oranges comparison but rather and apples vs eggs !!!.... IF you want to provide less flawed and distorted statistic you would perhaps consider a direct comparison: - Risk of Motorcyclists in Thailand dying from a respiratory illness vs risk of a motorcyclist not wearing a helmet dying in an accident.... I think then when you achieve an accurate stat for that comparison you’ll find that motorcyclists who do not wear helmets in Thailand are at a far higher risk of dying than those who do not wear face-masks.