Pick-up sitting ban resurrected for New Year travel

[rooster59]

Pick-up sitting ban resurrected for New Year travel

 

Image: Thai Rath

 

A top level ministerial meeting on road safety has told the police to enforce the ban on people sitting in the back, and even the cab, of pick-ups this New Year.

 

Chaired by deputy premier Prawit Wongsuwan on Thursday word has gone out to police chief Jakthip Chaijinda that the government wants the ban enforced.

 

It was originally mooted at Songkran in April and the government ministers wanted to know what the police had actually done about that in the meantime.

 

Now it is felt that it would be a strong measure to limit the numbers killed on the roads again at the latest "deadly time" and Jakthip has been told they want it enforced, reported Thai Rath.

 

Though the Thai media said that there would be the usual round of warnings leading up to New Year. 

 

The law states that people should not be allowed to travel in the back of pick-ups or even in the "cab" area that is actually only registered for use as carrying goods.

 

This does not apply to rural areas where pick-ups are used to carry produce and the other exception is "song thaews" licensed people.

 

Stories about the ban being enforced have been widely shared on social media as the issue could impact millions at New Year.

 

Source: Thai Rath

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-12-16

[BigBadGeordie]

This is indicative of selective law enforcement in Thailand.

 

If it is on the statute, enforce it 24/7/365. But oh no, lets enforce it (or not) at selective times of the year, in some areas, excluding rural areas.

 

DPM Prawit and other government ministers want to know what has happened about the "ban" since last Songkran. Easy, absolutely nothing. Someone must be guilty of deriliction of duty, or is that regulation not being enforced, unless it involves "the other side?

 

[Ron19]

The law states that people should not be allowed to travel in the back of pick-ups or even in the "cab" area that is actually only registered for use as carrying goods. ?

[Dmaxdan]

As everyday is a deadly day on Thailand's roads, shouldn't this law be enforced all year round?

[George Bowman]

 

 

[samsensam]

 

the government tried this earlier this year and then backed down as the thai populace, akin to turkeys voting for christmas, put pressure on the government to recede, which being the populist clowns they are did.

 

it is quite bizarre that there is no national campaign by the people for the powers that be to actually do something about the carnage on the roads here. 'you not understand thailand', you're quite right there.

 

but then... then issuing decrees and passing laws is one thing, getting the incompetent, lazy, unprofessional and corrupt RTP to enforce them is something else.

 

Edited December 16, 2017 by samsensam
clarification

[YetAnother]

11 minutes ago, samsensam said:

getting the incompetent, lazy, unprofessional and corrupt RTP to enforce them is something else.

agreed, however thai police have a quite different view of their jobs than we do

Edited December 16, 2017 by YetAnother

[ramrod711]

28 minutes ago, Ron19 said:

The law states that people should not be allowed to travel in the back of pick-ups or even in the "cab" area that is actually only registered for use as carrying goods. ?

Smart cab pickups are not legal for passengers in the rear of the cab because there are no seat belts. Officially it's a cargo area but when I was shopping for a pickup a few years ago I looked at every brand, and every one of them included a seat cushion for the rear area. I think the authorities look at it as a tax dodge because owners of 4 door pickups pay a higher tax.

Edited December 16, 2017 by ramrod711

[watcharacters]

18 minutes ago, Ron19 said:

The law states that people should not be allowed to travel in the back of pick-ups or even in the "cab" area that is actually only registered for use as carrying goods. ?

 

 

The  enforcement emphasis seems to be often misguided.    I think it's a good idea to address the riding in the back of a pick up without any kind of seat restraints but the restriction of riding in the cab of  a commercially licensed vehicle smacks of concern about tax revenue rather than the safety of Thai citizens.

[canuckamuck]

Backwards logic again. This would be the time of year when you think they might look the other way because so many people are on the move, for the special occasion.  It should be the other more normal times of the year where people should be encouraged to make other plans to get around as they should not make this a daily practice.

[samsensam]

20 minutes ago, YetAnother said:

agreed, however thai police have a quite different view of their jobs than we do

 

agree, a friend's husband is a policeman and he's quite open about his attitude to his job. last year he bought himself a large, expensive motorcycle, he told me he was lucky in the lottery, but with a 'wink wing, nudge nudge' look in his eye...

 

 

[Orac]

1 hour ago, Ron19 said:

The law states that people should not be allowed to travel in the back of pick-ups or even in the "cab" area that is actually only registered for use as carrying goods. ?

 

I would assume they mean two door pick-ups that have registration plates with green letters/numbers on a white background - could be wrong though!

[nong38]

The police have enough on their plate to have to enforce another law and top of that the offenders chums would have to walk home!

[johncat1]

Will this ban include pick-ups and converted pick-ups  that transport students to schools Most of which are severely overloaded  ?

[Chris Lawrence]

Need more buses.

[johncat1]

Impossible to enforce ( well it is by the RTP ) because groups of people who have been working in other areas will be travelling home to their families  for New Year . Many will be sharing rides in pick-ups and most will be sat on the bed of the pick-ups with all their luggage . Also it is often Children who are sitting ( and playing ) in the backs of pick-ups.

Will the police really try to stop THOUSANDS of people from riding in the back ?

It will never happen because there would be so many and it would bring traffic to a standstill 

How will these passengers get to their destination if they are told to get out of the backs of pick-ups  ?   The Authorities have not thought this through. If they wanted to enforce this rule then they should have warned and publicised it months ago.   

[maraudingscot]

Once and for all. The number of people travelling in the back of a pickup (unless grossly overloaded) will not make it a higher possibility of bekng in a crash or not. It is the STANDARD of driving that causes crashes.

Overtaking on blind bends

Overtaking irrelevant if vehicle coming in other direction, because you want to be in front of the vehicle infront!

Trying to squeese into the small gap infront.

Driving at night with no lights

Driving under the influence of drugs or drink

Overtaking on the inside and trying to get through the tiny gap. Therefore hitting another vehicle.

Running red lights

Basically, not giving a total <deleted> about anyone else, causes accidents

 

IF everyone drove sensibily then fewer accident

 

[bluesofa]

1 hour ago, johncat1 said:

Impossible to enforce ( well it is by the RTP ) because groups of people who have been working in other areas will be travelling home to their families  for New Year .[snipped]  The Authorities have not thought this through. If they wanted to enforce this rule then they should have warned and publicised it months ago.   

They haven't thought it through for the second time. The first time it must have last all of...a whole day?

 

That quote attributed to Einstein,  defining insanity as: "Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results", comes into play for this one.

 

Obviously the PM doesn't (can't) read Thaivisa. If he did, a great percentage of us would be invited for attitude adjustment, for not keeping our thoughts to ourselves.

Lampooning must be on the same level as twerking.

[SoulWater]

I will be sitting at the bottom of the chimney with sherry and mince pies for santa and his elves also

Sent from my [device_name] using http://Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[quandow]

5 hours ago, Ron19 said:

The law states that people should not be allowed to travel in the back of pick-ups or even in the "cab" area that is actually only registered for use as carrying goods. ?

Then why would goods need the seat belts provided in those cab areas?

[thaijoe]

charge them 100,000 baht and jail time, see where that goes, thai will just laugh

[trainman34014]

It aint gonna happen, forget it and call another 'senior Government meeting' and get another free lunch.

[sammieuk1]

Yes totally agree with this new old ban people need to be killed in RTA's in single file only to bring the numbers down. 

[JusticeGB]

Yet more pocket money for the New Year. I wonder who will actually get the pocket money. Another useless regulation like the crash helmet's one. Never mind the Police may get richer!

[4MyEgo]

Here we go again 

 

[Psychic]

But in bizarro land, if I remember correctly, you cannot sit in the back of a cab but if you install seats in the truck bed as in songthaews its OK to sit there.

 

Maybe I'll tie a plastic chair to the bed and have the kid sit there.

 

Makes as much sense of the police seeming to only require the driver of a motorcycle to wear a helmet while the 3 passengers are fine without one.

 

I'd like to see numbers for the number of people who died in the back seat of a pickup compared to all those who died in the back seat of minibuses driven by lunatics.

 

Doubtless there needs to be serious consideration given to road safety. But this a strange place to start.

[ginjag]

Does this apply to baht taxis ??......also there are less killed on the roads at holiday times  (compare with every day deaths)......pressure on the police -it may interfere with collecting fines for no helmets.

[krobert6]

Here we go again

[ebean001]

Seems like some type of compromise is needed. workers are moved in mass this way. it would be too expensive otherwise. first, make everyone face the opposite way the driver faces. I am sure that is the law in other countries. then better side rails or even enclose the back.

[wvavin]

Which Thai is afraid of the law?