Infant Car Seat

[redfish44]

I also want to know the same thing as ExpatDad - can you put baby seats in Bangkok taxis?

When I was in Australia in Jan I went to the Red Cross and they had ex-rental baby capsules for $82, that were still certified until Oct 2012, so there is one at my parents there now for when we visit.

They said you needed the car to have an anchor point behind the seat and that all cars in Aus have had them for 20 years.

I couldn't find the anchor point in my mums car I was driving there...

How do the baby capsules fit that you buy at Mothercare and Central? Seatbelts only or anchor points also?

[Ashmanator]

I also want to know the same thing as ExpatDad - can you put baby seats in Bangkok taxis?

When I was in Australia in Jan I went to the Red Cross and they had ex-rental baby capsules for $82, that were still certified until Oct 2012, so there is one at my parents there now for when we visit.

They said you needed the car to have an anchor point behind the seat and that all cars in Aus have had them for 20 years.

I couldn't find the anchor point in my mums car I was driving there...

How do the baby capsules fit that you buy at Mothercare and Central? Seatbelts only or anchor points also?

I recently bought a baby chair from central. It had 4 different ways to secure it, unfortunately,my toyota fortuner did not support any of them except that standard seat belt system. There is nothing wrong with this as it works perfectly, but would seem the cars here are behind baby seat technology/ development.

[Forethat]

<br>I also want to know the same thing as ExpatDad - can you put baby seats in Bangkok taxis?<br><br>When I was in Australia in Jan I went to the Red Cross and they had ex-rental baby capsules for $82, that were still certified until Oct 2012, so there is one at my parents there now for when we visit.<br>They said you needed the car to have an anchor point behind the seat and that all cars in Aus have had them for 20 years.<br>I couldn't find the anchor point in my mums car I was driving there...<br><br>How do the baby capsules fit that you buy at Mothercare and Central? Seatbelts only or anchor points also?<br>

Frankly, I would never EVER put an infant in the hands of a randomly selected Bangkok taxi driver. Period. In addition, I have yet to actually see a taxi with functional rear seat safety belts.

Rent a car if you need to go somewhere that requires a car, get in contact with a reputable limousine service company with cars that still has the rear seat belts, try everything - but I wouldn't gamble with the safety of my child.

Judging from a western perspective and using the standards and values someone from the western world can relate to; It is NOT easy to raise a baby in Bangkok without a car, I would find it almost impossible. Get a car, get a baby car seat. End of discussion.

[redfish44]

Since I am the one that drives the cars, and the one with the licenses, and am from the country and small town Aus, driving a car in Bangkok is out of the question, let alone just after giving birth.

There is no way in hell me driving a car in Bangkok for the the first time after giving birth is going to be safer than getting a local to drive.

There is also no way in hell I would ever figure out how to get from A to B in Bangkok before the kid has outgrown the safety seat.

Buying a car for a month and not being able to drive it in that time is unrealistic. We are going to have to get a driver we trust.

We have a brother of a mate that we use for taxi service often, and his cabs have always had seatbelts in the back, as do many we use.

This is why I ask about Bangkok taxis - we have the option here of using one with our own driver.

Not much point buying a car anywhere in Thailand if they don't have an anchor point though, as if have to use seatbelts to secure then it is going to provide the same effect.

When I went to the place that expained about the baby capsules and car seats, they said they only protect the infant if secured properly - using the anchor point, the seatbelt is an addition.

edited to add:

I meant to find out by my original post here which model of car in Thailand came with an anchor point in the back, if any, so that we could look at buying that car for use down here, where we live, not in the captial.

[Boo]

I used a rear facing car seat with my son when he was a baby, it used the seat belts in the back seat as an anchor, the same method as used in the UK. I never had an issue getting around in BKK taxi's & felt my son & us were quite safe ( as you can be in any vehicle anywhere)

I wouldn't over think it. go for a secure, simple to use model that you can get in & out of the vehicle without needing a degree in physics.

[Forethat]

Since I am the one that drives the cars, and the one with the licenses, and am from the country and small town Aus, driving a car in Bangkok is out of the question, let alone just after giving birth.

There is no way in hell me driving a car in Bangkok for the the first time after giving birth is going to be safer than getting a local to drive.

There is also no way in hell I would ever figure out how to get from A to B in Bangkok before the kid has outgrown the safety seat.

Buying a car for a month and not being able to drive it in that time is unrealistic. We are going to have to get a driver we trust.

We have a brother of a mate that we use for taxi service often, and his cabs have always had seatbelts in the back, as do many we use.

This is why I ask about Bangkok taxis - we have the option here of using one with our own driver.

Not much point buying a car anywhere in Thailand if they don't have an anchor point though, as if have to use seatbelts to secure then it is going to provide the same effect.

When I went to the place that expained about the baby capsules and car seats, they said they only protect the infant if secured properly - using the anchor point, the seatbelt is an addition.

edited to add:

I meant to find out by my original post here which model of car in Thailand came with an anchor point in the back, if any, so that we could look at buying that car for use down here, where we live, not in the captial.

As I pointed out in my post, the problem with not having a car is that selecting a Taxi in Bangkok at random is a problem since they don't have rear seat belt (or at least, I have NEVER seen a Taxi with rear seat belts).

Crossing the street with a baby is nightmare, you cant use footbridges if you're alone (I'm being realistic, a woman is unlikely to be able to carry the stroller with the baby up and down the stairs)

Walking down the street with an infant with a baby is like clearing an obstacle course at an army training ground.

Another important reason why I would refuse to raise a baby n BKK without a car is the level of air pollution, exposing an infant to Bangkok air is not recommended, especially not the first couple of months when the lungs are sensitive. There are several papers written on the risks involved (increased risk for allergies and asthma to mention a few).

I could probably go on writing a really long list with arguments against raising a baby in Bangkok, but in terms of restraining your baby in a car seat specifically made for this purpose it is always better to use a car seat than not - and keep in mind there are lots of baby car seat models specifically designed to be used WITHOUT anchor points (usually only certified to be used with baby's weighing less than 10-15kg). A big factor here is that even though you find a taxi, with anchor points AND rear seat belts, it is not easy to mount the seat - if you have a 2 min journey ahead of you it might be tempting to skip this step. Another big question: are you going to carry the baby car seat around if go shopping or go somewhere else? Our baby car seat weighs approximately 10kg with the base, and certainly cant be carried around.

None of my cars have an anchor point (one purchased in LOS, the other one is an import). I acquired anchor straps and the problem was solved - mind you this is not doable in less than 20 min if you flag down a taxi at random.

I get the impression you're only staying in Bangkok for a month? Your plan to use your own driver is excellent - rent a car and driver (or use your own as you mention) for the entire stay, mount the car seat using anchor straps and the problem is solved.

[redfish44]

Hi Boo and Forethat,

Thanks for the info.

Yes, we will only be in Bangkok for the end of pregnancy and a month or a bit more after the birth (the plan so far), and probably going to be homebodies a lot of the time (as we alreayd are).

Hopefully won't have to take taxis often, but would rather have a capsule than not, especially for when coming back home later, as is a few hours from the airport to our island.

We have a good driver in the south with a great car, and hopefully my mate's borther can be at our disposal in the city, otherwise we will find a new driver before the birth.

I hadn't even thought about a stroller or whatever yet... hooly dooly...

I actually have a degree in physics, and postgrad bits of paper in physics and spatial science, so if my brain works the car seat shouldn't be too much hassle.

When it comes to walking about I have the worlds most eager hubby who has been planning for years on wearing the baby proudly around in one of those strap on thingies every chance he gets.

He seems to know more about most babystuff than me as he is the last after a bunch of sisters all of which have bred well to make his one of the biggest families in the known world.

Good to have Thai visa members to help fill in the gaps, thanks : )

[redfish44]

Hi all,

I just wanted to add this for the sake of any aussies reading this and as confused as I was:

I shared a cab with a new mum and her baby in a fancy car seat I hadn't seen the likes of before, when I was in Bangkok a few days ago.

Now I undestand what is going on, and this topic makes a lot more sense.

Seems that Australia has different types of baby capsule/car seat things to Europe and UK, and the kind for sale in the stores here in Bangkok are of the UK/Europe type.

This UK style one I saw fit into the car using any over the shoulder seatbelt, there was no anchor point like in aus (in aus this is an atachment to a metal plate behind the seat that then has straps that are fixed to the capsule at the top, the seatbelt goes underneath also - so there are 2 sets of straps and takes a while to fit this base).

The one I saw on the UK model was also one stand-alone piece that is a lot lighter than the aussie ones (aussie ones have a base that is fitted in the car, and the capsule pops in and out).

This baby capsule the lovely mum had looked a lot easier to get in and out of cars, and was a hell of a lot lighter to carry than anything I have seen in aus.

The only thing I would really want to check would be the bits that the seatbelt looks through - as this would be the weak point, if it is robust - looks fine.

Am going to have another look around in Bangkok next time, as I hadn't understood this on my first look. Thanks all.

[Boo]

That makes sense, we do have Isofix (the metal thing that is fixed to the car) in UK & a lot of newer car models are built with them as standard but the majority of people here use the standard rear facing car seat that harnesses with the seat belt. They are def lifter to carry too & you can find models that clip on to the buggy without having to remove the baby from the car seat when not in the car.

[Forethat]

Hi all,

I just wanted to add this for the sake of any aussies reading this and as confused as I was:

I shared a cab with a new mum and her baby in a fancy car seat I hadn't seen the likes of before, when I was in Bangkok a few days ago.

Now I undestand what is going on, and this topic makes a lot more sense.

Seems that Australia has different types of baby capsule/car seat things to Europe and UK, and the kind for sale in the stores here in Bangkok are of the UK/Europe type.

This UK style one I saw fit into the car using any over the shoulder seatbelt, there was no anchor point like in aus (in aus this is an atachment to a metal plate behind the seat that then has straps that are fixed to the capsule at the top, the seatbelt goes underneath also - so there are 2 sets of straps and takes a while to fit this base).

The one I saw on the UK model was also one stand-alone piece that is a lot lighter than the aussie ones (aussie ones have a base that is fitted in the car, and the capsule pops in and out).

This baby capsule the lovely mum had looked a lot easier to get in and out of cars, and was a hell of a lot lighter to carry than anything I have seen in aus.

The only thing I would really want to check would be the bits that the seatbelt looks through - as this would be the weak point, if it is robust - looks fine.

Am going to have another look around in Bangkok next time, as I hadn't understood this on my first look. Thanks all.

Word of advice though, for some reason the seatbelts in the front seat are shorter than in the back seat on some cars in Thailand. The result is that the baby seat might not be mounted accordingly in the front seat depending on the brand and method a strapping. This was the case with one of our cars (Pajero Sport) and we had to replace the seatbelt to a slightly longer one.

[chivo]

to those on smaller salaries this is not to make u feel bad, but may make some that paid 9k for a seat feel better.

i just shelled out just over 20k on a special japanese import car seat here. alibebe. very well made- super high safety rating.

im not bragging. i think it was one of those haywire purchases where i thought i was taking the safest route for my kid, and it doubles as a front facing, and back facing, that swivels to the side for easy loading and unloading. we can use it from newborn until the child is many years old. top of the line, yes.

did i need to spend that much? no. i think there are great ones for 15k, even 9 or 10 k.... i just didnt know that at the time. but i guess i'll never regret a measure of extra safety.

just do the best you can within your budget, and try not to compare to others higher or lower is the moral of the story here.

[Niranut]

I recently learned that ISOFIX anchors (or LATCH for us Americans) is now available in a handful of cars here, and is set to roll out in more and more in the years to follow. According to Britax Thailand, ISOFIX has been available in many of the European cars here for a few years now. But those types of cars are out of our price range and don't have service centers where I live, so it wasn't an option for us.

What is even better news is that many of the other car manufacturers are now also including ISOFIX in their current models. I have spoken with Toyota, and the 2011 Prius and Alphard include ISOFIX. Ford is planning to include ISOFIX in their 2012 Focus, set to release later this year.

Britax Thailand also informed me that the 2011 Nissan Teana, Suzuki Swift, and Ford Fiesta are also equipped with ISOFIX. However, when I spoke with Ford, they said it was just the 2012 Focus; and when I looked at the 2011 Fiesta, we could not find the ISOFIX anchors. So you'll have to check the actual vehicle to confirm, but this is great news.

In addition, I also wanted to add that you can purchase tether anchor kits, if you wish to tether your forward facing seat. This article outlines the different types of anchors available and how/where to install them correctly. We ordered the EZ-On Heavy Duty Anchor from Midwest Bus Parts, and installed them on our forward facing seats. For rear-facing seats that allow tethering, it is best to install them behind the passenger or driver's seat, as they can often be tether to the seat in front.

Another note, is that it is very important to use a locking clip

on all car seat installations here, as nearly all cars have Emergency Locking Seatbelts (ELR), so they only lock in a crash, but they will not hold the seat tight for everyday use. The locking clips, which I have seen included with every seat I've seen for sale here, are essential to insure a proper installation. Some seats, include a "lockoff" which performs the same as a locking clip, but is incorporated into the seat itself.

For us, we have three children in car seats-- 5yo boy (weighs 19kg) is in a forward facing Graco Nautilus, 3.5yo girl (weighs 16kg) is in a forward facing Britax Marathon65 (she will be getting a Graco Nautilus like her brother when Grandma comes to visit this summer becuase her current seat is almost expired), and a 2.5yo girl (weights 12kg) in a rear-facing Graco ComfortSport. We drive a 2003 Toyota Sport Rider-- the two older kids are in the 3rd row (we installed two heavy duty tether anchors in the cargo area to get a better install), and the rear-facing 2.5yo is in the 2nd row (her seat does not allow rear-facing tethering). We are thinking about purchasing a new vehicle, which is why I looked into the availability of ISOFIX here, and was pleasantly surprised to see it is here, but not widely available just yet. For us, it will be worth it to wait a few years for the ISOFIX to become available in the APV/MPV type vehicles in our price range.

A few final thoughts-- if possible, it is best to have children rear-facing as long as possible (until they reach the weight limit on the seat for rear-facing); a good video with all of the current statistics and reasons why is

. And avoid purchasing a used car seat if at all possible-- there is no way to know for sure if it has been damaged at all; even if it was never in a crash, there could be hairline fractures in the frame which are impossible to see. Also, be sure to never use an expired seat. Most car seats expire after 6 years (some longer, so be sure to check the owner's manual); high back boosters and regular boosters expire after 8-10 years (again, check the manual. They expire because the material used for the straps/harness breaks down over time and the strap is not guaranteed to hold in a crash,as seen

. Also the frame of the seat (particularly if it is made of PVC) will also break down over time and, if expired, it can literally shatter in a crash with shards of broken plastic flying around the car. So buy new and replace when expired.

HTH.

[OZinBKK]

We got sick of the kids traveling with Taxis.

Most drivers were great but there was some that were plain Drunk and we wouldn't realize til we got in the car.

We've chosen to get our own vehicle and driver. We got a fortuner on a two year lease with a driver and they take care of everything including insuance, mechanic and they supplied a baby seat.

If you want there email or website just send me a private message.

[Hssl]

Any one know of the prices for the Britax seat......... the website 'shop' is showing 0 THB !

[mandee]

For detailed info about the use and efficacy of car restraints for children and related age ranges read one of the relevant chapters in "Super Freakanomics". You will probably be surprised as I was.

[nullx8]

hello there ,, i just pop in into this topic out of personal interest and experiences

general experience about strollers and baby seats are far below terrible arround here.

most of the cheaper ones are even dangerous for the baby in normal use .. like sharp corners and other things.

i found one shop sell good stuff in Ladphrao ..

i asked for a Britax Agile Series (as they are really easy to handle and have all the feature needed but not too fancy)

they came up with 49000 baht for a Stroller and Car Seat ?

&lt;deleted&gt; ??

the excuse they came up with was the transportation (from hongkong to thailand ???)

she said no its from germany ... well look at the badge .. it show dispatched in Hongkong ..

i told the seller .. i can fly to Frankfurt .. buy it there and fly back and it still would be cheaper than 49k ...

but well .. didnt impress them at all.

anyone know where can buy something decent ? preferred from Britax ?

[eezergood]

hello there ,, i just pop in into this topic out of personal interest and experiences

general experience about strollers and baby seats are far below terrible arround here.

most of the cheaper ones are even dangerous for the baby in normal use .. like sharp corners and other things.

i found one shop sell good stuff in Ladphrao ..

i asked for a Britax Agile Series (as they are really easy to handle and have all the feature needed but not too fancy)

they came up with 49000 baht for a Stroller and Car Seat ?

&lt;deleted&gt; ??

the excuse they came up with was the transportation (from hongkong to thailand ???)

she said no its from germany ... well look at the badge .. it show dispatched in Hongkong ..

i told the seller .. i can fly to Frankfurt .. buy it there and fly back and it still would be cheaper than 49k ...

but well .. didnt impress them at all.

anyone know where can buy something decent ? preferred from Britax ?

I got as frustrated as you, in the end I am flying back to the UK - i got the puschair & everything the wife wants including the flight cheaper than just 30% of her wish list here!!

[indothai]

I wanted to buy Britax here as well but dumbfounded by the high costs and limited variety. I bought a brand at an "expo" here, Nuna, the distributor gave us a package deal for both the stroller and car seat along with other accessories for around 16,000 (honestly don't remember the exact amount).

About a month ago I bought the ISOFIX unit for the car seat because I didn't want to fumble and spend time with the seatbelt.

All that aside, I'm rather happy with my purchases. I know Britax is internationally known, but the prices they are offering here is just plain ridiculous.

There must be a lot of stupid rich people in this country to justify such an inflated price.

[bangkokpoppys]

I have a couple if car seats for sale one maxi ciao and one Britax I think ( from Aus) if anyone's interested. Plus other Stoke cribs/change tables and a bugaboo chameleon as well, PM me pls.

[choff56]

I wanted to buy Britax here as well but dumbfounded by the high costs and limited variety. I bought a brand at an "expo" here, Nuna, the distributor gave us a package deal for both the stroller and car seat along with other accessories for around 16,000 (honestly don't remember the exact amount).

About a month ago I bought the ISOFIX unit for the car seat because I didn't want to fumble and spend time with the seatbelt.

All that aside, I'm rather happy with my purchases. I know Britax is internationally known, but the prices they are offering here is just plain ridiculous.

There must be a lot of stupid rich people in this country to justify such an inflated price.

It's what I call the "show off hiso factor" which is rampant throughout Thailand effectively raising the cost of most quality items and allowing most vendors to have zero customer service.

[richard_smith237]

I saw the prices and lack of availability in Thailand and purchased what I needed in the UK recently (albeit 6 months in advance !)..

Travel System:

Pushchair / Bassinette / 0-6 months infant car seat that slots into the pushchair / IsoFix Base

Others:

Baby Monitor (wifi video) / Monitor Mat (monitors movement).

The price of the proper quality kit in the UK matches the price of the ropey kit in the shops in Thailand.

If someone is expecting and due to travel to their home country, baggage allowances permitting, getting the kit outside of Thailand is a no-brainer.

The Car Seat is the Rear facing Maxi-Cosi Pebble (0-6months), it will fix into an IsoFix base which will be in the main car. If we need to use it in our other car the Car Seat also fixes in place with just the seat-belts.

Once older than 6 months (or too large for the 0-6months seat) we will get seat rated for older children.

The child will not be allowed in any car without the car seat (unless in an emergency or otherwise avoidable).

I don't plan on car seats effecting major decisions to go somewhere - if for some reason we end up with a 1 year old in the back of a taxi without belts I'm not going to sweat it. But we'll not take chances wherever possible while tyring to be realistic of travel needs. I can't envisage a situation where we don't have the car seat with us, but I'm sure it will happen at some point.

[eezergood]

I am 100% with you as we did the very same just no ISOFIX base as almost eveyone I spoke too told me they found the base a waste of money. I wish I had bought one! Much easier than messing around with seat belts etc.......

[longstebe]

Hi mums and dads,

I'm currently looking to purchase a baby car seat for a new born.

Can anyone recommend a place to look in the pattaya area?

The only one I've seen is a place on sukhimvhit, south pattaya. The brand was tomy and it was around 10k baht.

[nickcar]

Hi all,

I am looking to buy a car seat for a 6 month old baby. Strollers etc are of interest also Anyone interested in selling if their children have grown out of them?

Most of this forum is so out of date I would be interested in anyone who has purchased one recently also

[longstebe]

Hi all,

I am looking to buy a car seat for a 6 month old baby. Strollers etc are of interest also Anyone interested in selling if their children have grown out of them?

Most of this forum is so out of date I would be interested in anyone who has purchased one recently also

Alright mate, I've just purchased a car seat for 0-6 year old in the outlet mall at Thepprasit rd. Paid just over 5k baht.

[nickcar]

Hi all,

I am looking to buy a car seat for a 6 month old baby. Strollers etc are of interest also Anyone interested in selling if their children have grown out of them?

Most of this forum is so out of date I would be interested in anyone who has purchased one recently also

Alright mate, I've just purchased a car seat for 0-6 year old in the outlet mall at Thepprasit rd. Paid just over 5k baht.

Many thanks. Love to know where the outlet mall at Therasit rd is. Is it Bangkok?

[longstebe]

Hi all,

I am looking to buy a car seat for a 6 month old baby. Strollers etc are of interest also Anyone interested in selling if their children have grown out of them?

Most of this forum is so out of date I would be interested in anyone who has purchased one recently also

Alright mate, I've just purchased a car seat for 0-6 year old in the outlet mall at Thepprasit rd. Paid just over 5k baht.

Many thanks. Love to know where the outlet mall at Therasit rd is. Is it Bangkok?

Ha ha sorry mate, south pattaya, I think it may even be classed as Jomtien.

[nickcar]

Hi all,

I am looking to buy a car seat for a 6 month old baby. Strollers etc are of interest also Anyone interested in selling if their children have grown out of them?

Most of this forum is so out of date I would be interested in anyone who has purchased one recently also

Alright mate, I've just purchased a car seat for 0-6 year old in the outlet mall at Thepprasit rd. Paid just over 5k baht.

Many thanks. Love to know where the outlet mall at Therasit rd is. Is it Bangkok?

Ha ha sorry mate, south pattaya, I think it may even be classed as Jomtien.

How about the name of the shop? Maybe i can find it in Bkk.

[longstebe]

Hi all,

I am looking to buy a car seat for a 6 month old baby. Strollers etc are of interest also Anyone interested in selling if their children have grown out of them?

Most of this forum is so out of date I would be interested in anyone who has purchased one recently also

Alright mate, I've just purchased a car seat for 0-6 year old in the outlet mall at Thepprasit rd. Paid just over 5k baht.

Many thanks. Love to know where the outlet mall at Therasit rd is. Is it Bangkok?

Ha ha sorry mate, south pattaya, I think it may even be classed as Jomtien.

How about the name of the shop? Maybe i can find it in Bkk.

Sorry mate, I can't.

[nickcar]

Hi all,

I am looking to buy a car seat for a 6 month old baby. Strollers etc are of interest also Anyone interested in selling if their children have grown out of them?

Most of this forum is so out of date I would be interested in anyone who has purchased one recently also

Alright mate, I've just purchased a car seat for 0-6 year old in the outlet mall at Thepprasit rd. Paid just over 5k baht.

Many thanks. Love to know where the outlet mall at Therasit rd is. Is it Bangkok?

Ha ha sorry mate, south pattaya, I think it may even be classed as Jomtien.

How about the name of the shop? Maybe i can find it in Bkk.

Sorry mate, I can't.

Never mind thanks for your trouble ???