Calls for Thailand to slash tax on child car seats in bid to boost road safety

[webfact]

Picture: Naew Na

 

Naew Na reported on comments made by Chart Thai Pattana MP Nikorn Jamnong at a meeting at the Amari Don Muang to adress the carnage on the roads among the 10-18 year old age group.

 

Nikorn took the occasion to say that child car seat enforcement was difficult as they cost at least 5,000 - 10,000 baht each. 

 

He said that in the Philippines import duty had been slashed to zero to encourage their use and the same should be done in Thailand.

 

Also they should be made in Thailand and enjoy BOI privileges. 

 

In addition the MP called for all motorcycles to be fitted with ABS brakes as standard and this to be enforced. 

 

Car seats for children and babies in Thailand are not mandatory - the law just requires a child to be restrained, notes ASEAN NOW.

 

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[canopus1969]

Now that is sensible - but how about also subsidising them so ordinary Thais can afford them

[ezzra]

Slash it even zero, i just can't see Thai parents rushing out to buy child car seats, not their things to do... I Thailand they either hold the child on their lap in front or throw them in the back together with the shopping bags...

[4MyEgo]

He should be running the country just on his proposal, he could also go one step further and ask it to be mandatory that all cars with kids have one inside, but then again, there is no enforcement here, is there. 

 

Edited October 23, 2021 by 4MyEgo

[WEBBYB808]

Wait!  What?  Boost child car safety.   Are they mad.?  The family car is a motor bike that seats 7 people.  They ride passed traffic officer after traffic  officer.  I see children that look under 10 years old riding these same bikes carelessly .  I see many going down one way roads the wrong direction.   I see motorbikes riding up and down sidewalks.   The car seats are important  don't get me wrong, but if you aren't going to impose immediate saftey laws and standards where they should already exist whats the end game,  Police do nothing already. Why make ones soap box stance so obvious.   Is this an attempt  at one's legacy, or do they really care.  I see people on bikes holding infants in one hand and steering with the other.

[WEBBYB808]

41 minutes ago, ezzra said:

Slash it even zero, i just can't see Thai parents rushing out to buy child car seats, not their things to do... I Thailand they either hold the child on their lap in front or throw them in the back together with the shopping bags...

They don't  even but nappys or diapers for their children.  Why woukd they purchase  car seats?

[BKKTRAVELER]

How about enforcing the law regarding motorbikes loaded with mom, dad, 2 kids at the back and 1 in the front, no helmets for all... I am not blaming these people, I know they usually have low incomes and no education (ok, I still blame the parents a bit who should know better). I put most of the blame on authorities that do not seem to care at all.

[trainman34014]

If they were 1,000 Baht they would still not buy them; 'not normal for Thai' they will tell you, same as Seat Belts etc.  They won't even shell out 150 Baht for a junk Motorbike Helmet for their underage rider kid !

[Gottfrid]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

to adress the carnage on the roads among the 10-18 year old age group.

Yeah, they really need a baby car seat. I know they are shorter here, but that short is ridiculous.

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

In addition the MP called for all motorcycles to be fitted with ABS brakes as standard and this to be enforced.

And what about the kids that ride as pillion hanging onto the handlebars?

[PETERTHEEATER]

 

5 hours ago, webfact said:

........to adress the carnage on the roads among the 10-18 year old age group.

 

Nikorn took the occasion to say that child car seat enforcement was difficult as they cost at least 5,000 - 10,000 baht each. 

Why would he promote child seats for 10 to 18 year Olds?.....

[Rampant Rabbit]

Dont need an EARTH wire  DONT need a car seat..............Thai style thought process

[Orinoco]

4 hours ago, WEBBYB808 said:

They don't  even but nappys or diapers for their children.  Why woukd they purchase  car seats?

I shudder to think how many nappies a Thai male gets through in the course of his life time. !!!!!!!!!! LOL.

[spidermike007]

It is not about the cost of the seats. We gave our family a good quality car seat for my wife's first niece. They would not use it? Why? Because the princess did not like it, and complained. These days, most kids run the family. 

 

In this kind of instance, I ask who is the parent and who is the child, and who is in charge? 

 

It is also about habit and cultural disregard for safety, especially traffic safety. Only after the kid becomes a missile and is launched through the windshield, is something learned. 

Edited October 23, 2021 by spidermike007

[Nojohndoe]

24 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

It is not about the cost of the seats. We gave our family a good quality car seat for my wife's first niece. They would not use it? Why? Because the princess did not like it, and complained. These days, most kids run the family. 

 

In this kind of instance, I ask who is the parent and who is the child, and who is in charge? 

 

It is also about habit and cultural disregard for safety, especially traffic safety. Only after the kid becomes a missile and is launched through the windshield, is something learned. 

Same experience . Bought a seat that was used for about a week then it was quietly retired to somewhere. When pressed for an explanation the excuse was "too much work! ". And that even after a friend of the mother lost a 3 year old thrown out of a vehicle !

 

[MrJ2U]

Don't tax car seats.

 

What a bunch of greedy a** h***s.

 

They also tax baby milk and diapers.

 

Poor mothers are stuck giving kids mostly water with a dash of milk.

 

 

[CALSinCM]

Three kids and two adults per motorcycle and the Thai government focuses on tax breaks for rich car drivers.

[Elkski]

Great idea.  No one can debate this.  PM needs to say great idea! "Make it so"!

So many sensible things could reduce road related injuries but how can you change with such poor plod and people? I predict Thailand can claim being #1 in road deaths for the next 15 years. 

Edited October 23, 2021 by Elkski

[kimamey]

A nice idea and worth trying but I'm not sure if it would help. There's no cost involved in putting on a seatbelt or the helmet that's in the basket on your bike or hanging off the handlebars but they still won't do it.

If it were done in conjunction with legislation  and enforcement then perhaps it would make a difference but I don't think I need to point out the problems with that idea.

[nowhereman]

As the debate about traffic safety in Thailand is ridiculous, I think my question is somehow related to traffic safety. When will be the prices of imported wine slashed down? 

[HappyGoLuckyLife]

Forget the tax, make them free.

[jacko45k]

This is a nation that thinks it perfectly fine to ride a motorcycle with their toddler standing in front of them. I don't see the take-up of child seats as I often see kids clambering around freely in cars and trucks. That said the wife's brother has got their young daughter well trained and used to being in the child seat. 

Reducing the tax...well surprised there is any.

[mikebell]

22 hours ago, webfact said:

the carnage on the roads among the 10-18 year old age group.

who are allowed by an inept police force and hapless parents to drive from eight years old riding five to a bike with one helmet between them.  (I was exaggerating by one about the helmet.)

[ilms]

Nice sentiment, but won't change a thing until there is actually enforcement of laws (I know, 555!).

 

People's behavior can change--most people on this forum can probably remember a time when use of seatbelts wasn't mandatory in their own countries. When I was a kid, my mother's arm was the only child safety restraint used in the car. Now, most people there use seat belts without a thought.

 

Seems like the only way to get people to change is to hit them in the wallet. Sad that the child safety isn't enough to motivate most folks.

[Artisi]

On 10/23/2021 at 12:16 PM, WEBBYB808 said:

Wait!  What?  Boost child car safety.   Are they mad.?  The family car is a motor bike that seats 7 people.  They ride passed traffic officer after traffic  officer.  I see children that look under 10 years old riding these same bikes carelessly .  I see many going down one way roads the wrong direction.   I see motorbikes riding up and down sidewalks.   The car seats are important  don't get me wrong, but if you aren't going to impose immediate saftey laws and standards where they should already exist whats the end game,  Police do nothing already. Why make ones soap box stance so obvious.   Is this an attempt  at one's legacy, or do they really care.  I see people on bikes holding infants in one hand and steering with the other.

Pleased someone has noticed as nobody in authority has (noticed). 

[Artisi]

5 hours ago, ilms said:

Nice sentiment, but won't change a thing until there is actually enforcement of laws (I know, 555!).

 

People's behavior can change--most people on this forum can probably remember a time when use of seatbelts wasn't mandatory in their own countries. When I was a kid, my mother's arm was the only child safety restraint used in the car. Now, most people there use seat belts without a thought.

 

Seems like the only way to get people to change is to hit them in the wallet. Sad that the child safety isn't enough to motivate most folks.

Mandatory today, but common sense always made sense to me, I've been using a seat belt from the time I had my first car, that is now just over 60 years - admittedly it was only an aircraft lap belt but that's all that was available at the time. 

[crouchpeter]

My first car was a VW in 1964. No seatbelts so had to buy one. A "Britax" lap belt if I remember. But only bought 1.....for me!

[aussie11950]

A good idea but not relevant, practical or viable.

 

1/ most cars in Thailand are pickup's, and a tax loophole allows the rear seat to be classed as transport of goods, not people, as the tax and price is lower, and therefore there are no seat belts in the back.

2/ most accidents/deaths are from motorbikes, so its better to spend the money on sending police to patrol the roads and enforce the law on motorbikes and cars. Helmets, ghost riding, registration, licences and bad driving of motorbikes,  cars and other transport.

 

 

 

[HAPPYNUFF]

With the average Thai parent having the common sense, and brain, of a demented buffalo, letting  kids  race around the streets on motor cycles, without  license or helmet, you really think they are going to lash out and by  baby seats for their car??

[sucit]

If anybody out there thinks child car seats should not be a law in Thailand and Thailand was right to close their borders…