Car seats set to be mandatory for children up to age 6 in Thailand - more laws to curb street racing

[webfact]

Daily News Thai Caption: Car seats for children to be mandatory

 

Daily News reported on the latest changes to traffic laws in Thailand.

 

Article 123 has been amended and will mean that all children aged up to 6 years old will have to be in a car seat.

 

Parents and guardians who break the law will have to pay 2,000 baht fines. 

 

Street racers are also facing stricter penalties.

 

In the future it will be forbidden for more than 5 motorcycles to gather as this will constitute meeting for street racing.

 

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Offenders under article 134 will face three months in jail, licence suspensions of between 30 and 180 days or removal of licences altogether. 

 

Fines of 5,000-10,000 baht can also be levied.

 

The changes announced in the Government Gazette will become law after the statutory waiting period of 120 days.

 

So potentially millions of parents in Thailand will be faced with having to buy a car seat in the coming months before the September deadline. 

 

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[edwinchester]

They can't even enforce a motorcycle helmet law so I'd wager this one will be ignored too.

[RandiRona]

How they are going to put car seats on back of open pickup??

[metisdead]

Just another traffic law to be put on paper which will not be enforced. 

[ThailandRyan]

13 minutes ago, webfact said:

In the future it will be forbidden for more than 5 motorcycles to gather as this will constitute meeting for street racing

So I guess now those large packs of traveling BMW and Harley club riders will be forbidden...

[ThailandRyan]

7 minutes ago, RandiRona said:

How they are going to put car seats on back of open pickup??

Like the old style Subaru brat seats. They can buckle them into a seat attached to the seat.

[Dmaxdan]

So will a parent's lap be considered a child's car seat? 

[kimamey]

20 minutes ago, edwinchester said:

They can't even enforce a motorcycle helmet law so I'd wager this one will be ignored too.

It's a money making opportunity isn't it.

Maybe the government is short of money to fund the police so this is the solution.

Also why not make wearing a seatbelt in the rear compulsory as well?

[kimamey]

23 minutes ago, RandiRona said:

How they are going to put car seats on back of open pickup??

I don't know but if they haven't included specific legal specifications which wouldn't aurora me then there will be all sorts of creative solutions. Also what's the point of child seats in cars when you've got 2 adults and 1 or 2 children without helmets on a bike. 

 

Basically it's extra police funding without having to increase taxes and close loopholes so it's much simpler. 

Edited May 9, 2022 by kimamey

[DezLez]

30 minutes ago, RandiRona said:

How they are going to put car seats on back of open pickup??

Gaffer tape or super glue!

[Moonlover]

17 minutes ago, kimamey said:

Also why not make wearing a seatbelt in the rear compulsory as well?

You're well behind the times on that one. CAR PASSENGERS MUST WEAR SEAT BELTS

 

But this new law will be just another one for the public to ignore.

[Wiggy]

Enforcement is key, and that will be lacking to non-existent as with most other laws, rules and regulations. Sadly, I expect no change to the number of deaths and injuries regarding unrestrained vehicle occupants. I also expect motorcycle racing to continue unabated. It’s all just lip service to give the impression they’re doing something. 
Be careful out there. 

[digbeth]

Making it law might not mean much when enforcement is nonexistent, 

but in an accident, not having buckled up,  no helmet and now child not in seats mean there's reason for insurance to not pay out as the victim is not legal

[peterpaintpot]

The powers that be make these laws but don't realise that the average Thai believes that mandatory means the same as optional. Never mind the BIB are unlikely to fine anybody for this offence..

[kimamey]

29 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

You're well behind the times on that one. CAR PASSENGERS MUST WEAR SEAT BELTS

 

But this new law will be just another one for the public to ignore.

Thanks I didn't know that.

Looking at the link I saw the bit about puerile riding in the back of pickups but I always thought that was illegal anyway but just never enforced as is still the case now. 

I knew about the rules on buses but again that wasn't enforced when I travelled a few times on NCA which to be fair is one of the better companies I think. It might be better if as well as the video showing things like their bus being tilt tested with the annoying sickly backing tune they showed one of unbelted passengers being thrown around in a crash. Particularly since passengers not wearing belts are a danger to others including those who wear belts.

I actually had to use a nice pink bus from Khon Kaen to Mahasarakham on Thursday. It had no belts that I could see and there were 2 people sitting on small pink stools including one next to the driver. 

 

[kimamey]

33 minutes ago, digbeth said:

Making it law might not mean much when enforcement is nonexistent, 

but in an accident, not having buckled up,  no helmet and now child not in seats mean there's reason for insurance to not pay out as the victim is not legal

I don't know how it works here but normally an insurance company would have to pay something but they would be within their rights to substantially reduce any compensation if the victim was partly responsible for their own injuries.  Something people don't always seem to be aware of. 

[VocalNeal]

1 hour ago, RandiRona said:

How they are going to put car seats on back of open pickup??

How are they going to put car seats in a two door pickup and accommodate the family?

[Henryford]

Mandatory ha ha what like helmets, licences, insurance, training, road tax.

Edited May 9, 2022 by Henryford

[Mr Meeseeks]

1 hour ago, ThailandRyan said:

So I guess now those large packs of traveling BMW and Harley club riders will be forbidden...

Would be amusing if so. Can just imagine the reaction. 

[ThailandRyan]

1 hour ago, kimamey said:

It's a money making opportunity isn't it.

Maybe the government is short of money to fund the police so this is the solution.

Also why not make wearing a seatbelt in the rear compulsory as well?

So is the no one riding in the bed of the pick-up but we can see that's not enforced either.

[Mr Meeseeks]

Should they also consider banning the Moto GP, as that surely incentivizes some of these youths to go and race their motorcycles? ????

[connda]

Well, just switch over to the motorcycle when you can carry four or five kids all without helmets.

[jvs]

What a plan!Carseats,i am all for it!

The new racing law?lol.

Motorcycle taxi's are in large groups normally more then five,200 bikes waiting for a stoplight?

Get them!

Four kids racing?Ok, go ahead.

[jak2002003]

What about all the motorbikes stopping at the red light on intersections.  There are always more than 5 there!!!!  

[trainman34014]

They need to put their money where their mouth is then and bring Childrens Car Seats down to a price people can afford; have you seen the price of them here ?

 

Anyway; more window dressing to make it appear to The World (yes; that big place outside the Bubble that Thailand lives in ) that all is well for Health&Safety in La La Land !

[Deez]

The "committee" been working on this for years. Time for a well deserved break and raise

[scorecard]

2 hours ago, VocalNeal said:

How are they going to put car seats in a two door pickup and accommodate the family?

Tow a caravan with rows of seating 2 X 2 with centre aisle. 

Edited May 9, 2022 by scorecard

[Quickmill]

3 hours ago, edwinchester said:

They can't even enforce a motorcycle helmet law so I'd wager this one will be ignored too.

Agree. Maybe they will change the law, mandatory helmet for child in car.????

[AhFarangJa]

I have a better solution which will drastically reduce the number of accidents that now occur due to the average Thai adult driving............

[Venom]

3 hours ago, RandiRona said:

How they are going to put car seats on back of open pickup??

Not to mention motorbike with sidecar. 

 

I suppose mounting children to the front of the motorcycle is still okay. Safety first.