Picture: Thai Rath

 

Thailand's news media continued to report on car seats for children after changes to the law have been announced.

 

By the beginning of September after a 120 day waiting period following an announcement in the Government Gazette, parents must secure children aged less than 6 using a car seat or face a 2,000 baht fine. Devices known as booster seats can also be used for older children.

 

Thai Rath went to Robinson's in Prachinburi where there is the only car seat retailer in the area.

 

Staff noted that inquiries about car seats were up 10% since the news broke. 

 

Most customers were concerned about fitting the seats in older pick-ups with many having to install seat belts to secure the car seats in the first place.

 

Others were concerned about those with large numbers of children being unable to cope.

 

And of course the cost of the seats was a major factor for those on low incomes - in the store seats were available for about 2,000 to 12,000 baht. 

 

Mum Prarathana, 29, said she has three children, two under 6.

 

She said the law change was a good idea but she would wait and see if the law was actually enforced. She told reporters that her children are always secured with regular seat belts. 

 

Retail spokesman Panyaphon said there were supply problems. He helpfully stated that if a family had two kids and needed two seats at 2,000 baht that would be 4,000 baht. 

 

Meanwhile Dr Opas Kankawinpong of the Department of Disease Control - a top doctor involved in the pandemic - took time off Covid-19 to comment on the issue.

 

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Picture: INN

 

In comments reported by INN he said that parents should make sure they get a seat from a good manufacturer and make sure it is appropriate for the age and weight of their child or children.

 

He said that newborns to 3 year olds should face rearwards while 2-6 year olds can face forwards.

 

Older children can use booster seats, he said. 

 

He said they would save lives in accidents but did not comment on the costs involved. 

 

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If parents cannot afford a car seat to secure what is arguably their most prized possession from harm in the unfortunate event of an accident; then they need to sell their car. 

 

Good second hand car seats can be picked up for 600 - 800 baht. Far less than any hospital fee for injuries in a car accident. 

 

 

One of the issues is the excessive costs of some of the child seats here. 

 

I wanted a specific car seat - Britax Kidfix III - This seat cost me £165 (7000 baht) in the UK, we brought it back with us. 

 

I’d contacted Britax Thailand who charge 25,900 baht for the same care seat. I asked them why they are charging 370% (or about 3.7x the amount of the UK charge), I questioned the morality of charging such a high markup for a safety-product. 

 

Their response was a very simple ’this is the Thai price’.....  

 

 

While the government taxes import off safety products such as this companies will pass this tax onto the customer (of course), but they are also adding their significant mark-up. 

 

 

This new law may result in companies elevating the prices of their child seats to fleece the customer. 

 

I do hope there will be a lot more competition to drive the prices down.

 

 

Looks like my vasectomy is starting to pay off now. ????

 

This law is far too long in coming. No matter the cost of the seat, it certainly is less than the value of your child. What's absolutely a shame about it, is it will be the same as all other traffic laws... there will be NO enforcement!

Since when were Thai's worried about laws?

Amazing Thailand.

When it comes to traffic safety, Thailand is still stone age.

No wonder, why they are no.1 in traffic dead 

I see countless numbers of these out on the verge for rubbish collection or with a "for free" sign on them in Australia. Nothing wrong with them except no longer required and seems most people here want new items for their new born or infants and not used. You struggle to give stuff away most times just because people want new stuff. Cots, prams/push carts, change tables, baby car seats, booster seats and so on. Guess it is similar in other Western countries. You can literally furnish a house with the stuff that gets thrown out here.

Money before safety. Not surprised. Like mask before helmet. 

Lies!! You can buy a car seat anywhere.  Big C.  Tesco.  Robinson.  Lazada.  Shopeee!! Excuses again from people who are lazy!! Protect your children. 

 

6 minutes ago, b2bme said:

I see countless numbers of these out on the verge for rubbish collection or with a "for free" sign on them in Australia. Nothing wrong with them except no longer required and seems most people here want new items for their new born or infants and not used. You struggle to give stuff away most times just because people want new stuff. Cots, prams/push carts, change tables, baby car seats, booster seats and so on. Guess it is similar in other Western countries. You can literally furnish a house with the stuff that gets thrown out here.

I spent a fantastic day in Fremantle before I competed in the Australian Scrabble champioships in Perth. I couldn't believe all the grass verges (I'm from the UK) covered in stuff I needed. That was 7 years ago, I got some great things that I use to this day. However, my car seat came from Central.

 

Rooster

1 hour ago, jonclark said:

If parents cannot afford a car seat to secure what is arguably their most prized possession from harm in the unfortunate event of an accident; then they need to sell their car. 

 

Good second hand car seats can be picked up for 600 - 800 baht. Far less than any hospital fee for injuries in a car accident. 

 

 

Can you supply some links for these second hand seats please.  

Good quality car seats here are prohibitively expensive the cheapest I saw were above 15000 baht for a reputable one. All well and good for the smug to suggest everyone should just pop out and get one. 

 I would say they are miles out of reach for a lot of people and cheap car seats aren't worth <deleted>.

 

54 minutes ago, ben2talk said:

Since when were Thai's worried about laws?

Most Thais I know don't have cars only scooters so should they be worried as these laws come in very fast?

....."Retail spokesman Panyaphon said there were supply problems. He helpfully stated that if a family had two kids and needed two seats at 2,000 baht that would be 4,000 baht. "  Yes that was both illmunating and useful to all...thank you...!!

 

My partner's niece asked me for one as a present when her baby was born. As far as I know it stayed inside the house until her and her husband started a taxi business and a few foreign customers requested a car seat for a child. That was the only time it got used!

He said that newborns to 3 year olds should face rearwards while 2-6 year olds can face forwards.

 

Excellent check before publishing again...

Another good law copied from the West but like many have said " LOL "  land of laws this one is going to get ignore like the rest because it has to be enforce and we know how that goes! 

2 hours ago, jonclark said:

If parents cannot afford a car seat to secure what is arguably their most prized possession from harm in the unfortunate event of an accident; then they need to sell their car. 

 

 

 

 

Yep, sell the car and carry the child on a motorbike.

As I pointed out in another thread - buying and fitting will be a problem. We will probably go down the same road as crash helmets where a plastic facsimile will suffice. So long as police see something that looks like a baby chair, they won't bother checking. Who is gonna check the chair fittings in the future - the test centres are hardly renown for their diligence and thoroughness.

7 minutes ago, thailand49 said:

Another good law copied from the West but like many have said " LOL "  land of laws this one is going to get ignore like the rest because it has to be enforce and we know how that goes! 

yes - piecemeal adoption of road safety laws from here and there can't work....there HAS to be a holistic approach to road safety - the 5 Es!

Morons…safety first. ????

21 minutes ago, thailand49 said:

Another good law copied from the West but like many have said " LOL "  land of laws this one is going to get ignore like the rest because it has to be enforce and we know how that goes! 

Pedestrian crossings anyone?

Parents here should be more worried about their kids refusing to use the car seats, after being spoiled rotten for the first few years, and being able to move around a fast moving car like an ape in the forest. That will be the biggest challenge for the people who say they are parents, but refuse to behave like one. 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

She said the law change was a good idea but she would wait and see if the law was actually enforced.

I can see many opting for the 2,000 baht fine which is apparently the lowest cost of a seat.

Take a chance like they do now with not complying to some laws.

1 hour ago, SuwadeeS said:

Amazing Thailand.

When it comes to traffic safety, Thailand is still stone age.

No wonder, why they are no.1 in traffic dead 

Live with it or go back to live in cotton wool padded western nations.

I actually like the freedom it brings here.

Before all of you shout - hurray for safety ... this is an impractical law and again a sign of over regulation by your parent the Government. 
 

I have not seen the details but does children under 6 include infants 1-2 years old? Do you think a 1, 2 or 3 year old will sit still silently in a car seat ? Why not have an alternative option of seat belts for children younger than 5 years in lieu of car seats? Airlines don’t even allow 1-2 year old infants to have their own child seat!! 
 

Also all of us will now need to consider buying 7 seaters car because with this law, children will be treated as adult with car seats. So a family of more than 5 can no longer travel in a 5 seater car.. think about it...

 

An unfortunate consequent, no doubt, will again result in the enrichment for the enforcers of this law... 

They don't seem to worry about DIU and no licence,  or wearing seat belts,  or phone use when driving. 

Not to mention bike helmets..

Just now, hotchilli said:

Live with it or go back to live in cotton wool padded western nations.

I actually like the freedom it brings here.

Hey Thailand. Then dort complain about the Skype Rock hogh dead toll.

I know, Thailand is tolally learning resistent and in dental.

Never mind.

9 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

I can see many opting for the 2,000 baht fine which is apparently the lowest cost of a seat.

Take a chance like they do now with not complying to some laws.

There will be discounts ????????????