Safety at a price: Why compulsory car seat use is controversial in Thailand

[webfact]

 

For decades now, Thai parents have been letting their children ride in cars without a car seat, and sometimes even without a belt. The practice – which also applies to school buses – is so prevalent that people fail to realize the danger involved.

 

However, from September 5, it will be banned by law. The amended version of the Land Traffic Act, which was published in the Royal Gazette earlier this month, states that children up to the age of six or no taller than 135 centimeters must sit in a car seat while in a moving automobile. Breaking the new rule carries a fine of up to 2,000 baht.

 

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However, while the amended law’s aim is to protect children, people are already expressing concern over how it will be enforced.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/safety-at-a-price-why-compulsory-car-seat-use-is-controversial-in-thailand/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-05-16

 

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[StayinThailand2much]

Because Thais always have money for a car, but not for car seats? What 'face' can you gain from a car seat?

[starky]

Car seats or no the children riding in cars or on buses are infinitely safer than the children I see standing, sitting or riding about on motorbikes.

 Thats not a judgement call either. When you are poor you do the best with what you have. If I was broke living in Isaan I'm pretty sure I would be riding around with kids on a motorcycle too. 

[steve187]

will the school minibuses have to have car seats for the under 6's

[drgoon]

We are in Isaan and can't seem to find a booster seat for our 6yo other than on Lazada etc.

 

 

 

[jacko45k]

2 minutes ago, steve187 said:

will the school minibuses have to have car seats for the under 6's

Good point....

[Andycoops]

Meanwhile kids are standing on pillion seats hugging their family members as they ride down the road, the police won't enforce it anymore than they enforce the wearing of rear seatbelts.

[metisdead]

Some off topic posts about Australia have been removed.

[Lite Beer]

1 hour ago, starky said:

Car seats or no the children riding in cars or on buses are infinitely safer than the children I see standing, sitting or riding about on motorbikes.

 Thats not a judgement call either. When you are poor you do the best with what you have. If I was broke living in Isaan I'm pretty sure I would be riding around with kids on a motorcycle too. 

Total rubbish. People in Isaan as not as poor as you seem to think.

My wife's daughter and partner have a car but still cart their two year old around on a motorbike as they cant be bothered to get the car out.

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

However, while the amended law’s aim is to protect children, people are already expressing concern over how it will be enforced.

Any law can be enforced, as it is in any other country that has pushed for safety ahead of peoples personal beliefs.

Has Thailand the police force to do it is the question?

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, StayinThailand2much said:

Because Thais always have money for a car, but not for car seats? What 'face' can you gain from a car seat?

Same as they can afford a motorcycle but not a helmet, 

or light bulbs to see them in the dark.

[hotchilli]

1 hour ago, drgoon said:

We are in Isaan and can't seem to find a booster seat for our 6yo other than on Lazada etc.

 

 

 

So buy from Lazada and have it delivered to your door?

[ChrisY1]

Unfortunately, many Thai parents and others, are ignorant of the dangers of unrestrained kids.

Again....quality education doesn't exist here.

[CharlieH]

Whenever I see something like this the first thing that comes to mind is WHO  gets the money ?

Which one has the factory or sales outlet etc to get the money from introducing this.

 

They cant (dont) enforce  the laws they have in place now without introducing more.

Wheres the law enforcement on the mothers and babies, yes babies, being carried arou d on motircycles ? The entire fanily of 4 on a bike !

Helmets rarely worn. Licence that are a joke.

 

The list goes on, get the basicx right and ENFORCE IT ! Until that happens its more meaningless headline grabbing twaddle.

More good can come from a proper and effective law enforcement on the highways.

[Excel]

4 minutes ago, ChrisY1 said:

quality education doesn't exist here

Whilst I can't disagree with your comment I would question if that is the only reason.

 

For instance many people come to Thailand to visit/work etc from the West where the standards of education and safety awareness are light years ahead of Thailand.

 

So that being the case, and your argument for Thai parents not being well educated in safety practices, why is it then that so many so called highly educated Westerners don't bother to wear a crash helmet when riding a motorcycle, so often don't even bother to wear their car seat belts and are often seen riding in the bed of pick-up trucks ?  That seems to suggest that your ascertain "quality education" is only part of the problem.

[KhunLA]

9 minutes ago, Excel said:

why is it then that so many so called highly educated Westerners don't bother to wear a crash helmet when riding a motorcycle, so often don't even bother to wear their car seat belts and are often seen riding in the bed of pick-up trucks ?  That seems to suggest that your ascertain "quality education" is only part of the problem.

May simply be the 'class of / bottom of the barrel' westerners that Thailand attracts ... ????

 

Apologies if this offends any snowflakes who may identify, or not, with that assertion.  

 

DISCLAIMER:  there may be many highly intelligent, safety conscious westerner here, that I simply haven't notice on the roadways.

[StayinThailand2much]

2 hours ago, starky said:

When you are poor you do the best with what you have. If I was broke living in Isaan I'm pretty sure I would be riding around with kids on a motorcycle too. 

People in Cambodia are poor too, but you would never see something there like in the picture below (taken in Thailand). Everyone would wear a helmet, which, probably, would limit the number of people that could ride on the bike.

 

Also, I have never seen anything like this in Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, or anywhere else. But Thais are reckless, thoughtless, or both. Just imagine, they got into an accident. It could very well be fatal for half the riders.

 

 

 

[Excel]

Just now, KhunLA said:

May simply be the 'class of / bottom of the barrel' westerners that Thailand attracts ... ????

 

Apologies if this offends any snowflakes who may identify, or not, with that assertion.  

Whilst that is a generalisation I suspect ignorance of safety awareness is not restricted to the lower echelons of Western society and having said that even the " 'class of / bottom of the barrel' westerners" as you quoted, would still have an education far higher then almost all Thais, so again that can not be the only reason.

[KhunLA]

3 minutes ago, Excel said:

Whilst that is a generalisation I suspect ignorance of safety awareness is not restricted to the lower echelons of Western society and having said that even the " 'class of / bottom of the barrel' westerners" as you quoted, would still have an education far higher then almost all Thais, so again that can not be the only reason.

Maybe on paper.   But the practical application of the education, does make one wonder.

 

Not sure which is to be considered smarter.  Someone ignorant of the safety hazard of all mentioned, or someone well aware of the danger, but still puts themselves at risk.

 

Ignorance vs stupidity comes to mind.  Let y'all decide which shows more intelligence.

[RandiRona]

What about Helmets? Is that controversial too?? What a dumb article!!

[Andre0720]

2 hours ago, starky said:

Car seats or no the children riding in cars or on buses are infinitely safer than the children I see standing, sitting or riding about on motorbikes.

 Thats not a judgement call either. When you are poor you do the best with what you have. If I was broke living in Isaan I'm pretty sure I would be riding around with kids on a motorcycle too. 

Oh yes, and with a crash helmet safely secured in the front basket....

Safety is considered by people here as an option only...

[dcsw53]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

However, from September 5, it will be banned by law

I hope this just applies to cars and not pick ups. How can the family move around Isaan if all the kids have to be belted up ? Everyone knows you cram as many as you can in the open back and to guarantee their safety have the right amulets hanging from the rear view mirror.

[Caldera]

I wouldn't say controversial, it's just that this kind of law never seems to get enforced around here. It will join a long list.

 

Crash helmets on motorcycles

DUI

Passengers riding in the back of a pick-up truck

Seatbelts

Etc. etc.

[Denim]

2 hours ago, drgoon said:

We are in Isaan and can't seem to find a booster seat for our 6yo other than on Lazada etc.

 

 

 

Is a booster seat like an ejector seat for kids ? What a great idea.

[Tropicalevo]

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

they can afford a motorcycle but not a helmet, 

or light bulbs to see them in the dark.

I was told that they remove the rear light bulb so that the police cannot follow them!

[EVENKEEL]

I grew up in the US, no car seats, no seat belts, riding in the back of a pickup was great fun. I'm not saying car seats aren't safer for kids but you have to be realistic here.

 

It will take time for the Thais to embrace this new law and likely will never happen in the short term. First of all their entire driving mentality needs to change before you can expect car seats to be embraced.

[seajae]

can see it now, child /booster seats just sitting on the seats not belted in, probably will get the occassional chair with the legs removed in there as well, safety in Thailand just doesnt equate with much of the population, it either interferes with them, takes extra work, costs more money or is just inconvenient for them. Doesnt take a genius to see that thais do not like following the law and will ignore them to suit themselves, car seats will go into the same basket as licenses, helmets, red lights, not crossing double lines, indicating to turn, going the wrong way on roads, riding in the backs of trucks etc, using car/booster seats will not happen 

[Road Warrior]

thai parents' have little safety concern for their children ,just look at the transport them on motor bikes !!!!!!!!!!!!

[hotchilli]

13 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

I was told that they remove the rear light bulb so that the police cannot follow them!

Did you believe them?

[actonion]

Since when has   road safety ..or any safety for that matter    been important to Thai's ...thats why it will never been enforced, unless the BIB  have a bill to pay