My absolute WORST nightmare is seeing one of these family transports come to grief in front of me and my being unable to stop or avoid some little nipper who would have zero chance against my pickup (lid or no lid).

My only solution is to give these families a wide berth and hope they don't come adrift.

I have two step-sons, both have young families, both have motorcycles and cars (pickups). Neither take the youngsters on the bikes, they don't strap them in when in the cars either, but small victories

I do not think it has anything to do with a religious (it can't happen to me) attitude, but more out of necessity. Yes, I do agree that what would make the 11 o'clock news in the west is common place here. When I found out that my wife was pregnant, I bought a car. Fortunately i could afford to, but many Thais simply cannot. Many Thais can barely afford their 1000 baht a month motorbike payment. It costs just as much to buy a car in the LOS as it will cost you in the west, yet look at the average Thai income. Personally i get a sick feeling every time i see dad, mom, and baby on a motorbike thinking about the "what if" then I remind myself that i am no longer living in the west, therefore you learn the accept things that you normally would not accept in your mother country, But then again I often wonder how an average Thai would tolerate the "righteous west" attitude

i wouldn't discount the role of religion/beliefs in this. sure, Thai ppl use bikes out of necessity, but the acceptance of karma/luck/fate as the reason for accidents and misfortune is very widespread here. if you have an accident whilst not wearing a helmet and die as a result of head injuries, you'd be surprised how many Thais will chalk it up to karma and bad luck rather than something that could have been easily prevented by wearing a helmet. just buy a nice amulet with special powers and you won't ever have to worry about it =)

Yes, organised chaos sums it up well. When did you go? I've just come back from there and the majority seemed to be wearing helmets. I don't drive the foul things, so wasn't particularly taking notice, but I seem to remember thinking it was usual to wear them.

I was last there in 2006, maybe they have started wearing them-although I doubt everyone could change so quick.

Here is a photo of the evening rush, looks like a market but everyone is on a motorbike.

Back in September they passed a law for some areas, which was inacted in all areas by Dec 15th 2007, requiring helmets on all people on motorbikes. Fine is about $5-10.

Remarkably, it looks like near 100% compliance.

Strangely enough and directly relating to this subject, those not wearing helmets are usually kids, and of course infants.

Kids need to be toughen up abit these days. People need to lighten up.

Yes, organised chaos sums it up well. When did you go? I've just come back from there and the majority seemed to be wearing helmets. I don't drive the foul things, so wasn't particularly taking notice, but I seem to remember thinking it was usual to wear them.

I was last there in 2006, maybe they have started wearing them-although I doubt everyone could change so quick.

Here is a photo of the evening rush, looks like a market but everyone is on a motorbike.

Back in September they passed a law for some areas, which was inacted in all areas by Dec 15th 2007, requiring helmets on all people on motorbikes. Fine is about $5-10.

Remarkably, it looks like near 100% compliance.

Strangely enough and directly relating to this subject, those not wearing helmets are usually kids, and of course infants.

I am impressed!

Maybe Thailand should enforce their own helmet laws...

Yes, organised chaos sums it up well. When did you go? I've just come back from there and the majority seemed to be wearing helmets. I don't drive the foul things, so wasn't particularly taking notice, but I seem to remember thinking it was usual to wear them.

I was last there in 2006, maybe they have started wearing them-although I doubt everyone could change so quick.

Here is a photo of the evening rush, looks like a market but everyone is on a motorbike.

Back in September they passed a law for some areas, which was inacted in all areas by Dec 15th 2007, requiring helmets on all people on motorbikes. Fine is about $5-10.

Remarkably, it looks like near 100% compliance.

Strangely enough and directly relating to this subject, those not wearing helmets are usually kids, and of course infants.

Thanks for that. 10 buck is a lot of money to your average vietnamese. I suppose enforcement is only possible with an incorruptible police force?

when my wife was pregnant, i always used to make a point of saying how dangerous it was for babies to be carried on motorbikes. she always agreed...

when my son was six months old we took him to visit her parents. one morning i was laying in bed and the wife shouted that she was going to the market with her mum. now the market was 500m and i knew neither of them would walk it. i presumed my little lad was going to be left with me.

i got up and my son was there and they were getting ready to put him on the bike with them. i asked what she was doing, then told her ''no way''. i pointed out he could stay with me while they went.

anyway, i took me son into the back room and my wife followed and said i needed to apologise to her mum (who was going to be riding the bike!) because she was an elder and i shouldnt have told her not to do something.

i said my primary concern was my son's safety, not the mother in laws feelings and a big row erupted.

nobody went to the market and the mother in law didnt speak to me for the rest of the day.

in the evening i told he that i knew she was a good motorcyclist and she would take care of my son but there were no gurantees about the other drivers (i really wanted to ask her how she could be so stupid and thoughtless)

there was a truce.

the next day we all went out in the car and saw a pickup smashed into a pole on a straight road. i think she realised, but i was surprised she didnt know already.

I don't agree with putting a kid on a motorbike either but for poorer Thais, they do not have the choice.

Fair enough, but what I don't understand is how they can drive so dangerously with their kids onboard. I quite often see people with kids on motorbikes passing in the inside lane at high speeds in traffic or not looking at all whilst turning into moving traffic.

They just don't seem able to calculate risk...

Absolutely. But no different than folks who move here, start families... and then suddenly discover the visa regulations. In one case lives may be ended suddenly, in the other, it's often a more slow/drawn out death.

you really do come up with the most pointless load of old pants!

Must have touched a nerve there.

when my wife was pregnant, i always used to make a point of saying how dangerous it was for babies to be carried on motorbikes. she always agreed...

when my son was six months old we took him to visit her parents. one morning i was laying in bed and the wife shouted that she was going to the market with her mum. now the market was 500m and i knew neither of them would walk it. i presumed my little lad was going to be left with me.

i got up and my son was there and they were getting ready to put him on the bike with them. i asked what she was doing, then told her ''no way''. i pointed out he could stay with me while they went.

anyway, i took me son into the back room and my wife followed and said i needed to apologise to her mum (who was going to be riding the bike!) because she was an elder and i shouldnt have told her not to do something.

i said my primary concern was my son's safety, not the mother in laws feelings and a big row erupted.

nobody went to the market and the mother in law didnt speak to me for the rest of the day.

in the evening i told he that i knew she was a good motorcyclist and she would take care of my son but there were no gurantees about the other drivers (i really wanted to ask her how she could be so stupid and thoughtless)

there was a truce.

the next day we all went out in the car and saw a pickup smashed into a pole on a straight road. i think she realised, but i was surprised she didnt know already.

How would you feel if your wife refused to let your son on an aeroplane or a roller-coaster, or no horse-riding?

Still makes me shudder!!!

How would you feel if your wife refused to let your son on an aeroplane or a roller-coaster, or no horse-riding?

How can you make this statement? Can we please make comments about the, sorry I cannot think of a more neutral term, stupidity of kids on motorbikes without being accused of elitism, as if those other farangs 'know better' and understand the situation better than us...