Motorbike Helmet Crackdown

[rbrb]

Currently there is a big police crackdown in Pattaya stopping those without helmets on motor bikes including passengers.

And many of the motor bike taxi drivers are now carrying spare helmets for passengers.

I assume this "crackdown" is in preparation for Songkran.

Do any of you know more about what is going on?

And what is happening and what are the penalties for those being stopped without helmets?

[Merlin]

500 baht, I remember reading it somewhere.

not before time, imho.

[lovethailandlongtime]

There aint no shortage of helmets in pattaya!

[Wanraya]

500 baht, I remember reading it somewhere.

not before time, imho.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The penalty is 200 baht for a motoring offence.

If you are stopped for an offence and cannot produce your driving license there and then(as I couldn't a few month back) they can then give a second penalty ticket giving a total of 400 baht.

If you park illegally and your bike is taken away to the police compound in North Pattaya (as mine was last month) you will have to pay 500baht - 200 baht penalty plus 300 baht tow fee.

I'm all for the police cracking down on motoring offences I just wish the sign posts indicating no parking and one way Sois were displayed a little more prominently.

Edited March 9, 2005 by Wanraya

[eljeque]

Wanraya: I would like to add to your comment on driving offences. I agree on wishing the police would stop motoring offences, but the two items that you listed: Helmets and Parking, are not "really" motoring or should I say "driving" offences like speeding; driving the wrong way on a one way street; passing at an intersection; running red lights, and the list goes on.

I would really like to see the poice crack down on that, but they do not see anything wrong with it.

I can remember seeing one man on a motorbike pulled over for speeding, driving in the wrong direction, running a red light, etc. in the past year. I have seen literally hundreds pulled over for not wearing helmets and manyb dowzens of motorbikes locked for parking illegally.

[Merlin]

I found the link:

http://www.pattayamail.com/current/news.shtml#hd9

"A series of checkpoints will be set up at various locations with officers initially handing out warnings. Once the word is out, according to the law fines of 500 baht will be issued thereafter."

[Kerryd]

"A series of checkpoints will be set up at various locations with officers initially handing out warnings. Once the word is out, according to the law fines of 500 baht will be issued thereafter."

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

"Motorcyclists and pillion passengers must wear helmets at all times and motorists must wear safety belts."

This is going to cause a lot of problems for some of the locals. Imagine the poor guy who now has to get 4 (or more) extra helmets for the wife and kids ! They'll probably end up sticking adult sized helmets on the little ones going to/from school.

Never really could figure the logic behind the "old" rule, that only the driver had to wear a helmet (but the 1-4 passengers didn't have to wear one).

What's next, enforcing standards on the kinds of helmets to be worn ?

(for the record, I think this is long overdue, but like many things in LOS, won't be enforced for too long)

[konangrit]

I can confirm what Wanraya said.

I got pulled over for no helmet on Soi Siam country club the other day, this was the first time I've ever seen the police stopping people here. The result was a ฿400 fine ( no license on me either). Had to get a motorbike taxi to Banglamung police station too, which was rather inconvenient.

Parked my bike on walking street a couple of weeks ago and forgot to move it before 19:00, was obviously gone when I returned. The next morning I went to Soi 9, but they had no record of it, so off to the compound in North pattaya I went. Searched for ages there, but no sign of it, so then went to the compound on Soi 17 to try my luck there. Wasn't there either and the guy told me to go to North Pattaya . After explaining to him that I had already been there, he told me to try at some police station I had never heard of and told a motorbike taxi where I wanted to go. Fair play to the guy from the compound, as when the taxi driver demanded ฿40 he said forget it, he would take me himself for ฿20. Anyway, he took me to some police station I had never seen before somewhere near the Blind Beggar in Jomtien. They had 5 bikes there, one of which, to my surprise, was mine. ฿500 to get it back. All in all it took me about 4 hours to track it down! Why on Earth they took it there I don't know. Maybe they were hoping to steal it, but my bike is a piece of junk, and there would be a wide range of better illegally parked bikes to choose from.

The fines don't bother me, as they really are small compared to what you'd pay in the west. It's just the inconvenience of having to go and pay the fines when the cop won't let you take the bike or get a motorbike taxi to go and pay for you, or even worse, having your vehicle towed away to some obscure place with no record of it at the police station.

So, the fine for no helmet is going to be increased to ฿500, and will also apply to passengers? Probably a better amount to persuade Thais to wear a helmet, and why passengers have always been exempt here is perplexing.

[TizMe]

some police station I had never seen before somewhere near the Blind Beggar in Jomtien.

OK. I know the BB is in Soi Wat Boon, I have never seen any police station around there. Can anybody pin point this P.S. ?

[Humphrey Bear]

Thank goodness I read the thread - I thought from the title one had to have a fat German pillion passenger named Helmut in order to be legal.

[Pattaya_Fox]

....Rumour has it that even toy poodles perched precariously on motorcycle handlebars will in future be subject to being fined if not wearing a helmet.

A spokesman for the local Harley Poodle Club said that he thought the decision was a bit RUFF!

[konangrit]

some police station I had never seen before somewhere near the Blind Beggar in Jomtien.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

OK. I know the BB is in Soi Wat Boon, I have never seen any police station around there. Can anybody pin point this P.S. ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The guy took me there from Theprasit Road, along some dirt roads. On the way back I got lost and ended up coming out by the Blind Beggar, so it's not exactly right behind it, but about 10 minutes bike ride. Maybe the name of it is on the reciept for the fine, if I come across it I'll post the police station.

The police were back on Soi Siam Country Club pulling over helmet dodgers again yesterday in the same place, just before the level crossing as you head towards Sukhumvit. You've been warned.

Edited March 10, 2005 by konangrit

[Soi33]

If their going to have a helmet law then it should be one that actually affords some protection. The flimsy plastic helmets most thai's wear are the same as wearing nothing in an accident.

The old saying "the helmet just keeps the brains in one place" does not hold true for those things!

[Martin_F]

I bet that they don't pull over the kids riding illegially, because they have no licences nor helmets.

[Humphrey Bear]

I bet that they don't pull over the kids riding illegially, because they have no licences  nor helmets.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If they think he has 200 baht on him, they will

[bartender100]

I've just been out and about,driving around for a couple of hours,and there seems to be more than ever driving around without helmets,including on the Sukhumvit,where the collage girls(light grey skirt,and white socks)are always 3 to a bike and never a helmet on

[TizMe]

If their going to have a helmet law then it should be one that actually affords some protection. The flimsy plastic helmets most thai's wear are the same as wearing nothing in an accident.

The Mrs says that some of the Thais are being fined because their helmets are not of approved style.

[Soi33]

If their going to have a helmet law then it should be one that actually affords some protection. The flimsy plastic helmets most thai's wear are the same as wearing nothing in an accident.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The Mrs says that some of the Thais are being fined because their helmets are not of approved style.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

"approved" is the key word. I always rent a bike in Pattaya and usually get that flimsy plastic helmet that is used for 5 year old baseball games. They do nothing but add to the heat and boiling the brain....would be of no help in an accident. Funny part is if I dont wear it and get a ticket it used to allow you a 24 hour free pass to NOT wear the helmet anymore (2001) To me it was worth the 200 baht just to get the 24 hour free pass.

[penzman]

I saw a cop pointing his flashlight at kids on a scooter ordering them to pull over. The driver simply avoided the roadblock by turning left on a small soi. The cop shouted "Oi Oi Oi!" and stomped his foot a few times. Kids gone, every cop on both sides of the street burst out laughing after hearing me laugh it out loud. I could afford to do so with a helmet on.

Gotta love Thailand.

[jayenram]

To take this to it's logical conclusion, the requirement for passengers to wear helmets would be extended to passengers in the rear of uncovered pick-up trucks. Immagine the poor driver having to fork out for helmets for mum, mil, grandmas, grandads and six kids!

[Merlin]

in Australia, even a dog has to be tethered in the back of a ute. How many seatbelts have you seen in the back of a Thai pickup?