Is it illegal for students to use a helmet when on a bike?

[jacko45k]

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Think back when you were a teenager. You also thought you were made out of steel and knew more and better than anyone else.

It is no different here.

Police do not bother with them, why? because they would need to detain them, have bike towed to police station, call parents and final result is nothing, they will keep on doing it(that is if you take financials out of it)

If you add financials into it, police would waste half a day if not more and possibly get 500 baht fine out of parents.

Not fair? wrong? double standards? call it whatever you like, it is what it is.

No different to the West when kids are caught stealing. Police just scare them and let them go with no repercussions.

How do they manage to stop 8 year olds riding motorbikes with no helmets and no licence in "civilised" countries then? There are other repercussions for kids caught stealing other than the police just scaring them.

Their parents take the keys off them!!!!!

[GAZZPA]

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Think back when you were a teenager. You also thought you were made out of steel and knew more and better than anyone else.

It is no different here.

Police do not bother with them, why? because they would need to detain them, have bike towed to police station, call parents and final result is nothing, they will keep on doing it(that is if you take financials out of it)

If you add financials into it, police would waste half a day if not more and possibly get 500 baht fine out of parents.

Not fair? wrong? double standards? call it whatever you like, it is what it is.

No different to the West when kids are caught stealing. Police just scare them and let them go with no repercussions.

How do they manage to stop 8 year olds riding motorbikes with no helmets and no licence in "civilised" countries then? There are other repercussions for kids caught stealing other than the police just scaring them.

if the police catch a kid on a motorbike in my country they take the bike, arrest the kid and call his / her parents. The bike is not returned as it is obviously not taxed or insured and the kid will not have a license. The kid will likely get a caution and it will be kept on file. If continually offends then juvenile court if 10 years old up to 17,, if under 10 then the parents get it as the kid is deemed not be responsible yet for his/her actions. If an under 10 year old continues to offend then social services are called to investigate the childs welfare.

One thing for sure is the police will stop them immediately and will do something about it.

In Thailand the police are a commercial entity,,, no money in it no point in dealing with it. Disgusting as it may be it is the reality,, the country is going down the toilet as corruption runs through ever fibre of Thai society with no real signs of it being tackled.

For road crimes the nett result of this is that people simply die...

[qdinthailand]

Any idea how much time they spend coiffing their hair before school? And you want them to ruin it with a helmet?

(OK, so the wind blows the sh*t out of it on the ride, but hey, no helmet head).

[steve C]

OP it's a done to death topic.

I know you're new here, but the situation is getting better.

In the meantime, just make sure you and your kids wear one.

Apparently they are not responsible for their actions untill the age of 18 and that came from a Thai lawyer on a Pattaya radio station ( I am dumbfounded) No wonder they grow up with no regards to the law and NO respect.

[cooked]

I have taken the same guy to hospital twice, after being woken up at 2am, after he had head injuries driving his motorbike.No helmet. I was drunk, he was drunk, so I was forced to drive illegally.

I have seen a young girl with 4 other children on the back, no helmet. I have seen very young kids on the back that have fallen asleep... no helmet. Ah well, that's Buddhism for you, when your time has come...

[dennisgb45]

You are not in most countries.You are not in you home country. You are in Thailand. Get over it.

[laobali]

OP it's a done to death topic.

I know you're new here, but the situation is getting better.

In the meantime, just make sure you and your kids wear one.

Apparently they are not responsible for their actions untill the age of 18 and that came from a Thai lawyer on a Pattaya radio station ( I am dumbfounded) No wonder they grow up with no regards to the law and NO respect.

And, it seems, neither are their parents or guardians responsible.

[techboy]

Very obnoxious post. You obviously are using this to write a bit of Thai bashing and to solicit comments about slack cops, dumb Thais and of course are hoping to see replys about corrupt police accepting graft when they stop someone. Pitiful. Perhaps I sould enter a post asking if it is illegal for tourists and some expats to use lights on bicycles at night? The fools are all but invisible. (BTW. Blaming the rental outfits will not excuse people from being so dumb that they not provide their own safety measures when not doing so could be fatal).

[techboy]

You are not in most countries.You are not in you home country. You are in Thailand. Get over it.

The inane question was only a pretence to do some Thai bashing. He knows that there is no anti-helmet law.

[NoshowJones]

This has puzzled me for years, maybe because there is no money in it for them, students unlikely to be carrying much cash

Another reason is upcountry, the policemen live locally, and are not going to upset the childrens parents by stopping and fining them for not wearing a helmet, being underage, and riding three or four on a bike. The school headmaster is not going to upset the childrens parents, by not letting them use the bikes to go to school.

I was a teacher, and if I insisted the students must wear a helmet, I would soon have been out of a job.

[NoshowJones]

Nothing in this country surprises anymore. I was, minutes ago, taken over by a bike with 3 young schoolgirls on Soi Bouakao. They must have been doing 50-60 km/h and thought it was very funny to almost hit a car every few meters, giggling with joy..... Horrible. MS>

Is that Soi Buckao in Pattaya? I do not think any motorbike is going to travel at 50 or 60 mpk there.

[NoshowJones]

It is obvious that neither kids nor their parents care about any laws. Nice way to bring up the kids and help them to become responsible adults. I often wonder what has gone wrong in this country??? Been here 20+ years and am certainly not paranoid, but it gets more difficult every day to find something positive. MS>

There are a lot more positives than negatives here in Thailand, but cars, motorbikes, anything to do with driving is one big negative.

[whoisyourdaddy]

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Think back when you were a teenager. You also thought you were made out of steel and knew more and better than anyone else.

It is no different here.

Police do not bother with them, why? because they would need to detain them, have bike towed to police station, call parents and final result is nothing, they will keep on doing it(that is if you take financials out of it)

If you add financials into it, police would waste half a day if not more and possibly get 500 baht fine out of parents.

Not fair? wrong? double standards? call it whatever you like, it is what it is.

No different to the West when kids are caught stealing. Police just scare them and let them go with no repercussions.

How do they manage to stop 8 year olds riding motorbikes with no helmets and no licence in "civilised" countries then? There are other repercussions for kids caught stealing other than the police just scaring them.

if the police catch a kid on a motorbike in my country they take the bike, arrest the kid and call his / her parents. The bike is not returned as it is obviously not taxed or insured and the kid will not have a license. The kid will likely get a caution and it will be kept on file. If continually offends then juvenile court if 10 years old up to 17,, if under 10 then the parents get it as the kid is deemed not be responsible yet for his/her actions. If an under 10 year old continues to offend then social services are called to investigate the childs welfare.

One thing for sure is the police will stop them immediately and will do something about it.

In Thailand the police are a commercial entity,,, no money in it no point in dealing with it. Disgusting as it may be it is the reality,, the country is going down the toilet as corruption runs through ever fibre of Thai society with no real signs of it being tackled.

For road crimes the nett result of this is that people simply die...

Who cares what happens in your country? Thailand is not your home country, it is an entirely different country.

Really some people need to have their heads examined as its beyond boring reading what happens in someone's home country.

If you live here, get use to or learn how THIS country operates as nobody cares, especially Thai as to what happens in your home country.

If you just a tourist, get use to or learn how THIS country operates as being a tourist, even more so nobody cares, as to what happens in your home country.

[Gandtee]

At my grandsons school a policeman rides up not wearing a helmet, collects a little girl, plonks her on the pillion and rides off. A good example? and a policeman who thinks that he is above the law.TIT

[whoisyourdaddy]

At my grandsons school a policeman rides up not wearing a helmet, collects a little girl, plonks her on the pillion and rides off. A good example? and a policeman who thinks that he is above the law.TIT

a policeman does not think he is above the law, he is above the law and he knows it.

[The Deerhunter]

Thailand. Hub of amulet wearers.

[Keesters]

It is obvious that neither kids nor their parents care about any laws.

Not only do they not care about the law they do not care about themselves, their children, or others around them. If they did they would wear helmets. They know it makes sense but just can't be bothered.

Stupid is as stupid does.

[The Deerhunter]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Think back when you were a teenager. You also thought you were made out of steel and knew more and better than anyone else.

It is no different here.

Police do not bother with them, why? because they would need to detain them, have bike towed to police station, call parents and final result is nothing, they will keep on doing it(that is if you take financials out of it)

If you add financials into it, police would waste half a day if not more and possibly get 500 baht fine out of parents.

Not fair? wrong? double standards? call it whatever you like, it is what it is.

No different to the West when kids are caught stealing. Police just scare them and let them go with no repercussions.

How do they manage to stop 8 year olds riding motorbikes with no helmets and no licence in "civilised" countries then? There are other repercussions for kids caught stealing other than the police just scaring them.

if the police catch a kid on a motorbike in my country they take the bike, arrest the kid and call his / her parents. The bike is not returned as it is obviously not taxed or insured and the kid will not have a license. The kid will likely get a caution and it will be kept on file. If continually offends then juvenile court if 10 years old up to 17,, if under 10 then the parents get it as the kid is deemed not be responsible yet for his/her actions. If an under 10 year old continues to offend then social services are called to investigate the childs welfare.

One thing for sure is the police will stop them immediately and will do something about it.

In Thailand the police are a commercial entity,,, no money in it no point in dealing with it. Disgusting as it may be it is the reality,, the country is going down the toilet as corruption runs through ever fibre of Thai society with no real signs of it being tackled.

For road crimes the nett result of this is that people simply die...

Who cares what happens in your country? Thailand is not your home country, it is an entirely different country.

Really some people need to have their heads examined as its beyond boring reading what happens in someone's home country.

If you live here, get use to or learn how THIS country operates as nobody cares, especially Thai as to what happens in your home country.

If you just a tourist, get use to or learn how THIS country operates as being a tourist, even more so nobody cares, as to what happens in your home country.

I read the reply by Gazzpa as an example of elements of child safety that could & should be adopted here. If you think it is just fine for these CHILDREN, yes, 9&10 olds and in some cases younger. to not be legally protected from their natural juvenile lack-of-danger perception then you are a sick puppy. What's next? Give babies knives & razors to play with in the cot? OK! Silly extreme example but I am making a point. Children need protection from predators & their own lack of judgement. It is the way it is, YES, BUT IT SHOULD BE A DIFFERENT, SAFER AND BETTER COUNTRY FOR CHILDREN. I think Thai democracy & Thai governance let the Thai people down badly in so many ways. We do not want to go to the stupid extreme found in many instance in the west, but kids need better protection by law here.

[The Deerhunter]

Nobody cares.

Get it !!

If anybody did care this madness would not happen.

An earlier post stated 3 schoolgirls riding 1 bike at 50-60 kph missing car after car laughing their heads off. Common occurrence. When you have to deal with this mentality, the message is very clear.

"Brainless Idiots"

And this mentality is everywhere.

Is it any wonder Thailand is 3rd in the league table of road fatalities.

That is exactly right, nobody cares.

Just think, you get pulled over and driving without a license, you pay the fine and can keep on driving

You get pulled over for driving without rego or expired rego, you pay the fine and keep on driving

You get pulled over for drink driving, if unlucky, get locked up for 1-2 days, then off to court, pay 2000 baht fine and keep on driving.

That is how it is, that is how its been and that is how it is going to stay until god knows when.

As a guest in The Kingdom and LOS, I wish to integrate into a Thai way of life.

Second in road fatalities I think now. Only Zambia or some other African country is more dangerous.

[sirchai]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkrbsjTe52I

How can anybody like such an accident?

[Rimmer]

Off topic posts removed

[slipperylobster]

You are just culturally shocked. It will get easier as the days pass.

[atyclb]

Perhaps the question would be better worded "is it illegal for students to use their brains while on a bike?"

[Jonmarleesco]

We are in Thailand. Common sense is not a prerequisite to having a licence to create mayhem. There is, so say, a legal requirement to wear a helmet on a bike, but whilst in Vietnam, with easily as many bikes on the road, just about every rider is sporting a helmet, quite the opposite seems to be the norm here. And even where they do wear a helmet, the state of many of them, and the sloppy way they wear them, suggests there is probably more chance of serious injury with than without.

[bbbbooboo]

Nobody cares.

Get it !!

If anybody did care this madness would not happen.

An earlier post stated 3 schoolgirls riding 1 bike at 50-60 kph missing car after car laughing their heads off. Common occurrence. When you have to deal with this mentality, the message is very clear.

"Brainless Idiots"

And this mentality is everywhere.

Is it any wonder Thailand is 3rd in the league table of road fatalities.

I agree entirely: ummmm....stupid IS what stupid DOES?

[Krataiboy]

A Thai lady in our soi appeared one morning with cuts and grazes after a fall from her motorbike. "How did it happen," I asked, expressing my sympathy. "I fell asleep," she explained. Ah, well, I reasoned, I've nearly nodded off myself on longer journeys on the pillion. "Who was driving," I asked.

She smiled sheepishly.

"I was," she said.

I swear to God this is true.

[slipperylobster]

I did not uderstand your question....the way it was presented. There is a law requiring all people to wear helmets. In Udon Thani, there are ...not one...but several places on any given day where police actually enforce this law...even for students. It is usually a fine of 200 or 300 baht. More than what most students carry with them. Sometimes the police require them to phone their parents. These checkpoints are almost impossible to evade, as they cover all the intersections before and after the checkpoint, and phone ahead. I think you have experienced this....

There was a time in America's history when many bikers fought helmet laws. They don't fight anymore. Looking at Thailand, I would say they are still behind the times...the young and old alike often refuse to wear helmets. Fines are not hefty enough, I would say, to be a deterrent.

[atyclb]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkrbsjTe52I

How can anybody like such an accident?

Looks like traffic is driving on the right hand. Is that thailand in the video?

[louse1953]

First time in 38 years seen police pulling over school girls,3 on a bike,no helmet.200 baht,plenty of money this month because those kids WILL NOT put helmets on.Also yesterday,saw a female passenger holding a helmet above her head for shade,must have forgot the brolly.

[louse1953]

This has puzzled me for years, maybe because there is no money in it for them, students unlikely to be carrying much cash

Then you confiscate the bike until parents pay.