Thailand: Bus passengers told to wear seat belts or face a fine of 5,000 baht

[webfact]

Bus passengers told to wear seat belts



BANGKOK: -- The Department of Land Transport warns bus passengers to wear seat belts beginning May 11 or else they could face a fine of 5,000 baht.

The law requiring bus passengers to fasten seat belts will be enforced from May 11 onwards.

Warning by the Land Transport Department director-general Atsa Thairattanadilok na Phuket came as he inspected Morchit bus terminal in Bangkok on Tuesday to make sure that the department’s stickers detailing the new regulation were being displayed at the bus terminal.

He said the department has required since April 1 that bus operators must fix safety belts at all seats on inter provincial buses or commonly called tour buses.

In addition, the department has asked the Transport Ministry to issue a ministerial regulation requiring that passengers must fasten their seat belts at all times while seated.

The regulation will take effect on May 11, and violators are subject to fines of no more than 5,000 baht.

According to the director-general, some passengers were reluctant to wear their seat belts despite continued promotion of the benefits of the safety device.

Based on research conducted in Thailand, passengers who did not wear seat belts were 1.52 times more likely to die from road accidents than those who wore their seat belts.

Seat belts have also been found to reduce the rate of fatalities in road accidents by 34%.

Passengers may report any lack of seat belts on tour buses at the 24-hour hotline 1584.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/bus-passengers-told-wear-seat-belts/


-- Thai PBS 2014-05-07

[Costas2008]

Better late than never

As to....if it will be enforced.......that's another question.

Edited May 7, 2014 by Costas2008

[meatboy]

what about pick up trucks,drivers and passengers.

baht buses.drivers,passengers and all them hanging on the back and on top.

[Jimi007]

That's great. Fine the passenger 5K Baht… Don't fine the driver or the bus company for not providing the seat belts or properly trained drivers. It must be the passengers fault for the large number of accidents and deaths in the Thai tourist bus industry…

[ginjag]

what about pick up trucks,drivers and passengers.

baht buses.drivers,passengers and all them hanging on the back and on top.

Because big tour buses are mega news. More people are killed in Thailand on/in other forms of transport. pea brained minister ----that was.

[khwaibah]

Better late than never

As to....if it will be enforced.......that's another question.

Put a BIB on every bus.

[barryofthailand]

The law should also read that it is the responsibility of the Bus Company personnel to make sure that all passengers fasten their seat belts.

[fatdrunkandstupid]

That's great. Fine the passenger 5K Baht Don't fine the driver or the bus company for not providing the seat belts or properly trained drivers. It must be the passengers fault for the large number of accidents and deaths in the Thai tourist bus industry

No.

It is always the fault of the road. Bad road...bad...bad road.

[leggo]

It will never be enforced - after all the police will be involved and we know how good they are at enforcing the law; on top of that half of the buses on the road are independant one off's who could'nt give a shit and certainly won't be installing seat belts!

You can see it now - bus stopped by police -no one has seat belts -whoa 50 passengers at 5000 bht a time thinks the policeman -yum yum - only problem only one passenger has more than 100 bht on him - shame!

Edited May 7, 2014 by leggo

[RegularReader]

If anyone has driven on country highways they will know just how dangerous these intercity buses and more particularly their drivers are. They never never give way. They always stay in the right hand lane - even when there is clear space ahead on one of the other lanes. And, they always drive as fast as they can - usually 100-120kmh and much faster down hill !

I don't know if anyone has ever experienced one of these monsters tailgating you on a single lane road? It is quite frightening.

At those useless police "revenue collecting posts" known as Police Road Blocks, they will always stop a loaded pick-up, the occasional car and motor bikes, but has anyone ever seen them stop one of these buses???

Wearing seat belts is a good idea, but bringing the drivers under more control will prevent many accidents from happening in the first place.

Edited May 7, 2014 by RegularReader

[useronthenet]

That's reassuring, passengers can now feel safe and snug in their seats knowing the appalling driving standards are exactly the same as they were before. "Clunk click, on every terrifying trip !" seems to be the motto. Road traffic accidents in Thailand are far too high.

[kevc]

What makes this sound ridiculous was that a couple of months ago we were driving back home from Buriram at the same time school finished and had to stop as a big truck was coming out of a school full of school kids with about twenty sitting fifteen feet off the ground on the roof one sudden stop and they would have all fell to the ground...... .. can't remember them wearing seatbelts up there though.

Sent from my GT-P5100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[MaxLee]

this is the most ridiculous joke I've ever read today

Okay. So it prevents crazy drivers from carelessly and recklessly cause accident....

[ratcatcher]

I know I have posted these before, but seat belts....really.......you aren't serious..........are you?

[noitom]

This is a Thai puff and smoke proclamation and or else threat.

[OOLEEBER]

Better late than never

As to....if it will be enforced.......that's another question.

It will probably be enforced near the end of each month, like helmet fines, when the BIB are short of cash before salary day.

[noodle]

There are a bunch of nanny statists responding to this topic:)

[geriatrickid]

In your homeland, do the police not ticket passengers of automobiles for not wearing their seatbelt? I know they do in mine.

The reason why passengers are subject to fines is that they make the decision to buckle up. There is just so much the bus driver can do. On the Hua Hin - Airport bus, the attendant reminds people to buckle up. On my last trip many of the westerners ignored her, and the Thai couple with their young kid did not buckle their baby up, but instead held the screaming creature for the 3 1/2 trip. Had the bus stopped suddenly, that child would have become an instant projectile along with the fat couple behind me. I most likely would have been severely injured when 400kg of lard came flying my way.

Edited May 7, 2014 by geriatrickid

[chainarong]

Regardless of the bulls!!t , the crux of the matter is everyone wearing a seat belt ,will still be strapped in their seat , while the rest of the bus demolishes itself around them, at least the first responders will not have to look all over the place for bodies.

[ChrisY1]

Bus companies have been instructed to install seat belts since April 1......lets hope they use better fixings than 6mm bolts from Thaiwatsadu!

However....it's a start in the right direction at least.

[uptheos]

"Seat belts have also been found to reduce the rate of fatalities in road accidents by 34%".

And buses not crashing or going over cliffs due to faulty brakes, tired and drunk divers.........by 100%

[chooka]

Better late than never

As to....if it will be enforced.......that's another question.

Agree and yes enforcement is another thing.

How about a law also that can't carry 30 passengers in the back of a pick as that may also save lives.

[JoeThePoster]

If I have to sit on a bus with those lilac curtains, I'd rather die.

[chooka]

bus1.jpgbus2.jpgbus 3.jpgbus 4.jpg

I know I have posted these before, but seat belts....really.......you aren't serious..........are you?

I think the law is only for those inside the bus

[ratcatcher]

In your homeland, do the police not ticket passengers of automobiles for not wearing their seatbelt? I know they do in mine.

The reason why passengers are subject to fines is that they make the decision to buckle up. There is just so much the bus driver can do. On the Hua Hin - Airport bus, the attendant reminds people to buckle up. On my last trip many of the westerners ignored her, and the Thai couple with their young kid did not buckle their baby up, but instead held the screaming creature for the 3 1/2 trip. Had the bus stopped suddenly, that child would have become an instant projectile along with the fat couple behind me. I most likely would have been severely injured when 400kg of lard came flying my way.

I most likely would have been severely injured when 400kg of lard came flying my way.

[delgarcon]

I have never seen so much negativity in one place. This is surely a step in the right direction, reminders to wear seat belts at airports and bus terminals and a dedicated phone number to report buses not fitted with them.

I don't know why you people stay in Thailand, you should all go back home and moan till your hearts content in your local old peoples home!

[draftvader]

Do we have to bring our own?

[thesetat2013]

It will never be enforced - after all the police will be involved and we know how good they are at enforcing the law; on top of that half of the buses on the road are independant one off's who could'nt give a shit and certainly won't be installing seat belts!

You can see it now - bus stopped by police -no one has seat belts -whoa 50 passengers at 5000 bht a time thinks the policeman -yum yum - only problem only one passenger has more than 100 bht on him - shame!

And how many police do you think would refuse taking that hundred baht?

This rule is a honeypot for police to collect large amounts of money. Not that the police would ever make a checkpoint that could net them thousands of baht now would they? Heheeee

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[chooka]

I have never seen so much negativity in one place. This is surely a step in the right direction, reminders to wear seat belts at airports and bus terminals and a dedicated phone number to report buses not fitted with them.

I don't know why you people stay in Thailand, you should all go back home and moan till your hearts content in your local old peoples home!

Says he whilst moaning

[PETERTHEEATER]

And who has monitored the installation of seat belts (that appear to be just waist belts with no upper torso restraint? Are the attachments anchored to structural strongpoints.