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

[bigbamboo]

Better late than never

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

Put a BIB on every bus.

Better still a qualified driver.

[Eliot Rosewater]

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.

Should, but apparently it does not.

This leaves absolutely no incentive for the bus companies to take any action in this regard.

[RegularReader]

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!

Of course it's a step in the right direction, but it is not going to stop bus driver's poor road behaviours such as, tail gating, speeding, driving under the influence and so on. It's just a band-aid on the sore...will help save people after the event, when the real issue is STOP the accidents happening in the first place.

Edited May 7, 2014 by RegularReader

[hotrod4098]

drive on drink and drugs .not a problem...50 in a pick up ..no problem..child of 10 on a motorbike..no problem..etc..

the laws here are just so stupid...

the whole system needs sorting out for safety...not just a money earner for the BIB

[unanimosity]

Better late than never

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

At 5K a pop, which is probably a week's pay for a BIB, enforcement is a reg made in Heaven no-brainer.

[trev666]

5000 baht fine for not wearing a seat belt,1000 baht fine for watching a child drown and not helping.mmmmm

[napoleon3]

what about pick up trucks,drivers and passengers.

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

It will take a lot off seat bells

[strawpanda]

I would like to see it made compulsory for seatbelts to be fitted in ALL taxis for passengers' use.

[unanimosity]

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.

Correct, although torso restraints would seem impractical in a bus since there is no reasonable way to anchor the upper ends. The one for the aisle seat would have to be fastened so high in order to not bother the pax in the window seat.

A seatbelt should be anchored directly to the frame or it may fail under the force of impact. The problem is that in a bus that interferes with legroom in already cramped passenger space. So they will fasten them to the seats themselves which means an additional projectile ripped loose and launched during a strong impact.

[KonKorat]

You can only be fined if you are seated without your seatbelt fastened,this means if a policeman comes and approaches you on the bus and you don't have your seabelt on,just simply stand up,as you are not seated you cannot be fined.

[Jim walker]

People with enough amulets hanging round their necks will only require to hang the belts loose around their shoulders as a higher authority will be looking after their safety when traveling on Thai roads. Seat belts will all be forgotten about by the 12th

[HOAX]

bus1.jpgbus2.jpgbus 3.jpgbus 4.jpg

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

Well, at leased it could've been worse.

[janpharma]

Better late than never

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

Another extra income for the police...

[spidermike007]

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…

I do not care who they fine. Just fine someone. And how will these fines be imposed? Random stops, allowing enough time for every passenger to buckle up? Does anyone ever think through these millions of laws that are written, and never, never enforced?

[3NUMBAS]

this hasnt been accomplished in the UK yet ,no belts on buses

[brit1984]

just imagine a double decker bus with 50 chinese tourists... that's 250,000 baht!

what an amazing money making opportunity... why didn't anyone think of this before??!!

[drink75]

All seriousness and safety aside, I think the picture at the top of this post is really funny.

The guy in the foreground is looking at the seatbelt and trying to work out it's operation like it's something out of an alien spacecraft!

Also, the guy on the far left is leaning over to observe his seat neihbour, like he is trying to see how he has managed to operate this 'new fangled' technology.

It's true, seatbelts save lives, but more so, they prevent injury. There are crashes that regardless of what restainst you have, will kill people but in general, seat belts 'prevent' the kind of injury that sudden braking or impact collisions can cause. Many people involved in this kind of accident can be injured for life, causeing prolonged pain, inability to work and of course all the knock on effects to their family.

But still, really funny picture!

[siampolee]

The onus must be on the bus operators and the bus crews first, they are the problem.

Strict enforcement of driver training, a maximum of 12 hours driving then a mandatory 12 hours rest, Mandatory drug and alcohol testing before bus crews take duty

A strict enforcement of a thorough vehicle maintenance scheme might go a long way to assist in accident reduction which actually causes passenger injuries and deaths.

Putting the onus on the passengers is indeed skewed logic, I hate to think how many taxis I have left in the past due to seat belts being inoperable, tied up or even removed.

Bus operators going to be different? No not really they aren't suffering the consequences are they.

Oh I forgot. This is Thailand. Logic isn't understood if it in fact it actually exists.

Edited May 7, 2014 by siampolee

[onni4me]

So, means no toilet trips anymore, no reaching for luggage?

Now it becomes good deal for the driver to stop and point guilty bad Farangs to coppers that don't use their safety belts. Who expects a Thai to pay up to 5000 Baht for not using a safety belt?

I suppose only way to enforce this would be putting it on the bus company's responsibility and not allowing customers to stay in bus in case they refuse. Otherwise, it is just another stupid way to collect money.

And I have been saved once by a belt in a car accident.

[misterphil]

What a load of crap. 70 people on a bus and most of them wont wear a seatbelt. What will they do, remove everybody from the bus and send them to a local police station to pay? I dont think so.

If 70 people dont wear a seatbelt thats 350,000 bahts worth of fines. Theres never going to be 350,000 baht on a bus heading to Nakon Nowhere, be lucky to find 3,500 baht.

The only way this can be implmented is if the driver is held responsible for the passengers to wear the seat belts. If they dont wear them he doesnt move the bus.

[belg]

and in 3095, they will start to enfore it in cars...

and babyseats, that is for the year 4852

[Benmart]

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

I re-read the article and it stated, "...The regulation will take effect on May 11, and violators are subject to fines of no more than 5,000 baht". It does not say an automatic 5k fine, but fines of no more than 5,000 baht. Possibly fines could be anywhere from 1 Baht to 5,000 Baht?

In addition, I didn't read where the article said that bus companies would not be fined for not providing the seat belts or properly trained drivers. I also did not read any claim where the passengers were deemed at fault for the large number of accidents and deaths in the Thai bus industry.

The article was centered on the mandatory wearing of seat belts for passengers. I try not to assume, quess, speculate or expand on the written article and make claims that can't be supported by it.

[Halion]

Is this a joke ? Please tell me this is a joke.! Has this country completely lost it's marbles.

Passengers to face a 5,000 Baht fine for not wearing a seat belt, when buss companies can run illegally modified buses devoid of maintenance,running on bald tires and driven by maniacs, however, the passengers have to face a 5,000 Baht fine. Stop placing large stupid fines on the effects and start fixing the cause.

The Transport Authority are a bunch of bloody morons. This is their answer to road safety with regard to public transport. Clowns.

[siampolee]

Halion post # 53.

The Transport Authority are a bunch of bloody morons. This is their answer to road safety with regard to public transport. Clowns.

Oooh you are a smooth talking devil. Flattery will get you everywhere.

[Local Drunk]

Toilets too?

[how241]

Better late than never

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

Good improvement. Hope it helps.

[Dannyboy6]

I was on a bus from Korat to Pattaya, and at Chomburi bus station, police got on bus and started yelling at bus driver about seat belts, driver had gone through bus earlier telling people to put on...

[rreddin]

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.

There is a similar law in the UK. Before every journey, National Express coach drivers make an announcement rquiring passengers to wear seat belts. After that, the responsibility passes to the passenger who is liable for any fines.

It took a while for that law to be introduced because many buses and coaches that were then in service had wooden floors. Seat belts could not be fitted to these vehicles. How many buses in Thailand are not structurely capable of having seat belts fitted?

[Loles]

5 0 0 0 Baht ????

and when the street monkey boys almost kill each-other those is 500 Baht.

2 idiot Aussy guys in PKT almost killed 2 Germ. tourists and got 4 month jail with 7300 Baht fine

very nice levels

[rose496900]

Thanks god, finally they have realized this is good for them. Most of Thai people think I am always good, nothing won't happen to me and the belt is just a belt. They should be forced that fasten seat belt should be used in any vehicle and any passenger but I doubt it.

Edited May 7, 2014 by rose496900