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

[freedom4life]

I'll wear it if I choose to and because I have to....try to fine me and you'll see how far you get with that.

[TheWizardofRnR]

5555, three times

-*I typed this myself*-

LMAO ,happened to me too...I mean Me three !

[hughben]

What is the law with Taxis? Every time I get into the back seats almost every cab has seat belts that can't be used. I can't stand that.

Anyone ever experienced bus drivers racing each other in Bangkok and they weren't having a laugh.

I have. And it was one of the most inane things I have ever experienced.

[Greg Nixon]

Does this mean that passengers in the box of pick-ups must fasten their seat belts ? Even in North America passengers in buses are not required to fasten their seat belts. Impossible to enforce. Why put this law into effect when the rest of the world ( except third world countries) does not allow passengers in the back of pick-ups. That would be easy to enforce and impose a fine of 5000 baht. That would solve the problem of priority given to Thai labor.

[moe666]

of all the whiners here how many even ride the bus. Do not ride the bus end of problem

[socksy01]

Same,same promises/threat. 'Lauren Bacall' will change.

[Eliot Rosewater]

What is the law with Taxis? Every time I get into the back seats almost every cab has seat belts that can't be used. I can't stand that.

Anyone ever experienced bus drivers racing each other in Bangkok and they weren't having a laugh.

I have. And it was one of the most inane things I have ever experienced.

Since there hasn't been a ton of deaths due to taxi crashes; there is no problem and taxi drivers don't need to make seat belts available to passengers (at least I'm pretty sure that's how the authorities see it)

[Yann55]

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.

'400 kg of lard flying my way.... hihihih, I love that one too !' Thanks for the morning laugh geriatrickdick (oops! sorry couldn't help myself there)

[boomerangutang]

I can see it now. First a pre-recorded message in Thai to buckle up. A bit later, the bus driver will turn his yellow blood-shot eyes on the passengers. A few will be told in hushed tones to buckle up. The the farang. Oboy, a plum target. Hey farang, come with me to see police. You pay 5,000 baht each, or you go to jail!

Like when I, a farang, parked my car by a sign with a big white P on a baby blue background. I got fined. I tried to ask if that sign meant it was Ok to park. Not one of the 65 police in the station could speak any English at all. Of course, the sign indicates it is Ok to park there, but I was farang, and farang always have a lot of baht and are quick to spend it, so I got nabbed. Every time I roll by that sign, I see Thais parked there, and none are getting ticketed.

[beowolf2012]

then i hope they install bigger seat belts for people there are big. In thai bumbui - urn ???

Edited May 8, 2014 by beowolf2012

[wilcopops]

Good idea or just another nabob trying to look like he's doing his job?

To me it looks like the latter.

Wearing of seat belts if carried out, will reduce injuries, especially in minor incidents where the vehicle has come to a sudden halt.

However seat belts are only as good as their anchorage and fitting.

Firstly if they are fitted in the wrong position, they can cause unecessary harm to the person they are meant to protect, e.g. children or shorter people.

Secondly, it's all very well being strapped in in the event of an accident, but as the overall structure of many tour buses is substandard, you may just be stapped into a chair as all around you disintegrates into matchsticks.

The third point is enforcement which we all know will be piecemeal, inconsistent and erratic.

So overall this is clearly a dictum from a government officer who in most countries be would regarded as unable to do his job and removed from the position.

[wilcopops]

"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%

This shows a complete lack of understanding about what causes an accident and what happens during and after the incident occurring. Those "in charge" of road safety in Thailand show a similar breathtaking ignorance of the underlying problems relating to road safety in the kingdom, their ideas continue to have a direct and negative impact on the safety of the roads here.

Putting up sound bite solutions based on unscientific assumptions will do nothing to improve the situation.

[watso63]

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.

Or you apply a bit of logic. Ooh a policeman's stopping the bus. Think I'd better clunk click. 5,000THB saved.

Will tourists ignorant of the law (which is no defence) that sit on a bus without seat belts all get stung? 50x5000=250,000THB...kerching Black Label in their tea this month 555

[leggo]

As we all know seat belts save lives and as we all know the accident rate in Thailand is caused by bad driving. However as a frequent bus passenger( no other choice and God how I hate them ) I thought I would do a quick inspection around Rayong to see if I could spot the thousands of new seat belts that I was sure would have been recently installed! Imagine my surprise and amazement- oh I can't keep you all in suspense:D any longer.........!

Sent from my i-mobile IQ 2 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Edited May 13, 2014 by leggo

[gk10002000]

Seat belts eh? I recal several of the buses I rode did not have seatbelts. Notably the ones from BKK to Pattaya and back

[wilcopops]

As we all know seat belts save lives and as we all know the accident rate in Thailand is caused by bad driving. However as a frequent bus passenger( no other choice and God how I hate them ) I thought I would do a quick inspection around Rayong to see if I could spot the thousands of new seat belts that I was sure would have been recently installed! Imagine my surprise and amazement- oh I can't keep you all in suspense:D any longer.........!

Sent from my i-mobile IQ 2 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

"we all know the accident rate in Thailand is caused by bad driving." - if only life was that simple!

[brit1984]

Seat belts eh? I recal several of the buses I rode did not have seatbelts. Notably the ones from BKK to Pattaya and back

you better take your seatbelt with you next time you ride the bus

[wilcopops]

As said on another thread there seems to be a plethora of these ill thought out dictums....one can only assume that with a caretaker government in place the loonies think they can get away with it....while the cats away .....

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

The wife and I took a long weekend away from BKK to Pattaya just now, and traveled roundtrip via Bell Travel's buses between Suvarnabhumi and Pattaya.

Not only did the buses each way have working seatbelts built into each seat (the waist and shoulder combo kind), but prior to departing, the bus staff went down the aisle telling everyone to fasten up, and making sure everyone did.

Refreshing to see it. Only wish the other bus operators, including the government ones, would do the same.