9 y/o girl drives herself to school

[Neeranam]

Shes a lot safer than the mini van drivers ! I will never go in one of them again !

Oh ye of little faith.

[thundercatbob]

I am trying to be outraged, however I'm suffering a huge conflict of morals as this is one of the most careful, Conscientious drivers I have ever seen in Thailand.

Edited December 6, 2014 by thundercatbob

[nithisa78]

The father of a nine-year-old girl video-taped driving a car to school in Surat Thani province was fined for a traffic violation on Thursday and is facing another, more serious charge, police said.

The father faces another more serious charge of violating the Child Protection Act as he allowed a child to engage in inappropriate and risky behaviour.

Seriously??? There IS a child protection act in Thailand!

Yes. I'll bet we could cover the head of a pin with what you don't know. With what doesn't want to know you. .... . could cover a desert.

[jacky54]

ce.

There are stories of kids at 6 years old driving themselves to school on farms in America - at least in the past. It happened.

It's probably not a good idea, though.

Really ? I just don't believe these claims, how can a s 6 year old even reach the brake and accelerator pedals?

[mrjohndub]

Those of you rationalizing, defending or excusing this insanity are beyond help. <deleted>, what about the safety of the child herself?

[mrjohndub]

I began driving at 6.

Shortly after, it was tractors and trucks helping Dad.

Some of that driving was on public roads.

Also, no-one beat me on a racetrack, even 3 months ago.

Was my Dad irresponsible? No.

That's the way it was in the 70's.

I bet that girl is quite an astute driver. More alert and perhaps more conservative than other road users.

I agree but this topic is a great way fr those foreigners who are unhappy with themselves not integrating into Thai society so lash out at anything that is different to their culture.

Thailand is a developing country, 30-50 years behind our countries. Just because we sussed things out doesn't mean the rest of the world has to follow immediately.

50 years ago my father used to drink and drive, and many others did - no seatbelts. In the USA they still had slavery. Black people were segregated, couldn't vote etc.

Thai people want freedom - that's what Thailand means. I love freedom - today, I went down the wrong side of a main road for 500m to avoid a queue and no one gave a sh1t.

I'm going out on my motorbike this afternoon with my 2 daughters fishing. I'm not going to make them wear helmets.

The West has gone crazy - I was stopped by a policeman in Melbourne last year for not wearing a helmet ! - I was on a bloody cycle lane along the beach. I was fined for parking on a quiet road because I was facing the wrong direction - bullsh1t. Give me lawlessness any day.

Some here go on about Thais having no morals/values - rubbish, they have a lot more than USA for example. They have real faith in karma, "sing suk sid", afterlife. How many american claim to believe in God but are taking prozac and scared to leave their houses.

This is why TV needs a 'Drunk Aussie Nutter Forum'.

[RikDao]

Not interested to read more than the first few replies to OP, not into all the righteous indignation. Watched the video, though, and think it's beyond hilarious! She seems to be doing fine behind the wheel, Lol. Let her keep driving. Less dangerous for her than riding a scooter. And she seems to know what's happening. My grandma taught me to drive on the farm when I was ten, and I did pretty well, too.

What bothers me to see is an adult on a scooter flying along with a kid in front of him, on his lap or wherever; now THAT'S bloody dangerous!

[Laughing Gravy]

I don't see a problem.

Foreigner doesn't like it, go home!

It is comments like this that really annoy me. Why should anyone 'go home if they don't like it'? It is someone opinion. Not everything in the world has to be agreeable just to live somewhere. If you are being sarcastic fine, I can understand that. If you mean it then you should be ashamed. What the girl was doing was wrong. ask some Thai, I know I have. they all say it is irresponsible. Not cute, not clever and endangering peoples lives. it send the wrong message out to people.

It also the same with saying some people are racist (admittedly you have not) but anytime someone disagrees with something, or someone's culture they use the racist card. It is a poor excuse in my opinion and people should stop doing it as it belittles the people saying it.

[tartempion]

Crazy...all the kids in the village are running about on bikes at nine. My daughters 12 and desperate to drive but I wont allow it.

Why not ..I got a motorbike when I was young. So did my mates

Got the scars to prove it too.

No big deal...just part of growing up. I reckon it made me a better driver too later in life.

Nobody died....don't let them off the village roads though

You'd rather them at home playing Grand Theft Auto 5/6/7? or god forbid get Line or watch TV?

Sure hero, I have (had) two friends (in farangland) die on their motorbikes on village roads.

And here in the villages each family knows someone who died in a motorbike crash.

Edited December 9, 2014 by tartempion