9 y/o girl drives herself to school

[nickmanchester2]

the parent will have to pay up and suffer consequences if she has an accident which is the same way they do it if they are too young to drive a motorbike.

[jacky54]

Sums up much that is wrong with people here- irresponsible, selfish, thoughtless regarding others safety and laughing at the law. oh it'd ok is as she has not had an accident yet, so when she does it will be all wrong? Coming home last night along a quiet well lit stretch of straight road with no side roads- another idiot bike rider stretched out on the road getting emergency medical aid. Another one died in about the same place a few months ago, no helmet of course, guess he thought never having had an accident he did not need one.

[Laughing Gravy]

It is bad enough seeing them driving a m/c never mind a car. Certainly not aware enough of her surroundings and the dangers.

Although i do not agree with 9 year olds driving cars on the road, I must disagree with your statement saying that she is not aware of her surroundings and the dangers, i used to race go karts and let me tell you ive seen 9 year old kids absolutely hammer some adults on the track, when kids are this age they do not have a sense of fear, until something bad happens that is.

Dont forget where the likes of Lewis Hamilton, Michael Scumacher and Ayrton Senna came from they were kids when they began there craft, she looks like she obviously has a talent, father should channel it instead of putting her and other peoples lives at risk.

I would disagree with you. Totally irresponsible as those who support it. Aligning this to the likes or Lewis Hamilton and Micháel Schumacher is 'Chalk and Cheese'. Especially a sthey had specialised training at that age. it looks like pap has said go a head put into drive and go.This girl is a danger to herself and everyone else around her (something that a 9 year old up to 90 year olds do not understand on the roads having no or little consideration for other drivers). No signalling, no road awareness, driving speed, braking distance are just a few points that this girl needs to learn. The girl can't be blamed. The parents can and ought to be ashamed, as anyone else who believes this is OK. it isn't funny or smart. If any parent whether Western or Thai did this to their child I would be

[HeijoshinCool]

Drives a damn side better than any of my four brother-in-laws.

[Beetlejuice]

These people are not taught responsibility. It's not in their genes. This guy should go to jail for child endangerment. Not to mention the welfare of the motoring public. Insane!

That`s rather a racist and Thai bashing comment, don`t you think?

Typical racist who considers all other races as having certain traits. Are you actually saying that there are no responsible Thais? I suppose you regard yourself due to your race as being a model of responsibility and common sense. Well, judging by your post, you`re not, trust me on this one.

[BritManToo]

I don't see a problem.

Foreigner doesn't like it, go home!

[dom samui]

I don't see a problem.

Foreigner doesn't like it, go home!

Hope she forget to brake in front of you

[A1Str8]

Don't expect too much from dumb people.

[i claudius]

Without wanting to appear racist don't forget I am married to a Thai, if the average Thai drivers brains were made of gunpowder they wouldn't be able to blow their hat off

[kannot]

For the father to allow this child to drive on a public road on her own is reprehensible, for all the reasons posters have given. However here in rural areas the problem of getting kids to school and back is ongoing. The alternatives are, public transport, school bus transport, motor cycle, bicycle or walking. Lets take these choices one at a time.

Public transport, buses and trains are practically non existent in many areas, but where they do exist they are used. Try getting a seat on a bus just before or after school.

School bus transport. Used widely especially in rural areas. Often grossly overcrowded with passengers on roofs or hanging off the sides. Often uninsured, unlicensed drivers, unroadworthy vehicles, careless and reckless driving a nightmare at times.

Motor cycle. Probably the most popular form of transport for getting to school. Often two, sometimes three up. Many schoolkids I see driving these small bikes are surprisingly competent, although some, especially the boys, tend to drive too fast. Why do not the BIB enforce the helmet laws, not only for the riders but passengers as well?

Bicycle, ideal transport to and from school, but cyclists do have to run the gauntlet of Thai road traffic.

Walking -huh! Just try and get the average Thai to walk anywhere. In many cases the distance from home to school precludes going on foot.

What's the answer? Sure if you have a vehicle and the time you could take them to school, but if not you are reliant on one of the above. To improve the above there needs to be greater police activity, clampdowns etc etc and we all know that isn't going to happen.

dont go to school probably learn more

[harrry]

50 years ago in Australia most country kids were behind the wheel at that age and handling vehicles fairly competently. From what I hear it was much the same in the US. Difference is she drove real slow compared to the Aussie kids.

Times change and what is considered right changes too.

Peopel like to make out here is 50 years behind the times. Well let it be.

[jacky54]

I never knew 9 year olds used to drive on the roads in the USA and OZ 50 years ago, any evidence?

[greensun]

Shouldn't this 9 year old performance behind the steering wheel be a hint for the not so great drivers out there, that driving a car is a child's play.

If I recall it correctly, 90% of drivers think that their driving skills are above the average. In reality it does not really take too much thought to drive a car.

[evadgib]

The other day I watched as a ambulance screeched to a halt at my local A & E & out jumped a mother & 2 month old baby from the passenger seat. The casualties (walking wounded) were in the back. NO ONE wore a seat belt-not even the driver who had just blued and twoed his way there at speed and on the wrong side of the road. I suspect mother & child were the drivers family along for the ride.

Safety? The mind boggles!

Edited December 4, 2014 by evadgib

[Satcommlee]

She won't be drunk or on Yabbaa, so she is probably in the top 50% of Thailands best drivers already!

[seajae]

50 years ago in Australia most country kids were behind the wheel at that age and handling vehicles fairly competently. From what I hear it was much the same in the US. Difference is she drove real slow compared to the Aussie kids.

Times change and what is considered right changes too.

Peopel like to make out here is 50 years behind the times. Well let it be.

you will find that aussie kids in the sticks drove on dirt roads usually within/around their properties and not main city roads like this and they certainly didnt drive in traffic. They were also usually teenagers, had a lot of relatives in the country and saw it often but they did not drive new cars , they were old sh*t heaps used for carting hay etc that werent capable of going fast let alone safe to drive on the open roads. I have never seen/heard of anyone in Australia this young driving on an open road let alone in a new car and I was around 50 years ago too. This is simply parents that have no idea of responsibility and what it entails, put simply, they dont have a brain in their head

[wprime]

What does the average Thai driver know that a 9 year old doesn't know?

[richard_smith237]

These people are not taught responsibility. It's not in their genes. This guy should go to jail for child endangerment. Not to mention the welfare of the motoring public. Insane!

That`s rather a racist and Thai bashing comment, don`t you think?

Typical racist who considers all other races as having certain traits. Are you actually saying that there are no responsible Thais? I suppose you regard yourself due to your race as being a model of responsibility and common sense. Well, judging by your post, you`re not, trust me on this one.

Without the racism: There is a readily apparent and observable lack of consequence in Thailand. It can be widely observed from open cooking with boiling oil on footpaths, motorbikes driving down footpaths to School kids getting locked in school minivans and over heating... The widely evident dangers clearly lead to a conclusion that amongst many people in Thailand there is a lack of concept of consequence.... Its not racist to state that - its simply an observation.

While many of our friends, colleagues and relatives in Thailand do display behaviour to the contrary its difficult to escape the fact that this ignorance of the obvious dangers is widespread and stems from a lack of responsibility - something which many feel needs greater attention especially from parents.

In many other nations this lack of concept of consequence is countered with more stringent enforcement measures. The void in enforcement combined with a lack of social responsibility permits society to behave which such carelessness.

Some might call it a carefree attitude, regardless, this carelessness is why many of us enjoy living here, its more relaxed - but its also a double edged sword when safety is concerned - a 9 year old driving a car is just one example of the many silly, daft, dangerous and careless things which may be observed in Thailand on a daily basis.

[Datebayo]

Damn, there are some sick and twisted confessions on this topic. Speaks volume about the mindsets of some farangs here.

As for the, if we can call it, father's responsibility. I read the police are trying to locate the fine man? That's really laughable and not gonna happen. This kind of shit happens all the time in Thailand, nobody gives a flying monkey's ass about it. Sad, but it's the reality in 2nd/3rd world countries. This shit has been going on for decades, just not been recorded on film or at least not big news, but today's world has changed with the ''selfies, social media, mobile'' era. Shit that has been under the rock or never should see the day light are now easily exposed due to the modern day communications technologies and social media.

Edited December 4, 2014 by Datebayo

[MJP]

A post using a link to the Bangkok Post has been removed. We can't link the Bangkok Post on this forum. Sorry about that.

[evadgib]

I don't see a problem.

Foreigner doesn't like it, go home!

What if she hits you or your loved ones?

[Datebayo]

I don't see a problem.

Foreigner doesn't like it, go home!

What if she hits you or your loved ones?

I guess, still no problem. Foreigner (The farang) wouldn't like that, so he goes home.

[NE1]

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.

[i claudius]

50 years ago in Australia most country kids were behind the wheel at that age and handling vehicles fairly competently. From what I hear it was much the same in the US. Difference is she drove real slow compared to the Aussie kids.

Times change and what is considered right changes too.

Peopel like to make out here is 50 years behind the times. Well let it be.

its one thing driving on a farm in the outback and on the main roads ,when i was 9 or 10 i drove my dads car ,on waste land ,i never saw a kid on the road ,the police would have arrested the father.

[culicine]

According to another story I read, some people were on the facebook page saying "why should she be forced to stop driving? She hasn't had any accidents." You couldn't make this up if you tried.

Because Thai love to break the law. That's what they DO....plus no law enforcement. I guess I won't very understand stupidity Thainess. Maybe a 20000 baht fine would hit the spot...or not. There should be a rule that any unlicensed driver pays ALL costs in an accident.

[kwonitoy]

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

50 years ago in Australia most country kids were behind the wheel at that age and handling vehicles fairly competently. From what I hear it was much the same in the US. Difference is she drove real slow compared to the Aussie kids.

Times change and what is considered right changes too.

Peopel like to make out here is 50 years behind the times. Well let it be.

you will find that aussie kids in the sticks drove on dirt roads usually within/around their properties and not main city roads like this and they certainly didnt drive in traffic. They were also usually teenagers, had a lot of relatives in the country and saw it often but they did not drive new cars , they were old sh*t heaps used for carting hay etc that werent capable of going fast let alone safe to drive on the open roads. I have never seen/heard of anyone in Australia this young driving on an open road let alone in a new car and I was around 50 years ago too. This is simply parents that have no idea of responsibility and what it entails, put simply, they dont have a brain in their head

48 years ago on the Canadian farm I grew up on, I was driving tractors and a 3 ton farm truck at 10 years of age. Different place, time and culture, even compared to nowadays.

Started in the fields hauling grain at harvest time, back to the storage bins. Also drove from the field 3 miles on public dirt roads to the local elevator with full loads.

The elevator manager used to laugh because it looked like nobody was driving as I came up the ramp to the scales, he also said I was a better driver then most of the old farmers.

The difference is that my father taught me properly how to drive and didn't let me loose until I passed his standards, (former class 1 semi driver)

It was also only done at harvest time, all the boys had to help out.

To let a child drive here in public with Thai traffic, wrong wrong wrong

[evadgib]

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.

Lets hope they apply same to parents that allow kids to ride bikes on Samui.

Edited December 5, 2014 by evadgib

[jacko45k]

She should take some of her younger friends with her so that they don't put themselves at risk on their motorbikes.

[Tchooptip]

I don't see a problem.

Foreigner doesn't like it, go home!

Hope she forget to brake in front of you

You dislike humour to such a point

Edited December 5, 2014 by Tchooptip

[Jim walker]

And to think she only need two or three large whiskies to get up some Dutch courage to do the driving so sweet its normal for Thai driving lessons always start how you mean to continue Thai way always the best way especially regarding driving world renound for high standards.