Officials consider banning kids from motorbikes

[SuwadeeS]

They are fouls. They should check and confiscate all the motorbikes for the kids under 16 years and who do not have a driving licence at all.

Every day I am seeing small kid in the age of around 10 riding a motorbike.

Thailand. Get a live.

[BSJ]

Good luck with that! Around my neck of the woods half the scooters or small bikes don't have tail lights, many don't have mirrors. many have bald tyres, most people if not all people don't wear a helmet, many don't have licenses, kids as young as 7 ride and the police ignore all of it!

[ToddinChonburi]

They must have been really bored today so this topic came up. Just go around the schools and University's and watch the kids run wild with out helmets. This is a joke .

[toybits]

They are alienating themselves from the people they expect to vote for them in the future. They don't need enemies because they are doing own-goals at every week in office.

[prakhonchai nick]

They are alienating themselves from the people they expect to vote for them in the future. They don't need enemies because they are doing own-goals at every week in office.

Wrong.

People will NOT be voting for the junta. Now is the time to introduce all the laws that are needed and strictly enforce them, because they have nothing to lose.

Previous governments were scared to act as they would have lost votes. The junta can do it all for them.

[peptidebomber]

Why is everyone saying this is a joke?

It is the most sensible idea I have heard from this government, yes enforcing helmets would be a start but getting kids off motorbikes has to be the endgame.

All you nuff nuffs saying it's to hard, really? Do you know how many people die on roads in Thailand and how many are bikes with no helmets.

Most of you are to worried about the price of your Chang and what a barfine costs, fixing Thailands road problems should be a number one priority for all Thai citizens and the government.

[rondii]

All the usual arrogant Caucasian responses bred from being brought up in developed relatively rich western nations.

I would applaud raising safety standards such as helmet wearing, safer riding etc. but transport reality in nations such as Thailand, Vietnam, etc. Includes motorcycles and taking children on them.

I ride a motorcycle to work in Bangkok, since where I work and where I live makes public transport a slow process, and a car even slower. I occasionaly take my child (5 years) to school or an event on the motorcycle, they wear a fitting helmet and I ride with great care.

I consider myself a responsible parent and I know that there is a risk. But I won't stop my children, and I have three older adult children, from participating in many activities purely based on some potential risks.

Let the Expat "sit in a bar all day" judges say what they want. Get off your a## and enjoy life

[AlQaholic]

I agree with the majority of posts here about having children on motorbikes is irresponsible and there is a problem with enforcement of any traffic law.

However one must look at the reality in Thailand, The motorbike is nothing less than a transport revolution for the poor in Thailand, they simply do not have a choice. That they are careless about driving and not protecting themselves and the passengers comes down to culture and uncommon sense (absence of common sense).

For the enforcement the police are facing a daunting if not impossible task due to the cheer lack of discipline with the general population, there are simply too many wrongdoers for the police to handle. It is this long culture of "doing whatever I want nobody can stop me" lack of discipline that is the big problem in Thailand. Thai drivers would rather do the completely opposite of what they are being told to do just because this long standing attitude. Enforcing helmets and keeping children of the bikes is simply not possible because everyone does it.

[Varangkul]

The government might investigate the design for a low price (bt40k) and energy efficient 3-cycle motor driven vehicle, perhaps in partnership with Mazda who has achieved such a design. But not affordable to low income families. Such a partnership might result in a proprietary design that would attract customers throughout the world where there are large, low income populations with Thailand as the manufacturing hub. Such a vehicle might be designed for conversion into different configurations depending on immediate family needs: two adults with two children, three adults, etc.

This is called sustainable solutions.

Sounds like a good idea - seriously, what do you mean by 3-cycle motor? Do you mean 3-wheeled? If so, this may prevent the rider from nipping between lanes of cars, or inside on the "hard shoulder", although, of course, they would still try it!

There are already quite a few 3-wheelers around, both sidecar and "tri-shaw" types, probably illegal, used mainly for business, but occasionally as personnel transporters! Not too sure they are any safer!

[NickJ]

How about starting simple....like one kid as a passenger per bike or pay a fine.....and to young caught driving....impound the bike...large fine........plus some ground root classes in school that highlight both road safety and illustrate in graphic detail the road deaths......

[DM07]

Good idea!

Unfortunately, it will be ignored by the people and widely also by law- enforcement!

[MRH1959]

Motorbikes/scooters are designed for 1-2 passengers, so how about starting with limiting the numbers, wearing helmets and enforcing safe speeds when driving through heavy traffic

[luk AJ]

Did you already take a look at the helmets people are wearing? In most cases it is a plastic shell with no protection at all. Never the helmets are strapped. So I have my doubts wearing helmets really contributes to safety. On the contrary a lot of the drivers who use "integrale" helmets manage to wear them higher and try to look under the chin protection. This for sure hinders their view. Many of us have seen numerous fatal motorcycle accidents. I didn't see one that would have saved a life with helmet. If you say A you have to say B and put strict rules on which helmet to wear "certified", how to wear it and how to drive a motorcycle ( follow traffic rules). Banning children under 6 or enforcing to wear a pee pot as a helmet won't change anything.

[prakhonchai nick]

Perhaps the answer is 2 persons maximum on a motorbike - no children under 16, but if you want to take children or more people get a sidecar! That would be far safer, especially as the lunatics could not go as fast!

[Fat Haggis]

Thailand has enough traffic laws, Just not the will to enforce them properly.

here's the first one, education,

know the traffic laws then get a license

Running red lights

driving opposing to traffic

16 years old to get a license, ie; no more 7y/o's riding around .

Police prepared to do their job

Good points but most of the cops don't know the laws either in some places.

This isn't as bad as having 10 people piled into the back of the family pickup and off to grandma and grampa a hundred Kilometres away!!

Enforce the wearing of seatbelts, no children under 5 in the front seats unless in an approved safety chair.

They have to start somewhere but it's a mountain to climb when you see cops with their kids on their bikes with no helmets in either!!

[ignis]

Then you have Mr Policeman that rides his big Police Bike [one with blue flashing lights] used to pick up his one kid from school, now a day both kids at school, no helmets, some evenings and weekend I see him with all 3 kids and wife on the bike, or at the local market.... out of uniform I have noticed he does not wear a helmet so you have 5 people No helmets on a high powered Police bike. maybe a different law for Policemen ?

[Jeremy50]

Well, once upon a time no one wore helmets either. Then they started enforcing the law that the "driver" had to be wearing a helmet (but not the other 1-4 people on his scooter). Then they started cracking down even further and now pretty much everyone is supposed to be wearing a helmet while on a motorcycle.

Of course it's going to be a hard sell in some places:

But the good news is, the BIB are practising and ready for the task:

It's when you see westerners doing this as in the picture above that really sickens me, These people are not fit to be parents. Their children lost the lottery of life by ending up with a couple of bozos like this. As for the Thais, they seem either to know no better, or just don't care. Some even do it at considerable speed. Out cycling the other day a family on a motorbike including a baby came past me doing 100k+, and cranking it over on mountain bends. A vision of pure insanity and malevolence.

[kaorop]

If they were serious, they could start to enforce the helmet laws for everyone on a motorcycle. It can be done other Asian countries have succeeded with this goal. It just takes the will to make it happen. If there is one thing the junta could do that would genuinely improve Thai society this is it. (It would save the government a lot of money in the health budget too.)

Exactly,

I'm guessing many could be saved by wearing a proper fitting good standard helmet,

Slap, slap, slap wake up, what was i thinking?

[96tehtarp]

A complete ban isn`t a good idea IMHO. Even in germany a child of as little as 5 or 6 can be a passenger on a motorbike with appropriate child seat (of course only ONE per vehicle and with helmet). If children aren't allowed to be passengers on a motorbike, what comes next? Ban them from riding their own little bikes to elementary school? They must have the right to be outside traffic participants! Otherwise everything will even more focus on cars, cars, cars. There are really enough of them in thailand!

Agreed. The officials can consider this ban all they want, however it is totally impractical.

A common problem with small light weight children riding pillion on motorcycles (sitting behind the driver), is potholes. The driver hits a pothole, the child bounces off and falls onto the road and is run over by traffic behind. This happens frequently in my area. Enlightened Thai people use toddler motorcycle seats between driver and handle bars. I always make my boys sit up front when going to the local market etc. that way if they bounce, the'll bounce onto me.

[ignis]

At least the Kids got a helmet..

[Bellacissa]

My 13 year old son rides behind me . He wears a US Department of Transportation approved helmet that we bought in the states. He's also 6' 1" and outweighs me. In addition, I have a motorcycle endorsement on my license, so I'm a trained, fully legal driver.

But, if he was younger than 10, we would not have gone the motorbike route. He's old enough now to know how to be a responsible passenger. I still won't let him drive solo until he's old enough to get a proper license.

I do feel for the Thais that don't have a choice about their kids being on the bike. I live on the dark side of Pattaya, and the public transport options (outside of motorbike taxis) are non-existent. Helmets should definitely be required for the kids, though.

[thaiguzzi]

and what will poor people do?

ignore it?

Get a job? instead of riding around with kids

Another typical rude, useless TV comment.

[northernphil]

How will the mother get her new born back from hospital , in the basket under the headlight , certainly no other way.

[Sonhia]

Its about time! If it happens? Why not go the full nine yards by amend as well as implementing laws that are frequently broken or over-looked by so many road users.

[thaiguzzi]

This is SE Asia. It is still developing, and many things are behind the West. This is not western Europe or the USA. But that does not give anybody on here the right to be rude, scornful and condescending regarding the local populace and their means of transport. It is what it is, accidents do happen, but if mum and dad and 3 kids need to get to the market, on their only transport, a 100cc motorbike, then that's the way they are going to travel. The small moped revolutionised transport and travel in Asia, 2 or 3 generations ago, and is still needed today. Pity we in the West don't open our eyes more often to stuff that is simpler, cheaper and easier.

[Benmart]

and what will poor people do?

ignore it?

I don't have any answer, but I do know that road accidents, injury and death do not discriminate against age.

[Baerboxer]

and what will poor people do?

ignore it?

Get a job? instead of riding around with kids

So or the poor people who can't afford a car will do what to get their kids to school?

These people can't afford the private schools, or school bus fees and rely and the low cost temple schools or government schools.

I commented many times on the lack of safety with mum or pop riding a motor bike with one or more young kids - all without helmets. My misses pointed out that perhaps they have very little option.

[Tomtomtom69]

If they were serious, they could start to enforce the helmet laws for everyone on a motorcycle. It can be done other Asian countries have succeeded with this goal. It just takes the will to make it happen. If there is one thing the junta could do that would genuinely improve Thai society this is it. (It would save the government a lot of money in the health budget too.)

As you say, other Asian countries have managed to enforce traffic laws fairly well. Vietnam is one such example. Only 2 people allowed on motorbikes/scooters and everyone must wear a helmet. Fines for non-compliance are high and most locals seem to be afraid of the police, even though we foreigners generally laugh them off as they usually let us go or don't stop us in the first place (I'm speaking from 1st hand experience when I was living in Vietnam as well as on numerous trips over there as a traveller).

Vietnam has also started enforcing the need for a Vietnamese rider's licence (or since the beginning of the year apparently international driver's permit valid for motorcycles are also valid) for foreigners riding motorcycles whereas in the past it was similarly not enforced like in Thailand.

I have no idea why it's so hard to enforce the same rules in Thailand. Thailand is after all a richer country than Vietnam. Normally the richer a country is, the better the rules on traffic enforcement and the lower the accident rate?!

Yet one sees more strange things on the road in Thailand than in Vietnam! For example, you will never, ever see locals travelling at the back of pickup trucks in Vietnam. I've asked my Vietnamese friends about this, and they think it's weird. Why would anyone expose themselves to the elements and sit with no comfort when it's quite dangerous to be all out there and exposed to the sun and possibly rain. Yet thousands of Thais sit in the back of pickups daily, not thinking anything about it. The Vietnamese think sitting at the back of pickups is for animals, not people.

Another example: tons and tons of accidents and nothing ever changes in Thailand. Doesn't matter if it's locals or tourists crashing, officials would never ban tourists from renting bikes nor would authorities tighten up the criteria for driving one either. No licence? No problem! It's Thailand!

Some other examples of how other neighboring countries deal with problems when things go wrong on the road:

Back in 2006 there was a motorcycle tour conducted by a Thai motorcycle tour agency in Laos. Although the owner of the company was an American, the Thai employees didn't insure their vehicles, stealing the insurance money instead and when one pickup driven by one of the Thai fixers drove on the wrong side of the road and crashed into an oncoming vehicle, one occupant of the oncoming vehicle, a Lao registered pickup with government officials inside, died.

The Thai driver was arrested and jailed while the rest of the team fled the country. The American left for the States via Thailand. Eventually the driver got out of jail after some assistance (apparently from the American and other Thais), but I think there was a lot of culpability and a lack of responsibility all around.

In what sounds like a separate incident but maybe it was actually the same one because the details are a bit vague, another 2 Thai motorcycles entered the country without insurance, fled and then drove across the country before exiting at another checkpoint.

The end result was that the Lao authorities tightened up rules regarding running motorcycle tours in the country (particularly if the motorcycles were Thai-registered) and it took years before things returned to relatively normal in the last 1-2 years. Some border checkpoints banned the entry of motorcycles altogether, although the Thai side often didn't know the rules but when pressed they did say they hadn't seen anyone attempting to bring a motorcycle across for a while.

In Cambodia, the authorities banned the rental of motorcycle to tourists in Siem Reap and Sihanoukville after a spate of accidents. Some of these bans may have since been scaled back (especially in Sihanoukville) but it's possible the ban in Siem Reap may still be in place.

Myanmar is quite nervous about what outsiders think about the country and therefore one accident on a motorbike and all bets are off regarding foreigners being allowed to rent bikes again in a particular area.

Wow, imagine Thailand doing any of those things. Will never happen I'd say, and same thing with banning kids from riding on the back of motorcycles. Will never be enforced.

Edited March 12, 2015 by Tomtomtom69

[Strangebrew]

I think they should start at limiting number of people on a motorbike at any one time. Especially the police. Or at least make them test to get permit to ride a scooter. Now will see motor bikes pulling carts packed with knuckleheads.

Edited March 12, 2015 by Strangebrew

[Just1Voice]

Some years back, Vietnam faced the same problem, but unlike Thailand, they decided to actually do something about it. They passed a strict helmet law, and gave it some teeth. Get caught riding without a helmet, the bike is immediately confiscated for a week, and you are heavily fined. You get your bike back a week later after you have paid the fine, and show a helmet. In less than a year, they went from about 10% compliance to nearly 100% compliance.

Of course, the major difference there is that have a REAL police force that knows and enforces the law, as compared to Thailand's Clowns in Brown.