Bike helmet laws to be enforced in Koh Samui from March 1st

[samuijimmy]

These helmet checks /roadblocks already happen at least once a month in Samui and have been for the past 15 years. If you know the secret sign,.... an oncoming rider pointing at his head (oh no I've let out the secret) you can turn around and take another route.

Seen three this week on Samui, in Lipa Noi, Nathon and Maenam...if you have a helmet on you just get waved by... simple!

[bark]

They sell helmets at the same price as the battery operated Bug killers. Better to wear baseball cap.

[sawadee1947]

Still think confiscation is a better solution personally

I hear they did it years ago in Vietnam. Big success. I did not see anybody without helmet in Saigon

[notmyself]

It's about time they properly enforced this, and for passengers too...

Same as Malaysia does....

Forcing passengers to don a lid is going to p1ss off lots and lots of ladies on their way to work because they have no doubt spent 2 hours on their hair.

[Jeremy50]

Funny how the sheep are cheering for their own enslavement !

1. Helmets are for PERSONAL safety and as such should be a PERSONAL choice

2. Helmets do NOT make traffic more safe !!!

Samui has no bigger problems I guess ... but that's not so popular like the Helmet-band-waggon BS !!!

Why should everyone waste their lives taking care of you when you are brain damaged through your own stupidity, and absurd stand for personal freedom?

[brain150]

Funny how the sheep are cheering for their own enslavement !

1. Helmets are for PERSONAL safety and as such should be a PERSONAL choice

2. Helmets do NOT make traffic more safe !!!

Samui has no bigger problems I guess ... but that's not so popular like the Helmet-band-waggon BS !!!

Why should everyone waste their lives taking care of you when you are brain damaged through your own stupidity, and absurd stand for personal freedom?

Why would anybody think they have the authority to do so ?

I don't need the nanny state. [you obviously do]

[connda]

Funny how the sheep are cheering for their own enslavement !

1. Helmets are for PERSONAL safety and as such should be a PERSONAL choice

2. Helmets do NOT make traffic more safe !!!

Samui has no bigger problems I guess ... but that's not so popular like the Helmet-band-waggon BS !!!

Why should everyone waste their lives taking care of you when you are brain damaged through your own stupidity, and absurd stand for personal freedom?

Because it's your own f**king choice to do so. I wear a helmet.

[notmyself]

Because it's your own f**king choice to do so. I wear a helmet.

So met this lady quite some years ago who was in state of disarray. We came to an amicable agreement which would likely be back at my place. It just happened to be that she had no transport herself so I offered a lift. I drive (pilot) a saleng and carry a number of things including a spare helmet. She refused to put my spare helmet on so I drove off.

This is serious law we are talking about. I don't drink bleach nor would advise anyone to do so but someone should be free to do so if they wish. I wear a helmet.

[sambum]

Funny how the sheep are cheering for their own enslavement !

1. Helmets are for PERSONAL safety and as such should be a PERSONAL choice

2. Helmets do NOT make traffic more safe !!!

Samui has no bigger problems I guess ... but that's not so popular like the Helmet-band-waggon BS !!!

Yes, helmets required by law are for personal safety and some riders personal choice is not to wear one then complain about having to pay a fine for not doing so. Either you do not care for your own personal safety or you have no respect for the law or maybe both. I chose to wear a helmet for my own protection and that makes it legal for me to ride. Been doing it for over 45 years. I also wear my seatbelt and require my passengers to also. I feel safer and it saves me money if I didn't. That's not BS.

I've never seen a seatbelt on a motor bike! Is this another new rule to be broken?

[ableguy]

Still think confiscation is a better solution personally

Don't think confiscating the helmets will solve anything.

Bimbo, there are no helmets to confiscate, truly witless.

[ableguy]

Funny how the sheep are cheering for their own enslavement !

1. Helmets are for PERSONAL safety and as such should be a PERSONAL choice

2. Helmets do NOT make traffic more safe !!!

Samui has no bigger problems I guess ... but that's not so popular like the Helmet-band-waggon BS !!!

Yes, helmets required by law are for personal safety and some riders personal choice is not to wear one then complain about having to pay a fine for not doing so. Either you do not care for your own personal safety or you have no respect for the law or maybe both. I chose to wear a helmet for my own protection and that makes it legal for me to ride. Been doing it for over 45 years. I also wear my seatbelt and require my passengers to also. I feel safer and it saves me money if I didn't. That's not BS.

I've never seen a seatbelt on a motor bike! Is this another new rule to be broken?

Following this logic should be a personnel choice for any public hospitals or private to refuse treatment to road victims suffering from the lack of use of a helmet in all accidents involving the idiots .

[CarolJadzia]

Many Thai's do not see the point in wearing helmets.

'This life, and death, is only part of an ongoing journey, what will be will be.

A helmet cannot change anything if this is the day you are due to die. '

Enforcement works - where it is enforced.

to really create change you need to change the mindset.

[Jonmarleesco]

And will be forgotten about by, when? The 3rd?

[cnx355]

Just spent 4 days in Ho Chi Minh , VN.

Big surprise: everybody, including children and the cops, wear a helmet on the motorcycle....and it is a city over 9 million people.

________________________

You do not have a helmet,,,you can not ride a motorcycle....park it and go buy a helmet.....better than a fine....

Enforcement is a joke here.....Often, I see police officer on motorcycle getting their child to school and nobody wear a helmet...

Traffic police need to enforce the laws all the time...not only a few large operation with newspaper coverage and then nothing after...

[CarolJadzia]

Just spent 4 days in Ho Chi Minh , VN.

Big surprise: everybody, including children and the cops, wear a helmet on the motorcycle....and it is a city over 9 million people.

________________________

You do not have a helmet,,,you can not ride a motorcycle....park it and go buy a helmet.....better than a fine....

Enforcement is a joke here.....Often, I see police officer on motorcycle getting their child to school and nobody wear a helmet...

Traffic police need to enforce the laws all the time...not only a few large operation with newspaper coverage and then nothing after...

Yes Enforcement will work - where enforced. But that is a problem in itself in Thailand.

It is also still an issue in Vietnam - http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/87/5/08-057109/en/

There is an issue with the belief in reincarnation and spirits. Why wear a helmet when this life is only part of a greater journey?

Far better to earn merit for the next life than worry about safety equipment in this one. After all 'what will be will be - if it's my time to die then nothing can change that!' is a common belief. One that many Police Officers also share.

Now the situation varies where you are in Thailand, if for example you were in the rainforest areas in Surat Thani then police officers get a bit thin on the ground. With the exception of special operations, there are normally no police officers on duty over night. Nobody wears a helmet.

On Koh Samui you will see people carrying a helmet with them for when they go near a check point. Police officers report repeatedly telling people to put helmets on only to see people removing them soon as away from the check point.

The average police officer is not trained as a traffic cop, they are on a low wage and often have to deal with gun crime and physical assaults.

Like what has happened with the impossible task of enforcing a ban on the use of mobile phones while driving in most countries around the world.

How do you enforce a law when the majority of people insist on ignoring it?

Add it the Thai cultural challenges of 'caste', confrontation avoidance and 'Mai pen Rai' and the challenge gets even harder.

I have another big issue with this huge blinkered drive that making people wear helmets as a cure all. I noticed in the huge 'Tesco' megastore on Samui that you can purchase for very little, a range of helmets imported from China. When I buy a helmet in the UK I know it has to be tested to a certain standard. We also have the Sharp Helmet Tests so we can cross reference and make educated choices on what helmet to buy. The UK also requires anyone wishing to start to ride a motorcycle must complete a training course before being allowed to ride on the road. Element A of that Compulsory Basic Training course is the importance of the right equipment and clothing. An Instructor can spend half an hour simply discussing helmets alone.

Yet millions of pounds is pouring into Asia with just a simple 'you must wear a helmet' message that actually does little to address the issues. There are no helmets available for babes either!

<Edit> Think I meant Babies!

Edited February 26, 2016 by CarolJadzia

[setqui]

I know what you mean

[samuijimmy]

For anyone looking for a better quality helmet, on Samui, the Honda Shop in Maenam has them (2000 + -- baht price range ).... also I believe Ohms in Chawang area ....

[notmyself]

For anyone looking for a better quality helmet, on Samui, the Honda Shop in Maenam has them (2000 + -- baht price range ).... also I believe Ohms in Chawang area ....

Actual picture of Jim's lid...

Edited February 27, 2016 by notmyself

[silver sea]

Why does a passenger without a helmet have to pay twice as much as the driver without a helmet?

If you're out and about on your bike and you stop to offer a friend a lift home, it would make economic sense to give them your helmet as well.

What about motorbike taxis? Presumably, they will have a second helmet to give to their 'fare'.

[PoorSucker]

Why does a passenger without a helmet have to pay twice as much as the driver without a helmet?.

Lost in translation.

[Basil B]

Wonder if anything will happen tomorrow?

Or has it already been forgotten???

[CarolJadzia]

Wonder if anything will happen tomorrow?

Directly from a Samui Police officer in answer to your question -

Yup... crackdown is due to start tomorrow... 500 baht fine if the rider has no helmet... 1,000 baht for the passenger... only 2 people on a bike... no kids... and people in sidecars not allowed.

[Neilly]

Wonder if anything will happen tomorrow?

Directly from a Samui Police officer in answer to your question -

Yup... crackdown is due to start tomorrow... 500 baht fine if the rider has no helmet... 1,000 baht for the passenger... only 2 people on a bike... no kids... and people in sidecars not allowed.

It's not having a lot of effect then...I'd hazard a guess at 75% of people still not wearing a helmet (on my ride between Nathon and Namuang yesterday)

[carmine]

Did anyone see one single helmet check on tuesday? Can't say anyone i know did.

meanwhile we can wait for the next crackdown on taxis that don't use their meters.

[CarolJadzia]

Did anyone see one single helmet check on tuesday? Can't say anyone i know did.

meanwhile we can wait for the next crackdown on taxis that don't use their meters.

Interesting. Do you live on Koh Samui?

[carmine]

Did anyone see one single helmet check on tuesday? Can't say anyone i know did.

meanwhile we can wait for the next crackdown on taxis that don't use their meters.

Interesting. Do you live on Koh Samui?

Yes i do. whats so interesting btw?

[Tchooptip]

Yesterday morning in Lamai, usual place, dozens of motorbikes caught, no idea if there was a fine for the pillion too ? To day same same no more wearing a helmet.

[CarolJadzia]

Yesterday morning in Lamai, usual place, dozens of motorbikes caught, no idea if there was a fine for the pillion too ? To day same same no more wearing a helmet.

Fine for the pillion is double the riders fine. 1000 bht

[Tchooptip]

Yesterday morning in Lamai, usual place, dozens of motorbikes caught, no idea if there was a fine for the pillion too ? To day same same no more wearing a helmet.

Fine for the pillion is double the riders fine. 1000 bht

So they did it ? For many Farangs were two people on the bikes. So for 2 on the bike instead of 300 it will be 1500Baht!

Personally I was not stopped for I had my helmet (a real one I brought from Europe ) but I saw the harvest was good.

[Tchooptip]

Yesterday morning in Lamai, usual place, dozens of motorbikes caught, no idea if there was a fine for the pillion too ? To day same same no more wearing a helmet.

Fine for the pillion is double the riders fine. 1000 bht

Sorry double posting

Edited March 5, 2016 by Tchooptip