A pickup can carry no more than six passengers on its back: Government spokesman

[Ratcher]

Not all Bangkok taxicabs have seat belts in the back. When travelling I often have a big case that won't fit in the boot because of the gas tank. The case has to go on the front passenger seat. The bigger taxivans are not always available.

[toofarnorth]

Its just as well this law wasn't implemented on 1st April or we would of thought it a joke , up here in woop woop many do.

[Blue bruce]

I wonder how the government decided on the number 6 ? ? ? 

[elgordo38]

18 hours ago, AGareth2 said:

instead of buying subs why not recall all pickups and fit the safety measures as a govt scheme

I am sure the military boys will not part with their toys. The leaders all come from a none sharing background the military. 

[NoshowJones]

2 hours ago, catman20 said:

ok i dont agree on a safety issue with people in the back of pick ups but this is Thailand and its their country and their people. many thais are poor and can barley afford to make ends meet, you have the worker taking his workers to work how will they get to work if there only being paid 3/400 baht a day it could cost almost that to get to there job and back. this is Thailand and we all came here and enjoyed the relaxed rules for years i say if they Thai people want and need to carry people in their pick ups let them do so. the Thai government should listen to what the Thai people want for a change let them carry on.  i think it will only cause Thailand more problems if this law is enforced. 

I would not worry about it, like all the other rules like underage riders, riding on the pavements etc, etc, etc,etc, they won't be enforced.

[elgordo38]

11 minutes ago, Blue bruce said:

I wonder how the government decided on the number 6 ? ? ? 

I think their brain drew a mental diagram of 3 rows of seats 2 seats in each row. Then there is different sizes of pickup boxes which throws my theory out the the window. 

[elgordo38]

Just now, possum1931 said:

I would not worry about it, like all the other rules like underage riders, riding on the pavements etc, etc, etc,etc, they won't be enforced.

Pleeeeaaassse I am running out of Tylenol. 

[elgordo38]

14 minutes ago, Blue bruce said:

I wonder how the government decided on the number 6 ? ? ? 

They consulted a priest a minister and a rabbi? Oopps sorry that another joke. 

[NoshowJones]

1 hour ago, dinsdale said:

It's been illegal for many, many years. Just not enforced. Every now and again there would be a crackdown. Sitting in the back is a way of life here. Unfortunately, many drivers of these pickups drive like maniacs with or without people sitting in the back. What's really needed is to change this idiotic behaviour/mentality of Thai drivers. 

Your last sentence, of course it is, but this is Thailand, a third world, sorry, a backward country where Thai drivers and riders are concerned.

[Bangkok Barry]

1 hour ago, ratcatcher said:

This happy couple sitting in the back of this truck with their small child, will suffer massive head injuries and/or death if and when the driver brakes hard. They will be thrown forward against the back of the cab or worse still, they will be ejected over the top of the cab if there is enough speed involved. At least they should be sitting with backs to the cab to have some chance. Most drivers of pickups loaded with human cargo fail to drive with the safety of their cargo in mind.

That's nothing. I took this photo of school kids being transported after school. Totally brain dead school administrators, totally brain dead driver, totally brain dead parents for allowing it, totally brain dead kids who haven't got a clue about the danger they are in. But why should we care. It's their country and if they don't care why should I? Just let them kill themselves.

[hobobo]

18 hours ago, whatawonderfulday said:

So that means the government accepts that up to 6 people dead when thrown from a pick up is socially acceptable in Thailand ?

The government accepts that 6 is OK, for any number killed on top of the 6, they'll say "som nam na"

[Muggi1968]

Do anybody have a link to an official  full description

of this new law?

I read so many conflicting descriptions....

 

[TKDfella]

All are Thai pictures...ouch!

[FitnessHealthTravel]

How hilarious is this statement "Government has agreed to ease the seat belt regulation during the Songkran festival" - The logic in this Country never gets old. Worst time of the year to be on the roads, of course it makes perfect to 'ease the safety laws'

[Bangkok Barry]

10 minutes ago, Muggi1968 said:

Do anybody have a link to an official  full description

of this new law?

I read so many conflicting descriptions....

 

The law was actually passed in 1978 or 9, but the police have been too distracted to ever enforce it. You know, like every road rule.

[Moti24]

"Passengers can sit in the cab of a pickup truck and no more than six passengers can ride on the back of the same vehicle as the government has agreed to ease the seat belt regulation during the Songkran festival in order not to cause too much trouble to the public who are not ready to adjust to the new measure."

 

"As for private cars, the spokesman said police would strictly enforce the seat belt regulation requiring the driver and all passengers to fasten seat belts. However, during the initial stage, he said police might give a warning if any of the passengers were found to not fasten a seat belt."

 

I assume that the 2nd paragraph above will be applicable during Songkran, or is it just crap reporting, as usual!  If the "initial stage" refers to Songkran, I don't hold out much hope for a warning to be given; all farangs are rich, aren't we!

 

So, let me get this right - If I'm stopped at a road block, and one of my rear seat passengers isn't wearing a seat belt (hypothetical statement), and in the lane next to me, there is a pick-up with 6 people in the back, the pick-up gets waived-on, and I get to pay into the tea swindle.  If that happens, it will be the closest I'd come to loosing it, big time; I'm not sure my self control would be up-to-it under those circumstances.

[Time Traveller]

20 hours ago, whatawonderfulday said:

So that means the government accepts that up to 6 people dead when thrown from a pick up is socially acceptable in Thailand ?

Maybe they think that is a fair trade  off compared to having 3 times as many cars trucks and motorcycles on the road and the associated environmental health and economic consequences of that.

[TEFLKrabi]

3 hours ago, dinsdale said:

It's been illegal for many, many years. Just not enforced. Every now and again there would be a crackdown. Sitting in the back is a way of life here. Unfortunately, many drivers of these pickups drive like maniacs with or without people sitting in the back. What's really needed is to change this idiotic behaviour/mentality of Thai drivers. 

Thank you. Target the crazy drivers first. If people drive safely, we're far less likely to have so many accidents.

[MikeN]

5 hours ago, catman20 said:

ok i dont agree on a safety issue with people in the back of pick ups but this is Thailand and its their country and their people. many thais are poor and can barley afford to make ends meet, you have the worker taking his workers to work how will they get to work if there only being paid 3/400 baht a day it could cost almost that to get to there job and back. this is Thailand and we all came here and enjoyed the relaxed rules for years i say if they Thai people want and need to carry people in their pick ups let them do so. the Thai government should listen to what the Thai people want for a change let them carry on.  i think it will only cause Thailand more problems if this law is enforced. 

Perhaps they should buy a songtaew with seats and canopy ? Would be able to carry cargo and their workers. Perhaps restrict their speed limit to 70 or 80 kph, after all they are mainly just local transport. And perhaps even fitting a lap belt would be better than nothing.....

And no, I do not expect to see either happening in the near future !

Edited April 7, 2017 by MikeN

[JAG]

4 hours ago, ratcatcher said:

This happy couple sitting in the back of this truck with their small child, will suffer massive head injuries and/or death if and when the driver brakes hard. They will be thrown forward against the back of the cab or worse still, they will be ejected over the top of the cab if there is enough speed involved. At least they should be sitting with backs to the cab to have some chance. Most drivers of pickups loaded with human cargo fail to drive with the safety of their cargo in mind.

And then of course we have the traffic policeman, kitted up with balaclava and dark glasses as if he is about to go and do the Iranian Embassy...

[wow64]

Just move the extra passengers to the roof.

[the guest]

The law here has no value unless you enforce it all the time.

[Basil B]

21 hours ago, AGareth2 said:

instead of buying subs why not recall all pickups and fit the safety measures as a govt scheme

What safety measures?

Bench seating with safety belts and roll cage???

[Jonmarleesco]

Well, that's six more than they are designed for.

[Reigntax]

On Thursday, April 06, 2017 at 8:01 PM, fruitman said:

Well so far the pickuplaws which will be strictly enforced (of course).

 

What about all the far more dangerous things on thai roads?? Let's start with driving against traffic and not using indicators.

 

Do vehicles have indicators in Thailand?

[Reigntax]

6 hours ago, wow64 said:

Just move the extra passengers to the roof.

 

And another six seated on the bonnet

[thaiguzzi]

... yawn...

Have'nt read past the first half a dozen posts.

Felang Expat Western World Ideology.

3 pages of Outrage and Vitriol. So far.

... yawn..

And ya know what? I get friends visit me from the West, we go for a day trip out visiting somewhere in the truck, guess where they all want to sit? Yep, it aint inside with the aircon on..

Let 'em be and get a life!

[Keesters]

On 4/7/2017 at 8:42 AM, maoro2013 said:

Banning motorbikes would be far more effective as they result in 75% of fatalities.

 

Ban the >=4 wheel vehicles that keep on running into them. Put everyone on motorbikes and there would be almost no accidents. You're only seeing the effect not the cause.

 

[Ijustcashier]

Owners will replace Pick ups with commercial long wheel based vans with after market triple(3 rows) bench seat, seat belts and sliding windows. The whole package will be a bit cheaper than a pick up

 

Plenty of room for storage as well

 

Sent from my Redmi Note 3 using Tapatalk

 

 

 

 

[Bundaberg Baxter]

Lady round the corner let her 3 year old play at the front of pickup car, until she had to brake hard and he smashed into the windscreen which cracked. Comes back with new windscreen and lesson learned? of course not he still does it, sometimes he does sit on her knee while she is driving and using the phone though. She bought a baby seat then never strapped the baby in it, too many Thais have zero concept of health an safety, they think nothing they do affects their chances of injury or death that being set in karma or up to Buddha.