Today is D-Day as police get tough on seatbelts and sitting in the back of pick-ups

[Wilsonandson]

So all this is now illegal and if stopped by the bib even the passengers will get a 5,000 baht fine. Starting today, right in the middle of the hot season! A popular move by the government. Just wait until school opens in May. The roads will be grid-locked.

[petedk]

What about when police arrest people?

They are often taken away in the back of pick-ups. Will they now be fined in addition to being arrested?

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[realenglish1]

Another police crackdown MMMM lets see today is the 5th of April This should be good till the  next  14 days Then they will move onto the next crackdown

 

No teeth no one really takes these things seriously  It's just a short period and then forgotten 

If the police really want to make a difference then enforce these rules all the time 

 

This is a PR stunt nothing more for the police

[cooked]

51 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

Its a start in the right direction, but before you go on suggesting that they hit farmers and labourers and the hike hard, mate, have you ever lived in the bush, these people are doing it hard enough and your suggestion to hit them even harder goes to show your lack of empathy.

 

Education is the key, as the report said, initially 100 baht fine so as to get the message out there, these people have limited incomes I see their struggle daily, they will conform, everything takes time, but for your information, most don't own cars where I come from, hence the reason most are in the back of pick up trucks, as for the labourers, well hit the source between the eyes, i.e. the driver because he is getting paid for the shuttle isn't he, the labourer just wants to make a quid and the only way he is going to make that is to be at the pick up point.

 

I applaud the Thai government for finally taking the stance and trying to bring their people in line with most of the rest of the world, just hope their force keeps it going, because I know one thing, after Songkran they will want to take a break because they will have been very very busy, I hope spreading the word and saving lives.

Good points. However the police will just see this as another source of income. Nothing is going to change.

Thai road safety policy is all about repression, this kind of announcement comes up every year just before Songkran and Christmas.

Hardly any money is spent on education, how about a few road safety spots on TV every day like we got in the UK 60 years ago?

[chrisinth]

31 minutes ago, bubba said:

Here is a hypothetical question.

 

Given that:

 

- Riding in the back of a car without a seatbelt is illegal.

 

- Riding in the back of a songthaew is legal.

 

Which would you rather be in should said vehicle roll over or even involved in a minor accident?

 

Is riding in the back seat of a car without a seat belt illegal in Thailand?

 

I don't think I have ever worn a seat belt when in the back of a private car here. I'm not even sure if it is law for all cars to be fitted with back seat belts; all relatively new cars have them but there are a lot out there that didn't have them fitted as standard?

[PremiumLane]

2 hours ago, billy54 said:

I don't want to discuss the rights or wrongs of this , opinions' we all have them , but is this the thin end of the nanny state wedge , 

No it isn't, it is just the BiB collecting money for Songkran 

[fruitman]

27 minutes ago, giddyup said:

What next, no more than 2 people on a motorbike?

I hope it's no more driving against traffic with very hefty fines for that.

[PremiumLane]

1 hour ago, mallyrd said:

I see absolutely nothing wrong with this "crackdown" provided it is carried out across the board.

Like the one to stop bikes going over the white lines, or cars changing lanes at junctions - that one lasted long

[jimstar1]

Well Many Questions here

1 Do Thais Know April fools dat is only The 1st till Midday

2 How are the 20 kids going to squeeze into the van marked school bus get to school

3 If this is inforced to the letter I will take my mother inlaw to Paris for her 50th Birthday

5 I can really see the RTP leaving there Bogus check points in Chiang Mai to Inforce

5 it is so much more rubbish

6

[topt]

13 minutes ago, chrisinth said:

 

Is riding in the back seat of a car without a seat belt illegal in Thailand?

 

I don't think I have ever worn a seat belt when in the back of a private car here. I'm not even sure if it is law for all cars to be fitted with back seat belts; all relatively new cars have them but there are a lot out there that didn't have them fitted as standard?

Apparently so - I was stopped 2 weeks ago at a "regular" stop coming back into Pattaya and the police having checked my licence asked for the back window to be rolled down and noticed one of my passengers was not wearing his seat belt. Was saying I (the driver) would have to go to the police station to collect my licence and pay the fine. In the end let me off.

 

Although he may have just been trying it on.........

[canuckamuck]

The back of a pickup is how kids get to school in our village. And I am not talking songtaew. Just a pickup with side racks. And frequently the children, less than 8 years old, can be seen riding on the outside of the racks.  

 

Every time I go in to the city, there are at least two people who catch a ride in the back of our pickup. They can't handle being in the cab, they get carsick quite easily.

 

It's going to be a long process to get this changed, they might even have an election by then.

[williamgeorgeallen]

2 hours ago, onemorechang said:

15 people in a pick up truck,   

will continue.

Just look under the plastic covers that will be coming.

 

Oh dear what ever next !!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

dont worry the designated splash areas will be clearly marked and will have a designated safety officer present at all times.

[bboy]

Sitting in back of pick up truck Exception during songkran when it would save most lives. "Sanook" more important than "blot pie" I suppose. Local logic prevails.


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[chrisinth]

1 minute ago, topt said:

Apparently so - I was stopped 2 weeks ago at a "regular" stop coming back into Pattaya and the police having checked my licence asked for the back window to be rolled down and noticed one of my passengers was not wearing his seat belt. Was saying I (the driver) would have to go to the police station to collect my licence and pay the fine. In the end let me off.

 

Although he may have just been trying it on.........

 

I saw yesterday that Pattaya was enforcing the back seat belt being used for passengers, probably the main reason I asked the question about it being legal or illegal.

 

I am interested in the answer as I prefer (especially on long-hauls) to be in the back without the hassle of seat belts.

[1337markus]

Damn I thought April 1st had already gone, looks like it must be today?

[Deli]

And what about entire families of 5 and more on a scooter ?

[ignis]

Money got to come from somewhere, the Tanks and Subs have to be paid for

[williamgeorgeallen]

1 hour ago, kannot said:

My Vigo  is the smartcab type in the rear it has a  bench seat but  no seatbelts, just wondering  not that I ever use them if  someone was in there would they get a 100 baht fine.

fair point. my mitsubishi pickup does not have seat belts in the back at all, and what about baht busses?

[TheFishman1]

Well the cops can't stop the big criminals maybe they can do better with this TIT

[vogie]

5 minutes ago, Deli said:

And what about entire families of 5 and more on a scooter ?

It could be argued that a Thai family of 5 is only equal to 1 average farang?

[NextStationBangkok]

Condom and Belt now compulsory in Thailand!

 

[dotpoom]

Passengers can be fined 5000 Bt. for not using a seat belt on public transport.....what if the bus doesn't have seat belts?

[NextStationBangkok]

4 minutes ago, vogie said:

It could be argued that a Thai family of 5 is only equal to 1 average farang?

That's how as per local standards, one Farang is attacked by 3+ Thais always....

[Geoffggi]

2 hours ago, colinneil said:

Police are going to enforce this.

Well thats songkran knackered before it starts, millions go home every year riding on the back of pickups.

How are they going to get home if police enforce this?

Absolutely correct, the Thai police will never enforce this rule across the board as someone put it as it goes against everything they themselves do. 

[vogie]

9 minutes ago, NextStationBangkok said:

That's how as per local standards, one Farang is attacked by 3+ Thais always....

It's what you call handicapping.

[Kabula]

I was an accident investigator for 25 years and it always amazed me how most died sitting on their seat belts and how families lost their children forever out of the back of a pickup truck from ignorance.

 

If anyone ever witnessed a high speed roll over and watched unbelted passengers get ejected through glass and bounce across the lane of oncoming traffic only to get run over by a vehicle, they would wake up.

 

Millions of lives are ruined from being lazy.

 

I've had cases where one family member was sitting on a belt and in roll overs killed other family members by flying through the air breaking their necks.

 

Most people do not understand that a driver that is belted in and has to swerve suddenly can maintain steering control, but an unbelted driver finds himself in the passenger seat looking for the steering wheel then gets ejected many times!

 

If you’re traveling by bus the safest seating area is in the middle of the bus in an aisle seat with a seat belt on.  In a roll over bend over and place your arms under your legs as unbelted passengers can break your neck flying over you.  Never sit in the front three rows as buses do accordion with a frontal impact as the engine is in the rear.  Sitting next to a window is not safe in a rollover as arms do go through glass and are amputated and tree limbs, fences, and sign posts can penetrate the glass.

 

[StefanBBK]

How about 5 people on a bike? still ok? 

[JustNo]

Could it be that Thailand is actually moving forward as a nation and developing it's health and safety on the roads One would hope so and hope that this is enforced. The real danger on the roads however relies with bikes riding the wrong way and having an entire family on 1 bike; I guess an entire family in the back of a pickup is also as dangerous though. 

[MichaelJohn]

I don't think anyone understands these things;

- strict road safety measures
- Drivers and passengers will face fines 
- the city force will be very strict on drink driving
- there will be no leniency for drivers

Nothing new .....

[macgver]

The new law effective today using S44. 

 

All pick-up truck not allow carry any people at the back and all extended cab not allow to carry anyone at the back seats in the pick-up truck.