Wear your seatbelt or face 2,000 baht fine, warn police
As of Monday, all car passengers will be required to wear seat belts or face a fine of 2,000 baht.
This is in line with the 13th amendment to Article 123 of the 1979 Land Traffic Act and applies to vehicles with no more than seven seats. This rule also covers backseat passengers on four-door pick-up trucks.
However, passengers in an extended cab or flatbed of pick-up trucks are not expected to wear seatbelts, provided the number of passengers does not exceed the safety limit.
The Royal Thai Police said the safety limit of rear bed passengers is being considered by relevant agencies and will be announced by December 4.
Metropolitan Police deputy chief Pol Maj-General Jirasan Kaewsaeng-Ake said initially police officers will focus on issuing warnings and fines will only be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Two new clauses are planned for the 13th amendment, namely car seats or specialised seats for children under the age of six and passengers under 135 centimetres tall must wear a seatbelt or use a special seat to prevent injuries in case of an accident.
These clauses will not go into effect until authorities reduce the tax on car seats and announce details of requirements, which will also be finalised before December 4.
