The recent implementation of a law requiring child car seats for children under the age of 6 has started sparking public interest for the safety items, with prices ranging from 1,000 to 60,000 baht.
According to the recent Royal Gazette announcement, child car seats or booster seat cushions are now compulsory for children younger than 6 or those 135 cm or shorter in height. Motorists failing to comply with this requirement will be fined up to 2,000 baht.
Section 123 of the Land Traffic Act stipulates that children under the age of 6 must be restrained in a car seat or a special child booster seat for their own safety in a moving vehicle. This law only exempts children who cannot be fastened to a seat for health or physical reasons.
According to vendors, the price of a car seat mainly depends on the materials used, as well as the seat’s functions, durability, after-sales service and safety.
Both local and imported car seats are currently available in Thailand. Vendors noted that since the promulgation of the law, a number of people have started to inquire about the products, but there has yet to be a substantial surge in demand.
Notably, similar regulations are being enforced in many countries to better ensure the safety of children on the road. As of February 2022, approximately 7,500 minor injuries in Thailand were caused by local road accidents, followed by around 1,900 accidents with serious injuries. In that same period, Thailand recorded about 16,100 road accidents in total.