Thailand Car Seat Law: Age 6 and Under Need a Seat, 135 cm Means a Belt

A child aged 6 or under in a Thai car needs a child seat, a special seat or another protection method. A passenger 135 cm or shorter needs a seat belt or another protection method in any row. The seat duty applies from 17 August 2023, hire vehicles are exempt, and the fine is up to THB 2,000.

Children aged 6 or under need a child seat in a private car in Thailand, while taxis and other hire vehicles are exempt. Taller kids still need a belt.

What the law asks

A child passenger aged 6 or under must be placed in a child safety seat or special child seat, or have another method of protection in case of an accident. A passenger no taller than 135 cm must be fastened with the seat belt, or have a method of protection, in whichever row they sit.

The two rules are separate. The 135 cm line is in the belt clause, and the seat clause names age 6 and under. A small child can fall under both. The child seat duty has been in force since 17 August 2023.

A driver or passenger who cannot wear a belt for health reasons must have another method of protection. Three-wheeled vehicles, tractors and agricultural vehicles are outside the rule.

No car seat? Three conditions

If you have a child aged up to 6 and no seat, you count as following the law when you meet all three listed rules. The fine for neglecting the rule is up to THB 2,000.

1. Drive slowly, with attention to safety, and keep to the left.
2. Seat the child in a rear passenger seat; in a pickup or semi-pickup a front seat is allowed but the open bed is not.
3. Have an adult look after the child during the ride, or let the child wear only a lap belt, either one.

Taxis, songthaews and pickups

A child in a hire vehicle or public vehicle does not need to sit in a child safety seat. That exemption covers the child seat, so a belt is still the sensible habit.

In songthaews, small trucks with lengthwise seats, pickups and semi-pickups, passengers other than the front row are exempt from the belt rule if the conditions are met. In a pickup, the driver and front passengers wear the belt, and so do rear passengers in a double cab. In a car or van, everyone wears the belt in every seat, and a driver may not carry more than two passengers in the front row. An unfastened belt carries a fine of up to THB 2,000.

Which car seat to buy

The international standards named for child seats are ECE R44 and ECE R129, and the Thai mark is TIS 111-2566. Both rear-facing or forward-facing seats and booster seats need a restraint system that meets the industrial product standard. For the rest of a trip with children, see Thailand with kids.

Motorbikes and helmets

Motorcycle riders and passengers must wear a safety helmet, with a fine of up to THB 2,000. A rider who drives while a passenger has no helmet is fined double.

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Not confirmed: The text of the 2023 Royal Thai Police announcement was not read; its start date and exemptions come from government press pages. Whether a Grab or Bolt car counts as a hire vehicle is not stated. No minimum age for a motorbike passenger was found.

General information checked against the sources listed above. Prices, opening hours and other details change; confirm them with the provider before you act. See how guides are checked.

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