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Parenting

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Original poster

Car seat in Thailand

21 replies

NoTeaForMe · 10/08/2011 17:15

Hi all,

I'm not at all sure if this is the right place to post this, feel free to direct me somewhere else if it's better!

I am possibly/probably taking my daughter to Thailand at some point soon (when she's under 2 so she's free!) and I am wondering what to do about carseat. They don't really 'do' them out there so where does that leave us? Take one with us, see about hiring one or do as they do and not use one? At the moment I think if the only option is no carseat we won't be going, driving around Bangkok etc is hair raising enough as it is!!

Thanks

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muslimah28 · 10/08/2011 22:03

Why not get one of those cool car seat back packs they had on the apprentice recently? Be prepared for lots of strange looks and questions tho, in Pakistan where I've been to they don't use car seats and would think it strange to insist on using one (unfortunately). My malaysian friend who insisted on a car seat for her kids when she had them in malaysia had the same, everyone quizzed her on it. I cant say whether Thailand is the same but if it goes against the norm...But yr right to consider safety more important than that:)

3littlefrogs · 10/08/2011 22:05

I wouldn't drive in Bangkok - I would take the sky train or the underground. Will you be needing to drive much? The traffic is usually so bad you can only travel at about 2 miles an hour.

thisisyesterday · 10/08/2011 22:09

i would take one with you. no way on this earth i would take a child under 2 in a car without a car seat and i think you're unlikely to be able to just pick one up when you're over there.

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BertieBotts · 10/08/2011 22:16

Take one, definitely. I once read something someone said online, their mother was a police officer in a country which had no legal requirement for car seats, and attended a lot of accidents. The children whose parents had gone against the grain and used car seats usually survived, the ones who didn't use them, didn't.

BikeRunSki · 10/08/2011 22:20

Those backpack car seats are the next stage to what a 2 year old needs.

BertieBotts · 10/08/2011 22:51

Don't you get a free carseat allowance for under 2s on airlines anyway?

Original poster

NoTeaForMe · 11/08/2011 07:19

Thanks all, that's really helpful. I thought the backpack ones like on the apprentice were more of a booster seat for older children? Will definately look and check that out though.

We'll be driving out of Bangkok (few hours drive) and then will drive around a bit whilst there, so will def need a seat. Are they ok to take on planes, I would hate to take one and it get broken!! How do you know that it's not broken and you can't see it?! (does that make sense?!)

Thanks again

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kittensliveupstairs · 11/08/2011 07:22

We lived in Bangkok for four years. DD always travelled in a car seat, much to the bemusement of taxi drivers before we bought a car.
We did do a lot of travelling and just put her car seat in the hold. Never had any problems at all with it being damaged.

BertieBotts · 11/08/2011 07:34

You can buy a car seat protector bag from kiddicare which will pad it out a bit. Someone said on here the other day, put all the nappies you're packing in the bag as well to add more packing (and get more in for free!)

thisisyesterday · 11/08/2011 09:07

the booster seats are not appropriate at all for an under 2. you need a proper seat. i would wrap heavily in bubble wrap and then cardboard.
i've seen the travel bags but not sure how padded/strong they are? you need something that will protect against it being banged/dropped/thrown into a plane.

that said, i think a slightly banged carseat is still better than no car seat at all!!

thisisyesterday · 11/08/2011 09:07

good idea about hte nappies!

muslimah28 · 11/08/2011 13:44

Ah, didn't know what age group the seats were for, but from the look of it on apprentice it makes sense now that they're for older kids

Original poster

NoTeaForMe · 11/08/2011 15:02

If you get a carseat allowance and I wrap it up in bubble wrap and cardboard will they want to open it to see that it is a carseat?!

I know what you mean about a dented carseat being better than no carseat, thisisyesterday but is that actually true? And we won't be buying one especially for this it will just be the carseat we have at the time, so I would hate it to be broken and have to replace it.

Thanks

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BertieBotts · 11/08/2011 16:37

Yes it's absolutely true - the poster I remember whose mum had attended many car accidents in this country had come onto a thread where people were arguing about car seats and basically said "I'm sick of this - it doesn't matter. Forward facing, rear facing, old ones, new ones, this style of harness or that style of harness, the bottom line is, children in car seats survive major crashes. Children not in car seats don't."

bran · 11/08/2011 16:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

NoTeaForMe · 11/08/2011 16:59

Thans for that Bertie I've already said up my husband that we won't go if we can't get a carseat or take one with us, he obviously agrees! I wouldn't put my baby in a car in England without one and am even more adament about it over there, they aren't exactly safe drivers.....!

So if I take one and wrap it well in cardboard will they not need to open it to see that it's a carseat....if I get a carseat allowance?! I'm presuming that if it breaks in the hold we'd be able to claim on insurance?! Carseats aren't cheap!!

Thanks

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kittensliveupstairs · 11/08/2011 16:59

Not sure if it is even in existence still, but BAMBI may have someone willing to loan you a car seat. It's a group for mothers and babys/children in Bangkok.

BertieBotts · 11/08/2011 17:15

I'd ring around the different airlines and see what their policies are.

Original poster

NoTeaForMe · 12/08/2011 12:16

Thanks for all of that!

bran we haven't done long haul with her in fact we haven't flown with her yet at all (going away next month though!) we absolutely can't afford to pay for her to have a seat though so that's out of the question. I'm guessing she'll be too old for the bassinet things, they're small like Moses baskets aren't they. She's already 10months-we'll be going some time before she turns 2.

kittens as you've lived in Bangkok can you tell me, fo the majority of taxis in Thailand (we'll be heading north) have seatbelt in the back? We went a few years ago and I think they do but can't remember!!!

Thanks

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notfarmingatthemo · 12/08/2011 16:23

why not buy a cheap one like [http://www.kiddicare.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/productdisplayA_65_10751_-1_14571_125579_10001_14568 this one]] then you can use it on all your trips without worrying about fitting it back in your car at the airport at the end of your holiday when your tired. They are very light so easy in airport.

BikeRunSki · 12/08/2011 22:13

this one

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