In any part of the world, laws are made keeping in mind the premises of basic logic. This allows public opinion to be more receptive to the law, increasing chances of compliance. But does that mean that all laws are rational and conventional? Absolutely not!
In this article, Team YLCC brings you a compilation of all the unusual laws from across the world. Read on!
NO SHIRTLESS DRIVING IN THAILAND
Driving a car shirtless is considered offensive in Thailand. Motorists need to ensure they are wearing a shirt no matter how hot the weather or their abs are. According to Section 388 of the Criminal Code BE 2499 (1956) stipulates that any person who performs a disgraceful act in public by undressing himself, exhibiting his undressed person or committing any other act of obscenity, shall be liable to a fine not exceeding 500 baht.
LET THE HOMING PIGEONS BE
Homing pigeons are protected by law in Australia. This bird can travel long distances and can find its place miles away. It was once used for sending messages and racing. The bird has earned a prominent position in the country, so according to these weird laws, it is considered illegal to capture, injure or kill homing pigeons. Those found guilty are made to pay a whopping $250 penalty.
IN SAMOA, IT IS ILLEGAL TO FORGET YOUR WIFE’S BIRTHDAY
Forgetting your spouse’s birthday is seen as something of a legal trouble-worthy act in Samoa in the Polynesian area of the Pacific Ocean that can send you behind bars. Forgetting your spouse’s birthday is seen as something of a legal trouble-worthy act in Samoa in the Polynesian area of the Pacific Ocean that can send you behind bars.
BUBBLE GUM BAN IN SINGAPORE
The island city-state famous for cleanliness, Singapore has many laws aimed at keeping the nation tidy. The country seems to have a particular obsession with chewing gum, banning its importation entirely until recently — saying any gum passing through the country en-route to a neighbouring nation must be transported under lock and key and imposing a fine or imprisonment for up to two years if someone got caught with it.
DO NOT WEAR WINNIE THE POOH T-SHIRTS IN POLAND
The cuddly little yellow bear all stuffed with fluff does not wear pants. Because of this, Poland issued a ban on Winnie the Pooh around playgrounds and schools, finding the A.A. Milne character a bit too risqué for the likes of impressionable children.
SELFIE WITH THE BUDDHA? GET READY FOR PRISON!
This sign of disrespect is punishable by imprisonment in Sri Lanka. It is also considered disrespectful to point your finger at Buddha, and sometimes there are bans on taking photos with the statues. Although not illegal to have tattoos of Buddha, a British woman was jailed for three days in 2014 for inappropriate tattoos. 70% of Sri Lankans feel is a prophet and avatar of the god Vishnu.
IT’S ILLEGAL TO BUILD SANDCASTLES IN SPAIN
Spain despises attempts at making sand castles so much that an individual could be fined if caught building one in Spain. And the fines vary by location at their discretion. And yes, kids are included too in this.
RECKLESSLY BIKING IN MEXICO
Bikers may not lift feet from pedals, as it might result in a loss of control. This practical law was created in 1892 as a way to protect riders. However, no hands are still fair game.
HIKING NAKED IN SWITZERLAND
Swiss canton Appenzell was the first to ban the indecent act after a naked German man walked past a family picnicking in the Alps in 2009. A fine of up to $700 is in store for anyone who feeds the pigeons in Venice’s St. Mark’s Square. The city banned the practice, citing the birds as a health hazard, and as bad for the monuments.
WEARING HIGH HEELS IN GREECE
High heels are illegal at certain ancient monuments because they can damage them, and because they often threaten preservation efforts.
PEEING IN THE OCEAN IN PORTUGAL
Portugal has taken the “don’t pee in the pool” rule to a whole other level by making it illegal for anyone to pee in the ocean. We’re not sure if anyone has been arrested for this offence yet (or how someone would even be caught), but we highly recommend holding it or finding an actual bathroom if you’re in Portugal and nature calls.
USING WATER GUNS IN CAMBODIA ON NEW YEAR’S EVE
In 2001, Phnom Penh governor Chea Sophara banned the sale and import of all water guns, fearing they would cause social unrest during Khmer New Year celebrations.
STAYING WITH PARENTS IN CHINA
The Ten Commandments tell us to honour our parents, but the Chinese government has decided to enshrine parental care in secular law as well. Since 2013, adult children in China have been legally required to visit their parents “often” – a pretty fuzzy term, legally speaking. The same law also requires children to see to their parents’ spiritual needs.
SALMON ACT IN BRITAIN
The British Salmon Act of 1986 makes it illegal to “handle a salmon in suspicious circumstances” in the United Kingdom. So, if you’re walking in an abandoned alleyway in London late at night and you see a salmon on the ground, think twice before you pick it up. When you handle a salmon in suspicious circumstances, you’re handling every salmon that salmon has ever handled in suspicious circumstances.
NAMING A PIG NAPOLEON IN FRANCE
Anyone who might want to name their pig “Napoleon” in France has been legally banned from doing so for years. While the law has been altered as of 2013 to no longer specifically forbid the name Napoleon, the country does retain very strict laws against defamation and slander.
NAMING YOUR BABY SOMETHING WEIRD IN DENMARK
Baby names have gotten a little ridiculous these days. (Just look at celebrity baby names like Moon Unit Zappa & Jermajesty Jackson.) In response, Denmark has perhaps overreacted. They instituted official child-naming guidelines that basically force parents to stick to a database of 7,000 approved names, or seek government approval for going off-book.
BANNING BLACK CARS
Car owners in Turkmenistan can’t buy a black car because their President, Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, has banned them as he feels they are unlucky.
BANNING JOGGING IN BURUNDI
In March 2014, Burundi’s President Pierre Nkurunziza banned jogging because he feared that it was being used as “a cover for subversion”. Several opposition leaders were jailed for breaking this law and many more given life imprisonments. What’s strange is that Nkurunziza himself is a former sports teacher and has often spoken about the importance of health and fitness.
BANNING YELLOW CLOTHES IN MALAYSIA
In February 2016, the country’s home minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi banned wearing yellow-coloured clothes after protesters wearing yellow T-shirts created havoc on the streets, demanding Prime Minister Najib Razak’s resignation. The demand for his resignation arose from allegations of embezzlement and corruption. Unable to stop the people from marching the streets, the Prime Minister’s aide took to banning their protest colours.
SCRABBLE BANNED IN ROMANIA
Nicolae Ceausescu, the former President of the south-eastern European country, banned citizens from playing Scrabble. He said the word game was “overly intellectual” and a “subversive evil”. Though the ban was eventually lifted, and now the country also has its own scrabble federation, the ban did generate some backlash, including a telegram sent to the president by artist Salvador Dalí. In it, he sarcastically congratulated Ceausescu on “introducing the presidential sceptre”.
