China To USA: Countries With Ten Weirdest Laws

There are laws for everything, from bringing order and peace, to making our jaws drop in utter disbelief. It's not hard to stumble upon rules around the world that seem more like they're taken from a fairy tale, than actual legal code. Lawmakers in the past created most of these odd laws for specific political, social, or cultural reasons, but surprisingly, these quirky rules still remain on the books today.

Countries With Ten Weirdest Laws

Here's a closer look at 10 of the world's strangest laws still present in countries including the UK, the United States and China.

China: Permission Required to Reincarnate

It seems even reincarnation is subject to official approval in China. A 2007 regulation states that Tibetan Buddhist monks require government consent before being reincarnated. Passed as part of China's attempts to regulate its religious practices, it's hoped to prevent unqualified religious leadership.

USA: You Cannot Play Dominoes on Sunday

Parts of the USA are still ruled by old 'blue laws.' A 1960 law in parts of Alabama technically makes playing dominoes illegal to encourage worship, but authorities rarely enforce this legislation today.

Thailand: You Must Wear Underwear in Public

It may seem impossible to police, but you can be arrested for stepping outside in Thailand without your underwear on. Lawmakers designed this law to set a basic level of public decency for people in Thailand, but authorities do not usually enforce it.

Spain: Do not Build Sandcastles on Certain Beaches

Whilst many tourists enjoy constructing their own sand kingdoms on Spanish beaches, some beaches prohibit this activity. Local authorities passed the law to protect nature from large crowds that could destroy it, and they usually apply this regulation to the main tourist beaches.

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France: No Kissing on Train Platforms

Since 1910, French law has prohibited people from kissing on train platforms to prevent lingering goodbyes that cause train delays. Although most people ignore this rule, lawmakers have kept it on the books, and it appears regularly on lists of weird laws around the world.

Thailand: Do Not Carry More Than 120 Playing Cards

Not only is underwear mandatory, but a further bizarre law states you may not carry more than 120 playing cards. In 1943, lawmakers strictly controlled playing cards to stamp out gambling, and technically, the law still classifies it as a crime.

Australia: Do Not Annoy People with Music

This law, specific to Australia's Northern Territory, forbids any person from annoying others with music. This usually applies to buskers and street performers; in particular if they are making a general nuisance of themselves.

UK: Handling Salmon in Suspicious Circumstances is Illegal

The Salmon Act of 1986 makes it illegal to handle salmon in suspicious circumstances, and the law forbids possessing or receiving salmon if you know or have reasonable cause to believe someone poached it illegally. Many people agree that lawmakers created this law for a good cause.

France: Dying is Forbidden Without a Burial Plot

Although dying is not illegal, some French towns prosecute people who do not already own a burial plot. Lawmakers introduced this peculiar law because local cemeteries had limited space.

UAE: Do Not drive a Car With Too Much Dirt and Dust

In the UAE, people commonly pay to have their cars cleaned thoroughly, because police officers can ticket drivers for dirty or dusty vehicles. Authorities view such cars as a reflection of poor character, and they actually fine people who drive them.

These unusual and strange laws may sound like something people invent to shock others, but in some cases, lawmakers have valid and political reasons for creating them.

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