Important rules and behaviours for driving in Thailand

[Thaiger]

Many expats who stay in Thailand, or even tourists, may wonder what rules and behaviours are needed in order to traverse the roads safely. As Thailand’s road rules are similar to other countries in Southeast Asia, one thing that sets Thailand apart, is that their roads are quite good. Driving down a road in Thailand can actually make one forget that they are in a developing country. However, there are still rules, laws and behaviours that need to be followed. Here, we have a list of such things that can help drivers stay safe when cruising around the Kingdom. The […]

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[DoUKnowWhoIAm]

  On 10/11/2021 at 7:59 AM, Thaiger said:

Driving down a road in Thailand can actually make one forget that they are in a developing country.

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How on earth could you forget 4hat when driving here!!??

[DiJoDavO]

I assume that this article is for people who have no license and are planning to get one here. 

It's all quite obvious. In other news: water is wet. 

But on the other hand, it's good to remind people of this, because once you are in traffic, all rules are thrown in the bin and all bets are off

[Bob20]

  On 10/11/2021 at 8:09 AM, DoUKnowWhoIAm said:

How on earth could you forget 4hat when driving here!!??

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Because you see a dashboard in English language and you can hardly see out through the tinted windows

[Griff1315]

Important rules and behaviours for driving in Thailand

Whatever the rules are supposed to be there is very little evidence of Thai drivers following them.

Even less evidence of the RTP enforcing them unless they have a 200 baht collection day, I mean traffic enforcement stop.

whacky Races are the roads of Thailand...

[palooka]

It would be nice if anyone abided by the rules, but they don't.

Pulling out from the side of the road, check there are no cars coming and then check ahead that there no cars, bikes coming on your side intent on a head on collison. Thailand drives on the left side of road or maybe the right, depends on where they want to go.

What's the speed limit in Thailand? Ans. How fast can your car go.

Quality roads, had a semi trailer turn over on a straight stretch of a major road recently, he hit a big pothole and lost it.

[Soidog]

I think we know what this article is trying to achieve. . 
 

Go on then, I’ll play along:

When your vehicle breaks down or has a technical fault, you should pull over to the left of the road. You should then vandalise the nearest tree and place several large branches and leafs at least 20 yards behind your vehicle in order to warn other road users.  

[Griff1315]

  On 10/11/2021 at 8:35 AM, Soidog said:

I think we know what this article is trying to achieve. . 
 

Go on then, I’ll play along:

When your vehicle breaks down or has a technical fault, you should pull over to the left of the road. You should then vandalise the nearest tree and place several large branches and leafs at least 20 yards behind your vehicle in order to warn other road users.  

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That doesn't help the Ghost riders that are coming the wrong way down the dual carriageway because the nearest u turn takes them a few hundred metres out of their way.....

[Shade_Wilder]

What is the hand signal for backing up an off ramp onto the highway?

I have seen it done a few times, but missed the proper gesture...

[HolyCowCm]

  On 10/11/2021 at 8:40 AM, Shade_Wilder said:

What is the hand signal for backing up an off ramp onto the highway?

I have seen it done a few times, but missed the proper gesture...

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Middle finger?

[DoUKnowWhoIAm]

  On 10/11/2021 at 7:59 AM, Thaiger said:

If you encounter a pedestrian lane in front of your car, stop first and allow any pedestrians to cross the road before moving forward.

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As a pedestrian, you must be mad to cross a road and expect a Thai racer to stop. Virtually a suicide.

[Fester]

  On 10/11/2021 at 7:59 AM, Thaiger said:

Many expats who stay in Thailand, or even tourists, may wonder what rules and behaviours are needed in order to traverse the roads safely. As Thailand’s road rules are similar to other countries in Southeast Asia, one thing that sets Thailand apart, is that their roads are quite good. Driving down a road in Thailand can actually make one forget that they are in a developing country. However, there are still rules, laws and behaviours that need to be followed. Here, we have a list of such things that can help drivers stay safe when cruising around the Kingdom. The […]

The post Important rules and behaviours for driving in Thailand appeared first on Thaiger News.

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There are laws existing - they are not totally comprehensive but mainly solid enough - but if everyone read and followed them we would all be a lot safer on (or near) Thai roads.

[ThailandBob]

I'm sorry but, I was hoping for more facts and less bloviating. The writer goes into detail about what a roundabout sign looks like and talks about right of way when two vehicles approach the same point "head on", but does not state who has the right of way when in a roundabout. I've observed different behaviors by traffic entering a roundabout. Some entering vehicles give way to exiting cars, and other vehicles charge into the roundabout, forcing the exiting car to give way. 

Anyway, this article was not helpful to me.

[Soidog]

  On 10/11/2021 at 9:02 AM, ThailandBob said:

I'm sorry but, I was hoping for more facts and less bloviating. The writer goes into detail about what a roundabout sign looks like and talks about right of way when two vehicles approach the same point "head on", but does not state who has the right of way when in a roundabout. I've observed different behaviors by traffic entering a roundabout. Some entering vehicles give way to exiting cars, and other vehicles charge into the roundabout, forcing the exiting car to give way. 

Anyway, this article was not helpful to me.

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I think the problem with writing any such articles about Thailand, is that is irrelevant. It’s the same with articles about Immigration. Business ownership, getting a driving license etc etc. The laws may well be cast in stone. Unless the people follow them and the police understand the laws and enforce them, then it’s the Wild West in all you do. Carrying a few brown envelopes helps with most laws. On the road it’s nerves of steel and ideally a bigger and/or more expensive looking vehicle that rules the highway. 

[Thommo]

May have been a helpfull article if it was in Braille, certainaly pointless if it was in Thai 

[King Cotton]

Looks like we could have a news media fight on our hands here, with this report detailing - totally incorrectly, I'm sure - the road speed limit, for motorcycles in particular, as:

For rural roads, it is set at 90 kms/hour. And, for motorbike users, the speed limit is set at 120 kms/hour unless.          (Unless what, one is inclined to ask)

Whereas last December's BP outlined the newly increased speed limits as:

The cabinet on Tuesday approved a higher speed limit of up to 120 kilometres per hour on national and rural highways.

Smaller motorcycles will not be allowed to exceed 80kph, while those with 400cc engines and 35-kilowatt engines and above are limited to 100kph.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2028447/govt-approves-120kph-speed-limit

Who's got this all wrong then? I believe that the BP version is correct.

[Lifeboat]

You left out that its ok to double park anywhere you feel like it.  Also, that all you need to do is turn on your hazards park on the main road in front of the shop you wish to enter.  As it doesn't  matter if its a main road or high traffic area,  as not enough  traffic police and the locals double and triple park as they feel, and no one gets tickets 

[Soidog]

  On 10/11/2021 at 8:35 AM, Soidog said:

I think we know what this article is trying to achieve. . 
 

Go on then, I’ll play along:

When your vehicle breaks down or has a technical fault, you should pull over to the left of the road. You should then vandalise the nearest tree and place several large branches and leafs at least 20 yards behind your vehicle in order to warn other road users.  

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I should have said “metres” and not Yards. Also 20 metres is a bit far to walk so 5 will do !! 

[gummy]

  On 10/11/2021 at 9:47 AM, Soidog said:

You should then vandalise the nearest tree and place several large branches and leafs at least 20 yards behind your vehicle in order to warn other road users.  

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And if at night time ensure that they are well spread from kerb to centre so as to trap unwary motorcyclists travelling with no lights.

[Soidog]

  On 10/11/2021 at 9:57 AM, gummy said:

And if at night time ensure that they are well spread from kerb to centre so as to trap unwary motorcyclists travelling with no lights.

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Agreed. But wouldn’t the motorcyclist already have smacked in to the front of the parked car before reaching the laid out branches if they were behind the car?

[gummy]

  On 10/11/2021 at 10:04 AM, Soidog said:

Agreed. But wouldn’t the motorcyclist already have smacked in to the front of the parked car before reaching the laid out branches if they were behind the car?

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Of course, forgot that they travel on the wrong side of the road. Good spot.

[DiJoDavO]

  On 10/11/2021 at 8:34 AM, palooka said:

It would be nice if anyone abided by the rules, but they don't.

Pulling out from the side of the road, check there are no cars coming and then check ahead that there no cars, bikes coming on your side intent on a head on collison. Thailand drives on the left side of road or maybe the right, depends on where they want to go.

What's the speed limit in Thailand? Ans. How fast can your car go.

Quality roads, had a semi trailer turn over on a straight stretch of a major road recently, he hit a big pothole and lost it.

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I thought driving by car was pretty scary before doing it the first time in BKK. 

Since I have tried riding a mosai on Koh Samui, I'm looking at BKK as beginner level

I've never been as nervous in traffic as on Koh Samui while getting passed by a car going with the speed of light up hill between me and oncoming traffic. All while the road is full of cracks and potholes

Note, now Koh Samui is super quiet. Can't imagine how it will be when everything is back to normal. 

[Eman]

  On 10/11/2021 at 7:59 AM, Thaiger said:

Many expats who stay in Thailand, or even tourists, may wonder what rules and behaviours are needed in order to traverse the roads safely. As Thailand’s road rules are similar to other countries in Southeast Asia, one thing that sets Thailand apart, is that their roads are quite good. Driving down a road in Thailand can actually make one forget that they are in a developing country. However, there are still rules, laws and behaviours that need to be followed. Here, we have a list of such things that can help drivers stay safe when cruising around the Kingdom. The […]

The post Important rules and behaviours for driving in Thailand appeared first on Thaiger News.

Read the full story

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Ridiculous to assume any road law here is followed, in fact if you dont drive like a Thai it’s probably more dangerous, also ridiculous to assume that all driving licenses are gotten legitimately, easy to tell someone from a village driving in town, they approach a roundabout and stare in clueless abandonment.

[ThailandBob]

  On 10/11/2021 at 9:15 AM, King Cotton said:

Who's got this all wrong then? I believe that the BP version is correct.

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The whole article was full of inaccuracies, inconsistencies, and general weirdness. 

[Soidog]

  On 10/11/2021 at 10:09 AM, Eman said:

Ridiculous to assume any road law here is followed, in fact if you dont drive like a Thai it’s probably more dangerous, also ridiculous to assume that all driving licenses are gotten legitimately, easy to tell someone from a village driving in town, they approach a roundabout and stare in clueless abandonment.

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Clueless abandonment. . I love it