Thai Parking

[Neeranam]

I went to the park with the kids this evening and parked the car outside in the spaces meant for cars. On returning, there were about 6 motorcyles parked behind it. It's a hel_l of annoying as I had to move them all myself, and all the wheel locks are on. This has happened heaps of times around the city of Khon Kaen. Tonight, two other bikes came and were going to park in the exact same place I'd just moved one from until I shouted some obscenities at them. It really baffles me. Are they too lazy to walk an extra 5 metres? Are they sefish, or are the plain stupid? Two youths sitting on their bikes nearby didn't even offer to help one farnag and a little girl - too busy looking into their side mirror, plucking the hair from their noses.

The same happened a couple of weeks ago in the hospital. The cars park in the carpark, then other cars, usually pick-ups(I won't go into the IQ of pick up drivers) park long-ways so they have to be moved along to get out. I saw on two occasions they hadn't left any space and the first-in cars were totally stuck. I saw one guy standing outside his car when I went in the hospital and was still there when I returned about 90 minutes later. The car-park attendant(who I blamed) could do anything either.

In the shopping plaza multi-storey car-park, there are cars doble parking on the 3rd floor when there are no cars on the 4th! They'd rather be on the 3rd, even though they take the lift anyway. AND they'll wait at the lift for 1/2 hour if it is busy rather than walk down a flight of stairs, making me think that it could be laziness. Then again, noone could be that lazy, surely?

I stop the car outside 7/11 and another one stops 1 inch behind me then a bike comes along and stops on my front bumper. He looks shocked when I lean on the horn for 10 seconds.

I'm having a bit of a vent, but it is a question I'd like to get an answer to - do Thai people have have no thought for others? Is it the laziness of having to walk a little farther? Do the have a lower IQ than other people? If it is it cultural difference that makes sense, please enlighten me.

[Mid]

add me to the list who are waiting for the answer on this one ..........................

m/c's so that it's next to impossible to open the 7-11 door are right up there on my list

[taxexile]

thais drive in a small opaque bubble , they are unable to see beyond the confines of their bubble , nothing exists outside their bubble , and if it does , its of no interest to them and its not their business. a bit like goldfish.

[Austhaied]

Thai Parking, Selfish, Lazy or Stupid? All of the above. I have yet to see any Thai drivers to prove me wrong.. ZERO AWARENESS of anyone but themselves...sad but true..

[lannarebirth]

In Thailand, one is not rewarded for being smart, considerate, innovative, honest, etc. Consequently you get very little of these things. Quite often, in fact, they have discovered that these attributes bring them problems. Looking pretty is rewarded, so they focus on that instead.

[Dupont]

I also note that they will always double park next to their shop on a busy road rather than park even two car lengths down the soi, saving them selves a walk of about 5m whilst inconveniencing hundreds of passing vehicles.

[GuestHouse]

Ah.... Parking.

I don't so much mind the thoughtless parking of cars and motor bikes, you are never going to change that, and lets face it the same thing goes on back home.

What gets up my nose is Motor bike/Car Hire companies monopolizing the public parking space and bar stools/chairs placed in public parking spaces.

Some years ago I was a passenger in an a colleagues car as he was scouting for a parking space around Pattaya Soi Post Office. He eventually gave up looking for a free car parking spot and moved one of the stools out of the road to park.

That's when it started.

Out of the bar comes a drunk Belgian, tells my mate to move his car, and when he is ignored he goes back in the bar and comes out with a tin of paint, which he pours all over the windscreen and bonnet.

He should have asked who the car actually belonged to first.

He paid a ridiculous amount of money to get himself out of that mess.

Edited March 14, 2007 by GuestHouse

[Austhaied]

Ah.... Parking.

I don't so much mind the thoughtless parking of cars and motor bikes, you are never going to change that, and lets face it the same thing goes on back home.

Maybe your home, but certainly not my "home" Australia.. You would get your head kicked in if you tried any of this BS. I will try and do my infantile part in trying to change them. With a loud horn..And a polite smile..It may be futile, but well worth it.

Edited March 14, 2007 by Austhaied

[Mid]

Ah.... Parking.

I don't so much mind the thoughtless parking of cars and motor bikes, you are never going to change that, and lets face it the same thing goes on back home.

Maybe your home, but certainly not my "home" Australia.. You would get your head kicked in if you tried any of this BS. I will try and do my infantile part in trying to change them. With a load horn..And a polite smile..It may be futile, but well worth it.

totally agree ,

[jEFFREYk44]

This is a thread I can relate to!

I am in Rataburana between Rama 9 bridge and the New bridge just off formerly semi-serene Suksawad road, near Phra Phra Daeng which Time magazine called the "Best Urban Oasis"

The motorcycles are insane here, drive as fast as possible, in between cars and even inside when I turn, buses go out 3 lanes on a four lane road only to pull over immideatly for passengers

The mini buses are the same and there are a million of them

And to go to Tesco or Big C where a bus stop is having to wait in line as a mini bus will not go anywhere with less than full capacity

Final complaint is why are there three turn lanes onto a two lane road, and why let people create a fourth? Really, it is the rule on Suksawad

I do love it here, just limt the times I drive

[jEFFREYk44]

and 1 thing I forgot, why always back in to a parking space?

and why with emergency flashers on?

last question, ever seen an ambulance without its siren on?

[jbsears]

It certainly doesn't happen where I'm from. Police are too quick to ticket any illegal parking.

By my place in BKK, I can't stand the parking on the sidewalk. All the time the shop owners park on the sidewalk since the street has no parking along it. I guess they could park in the sois next to the shops but that would be an extra 10 meter walk. The worst thing is that they leave no room for pedestrians to walk around.

Edited March 14, 2007 by jbsears

[petecooper]

Oh I am loving this conversation. I live in central BKK (Sukhumvit, Asoke) and totally agree with all of the complaints you've all got about Thai driving/parking.

But I've got a new perspective.

I've been working in Mumbai (Bombay), India, for the last couple of months - and let me say, the traffic here makes that in BKK look positively sedate and sensible. Bangkok, for all its traffic faults, does not have cars driving on the footpath, major roads which are so pot-holed you need a 4WD to navigate them, and drives only on the wrong side of the road when "necessary" rather than as a general rule. Also Thai drivers at least glance at the traffic lights once in a while and do not use the horn more often than the brakes or turn-signals.

Quite frankly, the traffic I used to complain about, like you're all saying, I now quite miss! And when I do return to BKK every couple of weeks, I'm a little surprised at how calm and orderly it seems!

Just goes to show that one man's chaos is another man's traquility; depends on what you're used to.

But believe me, BKK, you don't know how good you've got it!!!!

[Neeranam]

thais drive in a small opaque bubble , they are unable to see beyond the confines of their bubble , nothing exists outside their bubble , and if it does , its of no interest to them and its not their business

good answer, but is it ignorance, laziness, selfishness or what?

Edited March 14, 2007 by Neeranam

[Neeranam]

I've been working in Mumbai (Bombay

The only place that I've seen a bicycle jam!

[jEFFREYk44]

and 1 thing I forgot, why always back in to a parking space?

and why with emergency flashers on?

last question, ever seen an ambulance without its siren on?

[ercorn]

In my opinion its laziness.

[ercorn]

I've been working in Mumbai (Bombay

The only place that I've seen a bicycle jam!

[bdenner]

It's not only their piss poor attitude to parking. Riding their bikes through crowded market places, Nong Khai river market comes to mind, not giving a shIt who they deposit a Thai tattoo on.

And it's not confined to one age group, their practices seem to cover the whole spectrum. BRAIN DEAD.

[bendix]

What a bizarre thread.

If I sit down and close my eyes and listen to these posts, I could almost imagine myself sitting in the bar of the British Club in colonial Kenya, circa 1912.

"What-oh . . . these demned natives. Funny buggers, what?"

"Too true Smithers. Jolly kaffirs don't have the sense they were born with."

"Well what do you expect, old bean? It's the sun, you know. These little brown fellas. They're not like us, don't you know"

"Tally ho, and all that. Nothing that a bally good dose of white man's thinking won't put right."

"What ho! What ho! Another b-and-soda, my good man?"

Edited March 15, 2007 by bendix

[Ulysses G.]

The white mans burden!

[The Dan Sai Kid]

On a sunday night in Chiang Mai, just outside UG's shop a car was trying to get down the street. A bike had parked too far out and was blocking the road. As I was walking past I moved the bike a bit forward - nam jai and all that - anyway, I was taking too long for the car and he started honking his horn at me!!

If it wasn't for the fact that his wife was sitting looking mortified I would have walked off. I have never seen a lady look as apologetic as they drove past!

Edited March 15, 2007 by The Dan Sai Kid

[andook]

What a bizarre thread.

If I sit down and close my eyes and listen to these posts, I could almost imagine myself sitting in the bar of the British Club in colonial Kenya, circa 1912.

"What-oh . . . these demned natives. Funny buggers, what?"

"Too true Smithers. Jolly kaffirs don't have the sense they were born with."

"Well what do you expect, old bean? It's the sun, you know. These little brown fellas. They're not like us, don't you know"

"Tally ho, and all that. Nothing that a bally good dose of white man's thinking won't put right."

"What ho! What ho! Another b-and-soda, my good man?"

"Quite right, Bendix old boy! Makes ###### good sense to have your own driver, what!

Install a decent system of railways and democracy, and then piss orf out of silly bloody bongo-bongo land. Damned savages can't even mix a decent pink gin here, eh?"

Actually, I drive here a lot, and the laziness of driving parking habits here p#sses me off no end. The habit of (double / triple) parking as close to the intended destination is a particular peeve of mine. Thais are going to evolve without legs in the distant future..?

[goldfish]

What a bizarre thread.

If I sit down and close my eyes and listen to these posts, I could almost imagine myself sitting in the bar of the British Club in colonial Kenya, circa 1912.

You're really showing your age now

[Heng]

Hire a driver. It's their job (and problem if you see it that way).

That extra 6,000-8,000 a month might push you over that 35,000 Bath a month budget threshhold though. But hey, case in point... that small amount can actually save you the clear annoyance and unhappiness that you clearly will likely experience for the foreseeable future.

[Jet Gorgon]

I think Asians see the road as a pitch and putt course. Only accidents I ever had were in Thailand and I was parked curbside and got sideswiped and then dinged in the back bumper. I paid for both because I am farang.

Hate to say it but Italians on bikes aren't any better. Always overtaking when two lorries are overtaking in the opposite lane or passing on the right side when I am indicating to turn.

Just gotta have 360 visual and know the reach of your hood (bonnet) and rearend.

Yep, never park near a 7-11. Barracade of bikes surround your vehicle and NO WAY OUT. I'm too small to heft a bike and nearly got whacked when one I was moving fell over and the owner came out and started yelling at me.

[gummy]

Hire a driver. It's their job (and problem if you see it that way).

That extra 6,000-8,000 a month might push you over that 35,000 Bath a month budget threshhold though. But hey, case in point... that small amount can actually save you the clear annoyance and unhappiness that you clearly will likely experience for the foreseeable future.

Not if you have children though as anybody with a child and a modicum of common sense would never allow a Thai driver to be responsible for the safety of their children. Sunday afternoon treat for a Thai driver is seeing how many children you can get in the back of a pick-up and still have in the back of the pick-up after 30 minutes of suicidal driving. Then on Monday you want to trust them with your children?

It took my wife many years of living in the UK to appreciate good safe driving and now living back here all I have heard her say for the last twenty years is - Stupid Thai drivers, don't they understand safety and responsibilty - and she is Thai !

[Gary A]

good answer, but is it ignorance, laziness, selfishness or what?

The correct answer is all of the above.

[Heng]

Hire a driver. It's their job (and problem if you see it that way).

That extra 6,000-8,000 a month might push you over that 35,000 Bath a month budget threshhold though. But hey, case in point... that small amount can actually save you the clear annoyance and unhappiness that you clearly will likely experience for the foreseeable future.

Not if you have children though as anybody with a child and a modicum of common sense would never allow a Thai driver to be responsible for the safety of their children.

A driver can be trained just like any other employee. Not to mention we keep a file containing copies of his id and house registration, just like any other employee. No driving over 110 kph on the expressway. Following distance of 2 seconds between each vehicle (and if need be, we'll show you how to count to 2 and measure following distance). No sudden lane changes. No racing (duh). No sleeping with the aircon on or the car doors open while you're waiting. No phone conversations while driving. And finally, no personal calls on your issued mobile phone. That's for us to call you to pick us up.

In my particular case, I don't plan on letting my driver drive my kids anywhere anyway.

Getting worked up over people's driving or parking habits here is like getting worked up over mold buildup in your bathroom. It's not something one needs to think about. Just delegate and have it taken care of.

[Jai Dee]

The type of comments in this thread are beginning to strain the Forum Rules.

Members are reminded of the following in particular: "extremely negative views of Thailand will not be tolerated".

Whilst it's OK to vent some frustration, please do not overstep the mark by "Thai-bashing".

Thanks for your understanding.