Thai Parking

[cdnvic]

Who's being racist? We're discussing drivers in Thailand so the Germans and Italians just don't factor in as much.

[Austhaied]

The best solution would be for some of you guys to just chill out! Theres no need to turn to racist snobbish remarks over such a minor issue.

Chill

Jake

Yeah, much better to bottle it up inside till it explodes in road rage.

Exactly.. The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it. George Bernard Shaw..

[taxexile]

thaigoon , i'm sorry if you see my post as racist , that was not my intention.

yes , there are inconsiderate people everywhere in the world , and in thailand they are usually to be found on the roads , driving ( sometimes on the pavements , sometimes on the roads ) and parking (anywhere).

i know thais dont take too kindly to criticism by foriegners , but sometimes things just have to be said , this is a topic about parking here in thailand , and most foriegners find the parking habits here a bit selfish.

you are thai , please can you explain how a people known worldwide for their welcome , courtesy , general politeness and helpfulness , can be such selfish buggers when it comes to parking and driving.

Edited March 15, 2007 by taxexile

[madjbs]

You dont understand. If you can learn to chill then there is no need to bottle anything up and no need for road rage.

And as for accurate observation, if it is just that then its fine but when its put across with blatent racist and snobbish comments it becomes somthing else. If you cant see that then you accurate observation is perhaps just cynicism after all.

Jake

[ThaiGoon]

thaigoon , i'm sorry if you see my post as racist , that was not my intention.

yes , there are inconsiderate people everywhere in the world , and in thailand they are usually to be found on the roads , driving ( sometimes on the pavements , sometimes on the roads ) and parking (anywhere).

i know thais dont take too kindly to criticism by foriegners , but sometimes things just have to be said , this is a topic about parking here in thailand , and most foriegners find the parking habits here a bit selfish.

you are thai , please can you explain how a people known worldwide for their welcome , courtesy , general politeness and helpfulness , can be such selfish buggers when it comes to parking and driving.

My simple answer is that those people are different people. Has this thought ever come across anyone's mind on here? There are Thais who are considerate and courteous and there are also the ones who are just selfish and stupid. It's simple as that. I personally just hope that my country has more of the former.

P.S. I didn't mean to direct the comment about racism at you, Tax. Sorry for the confusion.

Edited March 15, 2007 by ThaiGoon

[Austhaied]

You dont understand. If you can learn to chill then there is no need to bottle anything up and no need for road rage.

And as for accurate observation, if it is just that then its fine but when its put across with blatent racist and snobbish comments it becomes somthing else. If you cant see that then you accurate observation is perhaps just cynicism after all.

Jake

Without any "flaming", please show me where I have blatantly posted racist and or snobbish remarks.. If you think parking motorbikes directly behind a car with their wheel locks on is fine then you have not been here long enough. Sad but true.

[kiakaha]

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.

I've been through ever possible form of automotive angst over the years.Thai motorists wont change their habits in a hurry.

My solution was to buy a car and hire a driver for 9,000 baht a month.

I like to think of it as outsourcing my frustration

[mamastar]

Jake

Without any "flaming", please show me where I have blatantly posted racist and or snobbish remarks.. If you think parking motorbikes directly behind a car with their wheel locks on is fine then you have not been here long enough. Sad but true.

Perhaps it's referring to cdnvic's previous "I used to hear Indians complain about Kiwi drivers"??

Or is it referring to racism towards Thais?

I do see double parking and wonder how on earth the first parked cars get out (until I saw some of the double parked ones had been left in neutral, so they could be physically pushed out of the way).

I do have to say though, that although the driving does seem and is in actual fact a bit crazy, there is some method to it. He who has the bigger vehicle or more expensive car gets right of way. Or strength in numbers. Or, he who hesitates loses. Not really sure of the ranking within this system, as I am used to "going straight and left turn has right of way", etc.

I also have to admit that although there is some seriously dangerous driving going on, given the crazy driving, these people are good. I have been riding my Honda Wave for nearly a year now and though have had close shaves, have yet to be in an accident. (Hope I didn't jinx that.) People just manage to dodge other cars and bikes skillfully.

Just my two cents on driving, though a bit off topic.

[andook]

You dont understand. If you can learn to chill then there is no need to bottle anything up and no need for road rage.

And as for accurate observation, if it is just that then its fine but when its put across with blatent racist and snobbish comments it becomes somthing else. If you cant see that then you accurate observation is perhaps just cynicism after all.

Jake

Hey! Want to be my driver, Mr Mellow?

[madjbs]

Sure I will be your driver but I think I can legally call myself a "driver" if a work permit is included for this job. How about "stress preventer" or "parking agent".

And I wasn’t pointing at anybody in particular or saying everything wasn’t wrong but pointing out a general bad attitude or mood around a few recent threads on minor issues that have resulted into a few uncalled for comments. I also agree that the motorcycles shouldn’t have locked their wheels behind you Austhaied however it is fairly common however wrong it is. People that haven’t lived away from home for a long period of time are the ones that tend to have a racist slant believing that everything they know is better than here, the long termers are often have a more excepting attitude and don’t turn problems into a race thing. How long have you been here?

[soundman]

I asked all of these questions five years ago. The honest consensus amongst the thai people I asked was that; and to quote my wife "Thai people are amongst the most self centred and selfish people on the planet". In case anybody is going to accuse somebody of being rascist - my wife is thai.

My wife has been to maybe fifteen other countries for durations of between 2 weeks & 5 years (Australia) in the last fifteen years of her life. She has been to Europe, Middle East, and Oceanna. I asked her to qualify her comment above, and her reply was that having seen other cultures she honestly believed what she said.

After living in LOS & driving hundreds of thousands of kilometers in the last six years, I have found that my road ettiquette has gone particularly thai style too.

I don't care if I cut somebody off - He shouldn't be there in the first place.

I drive with my high beams on - Because I can see better.

I double park & block people in - My meeting / shopping is more important.

I don't care about the vehicles behind me - I'm in front.

I overtake on a single lane road with on coming traffice - Get out of my way, my car is more expensive than yours!!!

I park in the handicapped zone at the supermarket - Who cares when your rego is กก - 555.

I don't have to stop for red lights. - Just flick the hazards on and flash the high beams.

Heaps more to put on this list and have a laugh about.

Soundman.

[Payboy]

i really dont mind how they park - as long as it gets them off the roads

[Mid]

i really dont mind how they park - as long as it gets them off the roads

by no means a given .........................................

[Austhaied]

Sure I will be your driver but I think I can legally call myself a "driver" if a work permit is included for this job. How about "stress preventer" or "parking agent".

And I wasn’t pointing at anybody in particular or saying everything wasn’t wrong but pointing out a general bad attitude or mood around a few recent threads on minor issues that have resulted into a few uncalled for comments. I also agree that the motorcycles shouldn’t have locked their wheels behind you Austhaied however it is fairly common however wrong it is. People that haven’t lived away from home for a long period of time are the ones that tend to have a racist slant believing that everything they know is better than here, the long termers are often have a more excepting attitude and don’t turn problems into a race thing. How long have you been here?

9 years full time, on and off since 1994..

[andook]

I asked all of these questions five years ago. The honest consensus amongst the thai people I asked was that; and to quote my wife "Thai people are amongst the most self centred and selfish people on the planet". In case anybody is going to accuse somebody of being rascist - my wife is thai.

My wife has been to maybe fifteen other countries for durations of between 2 weeks & 5 years (Australia) in the last fifteen years of her life. She has been to Europe, Middle East, and Oceanna. I asked her to qualify her comment above, and her reply was that having seen other cultures she honestly believed what she said.

After living in LOS & driving hundreds of thousands of kilometers in the last six years, I have found that my road ettiquette has gone particularly thai style too.

I don't care if I cut somebody off - He shouldn't be there in the first place.

I drive with my high beams on - Because I can see better.

I double park & block people in - My meeting / shopping is more important.

I don't care about the vehicles behind me - I'm in front.

I overtake on a single lane road with on coming traffice - Get out of my way, my car is more expensive than yours!!!

I park in the handicapped zone at the supermarket - Who cares when your rego is กก - 555.

I don't have to stop for red lights. - Just flick the hazards on and flash the high beams.

Heaps more to put on this list and have a laugh about.

Soundman.

Nice ones. I make a lot of selfish road manouevres now too. Driving up people's <deleted> about 5mm from their rear bumper when they won't get out of the way, for example... I should seek help probably....

[ozymandious]

Flickr Tag badparking

I'm sure if our TV users are on the look out we can top any photos in here.

So start snapping and posting.

[Heng]

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

thats a very thai way of dealing with annoyances here , just get someone else to deal with it.

just remove it from my sight , so it doesnt exist.

judge for yourselves which way is more beneficial to the population at large.

It doesn't exist to me, you're right about that.

Your generalization is a typical 'foreign expat on a foreign web forum' way of taking a single action and applying it to a general population. The solution at hand is no different than taking care of any specific problem. Say...clogged septic tank or sewar line... you'd certainly delegate that kind of problem to someone else, yes? Or would not diving in with scuba gear and scrub brush be a very Thai way of dealing with an annoyance?

As to 'beneficial to the population' since when was life a team sport anyway? I'm all for altruistic behaviour as long as the boundaries are limited (for myself, to one's own family).

[lazeeboy]

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

thats a very thai way of dealing with annoyances here , just get someone else to deal with it.

just remove it from my sight , so it doesnt exist.

judge for yourselves which way is more beneficial to the population at large.

It doesn't exist to me, you're right about that.

Your generalization is a typical 'foreign expat on a foreign web forum' way of taking a single action and applying it to a general population. The solution at hand is no different than taking care of any specific problem. Say...clogged septic tank or sewar line... you'd certainly delegate that kind of problem to someone else, yes? Or would not diving in with scuba gear and scrub brush be a very Thai way of dealing with an annoyance?

As to 'beneficial to the population' since when was life a team sport anyway? I'm all for altruistic behaviour as long as the boundaries are limited (for myself, to one's own family).

PUT BULL BARS ON THE FRONT OF YOUR FORTUNER AND HAVE SOME FUN

[Heng]

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.

My solution was to buy a car and hire a driver for 9,000 baht a month.

I like to think of it as outsourcing my frustration

Great solution but surely whinging about it on the internet might have been more effective? What are you going to do to help all those other frustrated falangs out there? Don't you know that having roughly the same skin tone and perhaps even visa class mean you must help each other out?

[thaihome]

Thread like these me remind of what I take for granted. Being dropped off in front of wherever I want to go and call driver to pick me up when I am done.

I love Asia.

TH

Edited March 15, 2007 by thaihome

[Heng]

PUT BULL BARS ON THE FRONT OF YOUR FORTUNER AND HAVE SOME FUN

From experience, being from Texas... I can say that they decidedly reduce your vehicle's performance, your own visibility, and often don't allow you to partake in hit-and-run accidents.

[jing jing]

I understand that sometimes folks need to vent their frustrations, but really, this is another perfect example of how some people are simply unable to adapt to their environment. We are in Asia, obviously - not the West - and there is a different set of cultural norms regarding how personal space is dealt with.

If you ever pay close attention to what's going on you'll notice that there is always a way for you to manoevre in or out of parking spaces and driving situations, although it may require a little more imagination than you are accustomed to using back home.

As is true of many things here in Thailand, I actually prefer the local parking and driving "rules" to the rigid, highly regulated, and strictly enforced ones where I came from -- as long as I am able to take advantage and use them to my own benefit, as is usually the case.

[Mid]

I understand that sometimes folks need to vent their frustrations, but really, this is another perfect example of how some people are simply unable to adapt to their environment. We are in Asia, obviously - not the West - and there is a different set of cultural norms regarding how personal space is dealt with.

If you ever pay close attention to what's going on you'll notice that there is always a way for you to manoevre in or out of parking spaces and driving situations, although it may require a little more imagination than you are accustomed to using back home.

As is true of many things here in Thailand, I actually prefer the local parking and driving "rules" to the rigid, highly regulated, and strictly enforced ones where I came from -- as long as I am able to take advantage and use them to my own benefit, as is usually the case.

nice try but no cigar ,

examples ,

one vehicle occupieing two spaces at Tesco , and of course the motor cycle that makes entry/exit to the 7-11 impossible ,

and , last but not least

your own words

as long as I am able to take advantage and use them to my own benefit, as is usually the case

look up selfish , it's in the dictionary .........................

[Austhaied]

I understand that sometimes folks need to vent their frustrations, but really, this is another perfect example of how some people are simply unable to adapt to their environment. We are in Asia, obviously - not the West - and there is a different set of cultural norms regarding how personal space is dealt with.

If you ever pay close attention to what's going on you'll notice that there is always a way for you to manoevre in or out of parking spaces and driving situations, although it may require a little more imagination than you are accustomed to using back home.

As is true of many things here in Thailand, I actually prefer the local parking and driving "rules" to the rigid, highly regulated, and strictly enforced ones where I came from -- as long as I am able to take advantage and use them to my own benefit, as is usually the case.

And what about safety ? Take off your rose colored glasses jing jing. I prefer Thailand as well that's why i live here with my wife and 3 children. But the longer i am here the more i am amazed at some of the stupid, lazy and just plain ignorant moves the Thais make on the roads. I have to consider the safety of my 3 children before anything else. I do agree there is a system here and i do my best to conform. But it's time for the masses to practice some basic spatial awareness or continue the carnage that now exists. Do you have children here jing jing ?? Regards.AT

[Skyline]

I never get frustrated or stressed about Thais driving or parking,we are in Thailand...accept it or dont drive.

For example,if a mentally retarded Toyota Fortuner driver is almost touching your rear bumper whilst travelling at 100kph..brake!I guarantee he will <deleted> his pants and back off immediately.

IMO I dont think they are THAT bad at parking.Believe me there are worse in London.

[jEFFREYk44]

to sum it all up, this thread is not racist, all or most foreign TV'ers are pro Thai, this thread just let those of us who drive here vent are feelings, of course it is different driving here, we just get mad while we learn

[jing jing]

I understand that sometimes folks need to vent their frustrations, but really, this is another perfect example of how some people are simply unable to adapt to their environment. We are in Asia, obviously - not the West - and there is a different set of cultural norms regarding how personal space is dealt with.

If you ever pay close attention to what's going on you'll notice that there is always a way for you to manoevre in or out of parking spaces and driving situations, although it may require a little more imagination than you are accustomed to using back home.

As is true of many things here in Thailand, I actually prefer the local parking and driving "rules" to the rigid, highly regulated, and strictly enforced ones where I came from -- as long as I am able to take advantage and use them to my own benefit, as is usually the case.

And what about safety ? Take off your rose colored glasses jing jing. I prefer Thailand as well that's why i live here with my wife and 3 children. But the longer i am here the more i am amazed at some of the stupid, lazy and just plain ignorant moves the Thais make on the roads. I have to consider the safety of my 3 children before anything else. I do agree there is a system here and i do my best to conform. But it's time for the masses to practice some basic spatial awareness or continue the carnage that now exists. Do you have children here jing jing ?? Regards.AT

Yes, Austhaied, I have kids here. In fact I just drove today from Bangkok to Surin with my 2 week old son (we put the 16 month old on a train with his nanny) and no, he wasn't in a car seat for the entire distance. I've done many kilometers of driving both cars and motorbikes in Thailand as well as all over Europe and North America, and I agree that you really need to be on your toes here as people will do things we really wouldn't expect them to do back in Farangistan. Every time I hit the road for a long haul I have at least one close call and usually see some carnage along the way.

Don't get me wrong -- I don't believe that there is no danger on the roads here, or that the system couldn't stand some improvement. It's just that I have somehow gotten accustomed to the way things are, made certain adjustments in my attitude towards them, and am now fairly comfortable with the Thai transportation situation.

My wife, on the other hand, spends most of her time in sheer terror while I'm at the wheel.

[Austhaied]

I understand that sometimes folks need to vent their frustrations, but really, this is another perfect example of how some people are simply unable to adapt to their environment. We are in Asia, obviously - not the West - and there is a different set of cultural norms regarding how personal space is dealt with.

If you ever pay close attention to what's going on you'll notice that there is always a way for you to manoevre in or out of parking spaces and driving situations, although it may require a little more imagination than you are accustomed to using back home.

As is true of many things here in Thailand, I actually prefer the local parking and driving "rules" to the rigid, highly regulated, and strictly enforced ones where I came from -- as long as I am able to take advantage and use them to my own benefit, as is usually the case.

And what about safety ? Take off your rose colored glasses jing jing. I prefer Thailand as well that's why i live here with my wife and 3 children. But the longer i am here the more i am amazed at some of the stupid, lazy and just plain ignorant moves the Thais make on the roads. I have to consider the safety of my 3 children before anything else. I do agree there is a system here and i do my best to conform. But it's time for the masses to practice some basic spatial awareness or continue the carnage that now exists. Do you have children here jing jing ?? Regards.AT

Yes, Austhaied, I have kids here. In fact I just drove today from Bangkok to Surin with my 2 week old son (we put the 16 month old on a train with his nanny) and no, he wasn't in a car seat for the entire distance. I've done many kilometers of driving both cars and motorbikes in Thailand as well as all over Europe and North America, and I agree that you really need to be on your toes here as people will do things we really wouldn't expect them to do back in Farangistan. Every time I hit the road for a long haul I have at least one close call and usually see some carnage along the way.

Don't get me wrong -- I don't believe that there is no danger on the roads here, or that the system couldn't stand some improvement. It's just that I have somehow gotten accustomed to the way things are, made certain adjustments in my attitude towards them, and am now fairly comfortable with the Thai transportation situation.

My wife, on the other hand, spends most of her time in sheer terror while I'm at the wheel.

Took the words right out of my mouth. Well said. I do disagree with the "no" child seat thing though. Have you read the owners manual yet ?? I suggest you do.

[LinkPopularity]

most of the time I'm loving Thailand very much, but when I'm on the road and my life is threatened, because of the selfishness and ignorance of the 'locals' ... I really hate them !

[tgeezer]

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

and why with emergency flashers on?

When space is limited reversing is the only way to park 'cos the back wheels don't follow the front wheels'. I thought this was about 'bad' parking; the poor chaps can't seem to satisfiy any of us. The flashers are in fact 'Hazard Lights' so it is a self-effacing thing, admitting to all that " I am a hazard on the road" I don't use them.

On a general note: We must not ascribe to malice that which is ignorance. It is a bit like the forum; we say things which we would never say to someones face, if you speak to the person who has 'wronged' you and assume that he is normal, and he proves to be, it solves the problem. We are lucky being aliens in the country it allows us to get away with much that is offensive to natives because they think that they can't touch us, I try to remember that.

Edited March 15, 2007 by tgeezer