Go fast not slow!: Thailand's speed limit set to be raised from 90 to 120 kmph

[madmitch]

Surely the minimum speed in the right hand lane won't apply to high-sided pickups with it's load covered by a blue and white striped plastic tarpaulin? I always though such vehicles were allowed to stay in this lane for as long as they wanted. ????

Edited December 10, 2019 by madmitch

[natway09]

Good news, so we will keep the number 1 slot for road deaths

[observer90210]

Oh my god....more road carnage ahead ! Could be a good investment now to set up a funeral company with branches near all the major highways !

 

They should rather be putting speed breakers with exagerated road bumps that would force the indisciplined drivers of Thailand, both Thai and foreigners, to be forced to go DEAD SLOW !

[snoop1130]

New speed limit for private cars on trial on three highways

 

 

A new trial speed limit of up to 120kph for private cars has been imposed on three highways, namely Asian, Pahonyothin and Mitraparb (Friendship), since Monday.

 

According to Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob, the increased speed limit is on a trial basis on the Asian Highway, from Bang Pa-in in Ayutthaya to Nakhon Sawan, covering a distance of 150km, Mitraparb highway from Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima and Pahonyothin northbound from Bangkok.

 

The three highways are divided into three traffic lanes for different speeds, namely under 80kph, between 80-100kph and 101-120kph.

 

Mr. Saksayam said a recent opinion poll showed that 71% of motorists agreed with the raised limit, from 90 to 120kph, against the 29% who think road conditions in Thailand are not ready for increased limits and some motorists lack discipline and driving skills.

 

The survey also showed that 32% of motorists admitted they regularly exceed the 90kph limit.

 

To cope with the increased speed limit, the Highways Department and Local Highways Department have been instructed to install safety equipment, improve road barriers and lane markings and recalibrate equipment used to check the speed of vehicles.

 

The speed limit for public transport, such as buses and trucks, remains at 90kph.

 

Source: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/new-speed-limit-for-private-cars-on-trial-on-three-highways/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2019-12-10

Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking Thailand news and visa info

[CGW]

5 hours ago, Chazar said:

I  find driving  slowly way  more  boring and liable to make me  drowsy, blatting it keeps  me more  alert

Driving slowly here IMO has more inherent risk involved than driving "fast" you have to be aware of what the driver in front is "doing" you have to hope the clown in the left lane isn't going to pull out on you all the time wondering if the idiot behind can really drive any closer than he is.

Far safer to get by the "masses" and get some road to yourself and get to where you are going quicker, the less time on the road , the less chance of an accident, works for me! 

[Orton Rd]

if your gf or Mrs drives ask them if they know what the speed limits are ???? or almost any rules of the road.

[RobertHima]

7 hours ago, jackdd said:

There is already a law which says you have to drive in the left lane unless you are overtaking or turning. It's just not enforced.

I've had been fined for driving in the right lane in Buriram once, on a totally empty road, with the left lane full of potholes. So at least some policemen heard about this.

[Somewhere In Time]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

They will apply to roads deemed suitable enough that have four lanes and up and have central reservations or central barriers.

Good.  The change to 120 on these newest roads is a welcome development.

 

SIT

[metisdead]

Some offensive posts have been removed. 

[ParkerN]

Excellent. Bound to be a winner and propel this lout to the stratospheric realms of Prayut and Prawit before you can count to three (or two if you're a Thai).

 

[Matzzon]

I can already hear the breaking of more bones, and see the sight of higher piles of dead bodies on the roadsides.

[macgver]

Talking only, but no action. Let's wait till approve.

[Bassosa]

How is a large truck supposed to do the quintessentially Thai "highway U-turn" with traffic at 120+ kph?

[Cabradelmar]

Some of the worst drivers in all the world and you want to increase speed... ????

[The Theory]

90 to 120 will guarantee Thailand to remain No1. on the top of the list. 

This is the best way to have no injured passenger in collagens, no one will survive. 

[DaRoadrunner]

A transport minister whose family own a racetrack is responsible for speed limits. Could only happen in Thailand. The Thais are not fit to be let loose at the existing limits.

 

As for the new minimum speed limit.... Yep, they are so slow it drives me nuts, but I cannot see how this is going to be enforced.

[legend49]

The three highways are divided into three traffic lanes for different speeds, namely under 80kph, between 80-100kph and 101-120kph.

 

ASIF Thais will comply with these requirements it will be 120 plus in all 3 lanes.

[BobbyL]

It will make no difference. There will still be no enforcement of the rules and the usual goons will still smash it in between traffic doing 120+++. 

[kwak250]

120kph is fine in most countries but i often see people having to brake hard when on the Asian highway when a truck decides to pull out after doing a u-turn making everyone come to a stop .

Usually another 10 cars follow .

120kpm is not safe for many people who got their driving licence on the back of a pack of cornflakes.

I do realise so people worked really hard for theirs driving through a difficult set of cones and stopping in a box in their gruelling 15 minute test which i apologize to them for.

[30la]

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

A new trial speed limit of up to 120kph for private cars

Wow, soon we will have the chance to go at full speed ...
Stop it, you have to slow down the speed and do more appropriate checks or you'll be really first in the squalid classification of road deaths!

[Road Warrior]

Thai drivers will love this !!!!

[Dogmatix]

I recall seeing a survey years ago that concluded that the vast majority of Thai drivers had no idea what statutory speed limits were on Thai roads.  I doubt much as has changed and making things vastly more complicated is not going to help educate the drivers or corrupt police.

[I wonder]

The law is being adjusted to allow for prosecution for those who do not go fast enough on the right. ????

 

‘But officer I had to do 160 to pass the car that was only doing 119 in the outside land’

Edited December 11, 2019 by I wonder
Confused

[smiggley]

120kph is a bit excessive, raise to 100 because they give a leeway of 10kph anyway.

[Matzzon]

14 hours ago, Bassosa said:

How is a large truck supposed to do the quintessentially Thai "highway U-turn" with traffic at 120+ kph?

Simple, he will need to have the same speed when he initiate the turn.

Edited December 11, 2019 by Matzzon

[transam]

They should have reduced the speed limit, not increase it..........????

 

 

[Pedrogaz]

I regularly drive Mitraparp at 120kph. It is the speed to go if you don't wish to change lanes every two minutes. What I have found is that as I have become older and my reflexes and concentration are not as good I seem to becoming involved in more accident situations. In Thailand you not only have to anticipate what a normal driver might do, but what a nutcase might do as well.....people who change lanes for no reason at all, for example or trucks using the third right hand lane to do a U-turn thus blocking it for fast traffic.

My biggest beef in Thailand is trucks and buses in the 4th right hand lane, especially going up the hill at Muak Lek where they might be traveling at 10 kph with the truck and the truck in the 3rd lane going 9kph. I also hate the ditherers. I am always happy to let traffic going faster than me pass by, but Thai drivers tend not to have cruising speed, so they pass you and they slow down, and you do this passing and repassing every few kilometers. It's tiresome.

[MaxLee]

Either way, the bad drivers will always speed up like there is no tomorrow without taking any prisoners.

[VocalNeal]

19 hours ago, tandor said:

.they're doing 120kmph already, ..

Exactly.

[jvs]

Three different speeds on the same road but on different lanes,i have no

idea how this will work but i have a question.

Can speed cameras handle this?