Today (Sunday the 15th) and yesterday were paricularly light traffic days here in Bangkok. This year I had to make a number of car trips across town and what really struck me was how rude and dangerous the city bus drivers were. Since the lanes were fairly traffic free these drivers felt they had the right to keep the pedal to the metal. I was almost hit three times...I had to take evasive action.

Maybe they were just p---ed that they had to work on Songkran.

Or, maybe their natural rudeness allowed itself to be better displayed when there were fewer cars on the road.

I'll feel safer when we return to normal road clog next week.

It's not just the holiday - they are shockers.

I get the bus to work, and every day they accelerate, horn full blast, at the pedestrians on the zebra crossing at Sanam Luang (red light or not). Several people (little old Thai ladies, children, students...) have had very narrow escapes. It's only a matter of time before the bus I'm on kills some innocent pedestrians who are correctly crossing the street at a designated area.

Add to that;-

Ignoring red lights.

Pulling off while people are only half onboard.

Crazy braking, sending passengers flying.

Driving on the wrong side of the road.

Ignoring red lights in order to fully block a major intersection.

Cutting up and blocking ambulances at all times.

Playing "chicken" with all other vehicles. etc.

There is no reason for it, other than, a complete lack of respect for other people and a lack of policing of road laws.

In my opinion 95% of the bus drivers in Bangkok (99.9999% of little monster drivers) are unfit to drive a bus. But TiT, why spend money on driver training, care, maintenance, correct policing of the roads, (it's all correctly budgeted for) when you can steal the money and smile about it? - not giving a fark for other members of society.