Is turning left at the traffic lights illegal now?

[ChipButty]

If you are driving along Sai Yuan road to the traffic lights and turn left towards Chalong many people turn left on Red,

There was a sign that did say turn left if clear, thats gone a while ago,

Twice this week as you turn left, the police are there and they pulled every car over that had come through the red lights,

The one day I was on the other side waiting to turn left into Sai Yuan watching what was happening and plus a few more doing that mad U-turn.

Saturday morning a policeman was parked at the side of 7/11 stopping mostly bikes jumping the lights to turn right into Sai Yuan.

When I got home I told my wife, later she had to go that way she stopped on red waiting, some guy banging on his horn for her to move, she didnt move

[Henryford]

I don't think it's changed but some lights have a sign saying no left turn until green. I have been done twice for turning left at the Tai/3rd Road lights in Pattaya.

[madmitch]

Sounds like here and the circle are the prime spots. It wouldn't be any surprise if the police had deliberately removed the turn left on red sign knowing that they'd catch plenty of drivers unaware.

 

Their "income" must be well down for the year.

[ChipButty]

1 minute ago, madmitch said:

Sounds like here and the circle are the prime spots. It wouldn't be any surprise if the police had deliberately removed the turn left on red sign knowing that they'd catch plenty of drivers unaware.

 

Their "income" must be well down for the year.

Christmas is coming they need money

[Moonlover]

I've just quizzed Madam Moon on this. She actually did a course at a well known driving school in Udon Thani. She confirmed what I've always thought, that you may turn left against a red light if the road is clear.

 

Unless, that is, there is a sign prohibiting such a move! As I understand it, most Thais believe that to be the case so I can understand the driver's irritation at your wife's behaviour.

 

Maybe the policeman you observed was stopping cars for a completely different reason, or he was a newbie who didn't understand the rules. ????

 

[fishtank]

5 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

Maybe the policeman you observed was stopping cars for a completely different reason, or he was a newbie who didn't understand the rules. ????

 

They understand the rules alright.

They have to get their dinner money from somewhere.

[Old Croc]

7 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

Christmas is coming they need money

December 25 is just another working day in non Christian Thailand.

 

[VocalNeal]

In Phayao most of the traffic lights show arrows not circular lenses. So one assumes if there is no red arrow pointing left...

[Eindhoven]

25 minutes ago, Henryford said:

I don't think it's changed but some lights have a sign saying no left turn until green. I have been done twice for turning left at the Tai/3rd Road lights in Pattaya.

 

They tried that with me, when the sign was first put up and hidden behind some trees.

It didn't work out for them. I just glared at him and continued across the street to the noodle stand there. They thought better than to interrupt a man whilst he was eating.

 

 

 

[ChipButty]

42 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

I've just quizzed Madam Moon on this. She actually did a course at a well known driving school in Udon Thani. She confirmed what I've always thought, that you may turn left against a red light if the road is clear.

 

Unless, that is, there is a sign prohibiting such a move! As I understand it, most Thais believe that to be the case so I can understand the driver's irritation at your wife's behaviour.

 

Maybe the policeman you observed was stopping cars for a completely different reason, or he was a newbie who didn't understand the rules. ????

 

They were as you turn left and they pulled the lot in, this main road is dual carriage way and you get people doing a U-turn right on the lights, dangerous!

At this junction there is no signs there, 

[ChipButty]

38 minutes ago, Old Croc said:

December 25 is just another working day in non Christian Thailand.

 

There is only one religion in Thailand thats "Money"

[stevenl]

For quite some time, at least one year plus, it is illegal there to turn left. Many still do it though.

[CharlieH]

I thought the general attitude in use was "do what the hell you want" ???? seems to be the norm in my experience.

[Agusts]

There are some signs regarding turning left, some are English, but I haven't clue about the only Thai signs...!

I figured that anything in blue color probably means it's ok to turn left when clear, but anything in red , or red border means it's not allowed...

If you guys have some photos of these signs and can read Thai, it will be great help to post them here please...

There are some English signs in tourist towns, but I was in Trang last month, and no signs in English there, very confusing with a car behind wanting to turn ....! 

[stevenl]

36 minutes ago, Agusts said:

There are some signs regarding turning left, some are English, but I haven't clue about the only Thai signs...!

I figured that anything in blue color probably means it's ok to turn left when clear, but anything in red , or red border means it's not allowed...

If you guys have some photos of these signs and can read Thai, it will be great help to post them here please...

There are some English signs in tourist towns, but I was in Trang last month, and no signs in English there, very confusing with a car behind wanting to turn ....! 

If no blue sign with a white arrow indicating left, you are not allowed to turn left on red. No matter the car behind you. The signs vary but are clear, you really don't need to be able to read Thai.

Edited December 14, 2020 by stevenl

[bloodyholly]

It’s the new plan. The local BIB were finding it difficult catching 1) m/cycle riders with out helmets , 2) illegal motorbikes, 3) drivers/riders without lights, 4) dangerous drivers/riders 5) underage m/cycle riders etc. So they removed road signs that previously allowed left turns (when safe to do so) and now going after these softer targets. 

[DaLa]

News to me, I was of the understanding that there were no illegal vehicle maneuvers in Thailand. I had best swot up on the highway code my licence runs out in 3 days time and I'm not looking forward to the strenuous test procedure.

[Kraig62]

TIT. Everything is legal and illegal. 

[ChipButty]

6 hours ago, Moonlover said:

Unless, that is, there is a sign prohibiting such a move! As I understand it, most Thais believe that to be the case so I can understand the driver's irritation at your wife's behaviour.

 

 

 

Nothing wrong with my wife's behavior seems she was correct stopping on a Red light  

[ChipButty]

2 hours ago, stevenl said:

For quite some time, at least one year plus, it is illegal there to turn left. Many still do it though.

Loads do it, I come that way home every night, I only noticed today they have changed the traffic lights it has a green arrow pointing left, from now on I will stop on Red and ignore people banging on their horn

[JAS21]

1 hour ago, stevenl said:

If no blue sign with a white arrow indicating left, you are not allowed to turn left on red. No matter the car behind you. The signs vary but are clear, you really don't need to be able to read Thai.

That is absolutely correct, but many including myself quite often ignore, when  it is safe to do so.....of course.

 

[stevenl]

17 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

Loads do it, I come that way home every night, I only noticed today they have changed the traffic lights it has a green arrow pointing left, from now on I will stop on Red and ignore people banging on their horn

Yes, so do I (with the car, with the bike I continue on red).

2 minutes ago, JAS21 said:

That is absolutely correct, but many including myself quite often ignore, when  it is safe to do so.....of course.

 

Yes, so do I (with the car, with the bike I continue on red).

[JAS21]

4 minutes ago, stevenl said:

Yes, so do I (with the car, with the bike I continue on red).

Yes, so do I (with the car, with the bike I continue on red).

I suppose, now that Christmas is coming, I should not only look for a safe gap in the traffic but also a good look left to see if Mr. BIB is hiding, waiting to pounce....

[ChipButty]

27 minutes ago, JAS21 said:

I suppose, now that Christmas is coming, I should not only look for a safe gap in the traffic but also a good look left to see if Mr. BIB is hiding, waiting to pounce....

The funny thing was the other day I did stop on red and I had the window open I could hear the whistles but I couldn't see them at first, I've no intentions of giving them 5 Baht let alone 500 Baht

[Brayka]

Seems like generalisation is the hobby for most people here about” they need money”!

[Bogbrush]

On 12/14/2020 at 9:16 AM, ChipButty said:

They were as you turn left and they pulled the lot in, this main road is dual carriage way and you get people doing a U-turn right on the lights, dangerous!

At this junction there is no signs there, 

The junction of Soi SaiYuan 1 and Vigit Rd - I think this is the area you’re referring to - is an authorised ‘U Turn’  junction for traffic traveling on Vigit, and the sign is clearly visible on both sides of the lights.

[Lacessit]

Doesn't seem to be any enforcement in Chiang Rai, some motorists turn on red, some don't. I've lost count of motorists doing U-turns when there's a sign forbidding it.

Aleister Crowley would have loved it here, his maxim " Do as thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law" is peculiarly apt for Thailand.

[moogradod]

On 12/14/2020 at 8:28 AM, Moonlover said:

I've just quizzed Madam Moon on this. She actually did a course at a well known driving school in Udon Thani. She confirmed what I've always thought, that you may turn left against a red light if the road is clear.

 

Unless, that is, there is a sign prohibiting such a move! ........

 

This - and ONLY this - is the correct answer as far as I know.

 

Could everybody pretending otherwise please post a source / link for that ?

[richard_smith237]

22 hours ago, stevenl said:

If no blue sign with a white arrow indicating left, you are not allowed to turn left on red. No matter the car behind you. The signs vary but are clear, you really don't need to be able to read Thai.

 

I suspect the regulation varies from province to province and even junction to junction - hence the debate and numerous threads and blogs on this very subject. 

 

 

In Bangkok its seems legal to turn left at all junctions with a red traffic light unless there sign which states otherwise that you can’t turn left on a red light - it seems fairly consistent in Bangkok

 

In Pattaya it seems there is more confusions, a lot of people believe it is illegal turn left unless at a red traffic unless there is a sign which states you can, but this is only applied at a handful of junctions, thus there is a strong degree of inconsistency.

 

A person could have turned left at a traffic light for 5 years or more only to find themselves pulled over by the BiB to be told, its illegal to turn left at a red light that specific junction !!.. 

 

Sometimes the BiB are not 100% sure themselves and are just following orders of their boss, who, in turn is following the orders of his boss, who hasn’t really double checked but is going with what I call a ‘legacy crackdown’ where someone at some point decided that was a rule and since then it was periodically enforced without there being an actual real law.

 

As usual the inconstancy in road regulations has caused confusion - Very much SOP in Thailand. 

 

For anyone who has been driving here any length of time, we’ve learned to simply learn individual junctions, roll with it and do what we want !!... for the most part, unless I see the sign (white sign below), I turn left at all red traffic lights in Thailand if / when its clear and don’t wait for a green light. Its been years since I’ve been stopped in my car (in Bangkok) but suspect the Police are a little more active at pulling people over in certain areas (i.e. area’s of Pattaya) - some area’s become more notorious for getting pulled over than others.

 

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/262275-car-can-turn-left-at-red-stop-light/page/3/#comments

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/502137-turning-left-on-a-red-light/

 

 

 

These are the signs: 

 

 

Edited December 15, 2020 by richard_smith237

[stevenl]

1 hour ago, Bogbrush said:

The junction of Soi SaiYuan 1 and Vigit Rd - I think this is the area you’re referring to - is an authorised ‘U Turn’  junction for traffic traveling on Vigit, and the sign is clearly visible on both sides of the lights.

No, since over one year already not any more. No signs, there for not authorised.