Thailand’s new increased speed limits are now in effect

Thaivisa file photo for reference only

New driving laws which will see speed limits increase for some drivers in Thailand have now come into effect.

The new rules, which were first announced earlier this month, have now become law after being published in the Royal Gazette on Wednesday.

Most notable of the new rules is the increase in speed limit for cars using highways.

The new rules state that anyone using the outside lane on a highway must not drive slower than 100km/h but no faster than 120km/h. 

The new speed limits for vehicles is as follows:

Vehicles with more than 15 seats: 90km/h

Tow trucks: 65km/h

Motorcycles: 80km/h

Big bikes 400cc or above: 110km/h

School buses: 80km/h

Vehicles with more than 7 seats but less than 15: 100km/h

Tractor or agricultural vehicle: 45km/h

Transport officials said the new speed limits were introduced to help increase safety on major highways, typically those with four or more lanes.

It has been claimed that some people drive too slow, which is unsafe. By comparison, some motorcyclists drive too fast, which is why their speed limit has been reduced.

The only times the new speed limits do not apply is during poor visibility or if the lane is obstructed.

Thailand is of course known for its dangerous roads, which claim in excess of 20,000 lives per year and close to one million people are injured. Around 70 percent of all deaths on Thai roads are motorcyclists.

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-03-12

 

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"Big bikes 400cc or above: 110km/h"

And I've just bought a 350, (which is still banned from cross-country roads).  ????

That's great, just in time for Songkran.

12 minutes ago, webfact said:

New driving laws which will see speed limits increase for some drivers in Thailand have now come into effect

what is the next level after carnage ?

1 minute ago, YetAnother said:

what is the next level after carnage ?

Utter carnage ????

   Thailands highway genocide         Inappropriate speed is responsible for 20 to 30% of all fatal road crashes. After reviewing the current knowledge on the relationship between speed and crash risk, A report analyses of eleven cases from ten countries that have recently changed speed limits or introduced a large-scale automatic speed control. The analysis confirms the very strong relationship between speed and crash risk and that higher speed is associated with increased occurrence and severity of road crashes.

The roads on which these laws are aimed are fully capable of the speed increases being installed, they are often the safest roads to drive on, and the toll booths usually deter the more crazy drivers.

Where can I invest in body bags?

Drive fast, die young. 

yes this makes complete sense! 

why have any speed limit at all? 

 

9 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

yes this makes complete sense! 

why have any speed limit at all? 

 

Where I live they dont seem to care

57 minutes ago, Golden Triangle said:

47 minutes ago, YetAnother said:

what is the next level after carnage ?

 

57 minutes ago, Golden Triangle said:

Utter carnage ????

I doubt whether we'll see any significant changes. As mentioned many times most of the accidents and deaths are motorcycle related and those accidents don't occur much on these highways, they happen on rural roads. 

 

It will, I'm sure, be 'carry on as usual'.

Scooters at 80 KmH, with autos driving 120 KmH, what can possibly go wrong, especially at o'dark thirty, and after a few beers or whiskey.  Looks like the rescue folks will be using shovels to pick up the remains.....yuck.

Since when were any driving laws adhered to anyway ?

46 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

Where I live they dont seem to care

Now that's a widespread cultural thing! ????

New speed limits in effect already?

 

Ain't seen any new signs on the roads.

I presume these speed limits only apply where they are signposted although the story does not say so ?

Translated in Thai, means.....

for everything that has wheels and applies anywhere across the country, except for the special ones who know no limit.

I see a problem "The new rules state that anyone using the outside lane on a highway must not drive slower than 100km/h but no faster than 120km/h,"  this may be a mis translation, but why is it the "outside" lane, which, unless defined, is different in other countries, eg, Australia, it is the lane furthest from the centre.

More bright ideas from their leaders to let you know they're still alive and well during the pandemic protecting their people.????

Lol we are all safe, Police couldn't care less about speed limits, drivers couldent care less about speed limits because they know the Police couldent care less, more Tea!!

Road deaths will continue if not get worse from now on!!

Has anyone ever seen a speeding vehicle under pursuit by a police vehicle?  Does a speed limit actually make any difference in any practical way?

18 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand’s new increased speed limits are now in effect

Why bother with changing laws when the net effect is nil without any law enforcement? Do the authorities really think that people obey any current laws? TIT...

Impossible to do 120 most of the time anyway. The passing lane is always blocked by overloaded pick-up trucks and they are still installing traffic lights designed in the 1800's on the highways causing traffic to jam-up (where most accidents occur) instead of installing flyovers. 

The money being spent on 1,000s of U-turn bridges going over railroad tracks in every 2 house village in Thailand could be better spent cleaning up the highway system debacle but TIT. 

1 hour ago, Aussie999 said:

I see a problem "The new rules state that anyone using the outside lane on a highway must not drive slower than 100km/h but no faster than 120km/h,"  this may be a mis translation, but why is it the "outside" lane, which, unless defined, is different in other countries, eg, Australia, it is the lane furthest from the centre.

In the UK the outside lane is the fast lane in the centre (drive on left drive same as Thailand). Its usual to overtake on the outside - not the inside..

17 hours ago, shy coconut said:

The roads on which these laws are aimed are fully capable of the speed increases being installed, they are often the safest roads to drive on, and the toll booths usually deter the more crazy drivers.

Quite, speed in itself is not a danger, it is how it it is used. As the article points out, driving slow in the wrong place is just as dangerous. Will be interesting to see if anyone gets prosecuted for being too slow in the outside lane.

I went along the new offshore road at Chonburi yesterday and pleasantly surprised to see sleeping policemen had been laid prior to the junctions. Baby steps.

35 minutes ago, Tracyb said:

Has anyone ever seen a speeding vehicle under pursuit by a police vehicle?  Does a speed limit actually make any difference in any practical way?

No but over the last few months I have seen a lot of use use of police using speed cameras around the Chiang Mai region.

35 minutes ago, Tracyb said:

Has anyone ever seen a speeding vehicle under pursuit by a police vehicle?  Does a speed limit actually make any difference in any practical way?

Has anyone ever seen a police car other than the brown highway patrol cars who do nothing other than escort high so people, I was forced off the road by one of these patrol cars, he actually swerved towards me in his effort to get me off the road, a hole!!

18 hours ago, shy coconut said:

The roads on which these laws are aimed are fully capable of the speed increases being installed, they are often the safest roads to drive on, and the toll booths usually deter the more crazy drivers.

The are not talking about toll roads. The speed limit on toll roads has been 120km forever. They are talking about multilane highways. Where the speed limit used to be 100km/h......not that any Thai ever takes notice if speed limits anyway!

52 minutes ago, Badrabbit said:

Lol we are all safe, Police couldn't care less about speed limits, drivers couldent care less about speed limits because they know the Police couldent care less, more Tea!!

Road deaths will continue if not get worse from now on!!

One has to assume you don't get out much.

In recent years there has been a significant in the use of cameras both fixed and mobile. My wife and her family have been caught a few times. My brother in law has a few mates in the police and could usually avoid having to pay, but when the fine comes through the post little they can do. Having to pay has altered his driving habits.

My wife got caught in a mobile speed trap, no suggestion whatsoever of tea money. She was shown a photo of the vehicle with the speed printed on it, had to sign a form and the fine came through the post.