Thailand’s new increased speed limits are now in effect

[Artisi]

29 minutes ago, sandyf said:

I doubt that anyone is being forced to drive on the Thai roads against their will, if you do not like it there are always options. The Thais live with it and foreigners should learn to, there is not going to be any significant change anytime soon.

The  western nations grew up with the motor vehicle but for Thailand it came like an oven ready killing machine. A bit like giving a child a loaded pistol and expect them  to read and understand the safety instructions. There are some cultural issues in Thailand that are inconsistent with good driving principles and will take a long time to change. What you think should be easy is not the same for those that think differently and no amount of complaining is going to change that.

a long story to get to mai pben rai ????

[tingtong]

Changes nothing, really.

Most were driving at whatever speed, lane, side of the road, with or without working light, with or without driving license, often after drinking....

Speed itself doesn't cause as many accident than not enforcing the other traffic rules and laws do.

 

[sandhurstmolonski]

Don't have a problem with it as it is written , the problem is this will not be as it pans out , they rip past you when travelling 120 k already , small bikes at 80 k  ? Not sure about that take , a registered " fast lane " fair enough ...

But these limits are simply never followed , it would be a constant lane change at 120 k , or someone nipping left / right , constant lane changes at 140 / 150 

Extremely dangerous .

 

[l4ml4m]

I never knew that there was any speed limit in this country ?!

 

[Aussiepeter]

On 3/12/2021 at 7:21 PM, NCC1701A said:

yes this makes complete sense! 

why have any speed limit at all? 

 

In Australia's Northern Territory for many years they had a "no posted speed limit" on outback highway roads. It attracted rev-head tourists, who wanted to try out their muscle machines without hassle from police. The law basically said "whatever speed is safe for the conditions" but it was obviously aimed at tourism. Then, along came a Japanese dentist in his new Ferrari - he "lost it completely' at about 260 kph ( 155 MPH) & totally destroyed himself and his near new Italian stallion. A couple more prangs like this and even the $ starved NT government said, enough is enough. In LOS a speed increase ? "Mai pen rai - just add a few zero's to the annual road toll" - and some folks actually wonder why I got my Thai family out of there eight years ago ! Then add the filthy air pollution .....

[Puccini]

11 hours 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.

It looks like the Ministerial regulation was not translated into Australian. Mind you even in US English, it is ambiguous.

Quote

 

On a 3 or 4-lane road or highway in America which is the inside lane and which is the outside lane?

Sometimes the inside lane is closest to the median, sometimes it is farthest from the median. I think the former usage (inside = closest to the median) is more common in the US and the latter (inside = closest to edge) is more common in the UK, but it depends on who you ask.

Source: https://www.quora.com/On-a-3-or-4-lane-road-or-highway-in-America-which-is-the-inside-lane-and-which-is-the-outside-lane

From the Cambridge dictionary:

Quote

 

outside lane

the part of the road nearest the vehicles going in the opposite direction, used especially by faster vehicles

Source: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/outside-lane

 

 

[kevc]

And you'll get fined if you don't wear a crash helmet.

[Puccini]

9 hours ago, hotchilli said:

I sincerely hope they block-off all the infamous U-turns then... or else inform ICU and temples to get ready.

Do the highways (UK English: motorways) have U-turns in Thailand? I believe they have not.

[Sumarianson]

Germany has proven that it is not speed but bad driving, bad roads, inadequate training, substandard vehicles and stupidity that cause accidents. Thailand's roads are inadequate, its drivers are not properly trained and tested, its cars are inadequate and as for stupidity? I leave that to the reader to assess.

[Sumarianson]

2 hours ago, Puccini said:

Do the highways (UK English: motorways) have U-turns in Thailand? I believe they have not.

The UK does not use U turns in the overtaking far right lane as it is dangerous. It is an American idea like the pronunciation of tomato and basil, just want to be different but not better. In the UK and Ireland you have to take an exit from the carriageway which leads to a roundabout from where you can normally decide to return to the carriageway in the opposite direction. You may also find large roundabouts on A roads where the law is give way to traffic on your right. This method ensures that traffic which is normally travelling at speed on the far right lane is not unnecessarily and dangerously slowed to a halt and having to overtake on the left which is prohibited in the UK/Ireland. A far superior system in my opinion and I have driven in many countries both left and right.

[Puccini]

4 hours ago, Sumarianson said:

The UK does not use U turns in the overtaking far right lane as it is dangerous. It is an American idea like the pronunciation of tomato and basil, just want to be different but not better. In the UK and Ireland you have to take an exit from the carriageway which leads to a roundabout from where you can normally decide to return to the carriageway in the opposite direction. You may also find large roundabouts on A roads where the law is give way to traffic on your right. This method ensures that traffic which is normally travelling at speed on the far right lane is not unnecessarily and dangerously slowed to a halt and having to overtake on the left which is prohibited in the UK/Ireland. A far superior system in my opinion and I have driven in many countries both left and right.

What about highways (motorways) in Thailand? Do they have U-turns?

[Puccini]

On what roads, exactly, does the the 120 km/h speed limit apply? Is it only on what is know as highways in the USA and motorways in the UK, ie roads without crossings or U-turns? Or does it also apply to Thailand's dual carriage roads that have U-turns.

Perhaps we have to look for the Thai term in the Ministerial Regulation that has been translated as "highway" in the news article in the OP and then look for its definition in the Road Traffic Act. Any volunteers?

[Puccini]

Just saw this in a new topic:

Quote

 

...The change from 90 kmph to 120 kmph applies to roads with at least two lanes with a central divider...

 

Therefore, the 120 km/h speed limit appears to apply also to dual carriageways with U-turns. Good luck with that!

[Stargeezr]

Hey Thailand is trying to stay at the top 10.  This is just ensuring that it will.

Geezer

[hotchilli]

9 hours ago, Puccini said:

Do the highways (UK English: motorways) have U-turns in Thailand? I believe they have not.

No they do not, they either have real exits on the left-hand side or roundabouts to change direction.

[Ralf001]

2 hours ago, Puccini said:

What about highways (motorways) in Thailand? Do they have U-turns?

 

[bbbbooboo]

Hmmm....oh goodie...goodie... now Thais can kill themselves on their already dangerous roads at even greater speeds. Stupidity at its sublime ?

[Kenneth White]

I am glad to read that they have defined vehicle types and their respective speed limits. No matter where in the word you live there will always be speeders, and road rage over someone driving too slow in the fast lane. Be safe and drive defensively.

[Ralf001]

10 minutes ago, bbbbooboo said:

Hmmm....oh goodie...goodie... now Thais can kill themselves on their already dangerous roads at even greater speeds. Stupidity at its sublime ?

I'd reckon a fair percentage of accidents on motorways and highways are caused by slow drivers (got to love someone doing 80km/h in the right hand lane on the 120km/h 7 motorway) and trucks/buses not keeping left.

[Aussie999]

On 3/13/2021 at 9:53 AM, Shadychris said:

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..

Um, Australia also drives on the left, my point is, what is Thailand's definition, it needs to be defined by way of statutes..without a definition then there are problems interpreting it, just Google for info.. so many people are confused about inside, outside lane.

[connda]

On 3/12/2021 at 2:27 PM, webfact said:

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

This will just create more carnage because most Thais don't have the driving skills to even be on the road no less traveling at 120 kph which actually means 130 or 140 or "whatever."  This is suppose to be for specific limited access multi-laned roads, but I've noticed a difference on Highway 11 in Lamphun province where I'm starting to see cars, pickups, and SUVs, especially the type Hi-Sos love to speed in and many with BKK licence-plates screaming down the right-side lane on this dual lane carriage way with u-turns and merging traffic from access roads and shops, stores, and road stands on the left.  I travel the speed limit of 90 and I'm increasingly encountering vehicles moving so fast its like I'm barely moving.  Then add in the aggressiveness.  At 90 kph I pull into the right lane to pass slower traffic:  Signal, check the mirror before changing lane, and before I can get past the slower traffic, like a row of semis, I'm starting to encounter aggressive morons in their super-cars who are flashing high-beams until they are on your bumper.  I'm at 90 kpm, I've got a row of traffic on the right traveling at 70 or 80 and I'm going to get around them driving safely and sanely in within the stated road limits before moving over.  These idiots are traveling 60+ kpm faster than the traffic around them who are driving at the actual speed limits.  That's a condition to create accidents - excessive speed, reckless driving, and aggressiveness.
I generally will hit my flashers if I have some fool on my bumper until I'm around the slower vehicles, signal and get into the left lane while keeping an eye on my right rear bumper and Khun Aggressive hammers his accelerator and horn. 
If this is the new normal of Thai highway driving where there is a conservative figure of 21,000 deaths a year which now is going to be closer to 31,000 after of year of this insanity. 
It's all on the government as they make, at best, a feeble attempt with assinine videos that don't address the real dangers on Thai roads and how to mitigate them.  For example, in their video to renew a license they state multiple times that when pulling from the side of the road into traffic, to "accelerate slowly" which is dangerous because it's exactly how virtually all Thai merge:  Pull their car from the shoulder onto the primary road slowly, slowly, slowly where the speed limit is 80 or 90 (but with cars now sailing along at 120 to 150) then "accelerate slowly" creating a condition to get rear ended by cars they cut in front of while slowly, slowly, slowly accelerating.  Or they drive with one set of wheels on the shoulder and one set on the road for 500 to 1000 meters, then at some arbitrary moment decide to pull the car fully into the lane regardless of whether of not their is a vehicle right next to them.  It's madness.  In the West its signal, look for an opening, start your roll but allow faster cars by, then firmly get on the accelerator to match the speed of traffic and merge.  I'd estimate that only about 5% of Thais have that skill.  There is no understanding of basic driving skills.

All I see from this idiocy is a spike in traffic accidents, deaths, and injuries which are already the worst in the world. 
 

[Derek B]

140 will be the new normal in the right lane.

On 3/12/2021 at 2:27 PM, webfact said:

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 bit I like...................but hoggers will still hog with their u-turn coming up in 3+ km distance plus many hog the right lane simply due to the poor state of the left and middle lanes.

[Knobby37]

The government not really care about health, even e cigs known to reduce health problems have been rejected here in thailand

[Blumpie]

So carnage everywhere and bring the speed limit up.

Oh.  Ok.  

Amazing Thailand.  

[Puccini]

9 hours ago, Aussie999 said:

Um, Australia also drives on the left, my point is, what is Thailand's definition, it needs to be defined by way of statutes..without a definition then there are problems interpreting it, just Google for info.. so many people are confused about inside, outside lane.

I have my doubts that the Australian law uses "outside line".

 

As for Thailand, the literal translation of the Thai text in the new Ministerial Regulation for which the news article in the OP uses "outside line" would be "farthest lane" 

 

Obviously, Thai laws and regulations are written in Thai and therefore have no definition for the English term "outside line". See if you can find a definition in the original Thai text of Thailand's Road Traffic Act (พระราชบัญญัติจราจรทางบก)

 

[sandyf]

On 3/13/2021 at 5:31 PM, l4ml4m said:

I never knew that there was any speed limit in this country ?!

 

I was stationed in Germany in 1972 and with their expertise in vehicle manufacture the roads were probably the fastest and most dangerous in the world, but nobody ever mentions that. Fortunately the  fuel crisis of 1973 put the brakes on.

The West German government did away with all federal speed limits in 1952, ceding authority to the individual states. An appalling rise in traffic deaths led to a country-wide speed limit of 100 kph (62 mph) in 1972, though autobahns remained unrestricted.  https://www.automobilemag.com/news/autobahn-germany-history/#:~:text=Autobahn Germany%3A History of Speed Limits&text=An appalling rise in traffic,1972%2C though autobahns remained unrestricted.&text=In December 1973%2C the oil,100 kph (62 mph).

 

[sandyf]

On 3/14/2021 at 2:57 AM, Puccini said:

What about highways (motorways) in Thailand? Do they have U-turns?

Yes, but not at carriage way level. Some, mainly the older ones, have U turn bridges which take the traffic from a left hand exit over the carriageway and down the other side.

The newer motorways such as the No 7 have U turn underpasses, again taking traffic from the left hand side under the carriageway and back up on the other side.

The idea of turning right into fast moving traffic from a standing start is quite appalling. It is being addressed, but not anywhere quick enough. Not far from where I live there are experimental U turn set ups that were designed to allow traffic to U turn into a protected lane without the need to stop. Not surprisingly when it was put into use the Thais did not comprehend and screwed up the concept. Instead of using the turn one vehicle at a time which was the intention, they tried to turn 2 abreast and as a result neither could exit safely, so no change. It is still a work in progress, they keep making changes to try and limit the turn to one vehicle at a time without restricting the size of vehicle. The last time I went past the traffic was turning quite freely without any holdup so maybe progress is being made.

 

[Puccini]

4 minutes ago, sandyf said:

Yes, but not at carriage way level. Some, mainly the older ones, have U turn bridges which take the traffic from a left hand exit over the carriageway and down the other side.

The newer motorways such as the No 7 have U turn underpasses, again taking traffic from the left hand side under the carriageway and back up on the other side...

Thank you.

Therefore, this image from this post does not show a road that will qualify for the new 120 km/h speed limit.

[KannikaP]

Was there not an announcement on Saturday that only ONE stretch from Bang Pa to Ang Thong is now 120, and that further information will be given as and when.....as and when they can change the roadsigns from 90 to 120!

Will this mess up my Sygic and Google Maps or will that be updated as & when the Govt decides?  

[sandyf]

On 3/15/2021 at 4:51 PM, Puccini said:

Thank you.

Therefore, this image from this post does not show a road that will qualify for the new 120 km/h speed limit.

I would agree with that interpretation in that it would not be classes as a "highway". The Thais effectively made a rod for their own back building long straight dual carriageways that were not of "highway" standards.

There are several roads like that near me that have had cameras placed on them.