Right of way in a unmarked 4-way intersection

[Scott Tracy]

20 hours ago, Gulfsailor said:

however this is not the case in other countries where they drive on the left. 

 

Was this really necessary...?

[Grusa]

There is a relevant Scottish catch phrase here:-

 

"Look aboot ye"

content://com.brave.browser.FileProvider/images/screenshot/16225466635821672168792.jpg

[Grusa]

There is a relevant Scottish catch phrase here:-

 

"Look aboot ye"

 

content://com.brave.browser.FileProvider/images/screenshot/16225466635821672168792.jpg

[Tuvoc]

OK, so in the UK, driving on the left side of the road. You give way to traffic on the right. Here you give way to traffic on the left, with some exceptions. So the opposite !

 

[Jen65]

1 hour ago, connda said:

I got two answers that were factual as opposed to dripping with sarcasm.  That's good, but the two factual answers are conflicting.  Maybe the left, but maybe not.
So my guess is the only way to figure out who has the right to way as codified in Thai law is to find the Thai law that's applicable to driving.
So new question.  Does anyone know the link to Thai traffic and driving laws in either English or Thai.  I'll figure out the answer to my question from there. 
It's pretty sad that something so fundamental to safe driving is so difficult to find and is shrouding in mystery. This stuff is pretty well hammered into you between 15 1/2 and 16 years old in the West if you plan to get a license to drive.  Here?  It's a big question mark.

You forgot , this the wild west ! anything goes  

[talahtnut]

For those mildly interested in Thai traffic law:

My missus, an expert on traffic law, told me you

cannot go down a one way street the wrong way, unless

it is the shortest distance to your destination.

So it seems, 'do what you like if you think you can get away with it'.

Edited June 1, 2021 by talahtnut
missing

[Grusa]

There is a relevant Scottish motto here:-

 

"Look aboot ye"

 

 

 

[Pilotman]

3 hours ago, Tuvoc said:

In the UK, you give way to traffic on your right. Is that the same here ?

It is very dangerous to assume that, or indeed to assume that any road rules that you are familiar with apply in this place. Always drive defensively, always  assume that the other drivers are ignorant idiots and that they will inevitably do what you least expect a trained driver to do;  they are the only rules you need.  Oh, I forgot to add, that as a farang, you are always, but always in the wrong  and you will pay, regardless.

[Susco]

16 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

Oh, I forgot to add, that as a farang, you are always, but always in the wrong  and you will pay, regardless.

No you are not, but I notice you couldn't resist your usual Thai bashing

[talahtnut]

The Thais learn driving skills on the Sukhumvit highway pretty quickly.

 

[Pilotman]

7 minutes ago, Susco said:

No you are not, but I notice you couldn't resist your usual Thai bashing

There is a lot to bash. 

[TigerandDog]

2 hours ago, connda said:

I got two answers that were factual as opposed to dripping with sarcasm.  That's good, but the two factual answers are conflicting.  Maybe the left, but maybe not.
So my guess is the only way to figure out who has the right to way as codified in Thai law is to find the Thai law that's applicable to driving.
So new question.  Does anyone know the link to Thai traffic and driving laws in either English or Thai.  I'll figure out the answer to my question from there. 
It's pretty sad that something so fundamental to safe driving is so difficult to find and is shrouding in mystery. This stuff is pretty well hammered into you between 15 1/2 and 16 years old in the West if you plan to get a license to drive.  Here?  It's a big question mark.

the Thai traffic laws are not available in english, and I've been searching for them for the past 7 years. The answer I gave was given to me by my local Land Transport Office and by a friend of my wife who is a policeman. The fact that both gave the same answer leads me to believe it to be correct.

[Susco]

2 minutes ago, TigerandDog said:

the Thai traffic laws are not available in english, and I've been searching for them for the past 7 years.

 

Maybe you didn't look hard enough

 

http://web.krisdika.go.th/data/outsitedata/outsite21/file/Road_Traffic_Act_BE_2522_(1979).pdf

[chickenslegs]

2 hours ago, connda said:

Does anyone know the link to Thai traffic and driving laws in either English or Thai. 

http://www.thailaws.com/

Choose "Acts in English" at the top of the page, the scroll down to "Land Traffic Act 1979"

You will find some answers there, but maybe not all.

 

The general rule, at an unmarked junction where neither road has priority, is to give way to the vehicle approaching from one's left. At a roundabout the rule is to give way to traffic already on the circle (i.e.- approaching from one's right).

 

 

[Lokie]

In Phuky Cement mixers always have Right of Way, followed by downhill Tourist buses (Patong Hill) then Hi-So's, minibuses,Tuk Tuks all the way down to Soi Dogs, then just after Balls & Fleas you'll find your placement for right of way... 555

[chalawaan]

I just drive ultra-defensively, I dont speed, I light up my car or bike on every trip day or night, check mirrors and my blind spots like a man posessed, and indicate every move, all of the highway code, including STOP signs - all meaningless to most road users here.

BUT: Most road users here are very zen, you hardly hear a horn in anger, there is a surprising amount of calm in general, and once you realise people change lanes by sort of drifting into the slot over about a kilometre, and indicate three blocks before the turn, if they do at all, it all has a pattern of organized chaos to it.

My biggest terror is the unlit scooter on dimly lit roads, I've never made a night trip, usually to get some more weed and a fresh slab of beer, without clocking one yet.

Edited June 1, 2021 by chalawaan
sp and detail added.

[foreverlomsak]

No enforcement that is the problem, if the rules of the road were enforced everybody would know them.

Today a police car was waiting to turn right at the lights of a major intersection, I was inside him going straight on, as our light turned green and we started forward an "ice" delivery van came through from the left at speed causing the police car, which was quick off the mark admittedly, to brake did they do anything - no chance they were local police and the highway is not their responsibility.

The highway police seem to have the attitude here that it is up to the local police not them to police the roads.

[Pilotman]

1 hour ago, TigerandDog said:

the Thai traffic laws are not available in english, and I've been searching for them for the past 7 years. The answer I gave was given to me by my local Land Transport Office and by a friend of my wife who is a policeman. The fact that both gave the same answer leads me to believe it to be correct.

AS far as I know, the UK traffic laws are not available in Thai?   Why should the Thai ones be in English? 

[impulse]

5 hours ago, newnative said:

   In my home town in America they had a lot of 4 Way stop signs at intersections that didn't warrant a traffic light.  The signs were marked 4 Way Stop.  They worked quite well with everyone taking turns by who arrives first at the intersection.   I asked my Thai partner why they don't use 4 Way stop signs here and he said too few would take turns.  

 

Say what you want, but intersections in Thailand clear a lot faster than the 4 way stops back in the USA.  Especially if it's busy.

Edited June 1, 2021 by impulse

[richard_smith237]

49 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

AS far as I know, the UK traffic laws are not available in Thai?   Why should the Thai ones be in English? 

 

Thats the spirit, don’t let common sense get in the way of your facetiousness.....

[Tuvoc]

1 hour ago, chalawaan said:

I just drive ultra-defensively,

 

Yes, same here. And expect the unexpected, as far as that is possible.

[bangon04]

13 hours ago, HarrySeaman said:

If you are a farang in Thailand then every Thai has the right of way.

 

Keep looking left and right until you can't see any other car, murmur a short prayer, proceed carefully, and hope that the brakes of the Thai car that suddenly appears don't fail (fat chance). 

 

Also, keep your insurance up to date.

You forgot to mention that you need a buddhist blessing / charm to be smeared on your headlining, and a large amulet dangled from your rear view missor.

[hotchilli]

On 5/31/2021 at 9:43 PM, connda said:

Just looking for confirmation.  This is Thailand so maybe its something else.  Looking for actual answers.

What's legal and what happens in reality are different.

If you want to stay alive, it's the person who can cross safely first who gets right of way.

[actonion]

16 hours ago, TigerandDog said:

not entirely correct. In Thailand you only have right of way on the left when 2 major roads intersect and the road from the left is considered to be a more major road than the other. In most countries that drive on the left drivers have to give way to the right unless it's a T intersection. The traffic across the top of the T has right of way.

Try telling that to any traffic policeman or insurance assessor... both were called to a traffic accident i was involved in, i was smahed into from  the rear end,  90.000b damage to my truck, police & " MY"  insurance assessor blamed me,  asking me why did u stop so quick ! ( in an emergency braking situation), the damaging party  was  un insured Thai

[TigerandDog]

5 hours ago, Victornoir said:

 

Totally wrong.

The problem is not with Thaie's conduct but  this kind of incorrect statement which leads to confusion.

The general rule in Thailand is priority on the left, as Gulfsailor said very well previously.

My statement was 100% correct based on advice received from both my local police and Land Transport as that is where I obtained the information due to not being able to find the Thai road rules anywhere in english.  However, thanks to chickenslegs, who posted a link to the law in english, I now know that advice to be incorrect.

Edited June 2, 2021 by TigerandDog
correction

[DaLa]

I was of the understanding that there is no such mention  of 'Right of Way' in the UK highway code, only 'Precedence'. It's all irrelevant anyway as the only vehicles that vaguely follow any rules are the sky trains.  They are about the only vehicles I trust out here and thankfully they operate at a safe distance.

[TigerandDog]

12 hours ago, chickenslegs said:

http://www.thailaws.com/

Choose "Acts in English" at the top of the page, the scroll down to "Land Traffic Act 1979"

You will find some answers there, but maybe not all.

 

The general rule, at an unmarked junction where neither road has priority, is to give way to the vehicle approaching from one's left. At a roundabout the rule is to give way to traffic already on the circle (i.e.- approaching from one's right).

 

 

thank you for the link. So that means that both my local police and Land Transport do not know the give way law OR they have misinterpreted it. It also means that I now know the correct letter of the law when it comes to right of way.

[cooked]

A lot of oxygen has been expended on this subject. "Right of way" as in legally and as in what happens every day aren't the same. Wrong question. 

"Is the legal right of way respected in Thailand?" Answer - no. Forget about it.

Expect traffic going both ways on a one way street,  look both ways when entering on to a dual carriageway - stop thinking about UK or USA traffic laws and customs. 

[connda]

15 hours ago, rwill said:

If two vehicles enter a junction from different directions at the same time, the vehicle on the left side has a right of way, except when there’s a designation of “principle roadway” in which case the vehicle on the principle roadway has a right of way.]

That makes sense.
If two minor roads (like sois) intersect the person on the left has the right of way.
If a minor road intersects a "principle roadway" then the vehicle on the principle roadway has the right of way. 

And nice to know about the roundabouts.  Traffic entering must yield to traffic in the center.

Thanks for that answer and the links to the “Road Traffic Act, B.E. 2522”.  ????

Edited June 2, 2021 by connda

[connda]

Mods.  I got my answer. Feel free to close this. 
Thanks.