Flashing traffic lights not working every night. Why?

[davidst01]

I live in a big city in Issan. 

 

I noticed when driving at night time after 9pm the traffic lights are flashing. For some reason they dont keep them working at night time. Many cars still about to have accidents. Its all a bit daft really. Why are they turning them off??

[CharlieH]

So people dont get annoyed sitting there waiting for the light to change when there is NO traffic around.

 

They obviously know the traffic flow and adjust accordingly. Other times they will change to flashing red which is proceed at caution. (afaik)

[Crossy]

Yeah, there's a set near us in northern BKK that go red-flash about 21.30.

 

Turning right there would shave 10 minutes off my journey.

 

I don't, the way that the approaching traffic treats flashing-red as "green" scares the willies out of me. 10 minutes on my journey is nothing compared to ... 

 

[NanLaew]

These lights are timed to start flashing after peak hours and overnight. Typically, one direction flashes amber which means those drivers have priority going across the intersection whereas the orthogonal road will be flashing red which means they should stop or at least exercise greater caution.

 

However, this being Thailand...

 

Mrs tam came up to red flashing lights one night, stopped, looked and then half way across the intersection was t-boned by a couple of kids with no lights on a crotch-rocket. Whereupon, there was much wailing and gnashing of teeth.