Motorbikes flout Pattaya’s one-way rule, locals demand action

[snoop1130]

Photo courtesy of Pattaya Mail

 

By Puntid Tantivangphaisal

 

Traffic in Pattaya’s bustling Buakhao area is turning into a dangerous free-for-all, as motorbikes continue to ignore one-way restrictions on Soi Honey and Soi Diana, raising serious safety concerns among residents and business owners.

 

Despite clear one-way street designations, riders are brazenly driving against the flow of traffic, creating chaos and near-miss collisions in the heart of Pattaya’s nightlife district. Locals say the lack of enforcement has turned the rule into a meaningless suggestion, putting both motorists and pedestrians at serious risk.

 

“There’s no point in having a one-way system if no one follows it. The police need to take action before someone gets seriously hurt.”

 

Many residents and business owners believe that stricter enforcement is the only solution, urging local officials to crack down on reckless riders before tragedy strikes. They are calling for heavier fines, increased police presence, and stricter traffic control measures to restore order to the streets.

 

 

The situation highlights a growing problem with traffic law enforcement in Pattaya, where violations often go unchecked. With ongoing efforts to improve road safety, local officials are now under pressure to step up and prevent further accidents before it’s too late, reported Pattaya Mail.

 

Pattaya faces ongoing traffic challenges, particularly in congested areas like Buakhao, Walking Street, and Jomtien. The rapid growth of tourism, nightlife activities, and an increasing number of vehicles contribute to serious road safety concerns.

 

Despite having traffic regulations in place, poor enforcement leads to widespread issues, including running red lights, driving on footpaths, and illegal parking. Tourists unfamiliar with Thai road rules also contribute to accidents, particularly when renting motorbikes without proper experience.

 

Heavy congestion is another major problem, particularly on Beach Road, Second Road, and Sukhumvit Road, where gridlock during peak hours is a frequent occurrence. Double parking and street vendors occupying road space further worsen the situation, making it difficult for traffic to flow smoothly.

 

Source: The Thaiger

-- 2025-01-30

 

 

[Mr Meeseeks]

Imagine if Thailand had a functioning Police force! 

[smedly]

it was a stupid idea in the first place

[jacko45k]

And again, inactive or little policing. Too busy extorting foreigners on Beach Rd who do no harm. 

[scubascuba3]

Usually the taxi bikes going the wrong way.

 

They need to hurry up and make Buakhao one way

[KhunLA]

If locals demand action (doubtful) then they could simply set up CCTV, and send to PoPo.  

 

I know if I live in Bangkok, I'd live for free, with a camera set up to get photos of folks driving on the sidewalk.  Talk about an easy money maker, better than the stock market 

 

Imm would probably ask for a work permit and TRD would be taxing all that extra income 🥵

[mikebell]

12 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The situation highlights a growing problem with traffic law enforcement in Pattaya, where violations often go unchecked.

That's the problem.  When seat belts became mandatory in UK, the police enforced it and possibly thousands of lives have been saved over the years.  In Pattaya there are casualties daily yet there is no police presence on the roads.  It wouldn't be so bad if the cops remained in their A/C offices studying CCTV cameras, but they don't even do that.

[Mr Meeseeks]

2 hours ago, jacko45k said:

And again, inactive or little policing. Too busy extorting foreigners on Beach Rd who do no harm. 

 

They are too greedy and too lazy to do it properly. They will pay it lip service for a week then it will be all back to the normal chaos.

[Upnotover]

12 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Despite clear one-way street designations

As shown in the photo?  Perhaps if they wrote the message in a language the riders could read it might be more effective.

[Mr Meeseeks]

3 minutes ago, mikebell said:

That's the problem.  When seat belts became mandatory in UK, the police enforced it and possibly thousands of lives have been saved over the years.  In Pattaya there are casualties daily yet there is no police presence on the roads.  It wouldn't be so bad if the cops remained in their A/C offices studying CCTV cameras, but they don't even do that.

 

Thais have an inability to supervise or manage anything properly due to their culture of kraeng jai and the face-saving nonsense they believe in.

 

You won't change their culture in a hurry.

[Mr Meeseeks]

Just now, Upnotover said:

As shown in the photo?  Perhaps if they wrote the message in a language the riders could read it might be more effective.

 

They might have thought that it was all the fault of those nasty foreigners, as Thais never break laws, especially when on the roads. 

[bkk6060]

24 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Usually the taxi bikes going the wrong way.

 

They need to hurry up and make Buakhao one way

Add Grab while they are looking at their phones.

[Emdog]

related art subjects: Beach Road Jomtien is supposedly one way, but plenty of motorcycles head "up stream". And some sort of legal accommodation needs to be made for the big tractors hauling boat over to the launch ramp. Currently they have to go maybe 100 yds against the traffic

Only a fool or someone recently arrived from country where laws are enforced would cross the street without looking both ways. Several times

[morrobay]

4 hours ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

 

Thais have an inability to supervise or manage anything properly due to their culture of kraeng jai and the face-saving nonsense they believe in.

 

You won't change their culture in a hurry.

Exactly: This face concept originally was about not embarrassing some one. But it has been highjacked culturally by a population that are reckless drivers. In particular these local males that are running roughshod on Pattaya (as well as the whole country) So they have carte blanche to be the reckless jerks that they are.

[richard_smith237]

4 hours ago, Upnotover said:

As shown in the photo?  Perhaps if they wrote the message in a language the riders could read it might be more effective.

 

Valid point - one could read more into this than perhaps exists... 

 

Writing the Sign like that in huge English Text implies the BiB believe this to be a problem with only foreigners...

 

While I'm certain, many foreigners would be riding the wrong way down the one way street, they primarily do so for a couple of reasons a) They have adapted and are copying the Thai's...  b) the know there is no enforcement, so why not ?

 

.... One of the first sayings I learned here... "Always look both ways when crossing a one way street"..... 

 

 

Whenever out on the roads it is a 100% guarantee that I will see a Thai riding the wrong way down the wrong side of the road (into traffic)... 100%, its not a 'sometimes observation'... but that observation is one that can be mate every single time I step out of the house onto Thailands roads.... 

 

So... while I agree that this is a excellent step, its a drop in the ocean and one which I suspect comes with a health dose of sanctimony of the Thai Police force "we can't have foreigners breaking the rules, while the Thai moto-taxi riders etc do with with impunity because they're doing their job and don't have money".... 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

4 hours ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

 

Thais have an inability to supervise or manage anything properly due to their culture of kraeng jai and the face-saving nonsense they believe in.

 

You won't change their culture in a hurry.

 

Agree....   There needs to be a complete cultural shift towards one of more responsibility and accountability....

 

Too much emphasis is applied on reactive penalisation than proactive enforcement - and the consequnces are the freefor all as people believe they are infallible. 

 

Kwiclo will soon be along with a 20,000 word thesis telling everyone else they are wrong and only he knows the answers with his usually pseudo-analysis which ingnores human factors... laziness and stupidity... 

 

... but as with many others, the answers are fairly clear - better enforcement and instructions to take a step away from this 'Kraeng-Jai - face-saving' acts which absolve people from responsibility for their moronically dangerous or outrageously stupid road behavior.... 

 

 

 

[bluemoon58]

On 1/30/2025 at 7:49 PM, snoop1130 said:

“There’s no point in having a one-way system if no one follows it. The police need to take action before someone gets seriously hurt.”

Shocker! Where I live, I've witnessed traffic cops doing exactly that, and occasionally not wearing a helmet! 

[hotchilli]

On 1/30/2025 at 7:49 PM, snoop1130 said:

Traffic in Pattaya’s bustling Buakhao area is turning into a dangerous free-for-all, as motorbikes continue to ignore one-way restrictions on Soi Honey and Soi Diana, raising serious safety concerns among residents and business owners

Lack of policing...

[loong]

20 hours ago, Upnotover said:

As shown in the photo?  Perhaps if they wrote the message in a language the riders could read it might be more effective.

Most people find it difficult to read as it is upside down.

[MangoKorat]

On 1/30/2025 at 1:06 PM, Mr Meeseeks said:

Imagine if Thailand had a functioning Police force! 

Steady on!

[MangoKorat]

Motorbikes going the wrong way in Thailand?  Never heard anything so outlandish in my life.

[Sydebolle]

Nobody got it; these new rules serve only one single purpose - to line the pockets of the goons in brown uniforms. Of course Somchai and friends ignore literally any paragraph in the traffic rule stipulations 😉 

You may now kiss the ring! 

[MangoKorat]

The next thing you know, people will be claiming that these pesky bikers ride at night without any lights on.

[BillyBloggs]

Another of the great Thai "Lets put a sign there and they will follow it" it follows the 100% helmet signs, the no fishing signs and no left or right turn signs and many others.

Without a mobile police force nothing will change and then make 50% of fines to the police pension fund and the rest to police operations.

[decca60]

just one question.... where are the quick to critic foreigners called "Netizen" ??????

[Lenthai]

Beach road in Jomtien is one way too, except for motorbikes lol

[SAFETY FIRST]

On 1/30/2025 at 7:49 PM, snoop1130 said:

Traffic in Pattaya’s bustling Buakhao area is turning into a dangerous free-for-all, as motorbikes continue to ignore one-way restrictions on Soi Honey and Soi Diana

Exactly the same thing Jomtien Beach Road. 

 

[SAFETY FIRST]

On 1/31/2025 at 4:10 AM, smedly said:

it was a stupid idea in the first place

It had to be done. 

 

Too many selfish people parking their cars in the little soi, traffic would become interwoven, unable to proceed, it all would come to a standstill until the vehicles could be manoeuvred around stationary vehicles. 

 

[CallumWK]

23 hours ago, Upnotover said:

As shown in the photo?  Perhaps if they wrote the message in a language the riders could read it might be more effective.

 

What is not to be understood from a blue square with an arrow in it?

[Peterphuket]

On 1/31/2025 at 8:31 AM, Upnotover said:

As shown in the photo?  Perhaps if they wrote the message in a language the riders could read it might be more effective.

But, if you think about it more deeply, you will understand the meaning.
A hint, the falang is easier to fine than your own people.