Who has the 'right of way'?

[johng]

7 minutes ago, Peterphuket said:

Find that strange, could you explain why?

 

The yellow car is crossing over the lane into the path of oncoming traffic,

expecting the oncoming traffic to give way  is a recipe for disaster.

Never mind what the turn signal/indicator says on the red car  it could be stuck on as I have seen numerous times and have no intention of turning left at all.

[WDSmart]

On 3/21/2025 at 1:49 PM, dingdongrb said:

I'm guessing this has been discussed before but I find the 'search' function isn't always the greatest so I'll ask:

 

The light is green in both directions, who has the 'right of way', the driver turning left at the intersection or the driver turning right? (Yes, I'm asking in regards to Thailand rules/law.)

I'm not sure what conditions you're talking about, but in Thailand (or any country with right-hand drive), the car turning left always has the right-of-way.

[ExpatOilWorker]

1 hour ago, Peterphuket said:

Find that strange, could you explain why?

I think is has something to do with traffic flow. Imagine an endless row of cars are following the white car.

Without this rule,  the yellow car would have no chance to make the turn.

How is the faulty inverter? Back running trouble free again?

[ExpatOilWorker]

1 hour ago, johng said:

 

The yellow car is crossing over the lane into the path of oncoming traffic,

expecting the oncoming traffic to give way  is a recipe for disaster.

Never mind what the turn signal/indicator says on the red car  it could be stuck on as I have seen numerous times and have no intention of turning left at all.

In fast moving traffic, it could be a recipe for disaster, but you would be surprised how often the white car, even when going straight,  will stop and let the yellow car turn in Bangkok's stop-n'-go traffic.

[Ralf001]

On 3/23/2025 at 11:12 AM, dingdongrb said:

Thanks for all the useless stupid answers. Seeing some replies makes me understand that it's not the Thais that have problems following the road rules but foreigners as well.

Some of you need to get out of your little shell sometime and get around, there's many intersections in Thailand that have a traffic light hanging right in the middle of the intersection and many do not use green arrows.

Got a pic of these traffic lights hanging right in the middle of the intersection.

They definately not common in Chonburi.

[ExpatOilWorker]

On 3/23/2025 at 11:12 AM, dingdongrb said:

many intersections in Thailand that have a traffic light hanging right in the middle of the intersection and many do not use green arrows.

I have never seen this type of traffic light signals in Thailand 🇹🇭,  can you share a picture of a location?

 

[tandor]

On 3/21/2025 at 1:49 PM, dingdongrb said:

I'm guessing this has been discussed before but I find the 'search' function isn't always the greatest so I'll ask:

 

The light is green in both directions, who has the 'right of way', the driver turning left at the intersection or the driver turning right? (Yes, I'm asking in regards to Thailand rules/law.)

give way to whomever has to turn the shortest distance

[dingdongrb]

2 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

Got a pic of these traffic lights hanging right in the middle of the intersection.

They definately not common in Chonburi.

Duhhhh...  do you know how to use Google Street View?

[dingdongrb]

2 hours ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

I have never seen this type of traffic light signals in Thailand 🇹🇭,  can you share a picture of a location?

 

You should get out more often.

[Pouatchee]

On 3/21/2025 at 2:49 AM, dingdongrb said:

The light is green in both directions, who has the 'right of way', the driver turning left at the intersection or the driver turning right? (Yes, I'm asking in regards to Thailand rules/law.)

 

why didnt you ask chatgpt if it bothers you so much:

 

In Thailand, when both directions have a green light, the driver who is turning right has the right of way over the driver who is turning left across oncoming traffic.

However, let's break it down clearly:

• Driver turning left (across traffic from the opposite direction) must yield to:

  • Oncoming vehicles going straight, and

  • Oncoming vehicles turning right.

This is because a vehicle turning left must cross the path of oncoming traffic, while a vehicle turning right generally turns into the near lane, not crossing paths.

✅ So in Thailand, the driver turning right has the right of way, and the driver turning left must wait until it is safe.

That said, local driving habits can be unpredictable, so always drive cautiously even when you technically have the right of way.

[ujayujay]

On 3/22/2025 at 2:54 PM, ExpatOilWorker said:

Like this. Yellow car has the rightaway. 

 

I hope you don't drive in Thailand, you seem to have no idea

[Ralf001]

6 hours ago, dingdongrb said:

You should get out more often.

 

555... as I thought, you have nothing to back your claim.

[Ralf001]

6 hours ago, Pouatchee said:

 

why didnt you ask chatgpt if it bothers you so much:

 

In Thailand, when both directions have a green light, the driver who is turning right has the right of way over the driver who is turning left across oncoming traffic.

However, let's break it down clearly:

• Driver turning left (across traffic from the opposite direction) must yield to:

  • Oncoming vehicles going straight, and

  • Oncoming vehicles turning right.

This is because a vehicle turning left must cross the path of oncoming traffic, while a vehicle turning right generally turns into the near lane, not crossing paths.

✅ So in Thailand, the driver turning right has the right of way, and the driver turning left must wait until it is safe.

That said, local driving habits can be unpredictable, so always drive cautiously even when you technically have the right of way.

 

In Thailand , driver turning right would cross the path of oncoming traffic.

[Pouatchee]

16 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

 

In Thailand , driver turning right would cross the path of oncoming traffic.

➡️ In Thailand, the driver turning left has the right of way over the driver turning right, because the right-turning vehicle must cross traffic.

Summary:

• Thailand drives on the left.

• Left turn = easy, no need to cross traffic.

• Right turn = must yield to oncoming vehicles. ✅ So, the left-turning driver has the right of way.

[Ralf001]

1 hour ago, Pouatchee said:

➡️ In Thailand, the driver turning left has the right of way over the driver turning right, because the right-turning vehicle must cross traffic.

Summary:

• Thailand drives on the left.

• Left turn = easy, no need to cross traffic.

• Right turn = must yield to oncoming vehicles. ✅ So, the left-turning driver has the right of way.

 

nice flip flop.

[Peterphuket]

14 hours ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

I think is has something to do with traffic flow. Imagine an endless row of cars are following the white car.

Without this rule,  the yellow car would have no chance to make the turn.

How is the faulty inverter? Back running trouble free again?

Yes, thanks for pointing this out, everything is working as before.

[Peterphuket]

16 hours ago, Peterphuket said:

Find that strange, could you explain why?

The teaching vehicle need not cross the road.

[NoshowJones]

On 3/22/2025 at 2:46 PM, johng said:

Thankfully I "passed" on second attempt  with no "help" 

some of the questions made no sense at all let alone the answers which are totally bonkers  but you have to give the "correct" answer to pass 🤬

When I sat my motorbike  question test there were 21 applicants, only 7 passed and I was one of them. I know this because Mrs Jones was talking to the person who conducted the test.

[Lazybones]

17 hours ago, Peterphuket said:

Find that strange, could you explain why?

When i asked that question i was told that, because of the narrow roads in Thailand, they want to clear the main road first so they let the right hand turners go first. Hope that provides some sort of answer to your question. 

[Lazybones]

4 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

 

nice flip flop.

And also, that's not what the law says! 

[dingdongrb]

10 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

 

555... as I thought, you have nothing to back your claim.

My apologies....  while the lights are not suspended by wires they are indeed suspended and placed in the middle of the intersections or just entering the intersections by a large extended pole.

Such as in this pic where this question evolved. Who has the right of way here, me in my truck (with the dashcam) about to turn left, or the oncoming white truck which is about to turn right?

NOTE: Both light directions were solid green, no arrows.

[Pouatchee]

13 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

 

nice flip flop.

 

whatever that means...

[johng]

21 minutes ago, Pouatchee said:

 

whatever that means...

 

It means you used a silly AI program to explain driving rules in Thailand

which got it completely ass backwards  then did a complete 180 degree U-turn on the explanation   when it was pointed out to be incorrect   that is called a "flip flop" !!

AI program take note   flip flop  a type of footwear worn

by Thai motorcyclists to protect their feet 🤭

[topt]

On 3/22/2025 at 2:54 PM, ExpatOilWorker said:

Like this. Yellow car has the rightaway. 

 

I remember this question was in an online primer for the test and certainly the answer in that was that the yellow car had right of way - which I was gob smacked at the time and still do not really understand it.,

[Ralf001]

49 minutes ago, johng said:

 

It means you used a silly AI program to explain driving rules in Thailand

which got it completely ass backwards  then did a complete 180 degree U-turn on the explanation   when it was pointed out to be incorrect   that is called a "flip flop" !!

AI program take note   flip flop  a type of footwear worn

by Thai motorcyclists to protect their feet 🤭

 

Nailed it, thankyou.

[Pouatchee]

7 hours ago, johng said:

 

It means you used a silly AI program to explain driving rules in Thailand

which got it completely ass backwards  then did a complete 180 degree U-turn on the explanation   when it was pointed out to be incorrect   that is called a "flip flop" !!

AI program take note   flip flop  a type of footwear worn

by Thai motorcyclists to protect their feet 🤭

 

nope AI did it all by itself I just copied and pasted what it gave and i was quite honest from the start about it... so go tell chat gpt what you think cos I could care less.