I just have to ask this!! What is the most stupid or funny law in LoS that you know of? And I don't mean the usual visa/work-permit rules that get us all moaning! I mean a really STUPID or HILARIOUS law that is in the statute books!!

Off to do my research on this . . .

Just read after a brief search that it is illegal to step on Thai currency - i.e you will be stepping on the Kings Head and therefore showing a great deal of disrespect !

I'm sure there is a UK law regarding defacing currency

 

There are wet foam pads in all the post offices to wet your stamps.

This is not for your conveniece but because the stamp has the kings image on it.

Did'nt you know, its the side without the head you lick

There are wet foam pads in all the post offices to wet your stamps.

This is not for your conveniece but because the stamp has the kings image on it.

This is so you do not have to lick the stamp. Not because the stamp has the King picture on it.

They have these in the post offices in the states and they do not have the king's picture on a stamp there.

Not sure if this is still on the Statute Book but there used to be a law requiring a licence to ride a bicycle in Thailand - cost, 1 Baht.

Very few people, including Thais, knew about this until one time many years ago when some local group instituted a "ride a bike to prevent pollution" type campaign; as I recall several locals were pulled over by the men in brown and asked to produce their licence.

When you buy a new car you get a red license plate as an interim plate, until your actual plates come in about a month later. Did you know that it is unlawful for you to drive your car out of the province or past 6:00 pm on a red plate?????

In the US, it is proven that cars with headlights on during the day can decrease accidents by as much as 20%. New cars have this feature. Did you know that it is unlawful in Thailand for a car to have headlights on during the day? Only govt. officials/members of the Royal Family are allowed to do this.

The one about the underwear is true. Introduced by Rama IV if I remember correctly. Rather a difficult one to enforce though. Had many boys in brown ask you to drop trou. recently?

I ride a bicycle and would love to have a 1 baht licence.

How about this for a law? If you drive through an orange traffic light, then you must surrender your driving licence for 15 days!!

Sounds stupid? Well that's what the policeman told me today when he confiscated my international driving licence from me! He said I drove through a red light. I said I drove through a green one that turned orange soon afterwards...

Anyway, I have to admit for the 1st time I lost my cool! This was after my Thai GF lost her temper with the guy and said he only stopped us because a farang was driving. (The policeman did not stop the Thai guys who also drove through the light....)

She is going down the police station tomorrow to try to extract my licence from them.

BTW, he confiscated my licence before I lost my cool, so it was not a case of punishment for being an angry farang. I think it was a punishment for being .. er .. just a farang

BTW, he confiscated my licence before I lost my cool, so it was not a case of punishment for being an angry farang. I think it was a punishment for being .. er .. just a farang

Or was it because the farang did not catch the body language Mr Policeman shows when he wants "something" from you?

In the US, it is proven that cars with headlights on during the day can decrease accidents by as much as 20%. New cars have this feature. Did you know that it is unlawful in Thailand for a car to have headlights on during the day? Only govt. officials/members of the Royal Family are allowed to do this.

I always turn the headlights on in the daytime when I'm driving, seems to slightly upset the wife most times. It's been proven that it does save lives, I'll keep doing it.

Eyespan, no this was not the case! My GF had already offered him money (discretely). He asked why she wanted to give him money, so she dropped the subject. And I must say that I've noticed more of the police refusing to take payment. The day before (!!), another policeman pulled me over (no reason....). My GF offered money but no use. This guy confiscated my GF's licence (I was driving). We were on our way to retrieve her licence when this policeman stopped me for driving through the orange light!

So, not a good week for driving problems, and I'm just going down to the police-station now to try to retrieve me licence!!

I always turn the headlights on in the daytime when I'm driving, seems to slightly upset the wife most times. It's been proven that it does save lives, I'll keep doing it.

This is usually interpreted as one out of two things in TH:

1) You have a passenger with a medical emergency and are in a hurry to the hospital.

2) One of the passengers is a politician, soap opera star or other "important" person who is in a hurry to get through.

Eyespan, no this was not the case! My GF had already offered him money (discretely). He asked why she wanted to give him money, so she dropped the subject. And I must say that I've noticed more of the police refusing to take payment.

My wife's uncle was saying that the police nowadays are under heat from anti-corruption. Seems like it is more serious a problem for them than we thought. A good thing? The uncle also said that they get very irritated when they cannot take cutbacks.

I can't understand the no headlight thing, but this is Thailand . But, some of the storms one gets here I will always switch my lights on, or in extremes, hazard lights .

It is a bit 'off topic' but HOW?, HOW?, HOW? in Thailand can I signal to the driver of another car, or truck, that I have seen what he would like to do and to go ahead and do it because I will keep out of his way.

We do it in UK with a quick flash of the headlights, but that is used for the exact opposite in Thailand (or to warn the traffic on the other carriageway that they are approaching a police trap).

In the US, it is proven that cars with headlights on during the day can decrease accidents by as much as 20%. New cars have this feature. Did you know that it is unlawful in Thailand for a car to have headlights on during the day? Only govt. officials/members of the Royal Family are allowed to do this.

I always turn the headlights on in the daytime when I'm driving, seems to slightly upset the wife most times. It's been proven that it does save lives, I'll keep doing it.

I am not sure, but I think this law has changed now. If you are stopped by police, they now tell you to use your light in daytime to. Its also been report in news like

penzman said and Thailand is going to changes this law. So I don't think you need to have a royality or Thaksins daughter back on your mc when you use light during daytime. You can also see the Thais use light now. But they don't understand why.

Bar Fines.

I don't know if they are a law but they certainly annoy the <deleted> out of me.

Bar Fines.

I don't know if they are a law but they certainly annoy the <deleted> out of me.

Then don't go to bars etc..

The stupidest law is the one that makes it impossible for a transsexual to change her sex legally, no matter how many operations she has had, and no matter how feminine she is. These girls cannot marry a man or adopt a chid as a mother, but can marry a woman and be a child's father! Go figure!

I can't understand the no headlight thing, but this is Thailand . But, some of the storms one gets here I will always switch my lights on, or in extremes, hazard lights .

Sweden requires headlights to be on, day or night, summer or winter.

There must be a law that says you may not tow a trailer or boat behind your vehicle.

Ever seen anyone tow a boat or trailer in Thailand???

I would appreciate knowing the answer to the question about whether trailers behind cars and pickups are banned.

Because, if not, I fancy having a sailing dinghy that I can take around.

It is a bit 'off topic' but HOW?, HOW?, HOW? in Thailand can I signal to the driver of another car, or truck, that I have seen what he would like to do and to go ahead and do it because I will keep out of his way.

We do it in UK with a quick flash of the headlights, but that is used for the exact opposite in Thailand (or to warn the traffic on the other carriageway that they are approaching a police trap).

I have often wondered the same thing,,But then came to the conclusion that if he thinks it,he gonna do it anyway regardles of you,so no need to flash an OK.

And I have seen some pickups towing a small trailor,,just not many and the idea hasn't caught on, be a lot safer to have a hitch even on a motorcycle that just setting your ass on the handle of one and going down the road.

But I think the stupidest law in the country is to require a drivers license, then let folks do as they please and not enforce the written law, most people will think that with a license that the other person knows the law and will somewhat comply,which is not the case at all.

You can stay in Thailand for years and use your international driverlicence. The day you obtain a non imm visa your licence is not accepted anymore by insurance company (and some policemen). Is your drivingskills changed with a Thaicard?

What's the problem with a Thai driving license? This is Thailand.

As for how to tell the other driver that you have "read" his intentions.... try with a hand signal. Not the one with the middle finger though but the one with waving your hand in the gesture that means "come here" in Thailand but "go away" in Europe.

ASIC

What's the problem with a Thai driving license? This is Thailand.

As for how to tell the other driver that you have "read" his intentions.... try with a hand signal. Not the one with the middle finger though but the one with waving your hand in the gesture that means "come here" in Thailand but "go away" in Europe.

ASIC

I don't know why not,,I use the Hawaiian peace sign,the same as I used in western countrys,only dofference is here I use the right hand where in the USA I used the left.

seems to be appropriate in most confrontations with Thai drivers.

There must be some law in Bangkok that says that a sidewalk can't be roofed over.

Otherwise surely they would have made the canopy that protects you from the rain that is pisssing down as you emerge from Asoke subway station actually meet up with the canopy that protects you as you climb up to Asoke skytrain station.

The present five metre gap is just enough to get your shoulders a good soaking.

Incidentally, I was, just this morning, the most stupid farang in Thailand (or maybe they are still laughing in the Control Room, in which case I was the funniest). Coming up from Asoke subway, I decided to see what the lift was like, rather than using the escalator. Alone, I entered the lift and pressed the button and stood facing the door, ready to go out. When the lift stopped, the door didn't open. So I pressed the "Open Door" button. Still the door didn't open. So I pressed the "Emergency" button, and when a voice asked what was the problem, I said "This door won't open". Finally the voice got it into my thick head that if I turned around I would see another door that had (completely silently) opened perfectly well!!