Car Can Turn Left At Red Stop Light

[junkofdavid2]

If you are at a red stop-light and there is no red left-arrow, are you allowed to turn left?

I've seen cars do the left turn, and I've seen others stop.

When I'm not sure, I just stop.

Sometimes some guy will honk me to pressure me so I turn left as well anyway, not knowing the rule. I've never gotten caught by a cop for doing so either.

So what is the rule? Or, what traffic-sign (if any) do I look for which indicates that you can or cannot turn left at an intersection's red stop-light?

[bino]

A red arrow light, as you said. If there is one, you must stop. If none, you can turn.

[BWPattaya]

Generally, yes you can turn. I know one junction in Pattaya (travelling along 2bd Road towards Tops, junction with Pattaya Klang) where you cannot turn. There is a sign, in Thai, advising no left turn, wait for the green light. The police in the box have an easy time catching drivers there.

If everyone else is going, just follow their example.

[villagefarang]

There is often a small sign in Thai that tells you if turns are allowed or not.

[madjbs]

If there is a little square blue sign just before the junction, with a left arrow on it, you can turn. If there is no red left arrow on the traffic light and no sign, you still have to stop.

[TVmonitor]

You can filter left on a red light same as in most placs in US (except that's right) and parts of Oz. There is usually a sign to tell you or a sign to tell you not to.

[madjbs]

There are no standard Thai signs which tell you that you can not filter in. There is either a small blue sign which means you can, or no sign at all which means you can't.

[timi2546]

..... Pattaya (travelling along 2bd Road towards Tops, junction with Pattaya Klang) where you cannot turn. There is a sign, in Thai, advising no left turn, .....

yeah, i turned left by bike and had to pay.

if i dont remember wrong the sign was

in english also, maybe somebody

wiped the english out....

[Farma]

There are little square blue signs in Thai where I normally drive. Some allow left turns while others usually with “1,000” (the fine) on them say you can’t turn left on a red light. I still rely on the wife to clarify what the sign says at intersections I’m unfamiliar with.

[Lancashirelad]

Can somebody be a sport and get us a pic up on here of this can/cannot (there seems to be some ambiguity) blue sign?

Edit: I'm shocked! Just found this page:

Thailand traffic signs

not shocked because that sign does not appear to be there, but shocked at the number of inaccuracies, especially amongst the what they incorrectly call "Traffic Warning Signs" which should be "Information signs."

They don't even seem to know the meaning of the signs for the beginning and end of a dual carriageway!

Edited May 3, 2009 by Lancashirelad

[Farma]

There’s another sign at some intersections that allows you to drive across the top of a T intersection in the lane closest to the footpath while the traffic light is red.

Perhaps some kind person could post a picture of that one too.

[LivinLOS]

Yes the inconsistancy between left turns... Some you are signed to do so, some you are signed not to do so, many have no sign at all and people do or dont. Just another badly thought out ill planned part of the land of slimes

Heres another one that baffles me.. Traffic light with two lanes, one for straight through, one for turn right.. Theres two lights one for each lane. When the left hand (straight on) lane goes green the right hand red light goes out, and doesnt go green.. Indicating to me that 'when the traffic is clear, you can go' but no thai will ever turn right, even after or if theres no oncoming traffic, and nothing blocking them, until the green light appears..

Then dont even start me on roundabouts.

[theoldgit]

I usually stop if I am not sure, then wait for the person to flash his headlights and hoot me.

I stopped recently at the top of a T intersection in the lane closest to the footpath while the traffic light was red, mainly because there was a police officer there, I was quickly hooted at and waved forward by the officer.

[dingdongrb]

Reminds me back in the 1980's when the USA first implemented the 'Right Turn On Red' rule..... I was at a red stop light and was the third car back. And of course unlike the second car (car in front of me) I was paying attention. Anyway, the first car at the red light stopped, checked for traffic and proceeded to make a right turn on red. The second car (one if front of me) paid no attention at all that the light being red. They just saw the car in front of them 'go' so they went also. Of course they were going straight, which they tried to do until they got to the intersection and T-boned the cross traffic car that had the right of way..... I was amused!

[nookiebear]

I always turn left on a straight red unless there is a sign of any description, which can vary tremendously.These signs are always where a police box is very close by.................

[siam2007]

If there is a little square blue sign just before the junction, with a left arrow on it, you can turn. If there is no red left arrow on the traffic light and no sign, you still have to stop.

maybe somebody could actually post a picture/foto of the mentioned sign(s), so others, even not capable of reading the Thai fonts, can learn about it too.....

Thanks

[hkt83100]

maybe somebody could actually post a picture/foto of the mentioned sign(s), so others, even not capable of reading the Thai fonts, can learn about it too.....

In Phuket the signs usually say something like "Turn left with caution" in English and some Thai words above. I'll try to find one and take a picture...

[LivinLOS]

If there is a little square blue sign just before the junction, with a left arrow on it, you can turn. If there is no red left arrow on the traffic light and no sign, you still have to stop.

maybe somebody could actually post a picture/foto of the mentioned sign(s), so others, even not capable of reading the Thai fonts, can learn about it too.....

Thanks

In English as well as Thai..

[hkt83100]

I'll try to find one and take a picture...

I got them The only-Thai-version is the older one, the dual-language is new in this place. It's opposite of the police box in Kathu/Phuket coming from BigC at the left-turn into Tung Thong.

[TVmonitor]

Yes the inconsistancy between left turns... Some you are signed to do so, some you are signed not to do so, many have no sign at all and people do or dont. Just another badly thought out ill planned part of the land of slimes

Heres another one that baffles me.. Traffic light with two lanes, one for straight through, one for turn right.. Theres two lights one for each lane. When the left hand (straight on) lane goes green the right hand red light goes out, and doesnt go green.. Indicating to me that 'when the traffic is clear, you can go' but no thai will ever turn right, even after or if theres no oncoming traffic, and nothing blocking them, until the green light appears..

Then dont even start me on roundabouts.

Yes - you highlight the fact that Thai road signs and in general road traffic engineering is still in its infancy in thailand - I could list DOZENS or nonsensical road markings and signs - all of which contribute in no small way the the number of incidents and deaths on Thai roads.

[theoldgit]

I could list DOZENS or nonsensical road markings and signs - all of which contribute in no small way the the number of incidents and deaths on Thai roads.

Yes, and give ample opportunity for the BIB to issues on the spot fines, or should I say demands for money.

[TVmonitor]

My experience is that the BIB don't actually need a REAL situation to ask for an "on-the-spot fine". The other day I proudly renegotiated from an initial 1000 baht through 500 down to zero! How's that for diplomacy?

he was one hel_l of a policeman - he decided I was driving too fast AND in a wrong lane, but he obviously has X-ray eyes as he witnessed all this through the concrete walls of the building next to the tolls on the motorway! I wish we had police with supernatural powers back home - they could see houses being burgled just by looking through the walls!

[Digitalbanana]

I usually stop if I am not sure, then wait for the person to flash his headlights and hoot me.

This had me spitting my coffee at the PC screen! :-) Obviously a woman driver

FWIW there are a whole multitude of signs like the blue one posted on this thread that say Turn Left With Care, others that say Turn Left Always and others that say wait for signal light here before turning. If there is no sign one must wait for the signal. The signs are nearly always in Thai, some times hand painted makeshift signs so you got to learn to read Thai.

[madjbs]

My experience is that the BIB don't actually need a REAL situation to ask for an "on-the-spot fine". The other day I proudly renegotiated from an initial 1000 baht through 500 down to zero! How's that for diplomacy?

he was one hel_l of a policeman - he decided I was driving too fast AND in a wrong lane, but he obviously has X-ray eyes as he witnessed all this through the concrete walls of the building next to the tolls on the motorway! I wish we had police with supernatural powers back home - they could see houses being burgled just by looking through the walls!

So were you driving above the speed limit in the right hand lane or not?

[theoldgit]

I usually stop if I am not sure, then wait for the person to flash his headlights and hoot me.

This had me spitting my coffee at the PC screen! :-) Obviously a woman driver

FWIW there are a whole multitude of signs like the blue one posted on this thread that say Turn Left With Care, others that say Turn Left Always and others that say wait for signal light here before turning. If there is no sign one must wait for the signal. The signs are nearly always in Thai, some times hand painted makeshift signs so you got to learn to read Thai.

I may act like an old woman sometimes but I am not.

In my country where there is a red light and no filter sign I usually stop, especially where there is a policemand there - am I doing something really bad?

[Digitalbanana]

The only bad thing I can suggest is that your aren't making any sense? Firstly we don't know what country you are talking about. The rest of us are talking about Thailand - I think. :-) Secondly suggesting you only do things when policemen are around means you must be bad ;-) At least thats my take on things.

[PattayaTerrier]

As usual there is a total lack of consistency with this law, it would seem they make the junctions near police boxes or where they hang out like the corner of klang and 3rd Road Pattaya particularly confusing. The actual rule at 3rd and klang is, but only turing from 3rd into klang (the other 3 you can keep on with out stopping) is you must come to a complete stop before you make a left turn unless the light is green, the junction on the corner of 2nd and klang turning from 2nd in to klang is you can only turn on green??? All the rest you just just have to guess, some you can and some you can't, unless it's obvious like a green traffic arrow.

I recommend stopping looking for a sign, if no sign look for a copper if neither are present and it is safe to do so, go for it.

Like the Thai joke goes

A man gets stopped by a police officer for running a red light,

the officer asks the man did you see the red light?

The man answers yes I saw the red light, but I didn't see you!

Keep on trucking

[thaihome]

Reminds me back in the 1980's when the USA first implemented the 'Right Turn On Red' rule.....

Uh, traffic laws are done by the states not the federal government. In California you have been able to make a right turn on a red light (unless signed otherwise) since before I started driving, sometime in the distant 1960's.

Maybe your state just started in the 80's.

TH

[hkt83100]

Yet another version, at least the english part. That's what the signs look like in Patong.

[TVmonitor]

My experience is that the BIB don't actually need a REAL situation to ask for an "on-the-spot fine". The other day I proudly renegotiated from an initial 1000 baht through 500 down to zero! How's that for diplomacy?

he was one hel_l of a policeman - he decided I was driving too fast AND in a wrong lane, but he obviously has X-ray eyes as he witnessed all this through the concrete walls of the building next to the tolls on the motorway! I wish we had police with supernatural powers back home - they could see houses being burgled just by looking through the walls!

So were you driving above the speed limit in the right hand lane or not?

I was at a toll gate! - how can you be in the wrong lane at a tollgate

Edited May 7, 2009 by TVmonitor