Driving In Thailand

[bhatmasterson]

I drive every day and am frequently frustrated by the driving skills of my fellow drivers. Back home people have been physically attacked, even killed as a result of what is sometimes called "Road Rage," when one driver does something that another driver sees as crossing "the line."

There are reasons for every type line that is commonly painted on the highways and streets in many countries. Where I come from the markings on the roads mean something. Such as two solid yellow lines in the middle of the highway means "Do Not Pass." Why has that knowledge not been taught to the general driving public here? Surely the person who ordered that Thailand's highways and streets be painted in the same fashion knows what the the lines mean.

Strangely enough, I've never seen a Thai person struck with road rage. On the other hand, I've seen quite a few foreigners pretty hot and vocal when another driver crosses their line.

What's the solid line next to a broken line in the middle of the road mean in your country?

What's the broken line in the middle of the road mean?

[jackr]

They do know what they mean, they just don't give a <deleted>.

[chiang mai]

Here, is not "back home", please adjust accordingly and your life will be less stressful and more rewarding.

[sendbaht]

"Here, is not "back home", please adjust accordingly and your life will be less stressful and more rewarding."

Some true words spoken Khun Chiang Mai.!!!!!

[BigSnake]

No you will see very few IF any Thais people with road rage>reason they have gotten OVER IT, so did I. I drive daily very carefully, I hear your words, see your rage, i.e., "been there done that" It is a sight to see a kid no more then ten or eleven whizz by you on his motorbike, does he know what those painted lines in the road mean(?) a resounding NO if you ask me, no helmet, driver license, yeah right kid can't even read, Oh and the sight of mom and dad on the motorbike or in the car that matter and the most beautiful baby girl you would want to see jump up and down in mom lap/arm while did just whizz along at 60kp per hour. sorry for the rant, so bottom line just drive safe as possible yourself, because it is pretty much at your own risk on the road.

[Ajarn]

Thais do know the law mostly, and as far as the 'wanings' go, (split, solid lines, stop signs, some red lights, stc.,) they realize that it is only a warning, and if they feel it is safe to ignore, they do. No big deal except to foreigners, in my experience. Sometimes they make a mistake and pay the price (an accident) not from the police fine because here they don't have patrolling police.

Edited May 9, 2009 by Ajarn

[Sansai Sam]

Surely they know what a red light means and they ignore those...why would they let a little line bother them?

[warfie]

WE are in THEIR country... if WE do not adjust to THEIR ways then WE are the one who are driving dangerously, not THEM

see Tips for Driving in Thailand

(that's how I got over it...)

[gpdjohn]

Thais do know the law mostly, and as far as the 'wanings' go, (split, solid lines, stop signs, some red lights, stc.,) they realize that it is only a warning, and if they feel it is safe to ignore, they do. No big deal except to foreigners, in my experience. Sometimes they make a mistake and pay the price (an accident) not from the police fine because here they don't have patrolling police.

How true.

Reminds me of what a comic once said about racial jokes. The only ones bothered by them are the white liberal that's out to change the world.

Seems traffic flows much better here than back where folks obey the simple traffic laws.

I think I'd much rather drive here.

You should drive in Saigon. Think its wild here!

[john b good]

I drive every day and am frequently frustrated by the driving skills of my fellow drivers. Back home people have been physically attacked, even killed as a result of what is sometimes called "Road Rage," when one driver does something that another driver sees as crossing "the line."

There are reasons for every type line that is commonly painted on the highways and streets in many countries. Where I come from the markings on the roads mean something. Such as two solid yellow lines in the middle of the highway means "Do Not Pass." Why has that knowledge not been taught to the general driving public here? Surely the person who ordered that Thailand's highways and streets be painted in the same fashion knows what the the lines mean.

Strangely enough, I've never seen a Thai person struck with road rage. On the other hand, I've seen quite a few foreigners pretty hot and vocal when another driver crosses their line.

What's the solid line next to a broken line in the middle of the road mean in your country?

What's the broken line in the middle of the road mean?

IMHO, and whilst to all intents and purposes what you say is correct it is not in fact what the double solid yellow lines signify.

Double yellow lines tell you that you are not permitted to venture across them.

If a vehicle is traveling slowly you are permitted within the law to overtake that vehicle "providing" you do not venture across the double yellow lines.

Double yellow lines also indicate that you cannot i.e. turn off the road if in doing so you need to cross the yellow lines.

I have defrained from saying "turning" left or right, b'cos L & R are not universal (around the world)

I do know however and again for example a driver (maybe a farmer, lorry driver or whatever) is not legally permitted to turn right (or left if the case may be) into a property where double yellow exist, if you must cross the yellow lines in doing so.

Yellow lines "per se" are not telling you that you cannot overtake.

BUT, here in the realm it doesn't mean a tuppeny shyt what the double lines are there for.

Thailand still kills two people every hour on the roads 24/7 Doesn't that tell you something.

I have written about IQ's, geraniums, etc., etc., but untill the daft cnuts who are determined to go out and kill themselves day in day out are willing to adopt some recognised driving discipline nothing is gonna change.

All I get is about being PC

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Here, is not "back home", please adjust accordingly and your life will be less stressful and more rewarding.

Hear hear.

[amexpat]

Reminds me of what a comic once said about racial jokes. The only ones bothered by them are the white liberal that's out to change the world.

WOW. And some were claiming that Thais are ignorant and oblivious to their surroundings! How kind of the comic to help bigots feel better about themselves. Mighty white of him.

[Ulysses G.]

Mighty white of him.

I haven't heard that one since I left Newport News, Virginia!

[Texpat]

Many western countries are nations of laws. (not all though, some here will come running to the defense of serial rapists)

Laws define civil societies from the third-world banana republics like Thailand.

Thais don't respect laws. Any laws. Not just traffic ...

This respect is what makes us so different from them. The sooner you can learn to be disregard laws, throw trash on the ground, run from accidents you've caused, be rude and inconsiderate, play loud music at all hours of the day and night, the more plesant your stay in the Kingdom will be.

Have a shitty day!

Edited May 9, 2009 by Texpat

[chiangmaioldhand]

Many western countries are nations of laws. (not all though, some here will come running to the defense of serial rapists)

Laws define civil societies from the third-world banana republics like Thailand.

Thais don't respect laws. Any laws. Not just traffic ...

This respect is what makes us so different from them. The sooner you can learn to be disregard laws, throw trash on the ground, run from accidents you've caused, be rude and inconsiderate, play loud music at all hours of the day and night, the more plesant your stay in the Kingdom will be.

Have a shitty day!

You started drinking a bit early, didn't you?

Edited May 9, 2009 by chiangmaioldhand

[wimpy]

Many western countries are nations of laws. (not all though, some here will come running to the defense of serial rapists)

Laws define civil societies from the third-world banana republics like Thailand.

Thais don't respect laws. Any laws. Not just traffic ...

This respect is what makes us so different from them. The sooner you can learn to be disregard laws, throw trash on the ground, run from accidents you've caused, be rude and inconsiderate, play loud music at all hours of the day and night, the more plesant your stay in the Kingdom will be.

Have a shitty day!

You started drinking a bit early, didn't you?

[bojo]

How come in Chiang Mai drivers take up two lanes of a carriageway and never seem able to decide which lane to drive in, they always seem to hovver over the line in between two lanes. Seems to be a Chiang Mai trait. Never noticed it elsewhere, however I've never driven in Bangkok.

Regards Bojo

[realthaideal]

I wouldn't sweat old Baht MasterSun. We all go thru this day to day, week to week. Sometimes it's a funny country where things work so much better in their crazy chaotic way and it's a blessing, other days it's annoying as he77 and you wonder what's wrong with all these people. And of course the finger should actually be pointing back at ourselves. I'd chalk it up to a hot day and then... seeing the gap in the lane and knowing you can't drive fwd to fill it and get to where you're going 'cause some other idiot's just pulled out to block your lane and the one to the left and go slow right in front of you... all when there's no one behind you anyway, and if the slow-a$$ <deleted>@k**r had just waited two seconds more he coulda pulled out and gone what ever speed he dam_n well pleased without messing with anybody else's flow. But did he ? Of course not.

Drink lots of cold beverages often. The traffic seems alot better that way. (And I mean iced tea, water, or naam krajiep, etc., not the alkeeholic kind!)

[cmdream]

The traffic lines are for decoration only! Just learn to go with the flow, not easy but you must learn not to fight it and get angry {road rage}. When you feel rage, try a smile and say to yourself "WoW" what an idiot and continue on your way and be thankful you did not have an accident. You will see many stupid drivers here, its a fact of life. It took me about 1 month to get over the years of driving skills I brought with me and learn the Thai way.

Its not that bad but a mental adjustment is needed. Good luck.

[orang37]

Sawasdee Khrup, Khun Bhatmasterson,

"Driving" here only makes sense to me when I think of it as a major national form of birth control.

best, ~0:37;

[womblejamie]

Thais do know the law mostly, and as far as the 'wanings' go, (split, solid lines, stop signs, some red lights, stc.,) they realize that it is only a warning, and if they feel it is safe to ignore, they do. No big deal except to foreigners, in my experience. Sometimes they make a mistake and pay the price (an accident) not from the police fine because here they don't have patrolling police.

a 'warning' that they they are overtaking taking on a blind bend, on the brow of a hill, with a 20 ton truck coming the other way that is actually doing the same stupid thing in overtaking dangerously, going approx 2kmh faster the vehicle they are overtaking!!!

my driving experience is that 90% of people in Thailand can not drive safely if their life depended (excuse the pun) on it. Farangs too.

[kudroz]

Comments such as: [...] It's THEIR country and WE (foreigners) must ABIDE with THEIR ways (read ways, not laws), is ludicrous. I live here, pay taxes, have a business and got married to a Thai national. Laws are not enforced in Thailand, and WE are totally within our rights to bitch and moan about it. I have friends who were born here but raised in the west who complains even more than WE do.

What kind of an idiot would dumb himself down and start acting like a baboon because he lives in the jungle. Not me. Enjoy the bananas.

[chiangmaioldhand]

The traffic lines are for decoration only! Just learn to go with the flow, not easy but you must learn not to fight it and get angry {road rage}. When you feel rage, try a smile and say to yourself "WoW" what an idiot and continue on your way and be thankful you did not have an accident. You will see many stupid drivers here, its a fact of life. It took me about 1 month to get over the years of driving skills I brought with me and learn the Thai way.

Its not that bad but a mental adjustment is needed. Good luck.

I agree with all that you say, except the last line. The road death figures suggest otherwise. 

As a victim of a head-on crash that was totally unavoidable on my part I have seen the serious side. If you drive in Chiang Mai it is a question of when, not if you will have a crash. It was 12 years before it was my turn. Sure, don't get angry, keep cool, but always keep your wits about you and expect the unexpected. 

P.S. My wife and I were both wearing seat-belts!!

[cobra]

Think of it as a different style of driving, somewhere between the Fast & Furious , Road Warrior and the Le Mans,

So here we go, deep cleansing breath, mirrors good, belt tight, ok, we can do this, ..

[slapout]

They heard that the Darwin award would be a cash prize this year and everyone wants to win first.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

If anything I think most drivers drive incredibly slow. Also they take forever to merge into a bigger road when coming from a smaller road. Often even when they could just stay far left and force their way right in they don't, waiting forever for all three lanes to open up clear.

Very frustrating.

But as the OP already mentioned, not having to deal with road rage for trivial altercations is a BIG plus. It's amazing what you can get away with here.

[mnbcm]

Road rage carries over to the forums it seems. Most people have an understanding that the lines are more of a guideline. If a fast car comes up from behind, you get over. If someone crosses over to my side of the road, I get over. It's pretty simple. I've found it quite relieving to live in a place that isn't hyper safety over everything. You don't have to tell people the coffee is hot in Thailand.

[Jungian]

Two solid yellow lines mean do not pass or cross, a solid yellow line next to a broken yellow line means it is permissible to pass if the on coming lane is clear. A single yellow line means do not cross or pass and a broken yellow line means pass if it is all clear, there are also marker signs telling you when the passing lane begins and ends. A solid white line means do not cross unless it is an emergency which is generally the shoulder of the road you can pull off on if you car breaks down or you need to change a tire. As far as driving in Thailand goes it is no worse (or better for that matter) than Philadelphia so, I right at home and I feel much safer knowing not everyone is packing a gun.

[Ajarn]

Thais do know the law mostly, and as far as the 'wanings' go, (split, solid lines, stop signs, some red lights, stc.,) they realize that it is only a warning, and if they feel it is safe to ignore, they do. No big deal except to foreigners, in my experience. Sometimes they make a mistake and pay the price (an accident) not from the police fine because here they don't have patrolling police.

a 'warning' that they they are overtaking taking on a blind bend, on the brow of a hill, with a 20 ton truck coming the other way that is actually doing the same stupid thing in overtaking dangerously, going approx 2kmh faster the vehicle they are overtaking!!!

my driving experience is that 90% of people in Thailand can not drive safely if their life depended (excuse the pun) on it. Farangs too.

I have driven over 1 million kilometers in Thailand, and I think you are wrong. I would say tha 90% of Thai car drivers are safe and curteous drivers. Maybe you should not drive in Thailand, because you are talking like you are the dangerous driver.

Edited May 10, 2009 by Ajarn

[doppa]

If anything I think most drivers drive incredibly slow. Also they take forever to merge into a bigger road when coming from a smaller road. Often even when they could just stay far left and force their way right in they don't, waiting forever for all three lanes to open up clear.

Very frustrating.

But as the OP already mentioned, not having to deal with road rage for trivial altercations is a BIG plus. It's amazing what you can get away with here.

[/quote

i recommend to all a day out, with egg and tomato sarnies , a flask of milky coffee, a brolly for the sun, at the thai driving test centre, its hilarious, the one at phuket looks like a go-cart track, where the driver , just drives one circuit, then the moment of pleasure, reversing, whilst a usually fat thai give a thumbs up or down in a caligula style, yes or no.

did you know its against the law to learn to drive on the road, and that my friends is the core problem of thai driving, along with most things here....education.