Driving Around Thailand

[Sherlocke]

The national limit is 90 kmph - if you exceed it you are breaking the law - so that is your choice. you leave yourself open to prosecution is the police should decide to do so. It may also leave you open to dispute in any incident or collision you are involved in whether it is your fault or not.

You are unlikely to be stopped for speeding if travelling near this limit as police seldom have radar etc - however there are other simpler ways to detect speeding.

If they decide that the offense for the day is "speeding" - you are likely to be stopped regardless of your speed and required to either pay a fine or a bribe. - the bribe is usually 200 baht for foreigners.

You may of course resort to common sense and drive at a speed that traffic and road conditions dictate........some people seem incapable of making a fair judgement on this though.

Very clear and good advice indeed !

Disagree.

Police often have radar or laser in the Chumporn area, 50 km north and south. and In Petchbury area and always in Hua Hin.

Prosecution of speeding? Never. Max fine is 1000 baht. 200 baht is normal

Normal cruising speed is 120 kmh for pickups and tour buses.

You aren't disagreeing - Thailand has very few radars - they are far from ubiquitous, my local highway force has ONE unit which they operate mostly outside their own station - I doubt if Hua Hin has many more either. use of radar will inevitably increase if the police realise money ca be made.

the National limit IS 90 (120 on motorways).

how you interpret it is upto you.

I wouldn't recommend relying on a suggested speed as a "safe" one as far as being stopped is and as I said before you might want to use common sense and drive according to road conditions.

Edited December 18, 2009 by Sherlocke

[jombom]

Not sure why many posters have mentioned Surat Thani. It is better to take 401 or 44, off route 41. Driving into Surat Thani will add about 60/80 kms to your journey.

[katabeachbum]

Not sure why many posters have mentioned Surat Thani. It is better to take 401 or 44, off route 41. Driving into Surat Thani will add about 60/80 kms to your journey.

Surat Thani province, not Surat Thani town

[gotlost]

I've done over 300,000 km in Thailand over the years and I think I have been stopped for speeding maybe 4-5 times totally. All cases have been very clear cases and I accept responsibility happily, I show respect, apologise and promise to drive slower (note - not promise to not do it again). I have paid 200 bath twice and the other times I just got a well-deserved lecture. This includes passing a policeman at over 170 km/h, braking and reversing the 150 meters back to him... Twice actually, once on a bike, once in car. Both times the police let me go after lecturing me for a while, neither of them wanted any money

Speeding is no problem, cruising in the right lane is a different matter

Enjoy

They will bust you in a heart beat for cruising in the right lane even if your still doing the limit. Not thats ever happened to me. HA HA about 6 times and the wife lets me know it.

[katabeachbum]

The national limit is 90 kmph - if you exceed it you are breaking the law - so that is your choice. you leave yourself open to prosecution is the police should decide to do so. It may also leave you open to dispute in any incident or collision you are involved in whether it is your fault or not.

You are unlikely to be stopped for speeding if travelling near this limit as police seldom have radar etc - however there are other simpler ways to detect speeding.

If they decide that the offense for the day is "speeding" - you are likely to be stopped regardless of your speed and required to either pay a fine or a bribe. - the bribe is usually 200 baht for foreigners.

You may of course resort to common sense and drive at a speed that traffic and road conditions dictate........some people seem incapable of making a fair judgement on this though.

Very clear and good advice indeed !

Disagree.

Police often have radar or laser in the Chumporn area, 50 km north and south. and In Petchbury area and always in Hua Hin.

Prosecution of speeding? Never. Max fine is 1000 baht. 200 baht is normal

Normal cruising speed is 120 kmh for pickups and tour buses.

You aren't disagreeing - Thailand has very few radars - they are far from ubiquitous, my local highway force has ONE unit which they operate mostly outside their own station - I doubt if Hua Hin has many more either. use of radar will inevitably increase if the police realise money ca be made.

the National limit IS 90 (120 on motorways).

how you interpret it is upto you.

I wouldn't recommend relying on a suggested speed as a "safe" one as far as being stopped is and as I said before you might want to use common sense and drive according to road conditions.

Thailand has few radars, they mostly use lasers

[Sherlocke]

Ever heard of "splitting hairs" before??