Why No Rule Of Which Side To Walk In Thailand?

[jcbangkok]

Okay, this is a bit trivial but sometimes irritating both from a physical and understanding perspective.

With the vast amounts of people in areas such as BKK, why is it there is not an unwritten rule as to walk to the right or left? Not only is it a constant challenge on the sidewalks but also in the stores, malls and just about anywhere there are good number of people.

Honestly, I just don't get if it is something that has been overlooked or if there is some cultural thing going on that prevents this kind of unwritten rule. I have seen the campaigns to get people to do things such as wait for those to exit before entering the sub & sky trains but why is there not one to get people to walk to the left or right?

I really believe this is something that can happen if suggested to the right people in government. Personally I am for making walking to the right the norm. It seems like subway is designed this way as well as some other places you file into. Plus it is helpful to walk to the right on the small soi's as you can see cars and bikes approaching.

Obviously Thailand has got some greater problems going on now but it would really be nice to be able to relax more when talking a walk instead of feeling like you are in an obstacle course.

But in all seriousness, anybody have a clue why in a city with so many people and such small areas to walk that there doesn't seem to be a common understanding of which side to walk?

Also, is this an Asian thing? I've been to some other Asian cities (though not as long) and never noticed this to be a problem.

[thrilled]

go to a shopping mall in the us,ya see people walking both ways.

[JohanV]

Hmmm

You are right. It's a totally unimportant but still very interesting question.

I couldn't help but asking my wife if she could remember ever being told any traffic rules for walking and she said 'no'.

Maybe in Thailand, there just are no such rules, or they have since long faded into oblivion..

On a general note, though, it should be pointed out that the 'default' traffic since stone-age is supposed to have been left-side traffic.

This due to the fact that most people are right-handed, and when you meet a stranger ( walking ) you would possibly prefer to meet

him on your right ( strong ) side, where you have your sword/club/knife.

Right side traffic as a system was imposed by Napolen, actually. It is said that Paris - at the time of the French revolution - was extremely

crowded, and that it had a left-side traffic system. However, the noblemen had the right of way, many times forcing the peasants to walk on

the right side to make room for the horse carriages.

Thus, as the French revolution was one of the first political events to use printed propaganda, some leaflets were made were the revolutionary

movement was referred to as 'we who walk on the right side of the road'. It was even said that some fleeing noblemen, disguised to peasants

were discovered just by the fact that they - from habit - walked on the left side and not the peasant/right side.

As a act of tribute to the revolutionary movement Napolen later ordered his troops to walk on the 'right side of the road' wherever they went.

And, that is supposed to have been the birth of modern-day right side traffic.

And - of course - it also explains why the British are still clinging on to left-side traffic.

Cheers

[dave2]

johanv..

re .... And - of course - it also explains why the British are still clinging on to left-side traffic

good thinking ... maybe ???

but thais and cambodians drive on the left .... but ... laos and myanmar on the right

how do you explain that ?

did naplolian have an influence there ?

dave2 : )

[thaigold]

You are walking along - you try to anticipate the rhythm and direction of the Thais in front of you. You make your passing move - and like rear-view radar, the Thais move into your path. Most Farangs are initially confused and taken aback by this unruly walking code. The same applies to all common public movement in the Kingdom.

I, for myself, have embraced it. I hear a type A Farang clumping behind me and I (intentionally) enhance my Thai saunter. It feels good. Sabai / Sabai.

Next time, just slow down, and walk real....slow. Take your time, lallygag, and if with a friend; just stop in the street, in front of an escalator, or a BTS gate and start shooting the bull. You'll fit in quite nicely.

[Stjohnm]

I presume you've never walked down Oxford Street, any Bangkok Street is Civilised and well organised compared to the West End on a Saturday.

[cat5]

johanv..

re .... And - of course - it also explains why the British are still clinging on to left-side traffic

good thinking ... maybe ???

but thais and cambodians drive on the left .... but ... laos and myanmar on the right

how do you explain that ?

did naplolian have an influence there ?

dave2 : )

Cambodians drive on the right - the same as the French.

[jcbangkok]

go to a shopping mall in the us,ya see people walking both ways.

I am from the US and this is not (at least partially) true. Yes in an area of the mall where people are darting each and every way to get into stores and such this is true but anywhere that there is even somewhat of a flow of foot traffic, people know to walk to the right. Even if it the corridor is empty and you are not walking to right, people will immediately move to the right when they see people approaching.

Of course there are the few who don't follow this rule but then you tend to make sure you still have your wallet as they walk by since there seems to be no other logical reason for them to want to bump people unnecessarily.

And don't get me wrong in situations where a movie gets out or something then people tend to use an entire corridor to go one way despite some people trying to head the other way but in every day life even on a very crowded sideway in the heart of NYC, people know and usually stay to the right.

[jcbangkok]

Hmmm

You are right. It's a totally unimportant but still very interesting question.

I couldn't help but asking my wife if she could remember ever being told any traffic rules for walking and she said 'no'.

Maybe in Thailand, there just are no such rules, or they have since long faded into oblivion..

On a general note, though, it should be pointed out that the 'default' traffic since stone-age is supposed to have been left-side traffic.

This due to the fact that most people are right-handed, and when you meet a stranger ( walking ) you would possibly prefer to meet

him on your right ( strong ) side, where you have your sword/club/knife.

Right side traffic as a system was imposed by Napolen, actually. It is said that Paris - at the time of the French revolution - was extremely

crowded, and that it had a left-side traffic system. However, the noblemen had the right of way, many times forcing the peasants to walk on

the right side to make room for the horse carriages.

Thus, as the French revolution was one of the first political events to use printed propaganda, some leaflets were made were the revolutionary

movement was referred to as 'we who walk on the right side of the road'. It was even said that some fleeing noblemen, disguised to peasants

were discovered just by the fact that they - from habit - walked on the left side and not the peasant/right side.

As a act of tribute to the revolutionary movement Napolen later ordered his troops to walk on the 'right side of the road' wherever they went.

And, that is supposed to have been the birth of modern-day right side traffic.

And - of course - it also explains why the British are still clinging on to left-side traffic.

Cheers

Thanks and Wow! Very cool background info.

[jcbangkok]

You are walking along - you try to anticipate the rhythm and direction of the Thais in front of you. You make your passing move - and like rear-view radar, the Thais move into your path. Most Farangs are initially confused and taken aback by this unruly walking code. The same applies to all common public movement in the Kingdom.

I, for myself, have embraced it. I hear a type A Farang clumping behind me and I (intentionally) enhance my Thai saunter. It feels good. Sabai / Sabai.

Next time, just slow down, and walk real....slow. Take your time, lallygag, and if with a friend; just stop in the street, in front of an escalator, or a BTS gate and start shooting the bull. You'll fit in quite nicely.

LOL, my Thai GF has helped with my western (US) personality traits but some of them have rubbed off on her. She NEVER even noticed before me things like people stopping in the middle of a busy and small sidewalk, with an even more busy street, because they decided the walking conversation they were having warranted turning it into a standing conversation. As for escalator entrances (we won't get into them running the backwards) they really do seem to hold some magical power to some as being the best place to stop and have a conversation or to stop and figure out where you are going. Anyway, now I smile when the GF looks at "me" and asks, "what's wrong with this people" and I simply say "jai yen yen" ... then of course she hits me.

[dave2]

cat5.

re ... Cambodians drive on the right - the same as the French.

phfucit your right

its a long time since ive been to cambodia .... i forgot : (

apologies ... dave2

[Pawpcorn]

Well, the stairs here on outdoors people-spans are often painted with a dashed line in the middle... and oddly enough, direction arrows direct people to walk OPPOSITE the rules of the road!! I.E. they direct you to walk on the RIGHT side of the stairs... How strange, but TIT, afterall...

On the same time, people generally seem to ignore the arrows and lines, so it doesn't even matter, anyway...

I view the reasons for no rules, (regarding your original question), as this... (having taught in crowded public schools here) that there is often such a mass of humanity moving through limited spaces here, (thus included in children's daily experiences) that the Thais just get used to not even thinking about it, and move forward, in totally random movement.

It's actually the most efficient method of movement, if you understand it, and can go with the flow... Just another slice of Amazing Thailand. If you look below the surface for meaning, and ignore our western "take on it", it virtually ALWAYS turns out to be (given the resources at hand) the most practical solution, chosen for every situation.

Thanks for distracting me from the Red Shirt problem for a few minutes!

[tlongdon]

Cambodians drive on the right - the same as the French.

I'm in Paris at the moment. And I'd have to disagree completely with this sentence.

The French sort of... drive in random patterns. Whatever suits them at the time.

[LuckyLew]

Why is the sky blue?

Probably easier to answer

[Atmos]

OP . . . a bit trivial, why is it there is not an unwritten rule as to walk to the right or left?

500+ posts in under 3 weeks - you really need to get out more

Try walking; afterwards maybe write down some more unwritten rules

[phetaroi]

It's a pet peeve of mine, too. I no longer get really annoyed about it, but there is no order to where Thais walk. I have learned to accept it.

Even where there are indications, Thais don't follow it. Take a look next time you go down the stairs at a BTS stop. There's a large sign that says to keep right. So, the majority of Thais keep left.

But I've learned to be rude, too. I now walk right in front of people. Yesterday I crowded past a woman on the sidewalk who couldn't seem to decide if she was going to walk to the left or right, so finally after several minutes of her wandering off course one way or the other, I gently just pushed right past her. Sometimes it seems as if they think they get bonus points if they walk directly into your path when their route is illogical!

Edited May 6, 2010 by phetaroi

[Naam]

Hmmm

You are right. It's a totally unimportant but still very interesting question.

as interesting as the avatar of the OP (a can of spotted dick)

[Naam]

nearly every thread in Thaivisa that starts with "Why... Thai..." is an indication of the OP's elevated IQ and the level of his boredom

[jaiyenyen]

When living back in the UK, I went to a large IKEA store.

I noticed that arrows had been painted on the floor to direct customers to walk around the store in an anti-clockwise direction.

It was funny to watch everyone following each other like sheep, and even funnier to watch people getting pi55ed at those of us that chose the clockwise option.

[Chaimai]

And - of course - it also explains why the British are still clinging on to left-side traffic.

No, this is in readiness for their eventual retirement to Thailand.

Interesting that the Thais drive on whichever side of the road is the shortest route to their destination - such actions not always conforming to international standards.

[jcbangkok]

And - of course - it also explains why the British are still clinging on to left-side traffic.

No, this is in readiness for their eventual retirement to Thailand.

Interesting that the Thais drive on whichever side of the road is the shortest route to their destination - such actions not always conforming to international standards.

I actually find driving in BKK less stressful than walking. For the most part drivers seem very aware of their surroundings and why the chaos on the roads seems to work/function for the most part. I can only imagine the number of accidents in the US if there was so little in the way of stop signs, traffic lights or enforcement of traffic laws.

Although not there yet, I have noticed an improvement in drivers yielding to pedestrians. Certainly can go on and on about driving habits (across the globe) but I still cannot help wonder why in a city with so many people and so many obstacles to walking that there doesn't seem to have been some kind of campaign to easily alleviate some of the burdens of walking.

Edited May 6, 2010 by jcbangkok

[jcbangkok]

Why is the sky blue?

Probably easier to answer

The sky is not blue and only appears blue during the day due to the elements in the atmosphere favoring the color blue in dispersing the light of the sun which is made up of all the colors of light.

So, at least from the perspective of us farang on TV, it would appear at this point you may be right.

Edited May 6, 2010 by jcbangkok

[Jimjim]

Because we're not in Kansas, anymore, Toto.

[PattayaParent]

Hmmm

You are right. It's a totally unimportant but still very interesting question.

I couldn't help but asking my wife if she could remember ever being told any traffic rules for walking and she said 'no'.

Maybe in Thailand, there just are no such rules, or they have since long faded into oblivion..

On a general note, though, it should be pointed out that the 'default' traffic since stone-age is supposed to have been left-side traffic.

This due to the fact that most people are right-handed, and when you meet a stranger ( walking ) you would possibly prefer to meet

him on your right ( strong ) side, where you have your sword/club/knife.

Right side traffic as a system was imposed by Napolen, actually. It is said that Paris - at the time of the French revolution - was extremely

crowded, and that it had a left-side traffic system. However, the noblemen had the right of way, many times forcing the peasants to walk on

the right side to make room for the horse carriages.

Thus, as the French revolution was one of the first political events to use printed propaganda, some leaflets were made were the revolutionary

movement was referred to as 'we who walk on the right side of the road'. It was even said that some fleeing noblemen, disguised to peasants

were discovered just by the fact that they - from habit - walked on the left side and not the peasant/right side.

As a act of tribute to the revolutionary movement Napolen later ordered his troops to walk on the 'right side of the road' wherever they went.

And, that is supposed to have been the birth of modern-day right side traffic.

And - of course - it also explains why the British are still clinging on to left-side traffic.

Cheers

Might have known the French were to blame for doing things arse about face.

But I don't know any country where people are conditioned to walk on a particular side of the road, whether by written or unwritten rules (except in stairwells for safety reasons).

And say I'm walking on the right (outside) of the pavement and want to go into a shop on the left. Can I just cut up everyone coming in the opposite direction or do the unwritten rules say I have to go further on and make a U-turn? And where will I know where making a U-turn is allowed?

[jcbangkok]

Hmmm

You are right. It's a totally unimportant but still very interesting question.

I couldn't help but asking my wife if she could remember ever being told any traffic rules for walking and she said 'no'.

Maybe in Thailand, there just are no such rules, or they have since long faded into oblivion..

On a general note, though, it should be pointed out that the 'default' traffic since stone-age is supposed to have been left-side traffic.

This due to the fact that most people are right-handed, and when you meet a stranger ( walking ) you would possibly prefer to meet

him on your right ( strong ) side, where you have your sword/club/knife.

Right side traffic as a system was imposed by Napolen, actually. It is said that Paris - at the time of the French revolution - was extremely

crowded, and that it had a left-side traffic system. However, the noblemen had the right of way, many times forcing the peasants to walk on

the right side to make room for the horse carriages.

Thus, as the French revolution was one of the first political events to use printed propaganda, some leaflets were made were the revolutionary

movement was referred to as 'we who walk on the right side of the road'. It was even said that some fleeing noblemen, disguised to peasants

were discovered just by the fact that they - from habit - walked on the left side and not the peasant/right side.

As a act of tribute to the revolutionary movement Napolen later ordered his troops to walk on the 'right side of the road' wherever they went.

And, that is supposed to have been the birth of modern-day right side traffic.

And - of course - it also explains why the British are still clinging on to left-side traffic.

Cheers

Might have known the French were to blame for doing things arse about face.

But I don't know any country where people are conditioned to walk on a particular side of the road, whether by written or unwritten rules (except in stairwells for safety reasons).

And say I'm walking on the right (outside) of the pavement and want to go into a shop on the left. Can I just cut up everyone coming in the opposite direction or do the unwritten rules say I have to go further on and make a U-turn? And where will I know where making a U-turn is allowed?

Where did you grow up? When you went to school was there not a policy of what side of the hallway to walk? It is VERY common knowledge in the US to walk to the right.

If you actually mean walking on a street (when there are no sidewalks) then the advise (might even be law in some places) is to walk on the left in the US so that you can see on coming traffic. In fact, as a kid the rule was to ride your bicycle on the left too but then they changed it to have bicycles obey the same traffic rules as cars.

But as for walking on the road or sidewalk, it is not so much about what side of the road you are walking but rather that there is an understanding of which way you and the oncoming pedestrians will move towards.

Singapore has a walk to the left policy. I have never really tried to observe it elsewhere because I have just gone along with what the locals do, which is usually dependent on which side you drive a car, and it is not an issue. BKK is the only place I have encountered where there seems to be no understanding among pedestrians on which side to favor .. though I would assume there are other similar places I have not been that do the same.

Maybe could translate this to Thai ...

Edited May 6, 2010 by jcbangkok

[dmax]

are you serious

[PattayaParent]

are you serious

I'm afraid he appears to be

[thairet]

It's easy...the motorcycles drive on the left of pavements / sidewalks, so we walk on the left !

Thairet

[Sunbelt Asia]

Do we need rules for everything? I mean, really, which side to walk on?

Visit Shibuya Station in Tokyo. You'll lose your mind.

www.sunbeltasia.com

26th Floor Fortune Town BR, 1 Ratchadapisek Rd, 10400 Bangkok

Tel: 02-642-0213 Fax: 02-641-1995

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[tw25rw]

The British are just as bad. I've long lost count of the times I've had to go round someone who won't walk straight or who casually moves into my path when coming the other way as if to assert their dominance.