Are Pedestrians "Immuned" From Accidents In Pattaya?

[LennyW]

When i stay in Pattaya i get the biggest bike i can lay my hands on . last time a cbr 600. I dont have a liscence and the biggest i rode before was a 125 moped.

Its the city of madness leave your brain at the airport and pick it up again at departures.

Its madness on the road my mate got pulled over driving after at least ten pints and fined 200 baht, until the poice change their attitude the

roads will stay insane.

Quality tourists!!

[Bagwan]

It is practice in Thailand, if not exactly the law, that any vehicle must take care to avoid pedestrians and in an accident the vehicle would be blamed regardless of any negligence by the pedestrian. In turn, pedestrians are supposed to use pedestrian crossings but enforcement would take all the policemen in Thailand doing little else.

It is a fact of life here that visitor pedestrians act as they might at home where licenced drivers are generally better at stopping for them. Plus it is also a fact that Thai drivers are not so alert or willing to give way to pedestrians and pass less stringent driving tests.

Moral is for both pedestrians and drivers to be particularly careful in Thailand and even more so on Beach Road, Pattaya.

Tour guides and the sheep following them crossing Beach Road are fair game though.

[Bagwan]

In turn, pedestrians are supposed to use pedestrian crossings but enforcement would take all the policemen in Thailand doing little else.

Really? There are no pedestrian crossings in Pattaya. They tried, but failed miserably. I can no longer stop at the pedestrian lights as I'll get rear ended if I try.

The majority of tourists are from right hand drive countries so they often drive on the wrong side here and I often have to beep tourists looking the wrong way when they are crossing the road.

Would you care to re-phrase your second sentence? It really doesn't make any sense. The correct side of the road is decided upon by Government decree. Thailand followed the example of the Malay states, Japan and I assume Burma in much the same way as adopting the same gauge when building the first railways.

There are historial and logical reasons for driving on the left hand side of the road. I have yet to hear a credible reason for doing otherwise. Henry Ford situated the steering whell on the left hand side of the vehicle and all the other US embryo car manufacturers followed the lead.

[tropo]

The lights on 2nd Road, near Central Festival work fairly well. The cars certainly stop for me, although I always proceed with caution. Like I say, they're better than nothing.

The problem is that people who are not familiar with the goings-on here may feel safe crossing on a green "walk" light and get taken out by a bus or truck.

I maintain it's safer without them. At least with no official crossing everyone is cautious. I've seen a couple of tourists nearly taken out by a bus barrelling through a red light.

Edited June 19, 2012 by tropo

[Jayman]

The majority of tourists are from right hand drive countries so they often drive on the wrong side here and I often have to beep tourists looking the wrong way when they are crossing the road.

My car here is right hand drive. Is yours not?

[smedly]

Rintein, I beg to differ.

I have seen a situation where a farang pedestrian was hit by a Thai motorbike rider and the rider was fined (500 baht) with the farang just warned about being careful of Thai traffic.

Oh ofcourse, I agree. There will always be exceptions but in general the farang will be blamed where possible (which is most times), unless its so obvious ! If there were 100 accidents this week with Thais and farangs then I bet at least 70% will be blamed on the farang without much investigation at all. Arrest the Thai and you are more unlikely to get the money, have loads of paperwork and have to lock him/her up. Arrest the farang and he/she will pay straight away.

To the police in Pattaya an accident is an opportunity for money. So who is likely to have more of it and more likely to part with it at short notice. The Farang !! In my opinion its as simple as that. Just like if there are 2 motorbikes approaching a stop point, 1 with a farang wearing a hat and one with a Thai not wearing a hat, they will still stop the farang. Why, more chance of money.

In my opinion this theory carries over into accidents hence my original answer. There are exceptions, but not many.

I don't agree, if there was such an understanding of blame Thais would be running down falangs all over the city on purpose, any accidents I've seen involving falangs or Thais being hit by car or MB have resulted in the driver leaving the scene as quickly as possible.

[tropo]

The majority of tourists are from right hand drive countries so they often drive on the wrong side here and I often have to beep tourists looking the wrong way when they are crossing the road.

My car here is right hand drive. Is yours not?

Sorry, I meant countries who drive on the right in left hand drive vehicles.

It took 3 months to discover this error!

Edited June 19, 2012 by tropo