Thailand To Change From Left To Right Hand Driving

[vickersvc10]

Could April First have anything to do with this story? I sincerely hope so!

[doctorproc156]

Why would Thailand change the side of the road they are driving on? This proposal would cost billions of dollars in ad campaigns, accidents due to being used to drive on the left, changing infrastructure to accommodate this shift i.e. changing signs from one side of the road to the other, painting works, police enforcement of the new rules etc. etc. Who would fund this ridiculous proposal?

Who cares that Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar drive on the right (Myanmar having previously driven on the left too and changed to the right to become "more international" back in 1970) because how many of these foreign registered vehicles do you see in Thailand anyways? Near the border, a lot, particularly Lao registered cars, but Myanmar registered cars, most of which are right hand drive even today, are not permitted to travel further than about 10km from the border. Cambodian cars are also quite rare in Thailand. What about Malaysia? They don't want to change and if this proposal comes into effect, this will inconvenience them. Since Malaysian cars are by far the most plentiful source of foreign registered cars in Thailand, sticking to the left is what Thailand should do for the Malaysians.

As for road travel to China - currently only a handful of Chinese cars enter Thailand now and they rarely make it further than Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai and I still don't see a lot coming even in 2020, more than now, yes, but still not enough to justify this move...like we're supposed to spend BILLIONS to cater more easily for the 3 Chinese cars that enter Thailand each day from Laos. The argument that it will make travel to China easier is also unjustified - I have yet to see a single Thai vehicle in China (I have seen pictures of Thai caravan tours though, but these tours come about twice a year) so unless China eases up on it's restrictions on foreign registered vehicles entering it's territory (currently Lao cars can enter Sipsongbanna, but need special permission just to go to Kunming) this is all nonsense. Also, I have yet to see a single Chinese truck driving in Thailand - they never make it this far. The current system of unloading at the Chinese-Lao border will continue for now, unless the two governments strike an agreement on cross-border truck transport, which hasn't happened yet.

And as for tourists who come from right hand drive countries...how cares? How many of these tourists are road users in Thailand? Also, has anyone given any thought as to how many Aussies and Brits would be affected by this move, given that these 2 countries alone account for almost 2 million tourists or about 10% of all foreign visitors to Thailand? In any case, not many tourists drive themselves in Thailand since few backpackers have the resources to rent a car and drive themselves, while high end tourists may prefer to be driven around by a professional driver than attempt to drive themselves. Sure, many tourists ride scooters, although they usually stick to resort areas or Chiang Mai, but to base a decision like this on 0.001% of road users in Thailand is pure insanity. Thais have always been the main drivers in Thailand and this won't change in the future either unless Thailand becomes like Dubai and suddenly has like 70% foreigners living here. I don't see that happening either.

All in all, a stupid idea that should never see the light of day.

Did you honestly spend all that time writing that and not realize what day it is today?

[Pulle]

Hello everybody today ..... April 1... April fish....

[zenplay]

we are 1st of April, right ?

[Tristanc]

All I want to say people is this check the date of this posting before running out to buy yourselves a new left hooker

[sjefrie]

April Fools' Day

[toybits]

Good one - this article on April 1st... but I like the ideayer.

[uptheos]

Is April fool's day just a British thing? No one here seems to get it.

Get what?

[Marulaz]

Hmmmm!...

Looks like a good 1st April joke, doesn't it?

But if this piece of interesting info is genuine, maybe we could suggest a few refinements:

- to get the drivers familiar with the new rule, we could do it gradually. On even dates, the cars wearing a registration plate with an even number would drive on the right side, and on uneven dates, the cars wearing a registration plate with an even number would get their turn,

- taxi and buses drivers, being professionals, would be exempted of this training, and would directly drive on the new side (or the old one, depending on what they find the most convenient),

- once all surviving drivers would have been used to the new rule, they would get their car refurbished, thanks to the special rates negociated by Khun Thaksin by the Government with the car makers. Those who plan to drive to other countries, such as Malaysia or Singapore, might ask for an option, with a detachable steering wheel, which they can adapt on either side with a simple scratch system.

Does it look to make sense?

Enjoy your 1st April!!!

PS: any suggestion for the motorbikes?

[Hunter88]

Perhaps it's an April Fools joke. If not, consider the cost of changing all the traffic signs in the country. Or the confusion if they don't. It's every driver for himself. Kind of how it is now.

[krisb]

Nah my wife knows about it. No joke.

[TOsnaps]

Best April's fool. Haha.

[jimbeam1]

HELL! thats gonna be dangerous . Anyhow, a large % of them drive on the wrong side already.

Dang, beat me to it. So what will change?

Me thinks it's a case of 25 change hands. Hee heee

[tropo]

I admit it didn't read every comment, maybe only the first 20 or so. Nobody got it? April Fool!

Many of the people commenting early on got it - but they kept the joke running by not shouting it out.

Edited April 1, 2013 by tropo

[jimbeam1]

Hmmmm!...

Looks like a good 1st April joke, doesn't it?

But if this piece of interesting info is genuine, maybe we could suggest a few refinements:

- to get the drivers familiar with the new rule, we could do it gradually. On even dates, the cars wearing a registration plate with an even number would drive on the right side, and on uneven dates, the cars wearing a registration plate with an even number would get their turn,

- taxi and buses drivers, being professionals, would be exempted of this training, and would directly drive on the new side (or the old one, depending on what they find the most convenient),

- once all surviving drivers would have been used to the new rule, they would get their car refurbished, thanks to the special rates negociated by Khun Thaksin by the Government with the car makers. Those who plan to drive to other countries, such as Malaysia or Singapore, might ask for an option, with a detachable steering wheel, which they can adapt on either side with a simple scratch system.

Does it look to make sense?

Enjoy your 1st April!!!

PS: any suggestion for the motorbikes?

Yes motorbikes are also changing to left hand drive.

jb1

[sjefrie]

[h5kaf]

HELL! thats gonna be dangerous . Anyhow, a large % of them drive on the wrong side already.

Ha! Ha! If it wasn't the 1st April this is quite believable. In a country where the average motorist drives anywhere they like, changing the rules from left to right seems like normal Thai government planning. However the article seems unable to make its mind up when to use the word "left" and when to use the word"right".

A better quality April 1st post.

[carloshebe]

April the 1st joke!

[crisp]

Its April 1st!!!!!

HOPE ITS APRIL FOOLS JOKE !!!!

Chris

[Ken7475]

Did no one notice today's date ??

[Mosha]

What makes it worse, some sites are quoting Thaivisa on the "news".

[huahinjoe]

There is no news source, it says only thaivisa news, so its defo a joke hehe

Good one, one of the fastest growing topic today, had a good laugh too...

However considering Thailand news clippings on Thaivisa we could have april 1st every day i think.

[Goshawk]

[SeaVisionBurma]

Inappropriate post containing profanity removed

[Jayman]

I treat every news posting on TVF as a April 1 posting. Utter garbage the reporting here.. the lot of it.

[richard_smith237]

I admit it didn't read every comment, maybe only the first 20 or so. Nobody got it? April Fool!

Many of the people commenting early on got it - but they kept the joke running by not shouting it out.

Isn't an April fool only an April Fool up until Midday after which time the 'Fool' is he who continues to perpetrate the practical joke...??

[dunrudin]

To make it easier, trucks and buses will change on the Monday, cars on Tuesday and motorcycles on Wednesday. Bicycles can go to h**ll.

[agam]

I treat every news posting on TVF as a April 1 posting. Utter garbage the reporting here.. the lot of it.

Really, you treat every article here as an April Fool's joke? It appears that you in fact totally fell for it, along with so many other gulls. Sounds like sour grapes.

Which is actually even funnier.

[shiatsuman]

Take the 3rd way drive in the middle of the road

sorry I forgot most do already

but seriously this proposal I presume has absolutely nothing to do with the date, 1st April

[mamypoko]

What makes it worse, some sites are quoting Thaivisa on the "news".

Makes it better