Thailand To Change From Left To Right Hand Driving

[10baht]

Could it be April Fool's day?

[VegasVic]

Of course this is an April fools joke, you don't really think that the Thai governmenrt would enact something as sensible as this do you? After all, China, Burma, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam all drive on the right hand side of the road and as OTR international commerce and as well as crossboarder road travel opens up through ASEAN it would make entirely too much sense for Thailand to adopt something as logical as this!

[saroq]

This proposal makes sense and actually has merit but ... "The spokesman expects that the change would be without major problems or accidents." he's clearly dreaming.

"As of 1 January 2014 all cars sold in Thailand will need to have the
steering wheel on the left side. Old normal cars can keep their steering
wheel on the right, but owners cannot sell these cars. For that the car
must first be refitted with the steering wheel on the left."

I think that having a large segment of the population driving on the right hand side of the road in vehicles fitted for left hand driving could be considered a major problem that is likely to cause accidents.

[armstrongthai]

This isn't an April fool??

[armstrongthai]

Could it be April Fool's day?

Certainly hope so... but I am reading it on other news streams too. The bit about introducing it over the new year holiday made me think it must be a joke - total carnage I reckon!

[Eneukman]

Was it sheer coincidence that this article was released on April 1st?

Alan

[Yodrak]

Sounds like an April Fool joke to me.

[willyumiii]

Here in rural north eastern Thailand people drive on both sides of the road..i.e.. down the middle of the road. They seem to fear the edge of the road more than slamming into oncoming traffic!

So, since they drive both sides of the road at once, they will be in compliance as much as they are now if they just continue "same same"!

[tberentsen]

One of the best april jokes I have read in a while

[newermonkey]

Actually I heard about this before from a friend who works at Toyota,
apparently there will be government training sessions held around the
country in November 2013 to teach drivers how to reverse at high speed
so as to avoid head on collisions when drivers enter motorways on the
wrong side and drive towards opposing traffic, drivers will also be
taught "J-turns" and "high speed handbrake turns".

He also said Toyota has been redesigning its airbag system to include
the new "external airbag system" (EAS) apparently the new EAS can be
retro fitted to motorcycles or in fact any machine that can move..

Something very good associated with this subject is that
the government has also decided to abolish all import tax on cars from
left hand drive countries during 2014, which means Thais will be able to
afford vehicles such as the new Ford Mustang at only US$1,800 which
is roughly 10,000 Baht. the minister for transport Khun Lek Smungewong
said we have been ripping off the Thai people for far too long and its
time we come clean and admit the government has been pocketing at least
90% from all imported car sales in inflated taxes.

[furyrider]

INSANE!

This whole idea actually came from a meeting at the airport where they discovered that the runways had been put down the wrong way and the planes are now taking off from the end they should be landing at. The idea is to try to take the attention away from this and give everyone something else to talk about while they quietly reverse the runways,

How did you come up with that. The direction of take offs and landings is controlled by the direction of wind

[StreetCowboy]

INSANE!

This whole idea actually came from a meeting at the airport where they discovered that the runways had been put down the wrong way and the planes are now taking off from the end they should be landing at. The idea is to try to take the attention away from this and give everyone something else to talk about while they quietly reverse the runways,

How did you come up with that. The direction of take offs and landings is controlled by the direction of wind

Direction of the wind, indeed! You must think we're all daft...

[furyrider]

For all of you saying this is a good idea and makes sense

must have lived here for toooo long. It is going to be a logistical nightmare,

especially for a country full of people who need a calculator for their 2 times

table. Every sign, every car, every road will need amending. This will cost

billions of dollars to implement safely. Also, know you are wrong, there are no

statistics that say driving on the right is any safer than driving on the left.

Only people who are used to driving on the right will find it safer to drive on

the right and hey guess what the whole driving population of this country is

not used to driving on the right. NO BRAINER. I am actually a little shocked so

many people on here are saying this is a good idea, just goes to show how many

none Thais have thought about this in depth. The death toll will shoot through

the roof, insurance premiums will increase tenfold. Laying down laws forbidding

car owners from selling their cars is dictatorial at best. To end I will say I have

never come across such a pathetic, insane, ludicrous idea in my life. Dumbo

springs to mind.

"Dumbo springs to mind."

Never a truer word spoken in jest.

I KNEW SOMEONE WOULD BITE 5555555555555

You beet me to this post. I reed it yesterday and thought about it all day. The cost would be multi Billions to change just the U-turns. If they did this I for one would not travel on the roads for a long time.

[overherebc]

Furyrider

Re the post on the wind diection,

Are we talking about the wind at the airport or the 26 pages of hot air on this thread

[Tchooptip]

YES of course IT IS APRIL FOOL

successes with reducing the number of accidents during holidays like Songkran proofs we can do the transition safe!

Statistics?

they go out and drink too much. When they get on their motorcycle they cause accidents because they drive on the wrong side of the road out of habit.

Mainly the Brits Indians and Aussies and Japanese and South Africans I suppose

Old normal cars can keep their steering wheel on the right, but owners cannot sell these cars.

That is to say every single car in Thailand cannot be sold any more

For that the car must first be refitted with the steering wheel on the left.

Good luck for the job

However busses, trucks and taxis will be exempted as they are driven by professional drivers who can handle their vehicle safely-

Ridiculous so no comment

Conclusion: No doubt about it

[irwinfc]

As of 1 January 2014 all cars sold in Thailand will need to have the steering wheel on the left side. Old normal cars can keep their steering wheel on the right, but owners cannot sell these cars. For that the car must first be refitted with the steering wheel on the left.

- So by 1 Jan 2014, 99.99% of the cars in Thailand will be on the right hand side of the road. Very dangerous. As it is now, Thai drivers have no respect over right of way (main road, vehicle in reverse, major intersections, yield, merging lanes, etc) now they want to add a huge blindspot on the driver's weak side. They can go ahead with the sale schedule for left-hand drive cars, but keep traffic on the left hand side of the road. The number of left-hand drive cars will increase over time but for the benefit of the majority (existing car owners), they should delay switching the lanes for at least a year. Think about the road signs and traffic lights (while unknown to Thai drivers) need to be changed and/or re-oriented. The people who "think" of these changes should try it themselves.

Per 1 January 2020 all cars in Thailand, including old cars, must be refitted. However busses, trucks and taxis will be exempted as they are driven by professional drivers who can handle their vehicle safely.

Ok, people... shoot! Buses, trucks, taxis... can handle their vehicles SAFELY!?!?!? what kind of nonsense is this!? those so-called professional drivers are actually the WORST of the lot (need to add the van drivers, of course)!

[StreetCowboy]

Furyrider

Re the post on the wind diection,

Are we talking about the wind at the airport or the 26 pages of hot air on this thread

I think it was just a wind-up

[AliasJohn]

April 1....mean anything?

[Dukeleto]

I saw the title and just naturally assumed it was an April Fools joke.

I still think it is.

I can't believe it went three and a half pages before anybody even mentioned April Fools...

I agree!!! I kept scrolling through the replies to find the first posting regarding April fools but was amazed to find it took ages. Well, then again how amazed should I have been considering.

[ratcatcher]

I saw the title and just naturally assumed it was an April Fools joke.

I still think it is.

I can't believe it went three and a half pages before anybody even mentioned April Fools...

I agree!!! I kept scrolling through the replies to find the first posting regarding April fools but was amazed to find it took ages. Well, then again how amazed should I have been considering.

You obviously don't get it.

Yesterday morning scores of people posted "April 1st - April Fool".

Moderators wisely deleted them so that guys like you would have more fun. Amazing eh?

[SteeleJoe]

INSANE!

This whole idea actually came from a meeting at the airport where they discovered that the runways had been put down the wrong way and the planes are now taking off from the end they should be landing at. The idea is to try to take the attention away from this and give everyone something else to talk about while they quietly reverse the runways,

How did you come up with that. The direction of take offs and landings is controlled by the direction of wind

You people act like you know what's going on but you obviously don't. MY sources - which are unimpeachable - tell me that Thailand will have the most advanced runways in the world after they finish the next project: using a very large conveyor belt, the planes will remain stationary while the conveyor/runway gains enough speed at which point the aircraft will ascend. The added advantage being the conveyor can be reversed if at any point the airport decides to again change the direction of the runways.

Forgot to mention the space - saving aspect that will alleviate a big problem for Suvarnabhumi - the conveyor runway need only be slightly longer than the length of an airplane.

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa ap

Edited April 2, 2013 by SteeleJoe

[wayned]

Please get serious! I have 4 motorbikes that need to be converted if they change to driving on the right hand side.

[SteeleJoe]

Please get serious! I have 4 motorbikes that need to be converted if they change to driving on the right hand side.

You might be better off importing some new ones from the US.

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa ap

[Tonawatchee]

April Fools joke, right?

[overherebc]

Please get serious! I have 4 motorbikes that need to be converted if they change to driving on the right hand side.

Come on man, you're not thinking this through. Just import a bike from the USA and it will do the job.

[StreetCowboy]

Please get serious! I have 4 motorbikes that need to be converted if they change to driving on the right hand side.

Come on man, you're not thinking this through. Just import a bike from the USA and it will do the job.

Aye, sure, get him to import a bike in imperial units to run on metric roads, why don't you?

Some friend you are...

[cooked]

Holes in the road will still be repaired using left handed hammers.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

[khun Num]

For me to see (read) As a proffesional driver, who has been driving cars all over the world incl. Thailand trough the past 10 years, there is not a single argument in this article there hold up for thailand to switch to left hand steering drive, right side drive.

The only ones who will benefit from this are the automotive industry, it is they who must 1.sell the new new cars! 2. produce and sell spare parts for the conversion of old cars. 3. Production lines will in future only produce one type of cars, that means smaller productions costs in the future.

The loser..... the owner of to days cars.

To find arguments for the shift.... read this..... but remember don't drink drive! it is not safe to do so!

"It is also hoped that the change will increase the safety of tourist, as
most tourist are used to drive on the left. The department confirmed
that many accidents with tourists happen because they go out and drink
too much. When they get on their motorcycle they cause accidents because
they drive on the wrong side of the road out of habit. This is being
confirmed by Phuket police."

[Soutpeel]

For me to see (read) As a proffesional driver, who has been driving cars all over the world incl. Thailand trough the past 10 years, there is not a single argument in this article there hold up for thailand to switch to left hand steering drive, right side drive.

The only ones who will benefit from this are the automotive industry, it is they who must 1.sell the new new cars! 2. produce and sell spare parts for the conversion of old cars. 3. Production lines will in future only produce one type of cars, that means smaller productions costs in the future.

The loser..... the owner of to days cars.

To find arguments for the shift.... read this..... but remember don't drink drive! it is not safe to do so!

"It is also hoped that the change will increase the safety of tourist, as

most tourist are used to drive on the left. The department confirmed

that many accidents with tourists happen because they go out and drink

too much. When they get on their motorcycle they cause accidents because

they drive on the wrong side of the road out of habit. This is being

confirmed by Phuket police."

....TV 1st of April, the gift that keeps giving and giving..

Are some people on here really so dim ?

[Soutpeel]

As of 1 January 2014 all cars sold in Thailand will need to have the steering wheel on the left side. Old normal cars can keep their steering wheel on the right, but owners cannot sell these cars. For that the car must first be refitted with the steering wheel on the left.

- So by 1 Jan 2014, 99.99% of the cars in Thailand will be on the right hand side of the road. Very dangerous. As it is now, Thai drivers have no respect over right of way (main road, vehicle in reverse, major intersections, yield, merging lanes, etc) now they want to add a huge blindspot on the driver's weak side. They can go ahead with the sale schedule for left-hand drive cars, but keep traffic on the left hand side of the road. The number of left-hand drive cars will increase over time but for the benefit of the majority (existing car owners), they should delay switching the lanes for at least a year. Think about the road signs and traffic lights (while unknown to Thai drivers) need to be changed and/or re-oriented. The people who "think" of these changes should try it themselves.

Per 1 January 2020 all cars in Thailand, including old cars, must be refitted. However busses, trucks and taxis will be exempted as they are driven by professional drivers who can handle their vehicle safely.

Ok, people... shoot! Buses, trucks, taxis... can handle their vehicles SAFELY!?!?!? what kind of nonsense is this!? those so-called professional drivers are actually the WORST of the lot (need to add the van drivers, of course)!

and another one...the only nonsense is what you have written..