Thailand's Left-Hand Traffic 'Impedes Integration'

By Khaosod Online



BANGKOK: -- A top official has asserted that Thailand′s left-hand traffic is an obstacle for regional integration with some of its neighbours which drive on the right.

Mr. Yukhon Limlaemthoung, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, advised that Thailand must adjust to the future economic integration in timely manner.

At the end of 2015, Thailand, along with its 10 ASEAN neighbours, will become ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). The trade blog is expected to cause several changes to the region, particularly in terms of liberalized trade.

The Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister said that farmers, investors and the government must react to AEC sharply, and shifted its policy to agricultural-industrial based economy.

Regarding its study about the economy of ASEAN countries, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperative suggested that ASEAN governments should lure in more foreign investors to develop their agricultural-based economies.

Thailand, with its competitiveness in industry, can then take advantages from cheap agricultural goods supply from its neighbouring countries, said Mr. Yukhon.

However, the deputy prime minister significantly noted that Thailand is quite ‘uncompetitive’ in becoming regional logistic centre, as the nation drives on left hand traffic’

Thailand is among the few countries driving on the left hand side,while its continental neighbours; Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Vietnam, drive on the right hand side of the road.

According to Mr. Yukhon, the circumstance is probed to be an obstacle for regional trade liberalisation, as it costs investors extra logistic expenses for having to change the car engines when crossing the border.

Source: http://www.khaosod.co.th/en/view_newsonline.php?newsid=TVRNNE1UYzJNemcwTlE9PQ==

-- KHAOSOD English 2013-10-15

Blimey! - More guff!

Left or right, the obstacle to integration is not a question about which side of the road the Thais drive, but

the way they drive!!

So all the vechicles we on a daily basis see driving on the wrong side of the road, are just drivers trying to promote integration??

Does he suggest that the trains drive on the other side also?

as it costs investors extra logistic expenses for having to change the car engines when crossing the border.

Obviously the guy knows what he is talking about, makes a lot of sense to change the cars engine! after all a left handed engine works different to a right handed engine, it turns in the opposite direction!!!!!

However, the deputy prime minister significantly noted that Thailand is quite ‘uncompetitive’ in becoming regional logistic centre, as the nation drives on left hand traffic’

Singapore seems to cope quite well and they ARE the regional logistics center, it seems to Deputy PM has forgotten the other reasons Thailand has obstacles in its way, namely corrupt business practices, repressive customs & excise polices, lack of proficiency in the international language of commerce and trade, ie English, repressive business formation polices for foreign companies etc

Is he using the left or right side of his brain to dream up this garbage?

Is he using the left or right side of his brain to dream up this garbage?

You have to wonder if he's using any part.

Since Singapore, Malaysia and India drive on the left, what difference does it make? There is unlikely to be a torrent of vehicles crossing into Laos or Myanmar in the forseeable future.

The guy's a nut.

Does he envision the millions of cars in Thailand being converted to left hand drive or all new cars being produced with left hand drive?

Even Japan drives on the left and so should Thais.

edit to add:

The United Kingdom has been right hand drive since the start of motoring. When the Brits visit continental Europe they drive on the right hand side of the road. It isn't that hard. Thais will adapt as they already drive on either side of the road.

Spite & malice take their toll, again...they reacted against all things French after the Frogs stationed a gunboat next to the Grand Palace while taking most of Laos & Cambodia from them (Paknam, aka Samut Prakan, Incident, 1893)...never got over that...comes back to haunt them. ;-} rap.
Paknam Incident 1893

I'm a great defender against the " All Thais are...." mouth breathers on this forum but I have to say that if some bright government spark suggests that Thailand changes to driving on the right then it'll be vehicular genocide. I shudder at even the slightest thought.

Since Singapore, Malaysia and India drive on the left, what difference does it make? There is unlikely to be a torrent of vehicles crossing into Laos or Myanmar in the forseeable future.

The guy's a nut.

Does he envision the millions of cars in Thailand being converted to left hand drive or all new cars being produced with left hand drive?

Even Japan drives on the left and so should Thais.

edit to add:

The United Kingdom has been right hand drive since the start of motoring. When the Brits visit continental Europe they drive on the right hand side of the road. It isn't that hard. Thais will adapt as they already drive on either side of the road.

If to score brownie points with China which seems to be the flavour of the month some idiot in government decides this would be a good idea can anyone extimate the cost of replacing, altering, moving all road signs and markings, traffic light filters and all the other essential road needs that Thais ignore anyway.

I didn't think that thai drivers know what side of the road they are supposed to be on. There is not one day that I do not see a car, truck or motorbike driving on the wrong side of the road.

Imagine the coinage that could be made from doing LH drive conversions to all the RH drive vehicles on the road in Thailand. Me thinks the dishonourable minister is just testing the water for a potential business opportunity.

The mind boggles when you consider the logistical nightmare of moving and rewording all the traffic signs and then re-routing all the entry/exits to motorways etc . The only thing that wouldn't need changing is the U-Turns and one-way streets - whoops, maybe have to change the direction of the one-ways, but it wouldn't be that noticeable anyway. (on a side note, I'm currently visiting my son in Sydney and he keeps laughing at me for looking both ways before I cross a one-way street.)

But wait......maybe the minister just wants to convert all the cars to LH drive but just keep driving on the left! Ah.....problem solved "Thai style".

Who is this nutter? Does he think that India, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan and Australia will be changing to fit in with Laos and Cambodia? What a loon!

I doubt that people from Australia or Japan will be driving to this part of the world.

It does make a difference on which side your neighbors drive though, if you plan on doing a lot of trade.

Does this mean I won't be able to buy a pack left handed cigarettes anymore?

'Lure in foreign investors'

To 'Lure' :- Use a decoy, especially artificial bait.

Is this guy for real? Deputy Prime Minister huh? What the hell is he smoking?

They drive on the left here in Thailand? I did wonder.

I do think they should change, but suggest it to be a gradual process, starting with the big trucks and buses. That way the Thais would have the time they need to get used to it and if it doesn't work they can change back, only necessitating the truck drivers to retrain.

Excellent scheme, who said the Thai government are not in touch?

I'm a great defender against the " All Thais are...." mouth breathers on this forum but I have to say that if some bright government spark suggests that Thailand changes to driving on the right then it'll be vehicular genocide. I shudder at even the slightest thought.

I think they should alternate.

Odd numbered years - drive on the left.

Even numbered years - drive on the right.

The holiday period around New Year can be optional and you can drive on whichever side you like - oops, it already is.

According to Mr. Yukhon, the circumstance is probed to be an obstacle for regional trade liberalisation, as it costs investors extra logistic expenses for having to change the car engines when crossing the border.

It must be a sure nomination for most idiotic statement of the month.

Just look at the 1,000's of trucks line up at the channel tunnel , from the E.U waiting to change their engines to drive through and deliver their goods into Britain, before they turn around and change their engines again for the return journey.

Honda Toyota etc-- make their cars here to export to Australia ./new Zealand / Malaysia etc, one production line exporting a lot more luxury cars then Cambodia--Laos & Vietnam would ever be buying.

Sounds like a job for the left-handed hub, Police Captain Chalerm.

The complete lack of planning and strategy will impede integration

Driving on the wrong side of the road is a red herring

It should be left to whatever hand a driver rights writes with.

I find this kind of story particularly disturbing as it demonstrates how incredibly stupid or banal some high-ranking officials in Thailand can be.

Firstly 40% of the world's roads drive on the LHS. (e.g. India, Japan) If you were to drive from Thailand to Tasmania, you would drive the entire trip on the LHS.

They might also look at other countries that have changed sides and see whether in the long run there were any real benefits. (BTW - this includes USA, Canada and Sweden) - Burma changed not for practical reasons - both neighbours India ands Thailand were LHS driving - but allegedly because some monk advised them "something bad would happen" if they didn't.

UK and Ireland both remain on LHS whilst in the common market - and there has been no big campaign to change over - anyone who has visited Dover will have for themselves seen the MASSIVE amount of road traffic both ways (This traffic exteds beyond the EU to Saudi etc.).....not a problem.

If they REALLY want to change perhaps the less developed countries in ASAEN might consider changing to the LHS

I doubt that people from Australia or Japan will be driving to this part of the world.

It does make a difference on which side your neighbors drive though, if you plan on doing a lot of trade.

Thailand and Malaysia both rank around number 30 in the world for the size of their economies, Singapore about 35 and Laos and Cambodia down around 130ish. Many of the cars in use in Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia are already RHD Thai imports.

So if it makes a difference what side your big prosperous neighbours drive on, it's about time those three countries fell into line with the big boys.

A far more useful step for this Deputy Prime Minister to spend his time on would be to promote the only common language shared by all 10 ASEAN members.

Well this is what you get for having the French instead of the British as colonial powers. If the Brits had colonised all of SE Asia instead of just Malaya and Singapore all would be driving on the correct side of the road! Please don't bring up the mere details of Myanmar (British colony but drive on the right, and Indonesia (Dutch colony - but drive on the left). Actually the Brits controlled some of Indonesia for a while - before giving it back to the Dutch - maybe just long enough to institute driving on the correct side of the road.

As if Thai people were driving on the right all their life and than someone came and change

the driving rules on them in the middle of the night, what a load of bull,

Most of the fatalities on our roads is due to drink and drive, use of drugs and drive,

vehicles over loaded, unlicensed, unqualified drivers behind the wheels, and general

lack of respect even to the most basic traffic and decorum laws....

Left or right, the obstacle to integration is not a question about which side of the road the Thais drive, but

the way they drive!!

So all the vechicles we on a daily basis see driving on the wrong side of the road, are just drivers trying to promote integration??

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