Thailand's left-hand traffic 'impedes integration'

[jeff2258]

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!!!!!

I don't think it make sense at all, how many foreign car coming in to Thailand daily? and how many Thai people owning a car here? Why should foreign car need to change their engine when they are not driving here everyday and how many Thai cars need to change their engine if they change the road direction? Malaysia and Singapore road direction is the same as Thailand and there is no problem, why it is a problem in Thai???

[Local Drunk]

Official Thai government statements that could just have been lifted from the Monty Python Bumper Annual of Silly Announcements.

Ministry of Silly Walks has always been a favourite of mine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iV2ViNJFZC8

[Card]

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

????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????.

Maybe the other countries should change their engines.

[fxe1200]

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

Left handed cigarettes!

[oldsailor35]

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!!!!!

Thai logic !

[nachiket]

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

LOL... I like your sense of humor.

[oldsailor35]

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.

How many times i have encountered traffic coming at me on my side of the road whilst entering a main road, they just do not get the idea that they are supposed to go wide and enter my road on the left, i recently had a guy in a 4x4 abusing me on my motorcy, telling me to get out of way when there was room on his side for a truck to pass.

[Zumteufel]

At least they're using the metric system, and not the nonsense emperial/US units.

Quick now. How many fluid ounces are 5 cubic inches?

[Minnehaha]

Cambodians drive on whatever side they feel like.

Also it is illegal to drive with your lights on during the day. That privilege is reserved for VIP motorcades.

Myanmar has BOTH left side and right side drive cars, proving it doesn't really matter which side you sit on. Problem solved.

[lensta]

I would say the Thais drive on all sides of the road and

they especially like to drive on the center white line so

I can't see a problem

[cheshiremusicman]

Obviously the guys a certified 'Mechanic,' sorry 'Maniac'. Do these people have any PR assistants, or do they write their own drivel.

They really want to open up a 'Funny Farm' for all these experts in high places; but maybe they haven't got enough room to build one big enough to accommodate them all ?

[oldsailor35]

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.

So mate! do you suggest Thailand changes to the left and promptly ignore Malaysia and Singapore which is the most successful trading nation in the area , despite driving on the left. Dhuuuuh!

[willyumiii]

Nonsense!

Thais drive on any side of the road, they want to.

They can even drive on even both sides at one time!

Very talented drivers here in Thailand.

Any side is just fine with them!

[oldsailor35]

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!

And INDIA !

[oldsailor35]

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.

Seems to me that he is sorely in need of education first.

[oldsailor35]

China will decide which side, when they take over the entire economy, and the Shinawatra are done looting and move abroad.

OMG! please don't let the arch looter Suthep back !

[oldsailor35]

Think i will buy myself an old Ferret Scout Car, the driver sits in the middle and they can take a bit of bumping around. A nice vehicle to drive too.

[Estrada]

Myanmar used to drive on the left under British rule, let them change back and then we can drive on the left all the way from Singapore to Mumbai on the left hand side of the road. The solution is for the odd man out to change not the majority.

[Thaddeus]

I'm sure this must have been said in this thread already, but, Thailand's failure to integrate (with anyone) has nothing to do with which side of the road they drive on.

It is caused because the country is controlled by total numpties like the one making this announcement, and the millions of sheeple that have been brainwashed into believing them.

End of.

[gtm2k]

Typical problem solving in LOS

# Never address the problems which need long term redressal, instead look up other things and..Fix it when it aint broken

# If that does not work, just reinvent the wheel !

[GAZZPA]

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!!!!!

Don't you have to face the other way for the engine to work in the opposite direction. Perhaps rather then doing a full engine replacement at the boarders the can just drive in reverse.. Or, they could just do what they do in Europe and drive carefully when the driving side changes..

Sounds to me like another set up for a plan to change the driving side and launch a new car buying scheme.

This was a top official who said this,, you couldn't make it up..

[Toscano]

Utter Madness , a minor detail . How many Thai ever visit neighbouring countries by car , or at all . To change the Tir on the trailers of big comercial vehicles is no problem .

What worries me most is the idea that Asean is trying to follow the example of the EU , when the EU is suffering major difficulties , espcially in trade , from which it may never recover . Countries are better left as individuals , doing their own thing , wallowing in their own corruption . As seen in Europe , you cannot change a country or its people . For Thailand to start driving on the right hand side of the road , would involve a vast expense that no one can afford . The road accident rate and deaths would be unthinkable .

[animatic]

The carnage of changing Thais over to driving on the right will me epic.

I wouldn't want to drive after dark for a full year... till the drunks get killed off.

[flyingdoc]

I cannot believe that this topic is being used to highlight an obstacle to full integration into ASEAN in 2015!

So many countries in the region do actually drive on the left, including Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and of course India, now officially the most populous country in the world ! And why on earth would engines have to be changed over if someone from Laos or Cambodia drives on the right there?

As someone who regularly drives in countries who drive both on the left and the right, I cannot understand what the Minister is talking about. I returned from France yesterday, where I drive a left hand or right hand drive car on the right side of the road, and found no trouble whatever. My engine certainly was not affected !

[bigbamboo]

No doubt some bright spark in Thai officialdom will suggest a change to driving on the right but to save the Thais from the culture shock to do it gradually.

On a positive note it could be a useful way of sharpening up Thai driving skills by using the legislation to make them take their driving test again.

Only kidding of course. Again!......

[Angeledge777]

Are we surprised that a very bright guy taught about saying this sh*t instead of saying that Thai drivers are the problem?

The other countries around doesn't care about which side you drive. However, they do care about the large number of headless chickens driving a car in Thailand. They don't want that in their country for sure. When you are the second country with the most casualities on the road, it's probably not because of the side you drive right?

Keep refusing to say the truth and things will never change.

[Somtamnication]

Please please please. Have video of DAY ONE of Thais driving on the right side lane. Youtube will sink with the weight of the videos.

[exalll]

What happens in the case of Myanmar? They drive on the right, but the vast majority of vehicles are right-hand drive. So does a Thai change his engine or not in crossing the border? We need more advice on this - sub-committee required

[orpheus454]

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!!!!!

Don't be silly!

It only does that when you put the car in reverse...!

[morocco]

There has been talk of Thailand changing for a while now. It would be expensive and take time. Cambodia did it.

What is silly is not letting bikes that are 250cc and larger traveling on expressways.