Thailand's left-hand traffic 'impedes integration'

[Thai at Heart]

I believe this movement comes from China. When the Chiang Kong bridge opens it is expected that between 300-500, 18 wheel trucks will cross the bridge each 24 hours. The Chinese trailers are headed to Laem Chabang to ship their goods from Yunnan and surrounding provinces. Changing to engines that drive on the other side is very expensive for the Chinese. This will further be compounded when the 1 million staff of Chinese are occupying the manufacturing facility in Laos across from the Golden Triangle. Thailand is about to allow China free visas and it is the largest source of tourism. God only know what the Chinese will get in the future.

I would hope that that volume of freight will arrive by train, not truck.

I presume a lot of Chinese truck drivers will get the clap.

[skildpadden]

Is it April 1 already?

[Thai at Heart]

Is it April 1 already?

No. It's "how do we explain why we aren't a hub yet?", day.

[Psych01]

Maybe they should look to Europe for an example of how it is done, currently there are 28 member states of the EU, how many drive on the same side as Thailand? Well, only four European countries continue to drive on the left: Cyprus, Ireland, Malta and the United Kingdom. Does that cause a problem, not sure about that.

[Thai at Heart]

Maybe they should look to Europe for an example of how it is done, currently there are 28 member states of the EU, how many drive on the same side as Thailand? Well, only four European countries continue to drive on the left: Cyprus, Ireland, Malta and the United Kingdom. Does that cause a problem, not sure about that.

Considering 2 maybe 3 are fiscally bankrupt, I await the minister drawing a connection.

[Psych01]

Maybe they should look to Europe for an example of how it is done, currently there are 28 member states of the EU, how many drive on the same side as Thailand? Well, only four European countries continue to drive on the left: Cyprus, Ireland, Malta and the United Kingdom. Does that cause a problem, not sure about that.

Considering 2 maybe 3 are fiscally bankrupt, I await the minister drawing a connection.

Good point, but I think you will find that may not be down to whatever side of the road they drive. More to do with the over stretching of the currency [the Euro], in the main part due to the banks and their greed etc., but that is a completely different topic.

[SteveH]

_{It,s not April 1st already is it ?}

[mrtoad]

Is it April 1 already?

With a lot of the clowns in Government, everyday is a fools day here.

[Crossy]

Is it April 1 already?

ThaiVisa needs to be more careful when choosing our April Fool threads, talk about many-a-true-word http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/630001-thailand-to-change-from-left-to-right-hand-driving/#entry6258882

[SteveH]

_{It,s not April 1st already is it ?}

Sorry Skilpadden didn't notice your post before, that's at least two of us that are not sure of the date !!!!

[DrDweeb]

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".

It has been done before, but in a country slightly better organised than Thailand.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dagen_H

That being said, it is the stupidist news article I have read today.

[lifeincnx]

Maybe just phase in a subtle changeover to driving on the right. Implement phase II on the next full moon - driving in the middle.

[khrab]

Thai always drive and ever since drove on the right side of the road.

What ever side they think is right.

And what's all the fuzz about China? The have LHD and RHD. Mainland right, HK left.

[Briggsy]

One imagines he is being a Chinese mouthpiece.

[DonaldBattles]

There is no train in Chiang Rai and no plans for one. These trucks will beat the Thai roads into mud holes in short order. Think about 300-500 trucks per 24 hours. They will be on a special road that connects them south. They will not go through Chiang Mai or the city of Chiang Rai.

[Artisi]

It should be gazetted immediately that it is up to the individual as to which side of the road you wish to drive on, making it official will negate the uncertainty of whether driving on the "wrong" side of the road is breaking the current laws.

[AllanB]

I believe this movement comes from China. When the Chiang Kong bridge opens it is expected that between 300-500, 18 wheel trucks will cross the bridge each 24 hours. The Chinese trailers are headed to Laem Chabang to ship their goods from Yunnan and surrounding provinces. Changing to engines that drive on the other side is very expensive for the Chinese. This will further be compounded when the 1 million staff of Chinese are occupying the manufacturing facility in Laos across from the Golden Triangle. Thailand is about to allow China free visas and it is the largest source of tourism. God only know what the Chinese will get in the future.

When these big trucks arrive from China it won't matter on which side of the road they drive, the 2" thick Thai roads will all be turned to rubble.

You can drive where the hell you like then,....... or not, when it rains.

[Thai at Heart]

There is no train in Chiang Rai and no plans for one. These trucks will beat the Thai roads into mud holes in short order. Think about 300-500 trucks per 24 hours. They will be on a special road that connects them south. They will not go through Chiang Mai or the city of Chiang Rai.

The freight is not going to come through chiangmai. Do you know how mountainous that end of China and Laos are?

Freight will be taken by rail through nongkhai to Khon Kaen and Bangkok.

[smoochy]

Can one actually imagine what a fiasco changing to the right side would be? There would be wrecks every 10 metres or so as far as the eye could see.

[metisdead]

Posts containing some overly derogatory comments have been removed as well as some off topic posts.

Posting in all capitals or in all bold, and using large or unusual fonts and colors is bad netiquette.

A post using all caps has been removed as well as the reply posts. Turn off your Caps Lock button when posting.

[Cuban]

...and the most desirable cars in Thailand are...

Japanese ! (where is their steering wheel by default?)

[Torrens54]

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

Perhaps the Deputy PM also thinks that "The World is FLAT!"

If only he and his cronies would firstly decide to make the effort to bring Thailand into line with the Best Of Its Neighbours and then follow the lead set by Singapore, this could truly become, AMAZING THAILAND.

For those who may suggest that I should go live in Singapore if I like it so much, I simply say that I love Thailand, I love living here and only want to see it become the best in our region.

Forget about changing to driving on the Right, just address the Important issues as mentioned in the above post.

[VocalNeal]

I think the word "Engine" should read drive unit of Artics. Why I don't know as UK trucks drive in Europe without any problem.

Just to be pedantic, the N.American usage is rig, big rig,semi trailer or semi (among others).

Artics might make people think of something the Inuit use.

Are you suggesting that others change to American English to facilitate integration? I believe they are known as prime movers!

[Dogbarker]

I really wonder if the average thai driver will realize any changes .

recently it was the foreign driver blamed now it is wrong side of the road .. hey it is already a free for all using of both sides ..... the extra carriage way on many dual lanes highways is not for motorcycles or breakdown or even parking .. it is for the driver who already thinks changes have been made .. ????

[Donut21]

We in the UK drive on the left and it never stopped progress but I thought inj Thailand every body drove on both sides of the road.

[Guest Gandtee]

I have read that he proposed a gradual change over to allow drivers to get used to it, with cars with odd numbers driving on the right on odd days of the month and cars with even numbers driving on even numbered days on the right. This would be in force for a month and also solve the overcrowding of the roads in Thailand.

[hawksway]

Hardly matters does it? Thai Drivers are in a class of their own, able to drive on the left, the centre, the right and even the pathway when it's the only way to squeeze through!

[pacovl46]

Wasn't there an article on that a while ago on Thai-Visa in which they proposed to switch to right-hand traffic?

[chaiyapoon]

Changing to LHD would cause absolute chaos as it is not viable in most cases to change the existing vehicles.So for years the vaste majority of thais would have their steering on the wrong side.I for o

ne would leave the country for several years.

[bangon04]

Myanmar has a lot of old cars on the road with right-hand steering...it would be cheaper to persuade Myanmar to change back to driving on the left, then Thailand would be connected with the majority of its trading partners from ASEAN.