Last night I noticed that a 'zebra' crossing had been painted on the Changklan Road. Does anyone know how these are supposed to be treated in the Thai Highway Code?

In the UK a motorist must stop for pedestrians approaching the crossing and allow them to cross. In France a motorist will wait for the pedestrian to start to cross then do his best to mow them down. Any ideas how we should treat this one here??

Cars WILL NOT STOP so dont think they will and if the first car nearest you stops be sure to take caution for the second lane because cars will whizz past. I have seen people almost taken out thinking that Zebra crossings mean the same thing as in the UK THEY DO NOT.

CROSSER BEWARE.

In China they wait for the pedestrians to even look like crossing, and they start blasting their klaxons.

I like a system they have in Surabaya, Indonesia. On the power poles next to the crossings, they have tennis-racquet shaped signs in bright orange with a hand paint on to indicate stop!

When one is about to venture across the zebra crossing, you hold one of these up, and hope someone will stop as you walk across. I found that raising it high in a threatening attitude worked better, as drivers didn't want their paint damaged!

Some drivers stare ahead as if they can't see you, and I found the flat of the sign, brought down sharply on the car roof makes a resounding 'clang' and scares the daylights out of the drivers! Pedestrians unite!

No, Indonesian drivers do not carry weapons.

Whatever the law may be, it seems that there are two generally accepted customs (not always observed) about crossings other than at general traffic signals.

At pedestrian lights most drivers appear to slow down or stop until the pedestrian is "out of range." The pedestrian traffic signal only appears to be "advisory." In the law, I believe if you see a red, the law says stop until you see green.

For zebra crossings without signals there seems to be little or no driver concern. At least these might reduce some random pedestrian crossings and decrease casualties.

Some zebra islands in the middle of large intersections do seem to be generally recognized by drivers as pedestrian havens. The new flashy traffic guideposts beginning to appear do seem to help some. Pedestrians can then plot crossings in two stages,

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Thai drivers run the gamut from extremely polite to pedestrians to God-awful aggressive. I've seen speeding drivers begin flashing their lights at pedestrians crossing in front of Kad Suan Kaew starting 200 meters before the crossing. They aren't planning to stop for any reason, pedestrians be damned. At the same time other drivers will simply slow down and stop, letting everyone cross completely before starting up again. As a daily walker and bike rider here here in Chiang Mai, it's fun to see these super aggressive drivers forced to stop for traffic signals while all the bikes they almost ran off the road roll past them at the lights!

Imagine you are on the last level of Frogger, and only have one life left.

Whatever the official rule is, Thai drivers have never been told that a zebra crossing gives priority to pedestrians crossing.

Their Highway Code states clearly that at roundabouts traffic must give way to the right. However, they give way to the left... most of the time.

NEVER!! I mean never cross the road on a zebra crossing if there is traffic,

Always be very cautious at traffic lights too.

Walk a way past either and cross where you can see the traffic (hopefully at a distance).

This crossing is special though, has bollards across the road and flashes. Magical at night.

However, it doesn't seem to make anyone stop, a few slow down thinking its a police checkpoint.

It won't be long before someone thinks of the idea to have luminescent green bottles hanging from your waistbelt.

Those emerald sitting buddhas

I'm afraid that you have all made a rookie mistake. Fear not, my own son fell to this mistake (quite literally) when crossing at what you call "zebra crossings" just up from Thapae gate.

These are not zebra crossings but a fine example of Thai street art and you should treat them as same. These ornaments to Chiang Mai are popping up more and more.

Stand back from the art, look at them, take in their nuances and shades as they interact with the traffic, marvel at the how the artist put them there, consider the temporary nature of life as the white paint fades over the weeks (quite temporary if you consider using then as a cross walk), take a selfie with them in the background.......but please please please for your own sake and the sake of others..... do not step on the art.

that zebra crossing next to ksk,always has a red bus parked on so how people cross on it is beyhond me,have to navigate the front of the bus first.

"Zebra Crossing" in Thai translates to "killing zones". Bit like the pedestrian crossings on Thepae Rd where there are red lights Thais go straight through them.

On my wife's first visit to Australia she was amazed that cars/bikes actually stopped at a zebra crossing and it took me a while to convince her that she was really safe crossing the road at that point.

I could care less about a zebra crossing. I am going to stop look both ways even on a one way street a cursory check of the side walk and wait for an opening. The same as I would do with out one.

In my mind they can be dangerous as the drivers are not aware of them until near them and people get a false sense of security. All so there is no guarantee they know what they are for.

I know that is not the way it is supposed to work but it does and I value my life more than standing on a principal.

I could care less about a zebra crossing. I am going to stop look both ways even on a one way street a cursory check of the side walk and wait for an opening. The same as I would do with out one.

In my mind they can be dangerous as the drivers are not aware of them until near them and people get a false sense of security. All so there is no guarantee they know what they are for.

I know that is not the way it is supposed to work but it does and I value my life more than standing on a principal.

One thing at a time John, one thing at a time........they're almost at 50% on the red light issue.

My Thai language teacher doesn't give us homework but gives us advise after every lesson. Whatch your back whilst in Thailand...

I could care less about a zebra crossing. I am going to stop look both ways even on a one way street a cursory check of the side walk and wait for an opening. The same as I would do with out one.

In my mind they can be dangerous as the drivers are not aware of them until near them and people get a false sense of security. All so there is no guarantee they know what they are for.

I know that is not the way it is supposed to work but it does and I value my life more than standing on a principal.

agreed! nothing like half a century or more of driver training (in my case) to find it difficult to give up on basic road courtesy.

Why won't they look right or give way? They do not wish to make eye contact.

Many a time I have had a car nearly rear end me when I have stopped to let

people cross at a zebra crossing, the Thai drivers thinking is the stupid

Farang stopping for,even the pedestrians are surprised,you have to wave your

hand vigorously,to get them to start crossing.

regards Worgeordie

The Thai philosophy seems to be, that if you see someone about to cross the street, speed up, so that they don't inconvenience you by getting in your way.

What a waste of money! In all these years, I've never ever seen a zebra crossing Changklan Road.