Bangkok signboards going bilingual for the AEC

[webfact]

Bangkok signboards going bilingual for the AEC

BANGKOK, 6 May 2014 (NNT) -The Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) reports that the Bangkok Traffic and Transportation Department is installing bilingual Thai and English signage around the Bangkok area.

Signs including those in 300 emergency centers, along with 500 street signs, 30 direction signs, and 30 major traffic signs above roadways will all be converted where necessary.

Furthermore in 2015, hospital direction boards, police station signs, and community signs that include English will be installed in 4,955 spots to cover much of the Bangkok area.

Bangkok has at times received awards as a world class scenic town and Asia's most interesting city on several occasions, so preparedness in standard communication is needed in support of the coming AEC.


-- NNT 2014-05-06

[Payboy]

I can't wait. These signs are going to be comedy gold.

[NongKhaiKid]

' Thai Only ' Lanes

[Thaiisnotrequired]

"30 direction signs"

Home.... that way ------>

[EvilDrSomkid]

What's the big deal? There are plenty of bilingual signs already.

[krystian]

The signboards should include:

Thai price

Foreigner price

Edited May 6, 2014 by krystian

[rkidlad]

They need set rules for when Thai words and names are written in English. Even make it the official Thai to English spelling.

Yes, for the most part we know what it says. But I was driving the other day, and I nearly missed the short cut onto 'Lard 'Prao' road because the sign had spelt it 'Rat Plow'. When walking, it's easy. When driving and concentrating, not so easy sometimes.

[FangFerang]

There is no easy way around this. Thais give degrees in English, and suffer from the result.

[masuk]

I understand that there are fines imposed if the type face is larger than the Thai type face.

TESCO in Chiang Mai takes this seriously - you need binoculars to read what the English says under the large Thai product descriptions.

Many road signs are the same - they can't be read until you are level with them.

[KIWIBATCH]

got a few in Pin Klao already...........as follows........

(Direction sign) U-Trun........!!

(another huge billboard outside a beauty clinic).......We are slimeing clinic

Outside Tesco Lotus........Tresco Lotus

At a Sidewalk cafe........Branana Smothies.......stroberry milkshakes

At Phya Thai at the bottom of the BTS stairs....4 medium/large official looking signs within 100 metres of each other.......Prya Thai........Phia Thai.......Phyra Thai.........Phraya Thai

Ok...I am not being pedantic....just observing...spelling or transliteration errors occur worldwide.

Edited May 6, 2014 by KIWIBATCH

[Mentors]

The signboards should include:

Thai price

Foreigner price

Did you recognise that often Thai and Farang prices are written with the old thai number system in hope foreigner don't realise this scam?

[Mentors]

how about Russian and Chinese?

[Estrada]

I hope they include the signs on the buses too. I can read Thai but many cannot.

[bkkjames]

I hope they include the signs on the buses too. I can read Thai but many cannot.

hmm don't think it will be high on the priority list...who rides buses (farangs) anyway?

[bkkjames]

I hope they include the signs on the buses too. I can read Thai but many cannot.

hmm don't think it will be high on the priority list...who rides buses (farangs) anyway?

[noitom]

When you get to the fork in the road - take it.

[krystian]

The signboards should include:

Thai price

Foreigner price

Did you recognise that often Thai and Farang prices are written with the old thai number system in hope foreigner don't realise this scam?

Yes sir ofcourse thats what our marketing manager does in the hospital where I use to work at,,, however they do not realize that some foreigners are married to thais, so, that is where the problem comes in...

[Gandtee]

Will these signs take the place of menus shown on the web, which are always good for a laugh?

[Somtamnication]

"Turn rai heeya logo turn leh heeya and go satraet"

[Gandtee]

I understand that there are fines imposed if the type face is larger than the Thai type face.

TESCO in Chiang Mai takes this seriously - you need binoculars to read what the English says under the large Thai product descriptions.

Many road signs are the same - they can't be read until you are level with them.

It took me some time to realise that the motorway signs were written in Thai and in smaller letters in English. I thought that my wife's' eyes were sharper than mine when we were travelling. Well, they are now and her hearing is better than mine as well. She has worn my ears out.

[Tomtomtom69]

I understand that there are fines imposed if the type face is larger than the Thai type face.

TESCO in Chiang Mai takes this seriously - you need binoculars to read what the English says under the large Thai product descriptions.

Many road signs are the same - they can't be read until you are level with them.

Not true in the least bit. Go to any tourist area in Thailand and you may see signs, advertisements etc. only in English. Billboards and company names may be in English with only a tiny Thai translation of the company name in the top right hand corner.

[Tomtomtom69]

The signboards should include:

Thai price

Foreigner price

Did you recognise that often Thai and Farang prices are written with the old thai number system in hope foreigner don't realise this scam?

Yes sir ofcourse thats what our marketing manager does in the hospital where I use to work at,,, however they do not realize that some foreigners are married to thais, so, that is where the problem comes in...

At the emerald pool national park in Krabi province the sign surprisingly says "FOREIGNERS 200 Baht" so foreigners know they are getting ripped off - unlike at other national parks where it just says "ADULTS 200 Baht" or something. However, the Thai numerals are used for Thais, hence unless a foreigner can read Thai, all he/she will know is that they are getting charged more than a Thai. Incidentally, the Thai price is 40 Baht or ๔๐ in Thai.

[masuk]

I hope they include the signs on the buses too. I can read Thai but many cannot.

hmm don't think it will be high on the priority list...who rides buses (farangs) anyway?

where are buses? enter the red bus drivers.....

went the way of the proposed Metro system.

[masuk]

I understand that there are fines imposed if the type face is larger than the Thai type face.

TESCO in Chiang Mai takes this seriously - you need binoculars to read what the English says under the large Thai product descriptions.

Many road signs are the same - they can't be read until you are level with them.

Not true in the least bit. Go to any tourist area in Thailand and you may see signs, advertisements etc. only in English. Billboards and company names may be in English with only a tiny Thai translation of the company name in the top right hand corner.

I once read the law about this on these pages.

Apparently it's illegal to have any language other than Thai on top, and the farang language must be smaller.

Depends who you pay I suppose.

[Tomtomtom69]

I understand that there are fines imposed if the type face is larger than the Thai type face.

TESCO in Chiang Mai takes this seriously - you need binoculars to read what the English says under the large Thai product descriptions.

Many road signs are the same - they can't be read until you are level with them.

Not true in the least bit. Go to any tourist area in Thailand and you may see signs, advertisements etc. only in English. Billboards and company names may be in English with only a tiny Thai translation of the company name in the top right hand corner.

I once read the law about this on these pages.

Apparently it's illegal to have any language other than Thai on top, and the farang language must be smaller.

Depends who you pay I suppose.

You don't get out much do you? Even on the expressway between Bangkok city and Suvarnabhumi airport and for that matter, the tollway between Don Muang and Din Daeng, there are plenty of billboards ONLY in English - even though the vast majority of drivers on these routes are Thai (although foreign passengers in taxis are common). I don't know what a "farang" language is, but in Thailand like the rest of the world, the second language in addition to the local language is almost always English. Other languages are occasionally seen in tourist areas but very rare by comparison. In any case, you wouldn't see a billboard with anything other than either Thai, English or both.

Edited May 6, 2014 by Tomtomtom69

[Tomtomtom69]

Thailand seems to be taking the AEC more seriously than any of it's neighbors. Widening of roads to 4 lanes in border areas (even to border crossings with an absence of vehicles crossing the border), the addition of the neighboring country's language on signs in border areas (for example, Lao script on the police station sign in Phu Reua, even though I have never seen any Lao vehicles travel in the area and doubt very many Lao citizens would dare go to a Thai police station if they can avoid it) or in the Tesco Lotus in Beung Kan etc. is something you won't see much of in neighboring countries.

While Myanmar has added English to it's new road signs in Kayin State, this may be more a case of making it easier for the foreign traveler to get around than AEC, although the gradual replacement of Burmese script vehicle number plates in favour of number plates with Roman letters is probably in preparation for the AEC, though it started with the SEA games last year. In Laos, very few signs have any Thai language on them (despite the good relationship between the two countries and the linguistic similarities) and this hasn't changed much over the years, yet the Thais are adding more and more Lao script on signs in border areas.

Edited May 6, 2014 by Tomtomtom69

[gemini81]

The bad spellings are gonna be hilarious. Lots of unintended innuendos I bet!

[tonytigerbkk]

I understand that there are fines imposed if the type face is larger than the Thai type face.

TESCO in Chiang Mai takes this seriously - you need binoculars to read what the English says under the large Thai product descriptions.

Many road signs are the same - they can't be read until you are level with them.

Not true in the least bit. Go to any tourist area in Thailand and you may see signs, advertisements etc. only in English. Billboards and company names may be in English with only a tiny Thai translation of the company name in the top right hand corner.

I once read the law about this on these pages.

Apparently it's illegal to have any language other than Thai on top, and the farang language must be smaller.

Depends who you pay I suppose.

The reason why business signs are bilingual (in most cases is to do with the signage tax).

A lot of businesses prefer to use English if they are either aiming to promote their business to a range of nationalities or if they are selling a product which is already known for its brand in English.

However, if the entire sign is in English then the company have to pay a different tax rate for the sign.

This is why a lot of businesses have the sign with huge English characters and the Thai translation

The information below (and in blue font) was taken off the internet and the rates may have changed by now but the principle of the signage tax remains the same.

Signage tax rates

1. Signboards that display only Thai words are taxed at the rate of Baht 3 per 500 square centimeters;

2. Signboards displaying both Thai and foreign words and/or pictures are taxed at Baht 20 per 500 square centimeters;

3. Signboards that display foreign words alone with a picture or logo are taxed at Baht 40 per 500 square centimeters;

Edited May 6, 2014 by tonytigerbkk

[masuk]

I understand that there are fines imposed if the type face is larger than the Thai type face.

TESCO in Chiang Mai takes this seriously - you need binoculars to read what the English says under the large Thai product descriptions.

Many road signs are the same - they can't be read until you are level with them.

Not true in the least bit. Go to any tourist area in Thailand and you may see signs, advertisements etc. only in English. Billboards and company names may be in English with only a tiny Thai translation of the company name in the top right hand corner.

I once read the law about this on these pages.

Apparently it's illegal to have any language other than Thai on top, and the farang language must be smaller.

Depends who you pay I suppose.

You don't get out much do you? Even on the expressway between Bangkok city and Suvarnabhumi airport and for that matter, the tollway between Don Muang and Din Daeng, there are plenty of billboards ONLY in English - even though the vast majority of drivers on these routes are Thai (although foreign passengers in taxis are common). I don't know what a "farang" language is, but in Thailand like the rest of the world, the second language in addition to the local language is almost always English. Other languages are occasionally seen in tourist areas but very rare by comparison. In any case, you wouldn't see a billboard with anything other than either Thai, English or both.

Yes, I get around a bit, but in Chiang Mai, not BKK.

Highway signs here are ALWAYS smaller in English. I agree that the 2nd language needs to be English, but I'm slightly biased.

In neighbouring ASEAN countries, many if not all the highway signs are entirely in English. The neighbours in Malaysia give Malay and English equal prominence.

In the east of Chiang Mai, the signs are in Thai and Lanna.

[chainarong]

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I understand that there are fines imposed if the type face is larger than the Thai type face.

TESCO in Chiang Mai takes this seriously - you need binoculars to read what the English says under the large Thai product descriptions.

Many road signs are the same - they can't be read until you are level with them.

Road signs in English ????