Suggestions to improve road safety-Samui

[samuijimmy]

We have been through this public bus thing before.... how would it work with so many people living up long dead end Sois ?.... they would have to drive down and park........ before getting on a bus.... ?

And where would all these parking lots go?

Having buses in areas like Chawang or even Lamai, I think would not work either, so many narrow streets...

[robsamui]

We have been through this public bus thing before.... how would it work with so many people living up long dead end Sois ?.... they would have to drive down and park........ before getting on a bus.... ?

And where would all these parking lots go?

Having buses in areas like Chawang or even Lamai, I think would not work either, so many narrow streets...

I think you're quite right Jim.

For a long time I had the picture in my mind of bus stops by the road and nice small single-decker coaches running around the ring road - one every ten minutes or so.

But then I realised that we've got this anyway - the songthiews.

Samui's big problem is the taxi maffia - which extends to the songthiews after dark when they start to charge silly prices. Even the people up those long dead-end sois would be able to use taxis if they used their meters, as they are compelled to do by law everywhere else in Thailand. At the normal rates it would only cost 50 or 60 baht perhaps to go from Lamai to Chaweng.

I'm wondering if the new junta government will finally see fit to take care of all this taxi nonsense. Bring the troops in to sort out the protesting taxi drivers, fine them or even jail them for a while if they refuse and protest, maybe have soldiers driving their taxis if they go on strike (like they did the last time this happened). By the look of things this acting government is not one that would allow people to mess with it.

Once Samui finally gets this aspect in line with the rest of the country I doubt if there will be any going back. And just think what all those affordable taxis would do to the accident statistics. . .

R

Edited July 17, 2014 by robsamui

[ParadiseLost]

Referring back to my points regarding Penang, and more specifically their failed monorail project (or perhaps delayed?) I wonder what locals think about a similar project for Samui?

In Penang the locals were violently opposed to the project, citing two main reasons - firstly, during construction the roads would be too congested, and secondly the support pillars would take away too much parking space in city areas. Both are examples of how the car has altered the lives of people living there, the entire island is now paved but still it is not enough.

Is this the future of Samui? I certainly hope not but I worry the time will soon be past when something profound could be done to halt the influx of cars. It's even worse on KP.

Hmm, no takers but why would there be - the ownership rate of cars is probably 90% here...

[Tropicalevo]

Referring back to my points regarding Penang, and more specifically their failed monorail project (or perhaps delayed?) I wonder what locals think about a similar project for Samui?

In Penang the locals were violently opposed to the project, citing two main reasons - firstly, during construction the roads would be too congested, and secondly the support pillars would take away too much parking space in city areas. Both are examples of how the car has altered the lives of people living there, the entire island is now paved but still it is not enough.

Is this the future of Samui? I certainly hope not but I worry the time will soon be past when something profound could be done to halt the influx of cars. It's even worse on KP.

Hmm, no takers but why would there be - the ownership rate of cars is probably 90% here...

Not 90 % for sure. There are 11 of us in my company, and I am the only one with a car. None of my Thai staff own one. (Local straw poll )

Looking at most of the Thais that I know, again, the only car owners are business owners. (I obviously do not know many rich Thais!!!)

Back to the monorail idea - I assumed that you are 'aving a larf'! Sorry. It did not occur to me that you were serious.

[pokerspiv]

I know plenty of girls who work as hotel receptionists/restaurant managers who have cars. With the finance deal that was going last year the repayments are only about 8,000 baht per month, which is affordable for most Thai people who have a degree.

[robsamui]

I know plenty of girls who work as hotel receptionists/restaurant managers who have cars. With the finance deal that was going last year the repayments are only about 8,000 baht per month, which is affordable for most Thai people who have a degree.

Yep - I have to disagree with Trop and give Spiv the thumbs up.

I live in a dirt-track soi that has 6 houses, not far away from 8 or 10 big resorts.

There are 3 houses each with 6 Thais in them and 3 houses of farangs. 3 houses Thai = 18 people - 3 houses farangs = 4 people.

I've been here a long time, and for 7 years the only car in the soi was my old Suzuki jeep.

I think there are perhaps 7 or 8 Thais working in local resorts in these houses - but that's not the point.

Suddenly - about a year ago, juat this tiny soi acquired 4 brand new saloon cars. One of the houses had 2 cars which belonged to it alone - and there is nowhere for anyone to park! Makeshift sunscreens made out of plastic bags, and those plastic advertising banners you see above shops, propped up on sticks with rocks weighing down tin cans, and al held together with string appeared all over the soi. Combined with the garbage thrown in heaps outside the Thai houses and all the bottles awaiting sometime collection, this pleasant little soi had now become Soi Soweto.

Even the small nest of 6 one-room hutches round the corner sprouted 2 new cars - they had to park them so close to their room on this tiny narrow soi that they had to a) park car. then open car window. c) sit in car while they opened room door d) with room door open they could open car door e) get out of car and enter room with door open. I know cos I stopped to watch this maneuver one afternoon!

They might live 6 to a 2-bedroomed house and earn only 15k a month - but they got a (LOOK AT ME EVERYBODY!!) car with a red plate.

However, in the last few months or so this has all reduced down to just 3 cars overall - just my car and one other in my soi now - plus one outside the rabbit-hutch-rooms round the corner. I guess the government incentive of the tax refund, which the govt then couldn't pay, led to rapid re-possession by the banks and credit companies.

This is not as off-topic as it seems. Hundreds more new Thai car owners on Samui, with cars being driven with no experience and no licences, could not have improved conditions at all. I've personally witnessed three accidents involving brand new cars, the drivers of which reacted automatically as if they were still on motorbikes.

There would probably have been less overall carnage nationwide in the last year if the powers that be had provided free guns for home owners to guard against burglars.

(But I still love Samui . . .)

R

Edited July 17, 2014 by robsamui

[Tropicalevo]

Sorry Rob (loved the post though) but using your example, it still does not come to 90% owning cars. 22 people in your soi - 4 cars. 6 houses in your soi - 4 cars.

In my (very local) example, that was 11 families - 1 car. (OK - so Mrs Tropo also has a car, but she does not work in the business.). If I count the number of adults - it is 22 adults and 2 cars.

Yes - the 'cash back scheme for Thais' and the low interest rates has meant that there are a lot more cars on the roads, but as you have observed - a lot of those cars are now 'disappearing'. When Mrs Tropo bought her car, our friend stood as guarantor. The finance rep told her not to worry. If anything happened and we could not pay the monthly finance charges, the finance company would happily buy the car back and pay off the loan.

[Tropicalevo]

I know plenty of girls who work as hotel receptionists/restaurant managers who have cars. With the finance deal that was going last year the repayments are only about 8,000 baht per month, which is affordable for most Thai people who have a degree.

and I know plenty of waitresses,bar staff, exotic dancers and hostesses who do not own cars. Not one of them.

Sorry Pokerspiv - you are correct in what you say. For the middle classes, owning a car has never been easier. But, I do not think that there are that many on Samui in that category. - I am just saying that I think that 90% car ownership on the island is way too high but I have no idea what the real %age is.

Edited July 17, 2014 by Tropicalevo

[ParadiseLost]

Sorry Rob (loved the post though) but using your example, it still does not come to 90% owning cars. 22 people in your soi - 4 cars. 6 houses in your soi - 4 cars.

In my (very local) example, that was 11 families - 1 car. (OK - so Mrs Tropo also has a car, but she does not work in the business.). If I count the number of adults - it is 22 adults and 2 cars.

Yes - the 'cash back scheme for Thais' and the low interest rates has meant that there are a lot more cars on the roads, but as you have observed - a lot of those cars are now 'disappearing'. When Mrs Tropo bought her car, our friend stood as guarantor. The finance rep told her not to worry. If anything happened and we could not pay the monthly finance charges, the finance company would happily buy the car back and pay off the loan.

Obviously the ownership rate of cars for the island is nothing near 90% - I was sarcastically suggesting the rate amongst Samui forum posters is 90%

But it seems the rate amongst Thai owners may have raised a tad.

My entire point of posting here was to champion the restriction of privately owned cars (not commercial vehicles, just in case you think I am a socialist ).

So imagining a monorail solution is akin to satanism. What was I thinking...

[smokie36]

Enforcement of the helmet law and frequent breathyliser checks with stiff penalties would cut Samui's death toll enormously.

Do it now please.

[smokie36]

Also a curb of the ridiculous taxi mafia....oh no....wait...now I am just dreaming.......

[Gulfsailor]

Sorry Rob (loved the post though) but using your example, it still does not come to 90% owning cars. 22 people in your soi - 4 cars. 6 houses in your soi - 4 cars.

In my (very local) example, that was 11 families - 1 car. (OK - so Mrs Tropo also has a car, but she does not work in the business.). If I count the number of adults - it is 22 adults and 2 cars.

Yes - the 'cash back scheme for Thais' and the low interest rates has meant that there are a lot more cars on the roads, but as you have observed - a lot of those cars are now 'disappearing'. When Mrs Tropo bought her car, our friend stood as guarantor. The finance rep told her not to worry. If anything happened and we could not pay the monthly finance charges, the finance company would happily buy the car back and pay off the loan.

Obviously the ownership rate of cars for the island is nothing near 90% - I was sarcastically suggesting the rate amongst Samui forum posters is 90%

But it seems the rate amongst Thai owners may have raised a tad.

My entire point of posting here was to champion the restriction of privately owned cars (not commercial vehicles, just in case you think I am a socialist ).

So imagining a monorail solution is akin to satanism. What was I thinking...

Since it is now obvious that restricting the number of cars will not be accepted there is only one solution. Because most deadly accidents involve motorcycles, just ban those. Everyone in a (subsidized) car, much safer, and no one has to give up his car. Any objections?

[carmine]

Having a wild stab in the dark here but its possible that road safety could be massively reduced by policing the roads.

[Rooo]

Having a wild stab in the dark here but its possible that road safety could be massively reduced by policing the roads.

Are you consuming something you shouldn't be taking?

[carmine]

Having a wild stab in the dark here but its possible that road safety could be massively reduced by policing the roads.

Are you consuming something you shouldn't be taking?

Not at all. My post may be sarcastic but its totally correct and ridiculously obvious. what does anyone expect when the roads are one big free for all. Drink what you want, drive as fast as you want. all this talk of speed bumps and other such measures are missing the main point. the main point being that if there was decent policing of the roads then the accident rate would plummit but there isn't any is there. Perhaps if there was a will to reduce the deaths and casualties then Bangkok would send an appropriate amount of traffic police.

[Rooo]

Having a wild stab in the dark here but its possible that road safety could be massively reduced by policing the roads.

Are you consuming something you shouldn't be taking?

Not at all. My post may be sarcastic but its totally correct and ridiculously obvious. what does anyone expect when the roads are one big free for all. Drink what you want, drive as fast as you want. all this talk of speed bumps and other such measures are missing the main point. the main point being that if there was decent policing of the roads then the accident rate would plummit but there isn't any is there. Perhaps if there was a will to reduce the deaths and casualties then Bangkok would send an appropriate amount of traffic police.

Just having a joke Carmine. decent policing is a dream, will never happen here. As you said unless BKK sends in extra police, not a reality.

They should get back to basics.

[samuijimmy]

We have been through this public bus thing before.... how would it work with so many people living up long dead end Sois ?.... they would have to drive down and park........ before getting on a bus.... ?

And where would all these parking lots go?

Having buses in areas like Chawang or even Lamai, I think would not work either, so many narrow streets...

I think you're quite right Jim.

For a long time I had the picture in my mind of bus stops by the road and nice small single-decker coaches running around the ring road - one every ten minutes or so.

But then I realised that we've got this anyway - the songthiews.

Samui's big problem is the taxi maffia - which extends to the songthiews after dark when they start to charge silly prices. Even the people up those long dead-end sois would be able to use taxis if they used their meters, as they are compelled to do by law everywhere else in Thailand. At the normal rates it would only cost 50 or 60 baht perhaps to go from Lamai to Chaweng.

I'm wondering if the new junta government will finally see fit to take care of all this taxi nonsense. Bring the troops in to sort out the protesting taxi drivers, fine them or even jail them for a while if they refuse and protest, maybe have soldiers driving their taxis if they go on strike (like they did the last time this happened). By the look of things this acting government is not one that would allow people to mess with it.

Once Samui finally gets this aspect in line with the rest of the country I doubt if there will be any going back. And just think what all those affordable taxis would do to the accident statistics. . .

R

I really don't think this is realistic Rob!

Your quote... "At the normal rates it would only cost 50 or 60 baht perhaps to go from Lamai to Chaweng."

They would have to do about ten trips a day,just to cover their basic daily rate paid for taxi then fuel on top of that.... why would they even bother getting out of bed? ..... or would they work 24 hours to make a meager living? .... just not realistic in my opinion That could be a half hour or more trip, depending on traffic! ..... do the math!

For 60 baht or what ever the fare is, get a shared song-tau!

Sorry I tend to side with taxi drivers or at least some of the more honest ones.... they are around!

[carmine]

Having a wild stab in the dark here but its possible that road safety could be massively reduced by policing the roads.

Are you consuming something you shouldn't be taking?

Not at all. My post may be sarcastic but its totally correct and ridiculously obvious. what does anyone expect when the roads are one big free for all. Drink what you want, drive as fast as you want. all this talk of speed bumps and other such measures are missing the main point. the main point being that if there was decent policing of the roads then the accident rate would plummit but there isn't any is there. Perhaps if there was a will to reduce the deaths and casualties then Bangkok would send an appropriate amount of traffic police.

Just having a joke Carmine. decent policing is a dream, will never happen here. As you said unless BKK sends in extra police, not a reality.

They should get back to basics.

thats it, getting back to basics. I very much doubt they have anything near the manpower to police the roads here. if you hit ties in their pockets you will get the required reaction. Police the roads, spot fines with printed out receipts. This alone would drastically reduce the casualties and its not rocket science.

[robsamui]

We have been through this public bus thing before.... how would it work with so many people living up long dead end Sois ?.... they would have to drive down and park........ before getting on a bus.... ?

And where would all these parking lots go?

Having buses in areas like Chawang or even Lamai, I think would not work either, so many narrow streets...

I think you're quite right Jim.

For a long time I had the picture in my mind of bus stops by the road and nice small single-decker coaches running around the ring road - one every ten minutes or so.

But then I realised that we've got this anyway - the songthiews.

Samui's big problem is the taxi maffia - which extends to the songthiews after dark when they start to charge silly prices. Even the people up those long dead-end sois would be able to use taxis if they used their meters, as they are compelled to do by law everywhere else in Thailand. At the normal rates it would only cost 50 or 60 baht perhaps to go from Lamai to Chaweng.

I'm wondering if the new junta government will finally see fit to take care of all this taxi nonsense. Bring the troops in to sort out the protesting taxi drivers, fine them or even jail them for a while if they refuse and protest, maybe have soldiers driving their taxis if they go on strike (like they did the last time this happened). By the look of things this acting government is not one that would allow people to mess with it.

Once Samui finally gets this aspect in line with the rest of the country I doubt if there will be any going back. And just think what all those affordable taxis would do to the accident statistics. . .

R

I really don't think this is realistic Rob!

Your quote... "At the normal rates it would only cost 50 or 60 baht perhaps to go from Lamai to Chaweng."

They would have to do about ten trips a day,just to cover their basic daily rate paid for taxi then fuel on top of that.... why would they even bother getting out of bed? ..... or would they work 24 hours to make a meager living? .... just not realistic in my opinion That could be a half hour or more trip, depending on traffic! ..... do the math!

For 60 baht or what ever the fare is, get a shared song-tau!

Sorry I tend to side with taxi drivers or at least some of the more honest ones.... they are around!

When was the last time you went short hops in a metered taxi, Jim? Not BKK airport runs, but just running around Bangkok?

It's 35 baht on the meter to begin with and then 5 baht per kilometre. This is the rate set by the government which all meter taxis are required by law to charge and all Taxis must stick to, or risk fines and/or losing their licence. This is all over Thailand. Except for only Samui.

IT Complex Lamai to BKK Samui Hospital - say 5 kilometres - total fare without tip = 60 baht. Or turn off at OHMs motorbikes and run onto Chaweng Beach Road . . . go to Poppies . . . another 10 baht maximum.

When I used to live in BKK - and every time I go there now, unless the skytrain is more direct - I took taxis everywhere all the time. I lived 24 kilometres out of the centre and even paying highway tolls the trip was never more than 120 baht. It was cheaper to go everywhere by taxi than it was to maintain and run a car. Tens of thousands of taxi drivers all somehow "bothered to get out of bed each" day to work at these rates.

The problem with Samui is that the people that the taxi drivers are leasing their cars from - the 'Taxi Maffia" - are demanding far more than the mainland leasing rates. Therefore the taxis end up charging 1,000% (one thousand percent) higher rates than normal. There is BIG money in the Samui taxi scam.

I think people on Samui have become so accustomed to the cost of transport here that they've forgotten how cheap meter taxis are on the mainland! ie - what the fares really should be!

R

Edited July 18, 2014 by robsamui

[robsamui]

These are the current Dept of Land Transport official rates for meter taxis.

Going from Buddy's Lamai to Central Festival mall Chaweng should be about 70 baht on a DoLT licenced meter taxi.

Its the main reason why in other cities you don't see hundreds of schoolkids 3-up on a scooter - 4 of them going back and forth to school in a taxi costs next to nothing.

(Plus, of course, other cities have regular buses and very cheap songthiew rates . . . )

Edited July 18, 2014 by robsamui

[robsamui]

Sorry Rob (loved the post though) but using your example, it still does not come to 90% owning cars. 22 people in your soi - 4 cars. 6 houses in your soi - 4 cars.

In my (very local) example, that was 11 families - 1 car. (OK - so Mrs Tropo also has a car, but she does not work in the business.). If I count the number of adults - it is 22 adults and 2 cars.

Yes - the 'cash back scheme for Thais' and the low interest rates has meant that there are a lot more cars on the roads, but as you have observed - a lot of those cars are now 'disappearing'. When Mrs Tropo bought her car, our friend stood as guarantor. The finance rep told her not to worry. If anything happened and we could not pay the monthly finance charges, the finance company would happily buy the car back and pay off the loan.

Must be tens of thousands of repossessed cars somewhere waiting to be auctioned-off on the cheap . . .

[Tropicalevo]

Sorry Rob (loved the post though) but using your example, it still does not come to 90% owning cars. 22 people in your soi - 4 cars. 6 houses in your soi - 4 cars.

In my (very local) example, that was 11 families - 1 car. (OK - so Mrs Tropo also has a car, but she does not work in the business.). If I count the number of adults - it is 22 adults and 2 cars.

Yes - the 'cash back scheme for Thais' and the low interest rates has meant that there are a lot more cars on the roads, but as you have observed - a lot of those cars are now 'disappearing'. When Mrs Tropo bought her car, our friend stood as guarantor. The finance rep told her not to worry. If anything happened and we could not pay the monthly finance charges, the finance company would happily buy the car back and pay off the loan.

Must be tens of thousands of repossessed cars somewhere waiting to be auctioned-off on the cheap . . .

Spooky - I never normally see cars at the side of the road with a big FOR SALE sign on them. (Apart at a couple of second hand car sales lots!)

Today travelling from Choengmon to Chaweng and back via Bangrak - I saw 4 cars for sale in people's driveways!

It is almost a self fulfilling prophecy.

[Tropicalevo]

We have been through this public bus thing before.... how would it work with so many people living up long dead end Sois ?.... they would have to drive down and park........ before getting on a bus.... ?

And where would all these parking lots go?

Having buses in areas like Chawang or even Lamai, I think would not work either, so many narrow streets...

I think you're quite right Jim.

For a long time I had the picture in my mind of bus stops by the road and nice small single-decker coaches running around the ring road - one every ten minutes or so.

But then I realised that we've got this anyway - the songthiews.

Samui's big problem is the taxi maffia - which extends to the songthiews after dark when they start to charge silly prices. Even the people up those long dead-end sois would be able to use taxis if they used their meters, as they are compelled to do by law everywhere else in Thailand. At the normal rates it would only cost 50 or 60 baht perhaps to go from Lamai to Chaweng.

I'm wondering if the new junta government will finally see fit to take care of all this taxi nonsense. Bring the troops in to sort out the protesting taxi drivers, fine them or even jail them for a while if they refuse and protest, maybe have soldiers driving their taxis if they go on strike (like they did the last time this happened). By the look of things this acting government is not one that would allow people to mess with it.

Once Samui finally gets this aspect in line with the rest of the country I doubt if there will be any going back. And just think what all those affordable taxis would do to the accident statistics. . .

R

I really don't think this is realistic Rob!

Your quote... "At the normal rates it would only cost 50 or 60 baht perhaps to go from Lamai to Chaweng."

They would have to do about ten trips a day,just to cover their basic daily rate paid for taxi then fuel on top of that.... why would they even bother getting out of bed? ..... or would they work 24 hours to make a meager living? .... just not realistic in my opinion That could be a half hour or more trip, depending on traffic! ..... do the math!

For 60 baht or what ever the fare is, get a shared song-tau!

Sorry I tend to side with taxi drivers or at least some of the more honest ones.... they are around!

Just one small piece of info to throw into the melting pot.

The DOLT has already given any Samui taxi that uses it's meter, permission to add 90 baht to the fare. (Some taxis still have the sticker on their windscreen - 'exta 90 baht'.

That would make a minimum fare for a taxi 125 baht.

Even with the extra 90 baht - I would definitely use taxis when I wanted a 'big night out'.

[evadgib]

That failed after it became 90 baht per person instead of per cab.

Edited July 18, 2014 by evadgib

[pokerspiv]

Sorry Rob (loved the post though) but using your example, it still does not come to 90% owning cars. 22 people in your soi - 4 cars. 6 houses in your soi - 4 cars.

In my (very local) example, that was 11 families - 1 car. (OK - so Mrs Tropo also has a car, but she does not work in the business.). If I count the number of adults - it is 22 adults and 2 cars.

Yes - the 'cash back scheme for Thais' and the low interest rates has meant that there are a lot more cars on the roads, but as you have observed - a lot of those cars are now 'disappearing'. When Mrs Tropo bought her car, our friend stood as guarantor. The finance rep told her not to worry. If anything happened and we could not pay the monthly finance charges, the finance company would happily buy the car back and pay off the loan.

My entire point of posting here was to champion the restriction of privately owned cars (not commercial vehicles, just in case you think I am a socialist ).

So imagining a monorail solution is akin to satanism. What was I thinking...

You really don't understand how restricting private ownership of vehicles is socialist?

And yes, it is an evil thing to wish for.

[Rooo]

Enough bickering please. Will start deleting posts with no notice.

[robsamui]

Sorry Rob (loved the post though) but using your example, it still does not come to 90% owning cars. 22 people in your soi - 4 cars. 6 houses in your soi - 4 cars.

In my (very local) example, that was 11 families - 1 car. (OK - so Mrs Tropo also has a car, but she does not work in the business.). If I count the number of adults - it is 22 adults and 2 cars.

Yes - the 'cash back scheme for Thais' and the low interest rates has meant that there are a lot more cars on the roads, but as you have observed - a lot of those cars are now 'disappearing'. When Mrs Tropo bought her car, our friend stood as guarantor. The finance rep told her not to worry. If anything happened and we could not pay the monthly finance charges, the finance company would happily buy the car back and pay off the loan.

My entire point of posting here was to champion the restriction of privately owned cars (not commercial vehicles, just in case you think I am a socialist ).

So imagining a monorail solution is akin to satanism. What was I thinking...

You really don't understand how restricting private ownership of vehicles is socialist?

And yes, it is an evil thing to wish for.

Things could be worse.

We could have a poster on here who was a bible-thumper as well as being politically naive enthusiastic. The Armageddon of private ownership, you're all doomed - that kind of thing . . .

Just saying.

Reflecting in a general kind of way - nothing or no-one specific, of course, and positively not a bicker

R

Edited July 18, 2014 by robsamui

[justanotheroldhippy]

When you have 2 kids, a car is the first thing you would buy. Or would you rather they ferried them around on a scooter with 3-4 people on it?

Get real, You wouldn't put your own kids on a scooter on Samui's roads, but then you criticise Thais who buy a car for that reason. Completely ridiculous. Rest of your post is standard socialist claptrap and shows a complete ignorance of how important cars and trucks are to the working of an economy.

Take a chill pill mate... you must be a bundle of fun to know... are you always so aggressively rude? or is it only when in front of a keyboard? Jeeeez!

[BigC]

points 4 and 8

agree with point 4 but instead of banning cars that are not registered to samui they should triple the price. This shall either put people off or make more people walk on. Plus the cars that do come on obviously have money to spend and like it or not we are a business island

point 8 The roundabout is a joke. people give way when they don;t need to and don't give wy when they should.

i know in england we give way to the right but maybe here thats too difficult to explain so maybe they should just give way to who ever is on the roundabout rather than stopping to let people go half way round.

then they get angry if you don't stop on the roundabout

like turning onto a road you are not expected to stop to let car outré in front of you on the main road as you have right of way. yet the roundabout next to central people stop on the roundabout they havnt got a clue.

unless this is the way that it is supposed to be done

if that is the case then the system is wrong

[Gulfsailor]

points 4 and 8

agree with point 4 but instead of banning cars that are not registered to samui they should triple the price. This shall either put people off or make more people walk on. Plus the cars that do come on obviously have money to spend and like it or not we are a business island

point 8 The roundabout is a joke. people give way when they don;t need to and don't give wy when they should.

i know in england we give way to the right but maybe here thats too difficult to explain so maybe they should just give way to who ever is on the roundabout rather than stopping to let people go half way round.

then they get angry if you don't stop on the roundabout

like turning onto a road you are not expected to stop to let car outré in front of you on the main road as you have right of way. yet the roundabout next to central people stop on the roundabout they havnt got a clue.

unless this is the way that it is supposed to be done

if that is the case then the system is wrong

Once on the roundabout you have right of way.

Now for some rules opposite those in the west;

- On equal junctions two cars arriving at the same time, left has right of way.

- When a car exits a side road into the main road it has right of way over a car on the main road turning into said side road.

- two car driving towards one another, both wanting to turn into the same side road, car making the long turn (so turns right) has right if way over the car making the short turn.

To make the roads on Samui safer it's best if all foreigners on Samui take a theory course in Thai road rules and stop shouting how Thais don't know the rules as most foreigners don't know them either, thinking rules must be the same as back home. Well they are not. At least you know a few important ones now. Be safe out there.