Expats complain about traffic, but police say crackdown working

[Rimmer]

Expats complain about traffic, but police say crackdown working

Unclear traffic and road signs sometimes cannot be seen, and when they are, often don’t make much sense, such as this ““through the left ventricle” sign.

PATTAYA:--Foreign drivers in Pattaya might be excused for violating traffic rules. After all, the traffic signs, if visible at all, often aren’t in English and, even when they are, can make as much sense as “through the left ventricle.”

Tourists and expatriates both complain about the lack of proper signage in the city. Many are blocked by advertisements, are placed where they cannot be seen by motorists, or lack vital information, such as the number of the soi they’re attempting to demarcate.

So it’s not surprising many a foreign driver protests when getting ticketed for, say, making a left turn where no left turn is allowed. But complaining that the sign isn’t in English is no excuse: Thai driver’s licenses require understanding of Thai traffic laws, regardless of whether the motorist can read the language on the sign or not.

Canadian Jay David Garmaise, 67, is one Pattaya expat complaining about such signage. He’s been in the city for nearly six years, living off Soi Khao Noi, and admits he rarely drives into town anymore due to the heavy traffic.

- See more at: http://www.pattayamail.com/localnews/expats-complain-about-traffic-but-police-say-crackdown-working-41448#sthash.AuFBib33.dpuf

-- Pattaya Mail 2014-09-26

[Just1Voice]

Part of the problem is they are too cheap, or too "proud" to hire a NES to make sure the signs are in proper English.

[sfokevin]

Thapphraya Road to Jomtiem for the last 5 years - Translation perfect...

[Just1Voice]

You can see 2-3 different road signs, all supposedly MEANING the same thing, with the English words all different, incorrect, and misspelled.

[smedly]

some of these controversial signs are there for only one reason - generating tea money, the side effect is increased congestion

[craigt3365]

Just came back from some errands in town. Cars double parked all over Klang, 2nd road, Beach road. Baht buses stopping right in the left lane even when there was plenty of room to pull over and let cars pass. Baht buses parked in red striped areas. And not a policeman in sight.

[Felixthecat]

How about the rule that you CAN turn left at a red light? Though this doesn't apply for every intersection!!! Have been caught out once, though lucky for me i had my GF to explain to the copper i couldn't read the sign.......he was pissed off that he didn't collect his lunch money. As we were driving off my GF told me he wasn't in the mood to do all the BS paperwork back at the station 55555555555

[GuyL]

But complaining that the sign isnt in English is no excuse: Thai drivers licenses require understanding of Thai traffic laws, regardless of whether the motorist can read the language on the sign or not.

Not all foreign drivers in Pattaya (and elsewhere in Thailand) are expats and I am pretty certain that most law-abiding tourists don't have a Thai driving licence, but rather have an international driving permit (and never have learned to read Thai language or Thai specific road signs).

Especially in tourist destinations, road signs should be written also in (preferably proper) English!

[alocacoc]

To be honest, those Expats who have a problem with the Signs, even they are not in English, must be somehow stupid and retarded. I never had a problem to understand a sign. Even it's hidden behind tree or just misspelling.

Actually the real problem is the behavior of locals and foreigners in the traffic. And therefore better, larger or whatever signs won't help to relax the traffic.

[circusman]

Part of the problem is they are too cheap, or too "proud" to hire a NES to make sure the signs are in proper English.

It is there country. If you want to live here learn to read Thai. PERIOD.

[RIJoe]

Seriously? Signs should be in English? How arrogant!

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Can you imagine the outcry if a Thai went to drive in the US or UK without being able to read the English signs.

Learn to read the Thai signs, or don't drive in Thailand.

They aren't all that hard to read!

Left/right/stop/wait/traffic light/odd/even/no parking

That's about it.

[topt]

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To be honest, those Expats who have a problem with the Signs, even they are not in English, must be somehow stupid and retarded. I never had a problem to understand a sign. Even it's hidden behind tree or just misspelling.

Actually the real problem is the behavior of locals and foreigners in the traffic. And therefore better, larger or whatever signs won't help to relax the traffic.

Can you imagine the outcry if a Thai went to drive in the US or UK without being able to read the English signs.
Learn to read the Thai signs, or don't drive in Thailand.

They aren't all that hard to read!

Left/right/stop/wait/traffic light/odd/even/no parking

That's about it.

How about the ones in Pattaya which have an English translation which says "Turn Left Waiting Light"

Apparently this means do not turn left on red - unlike most intersections....

Felixthecat was lucky as the copper who normally stops you (at least at the Klang junction) sends you away to pay at the police station whilst he carries on booking people.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

How about the ones in Pattaya which have an English translation which says "Turn Left Waiting Light"

As a literal (dictionary only) translation "wait (for) (traffic) light (to) turn left"

Because Thai sentences are written back to front with (assumed) words left out.

[NE1]

Can you imagine the outcry if a Thai went to drive in the US or UK without being able to read the English signs.

Learn to read the Thai signs, or don't drive in Thailand.

They aren't all that hard to read!

Left/right/stop/wait/traffic light/odd/even/no parking

That's about it.

Yes I can , within days there would be committee meetings about racial discrimination against non English speaking people.

The outcome would be that " if we invited them in we should look after them"

Then all signs would be translated into 12 different languages.

[smedly]

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To be honest, those Expats who have a problem with the Signs, even they are not in English, must be somehow stupid and retarded. I never had a problem to understand a sign. Even it's hidden behind tree or just misspelling.

Actually the real problem is the behavior of locals and foreigners in the traffic. And therefore better, larger or whatever signs won't help to relax the traffic.

Can you imagine the outcry if a Thai went to drive in the US or UK without being able to read the English signs.

Learn to read the Thai signs, or don't drive in Thailand.

They aren't all that hard to read!

Left/right/stop/wait/traffic light/odd/even/no parking

That's about it.

How about the ones in Pattaya which have an English translation which says "Turn Left Waiting Light"

Apparently this means do not turn left on red - unlike most intersections....

Felixthecat was lucky as the copper who normally stops you (at least at the Klang junction) sends you away to pay at the police station whilst he carries on booking people.

there is a national sign for this but they make up their own in pattaya that doesn't make any logical sense - I wonder why

[JustinCider]

Part of the problem is they are too cheap, or too "proud" to hire a NES to make sure the signs are in proper English.

Taken last week on a drive out to the lake. At first I thought it said MOTHERWAY

[WitawatWatawit]

Seriously? Signs should be in English? How arrogant!

How sensible - for a globally popular tourist resort, and a country about to open its borders to its regional bloc partners.

[roath]

Seriously? Signs should be in English? How arrogant!

How sensible - for a globally popular tourist resort, and a country about to open its borders to its regional bloc partners.

adding to that dont forget the official language of ASEAN is English

[roath]

Part of the problem is they are too cheap, or too "proud" to hire a NES to make sure the signs are in proper English.

It is there country. If you want to live here learn to read Thai. PERIOD.

many countries which have their own (non Roman) script and a large international and/or tourist presence (e.g. UAE and China) have (many) signs in english

[Nemesis7]

Can you imagine the outcry if a Thai went to drive in the US or UK without being able to read the English signs.

Learn to read the Thai signs, or don't drive in Thailand.

They aren't all that hard to read!

Left/right/stop/wait/traffic light/odd/even/no parking

That's about it.

So you are saying as tourist we shouldn't drive here in Thailand as we can't speak Thai ?!

[lvr181]

Seriously? Signs should be in English? How arrogant!

Does the aviation industry use Thai? I thought they use English, because it is the international language of the world (if that is the correct way to explain it).

What is "arrogant" about that?

[SEEDGER]

It my humble opinion it less to do with signs and more to do with the culture of bad driving. I've been trying to get my drivers license this week which has turned into a nighmareish experience. The written exam is horrible question with answers so ambigous that answeing them correctly is almost impossible. Scored an 82 the first time and failed scored an 80 the next time and failed; the test shows the missed question and correct answers, Yet, taking the correct answer from the first day and using on the retest and discovered it was again counted as incorrect.

And the question I keep missing are about parking your vehicle not about driving it.

Thailand wants to improve the drivers so failing everyone on the minutia of driving skills seems to be what the powers that be want for now. If they really want to improve safety they need to start teaching the children in school at a very early age.

[GuyL]

Fortunately, my Thai language skills are sufficient to understand this "beware of falling elephants" road sign.

[NE1]

Just came back from some errands in town. Cars double parked all over Klang, 2nd road, Beach road. Baht buses stopping right in the left lane even when there was plenty of room to pull over and let cars pass. Baht buses parked in red striped areas. And not a policeman in sight.

Till a Farang breaks the rules , then they appear out of the woodwork .

[Asiantravel]

It my humble opinion it less to do with signs and more to do with the culture of bad driving. I've been trying to get my drivers license this week which has turned into a nighmareish experience. The written exam is horrible question with answers so ambigous that answeing them correctly is almost impossible. Scored an 82 the first time and failed scored an 80 the next time and failed; the test shows the missed question and correct answers, Yet, taking the correct answer from the first day and using on the retest and discovered it was again counted as incorrect.

And the question I keep missing are about parking your vehicle not about driving it.

Thailand wants to improve the drivers so failing everyone on the minutia of driving skills seems to be what the powers that be want for now. If they really want to improve safety they need to start teaching the children in school at a very early age.

" Thailand wants to improve the drivers so failing everyone on the minutia of driving skills "

I maintain answering those questions correctly isn't any where near as important anyway as being able to show a driving examiner that you can control your vehicle out on the roads (not in an area which is the size of a minigolf course ) with due consideration for other road users

[soalbundy]

Part of the problem is they are too cheap, or too "proud" to hire a NES to make sure the signs are in proper English.

you are in Thailand, learn to read Thai, at least enough Thai that is pertinent to traffic signs. What would you say to a Thai driver in London who complained that the traffic signs aren't in Thai.

[emilymat]

I think my favourite is that when you are leaving a built up area like Pattaya it says 'City Limits, reduce speed".

I assume, for economies sake, they have only one sign for vehicles travelling in either direction.

[Pattaya46]

Seriously? Signs should be in English? How arrogant!

How sensible - for a globally popular tourist resort, and a country about to open its borders to its regional bloc partners.

In this case the second language on panels should be Chinese or maybe Russian

They are not so many types of panels in Thai; just learn what they mean,

or if you are a tourist, check for them on the Internet before your holidays.

Many countries where there is no sign in English and where it's not a problem.

[knarf]