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Who has the right of way on a Thai roundabout?


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Where I live there are 4 roundabouts and my observation has been that whoever is on the roundabout gives way to those who are about to enter it from your left. Whether this is the rule or not I cannot say, neither can any Thai friends but have noticed the same in other cities, so possibly a general rule?

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Have you ever been in a dispute with a Thia person? Their thinking is, ... if you had not come to Thailand, this accident would not have happened, ...so you are always at fault. I was stopped on a quiet side street in Sikhoraphum and a Thai guy drove right into me. He could have easily gone around me. He conspired with the police and made up a whole new scenario. They said it happened about 500 meters from where it did, ... right in front of his best friend's shop, who says he saw me back into him. The police never took a statement from me and used the phony scenario as the police report. They confiscated the truck I was driving and came looking for me to throw me in jail 4 times. They even had spies in the village where I stayed.

The real joke was when we went to court, the lady judge yelled and screamed at me then stormed off the bench. A lawyer that spoke English explained to me, that she wanted to put me in jail for 90 days for wasting court time! I pleaded guilty and paid 60,000 baht to repair the other guys car! Welcome to Thailand!

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This might answer your question: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D22BOOGbpFM&feature=youtu.be

One of the most famous roundabouts in the world in my home town Swindon.

It's now on a bucket list for tourists.

I think the Thais would love to have something like it.

No apparent logic, no rhyme or reason, just follow the flocking rules.

Edited by pendingo
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This might answer your question: https://youtu.be/D22BOOGbpFM

One of the most famous roundabouts in the world in my home town Swindon.

It's now on a bucket list for tourists.

I think the Thais would love to have something like it.

No apparent logic, no rhyme or reason, just follow the flocking rules.

There is one in Harpenden (Herts) as well which has a big central roundabout (trees and bushes on) surrounded by about 6-8 smaller roundabouts. Pain in the backside during rush hours but it works as everyone follows one rule as they do in Swindon.

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Now one should remember that for example a country like Sweden only has three actual laws pertaining to driving and then a lot of rules and regulations interpreting those laws.

1. Always drive at a speed so that you can avoid an accident. (automatically means if you have an accident you where driving too fast).

Even if you are stationary and someone rear ends you..............whistling.gifsmile.png

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If cars entering the roundabout had right of way then the roundabout would jam pretty quickly if vehicles were entering from every side. Oh wait....

Yeah, and it gets worse. Motorbikes from all directions do as they please, large trucks always do as they please, including cutting everyone off and crossing the roundabout causing other motorists to slam on their brakes, and other forms of unpredictable chaos.... Normal life on the roads in Thailand.

plenty of opportunities to give the khwais the bird

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If cars entering the roundabout had right of way then the roundabout would jam pretty quickly if vehicles were entering from every side. Oh wait....

Exactly............If the ones entering the round about had right of way it would fill up , logical. Thai logic at roundabouts does come in short supply though. The town where I live has a roundabout and there is a sign before it saying give way to traffic but if you need glasses or are a hilltriber and can't read Thai........might is right. Best thing about the roundabout in my town is as you join it the local BIB shop is on the left the first entance to the plod station is actualy the exit the second entrance is the way in so instead of taking the first way into the plod shop you have to take the second, clear sign in Thai and English . Who thought of this and why ?

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Roundabouts are alien to Thai traffic engineers and drivers. In Bangkok, they hardly exist. I've been here donkey's years and only know of three in the whole city, and they are only there because of the monuments which have to be skirted: Victory Monument, Democracy Monument and Wongwian Yai.

Meanwhile, all over the city there are junctions with or without traffic lights which would work far better if made into roundabouts, but the engineers just don't create them. Why not? Britain is chock-a-block with roundabouts because the engineers know they are a good solution to managing traffic at very many junctions. France today also has them everywhere, after eschewing them until recently, because the French eventually learned that they are more efficient and safer than crossroads.

What's the big problem with creating roundabouts in Thailand? Never mind if Thai drivers ignore the right of way rules, roundabouts would benefit traffic flow in tens of thousands of places across the country.

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Rules , Rules ,Bloody Rules, its not a Nanny State so im afraid common sense is needed.This could be a Prob for newbies here.When in Rome stop bleating and enjoy it here.thumbsup.gif

Yes, common sense is needed, but what common sense is there in Thailand?

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If cars entering the roundabout had right of way then the roundabout would jam pretty quickly if vehicles were entering from every side. Oh wait....

Yeah, and it gets worse. Motorbikes from all directions do as they please, large trucks always do as they please, including cutting everyone off and crossing the roundabout causing other motorists to slam on their brakes, and other forms of unpredictable chaos.... Normal life on the roads in Thailand.

Not being sexist, but I find tuktuks driven by (DELETED) to be the worst offenders in Udon breaking the roundabout rule driving right across my path forcing me to brake hard even though Im on a bicycle.

Edited by seedy
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That question is on the Thai driving test with an illustration, and it is the same answer as in all other reasonable places in the world..., the problem is that in practice, Thai drivers are not often reasonable, so best answer is: Response #6 Ace of Pop, which is the way most Thais do it I've seen.

keemapoot, can you please be more specific?

What is the answer on the driving test?

Never obtained a Thai driving licence, so I don't know.

The law in the UK is the one on the roundabout, has the right of way.

Here I was told by 2 Thai drivers that the one going into the roundabout has the right of way.

I'm not asking what is reasonable, but what is the law in Thailand.

Many Thanks

The answer you got from the 2 Thai drivers seem like what I have experienced over the years myself. Most Thai drivers drive into a roundabout as if they have the right of way. So the one going into the roundabout has the right of way I think according the Thai rules. However what is happening on the streets is entirely a different thing of course.

Now one should remember that for example a country like Sweden only has three actual laws pertaining to driving and then a lot of rules and regulations interpreting those laws.

1. Always drive at a speed so that you can avoid an accident. (automatically means if you have an accident you where driving too fast).

2. Always drive with care and safety and act with consideration towards other drivers on the road.

3. I cant remember the third one, but I think it is something about giving way to pedestrians or something like that.

Incorrect, traffic on the roundabout has right of way.
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This will help:

Section 71 Page 11

If, when entering a junction, there are other vehicles, the driver must let such vehicles go through first.

If two vehicles enter a junction from different directions at the same time, the vehicle on the left side has a right of way, except when theres a designation of principal roadway in which case the vehicle on the principal roadway has right of way.

http://thailaws.com/law/t_laws/tlaw0140_5.pdf

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This will help: Section 71 Page 11 If, when entering a junction, there are other vehicles, the driver must let such vehicles go through first. If two vehicles enter a junction from different directions at the same time, the vehicle on the left side has a right of way, except when theres a designation of principal roadway in which case the vehicle on the principal roadway has right of way. http://thailaws.com/law/t_laws/tlaw0140_5.pdf

OK, that implies giving way to the right, which is congruent with using a roundabout. I thought giving way to the left was nonsensical.

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This is "for sure" the correct procedure ...

Traffic, any vehicle, entering the roundabout must give way to any vehicle already on the roundabout. The general rule of " give way to traffic from the right" applies. Regardless of size, tonnage or quantity of wheels.

Unfortunately quite a lot of drivers are unaware of the rule. If you chose to drive only by that rule, you won't be driving very far.

Get yourself number 1 insurance and a dash cam, it's the best way to avoid claims against you.

Ha Ha,I bet you my left one that most drivers Know the rules,,,,But ,,,They just don't give a (DELETED)

Edited by seedy
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I don't often (can't recall ever before) give "tongue in cheek" responses, but this one seemed too inviting to pass up. So, while the answer I believe to be "the one who's there first...when you have the convergence from all directions as I normally experience, realistically the answer, at least for me is

"The biggest and baddest of the bunch!! That's who's first ahead of me!!

I ride a motorcycle (well, to those who ride Harley's etc, I'm just a wee motorscooter type on my 125 cc Honda Click) and believe me, I am not going to even think of arguing over right of way with one of those big buses, not even will I argue with those Visa Run guys in their vans, hell bent for election as they usually seem to be. Any question and I just kind of slide in beside one of the bigger guys and use them as buffer!!

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