Mandatory speed limit on main Phuket road 'is not mandatory'

[webfact]

Mandatory speed limit on main Phuket road 'is not mandatory'
Tanyaluk Sakoot


One of the new speed limit 'suggestion' signs, next to a warning about speed cameras.

PHUKET: -- The Phuket Highways Department has installed hundreds of signs along the bypass road and all the way south to the end of Rawai Beach – a distance of 22km – apparently limiting speed to 50 kilometres an hour.

But what appear to be mandatory speed limit signs (white background with red circle) are in fact only advisory, the Highways Director, Samak Liedwonghat, told The Phuket News this morning (March 24).

“It was our idea to install 50kmh signs after comments from officials in a variety of government departments about danger on the roads of Phuket.

“This whole road is lined with communities, not like it was five year ago, so safe driving is important for the 70,000 vehicles that drive up or down the road every day.

“The signs are to suggest to driver that they should be careful when they are on the road. [The speed of 50kmh] is not mandatory.

“It is not aimed at Phuket drivers only, but also at foreigners and tourists driving. We don’t want them be injured or to die.

He added that, in the interests of safety, he has also spoken with the project manager of the underpass project next to Tesco-Lotus to urge him to improve lighting and the road surface.

The project manager was apparently listening. Last night (March 23), a road patching crew was at work just north of intersection, closing down one of the two lanes to make repairs at 6pm, at the height of the rush hour.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/mandatory-speed-limit-on-main-phuket-road-is-not-mandatory-51547.php

-- Phuket News 2015-03-24

[JoePai]

Nice little earner for someone

[Costas2008]

No traffic signs, anywhere in Thailand seem to be mandatory.

Everybody does what ever he likes and the police who are supposed to enforce them, are having their beauty sleep in their air-condition rooms.

[Felt 35]

"not aimed at Phuket drivers only, but also at foreigners and tourists driving. We don’t want them be injured or to die"

A twisted way to say: Foreigners and tourist will obey the signs because of respect for the law and better driving education, the Phuket drivers on the other hand..........

What a joke..... International traffic signs, but not necessary to follow the them

[NongKhaiKid]

How many drivers have been ' fined ' for contravening this illegal sign ?

[chrisbacke]

Last night (March 23), a road patching crew was at work just north of intersection, closing down one of the two lanes to make repairs at 6pm, at the height of the rush hour.

Because as we all know, closing a lane of traffic during rush hour is a great way to ensure fewer accidents.

[connda]

Yeah. Mandatory speed limit is 60 kph on HW 11 south of Lamphun. I usually cruise at 80 and the cars passing me, which is about 80% of the traffic are doing 120, 140, or better. In almost 8 years of traveling this stretch of road, I've seen cops with radar guns twice.

Ah huh. Mandatory.

[Valentine]

Surely there must be better signs to spend money on in order to try & urge drivers to be more safe & aware. It might be well meaning but is certainly not the right choice.

[KarenBravo]

If drivers don't obey traffic lights, what are the chances they will take this "suggestion".

The signs are spaced at approximately 100 metres. If 22 kms, this comes to 221 signs. As someone has already said, a nice earner.

[fxe1200]

No traffic signs, anywhere in Thailand seem to be mandatory.

Everybody does what ever he likes and the police who are supposed to enforce them, are having their beauty sleep in their air-condition rooms.

I found a mandatory road sign in Thailand. This one is from Ban Phru near Hat Yai, meaning, speed up, in order to make it over the rails before the train crosses the road.

[casualbiker]

Yeah. Mandatory speed limit is 60 kph on HW 11 south of Lamphun. I usually cruise at 80 and the cars passing me, which is about 80% of the traffic are doing 120, 140, or better. In almost 8 years of traveling this stretch of road, I've seen cops with radar guns twice.

Ah huh. Mandatory.

That's a dual lane highway. It's 90kmh not 60.

In town or through a built up area it supposedly drops to 60.

Edited March 24, 2015 by casualbiker

[connda]

Yeah. Mandatory speed limit is 60 kph on HW 11 south of Lamphun. I usually cruise at 80 and the cars passing me, which is about 80% of the traffic are doing 120, 140, or better. In almost 8 years of traveling this stretch of road, I've seen cops with radar guns twice.

Ah huh. Mandatory.

That's a dual lane highway. It's 90kmh not 60.

In town or through a built up area it supposedly drops to 60.

Would you like me to take a picture of the speed limit sign and post it on this forum? Beween the the Lamphun city cutoff and Amphur Maeta to the south, there are a number of 60 kph signs posted in both directions on HW 11. I live here. Now do I think it's stupid? Yeah. But there is a highway patrol station in the same location that sets up roadblocks. Could they start making big money by enforcing a 60 kph limit on a section of highway that was engineered for speeds in excess of 140. I'm sure they could. You want the pictures of the signs? GPS coordinates? Mile markers? More than happy to set you straight.

Edited March 24, 2015 by connda

[simon43]

I found a mandatory road sign in Thailand. This one is from Ban Phru near Hat Yai, meaning, speed up, in order to make it over the rails before the train crosses the road.

I'm not sure if you're speaking tongue-in-cheek

The sign in Thai reads 'reduce speed'.

In English, some 'expert' translator has used the word 'produce' instead of 'reduce'.

So we can expect to see Thai drivers slowing down (maybe), and foreigners speed up

Edited March 24, 2015 by simon43

[casualbiker]

Yeah. Mandatory speed limit is 60 kph on HW 11 south of Lamphun. I usually cruise at 80 and the cars passing me, which is about 80% of the traffic are doing 120, 140, or better. In almost 8 years of traveling this stretch of road, I've seen cops with radar guns twice.

Ah huh. Mandatory.

That's a dual lane highway. It's 90kmh not 60.

In town or through a built up area it supposedly drops to 60.

Would you like me to take a picture of the speed limit sign and post it on this forum? Beween the the Lamphun city cutoff and Amphur Maeta to the south, there are a number of 60 kph signs posted in both directions on HW 11. I live here. Now do I think it's stupid? Yeah. But there is a highway patrol station in the same location that sets up roadblocks. Could they start making big money by enforcing a 60 kph limit on a section of highway that was engineered for speeds in excess of 140. I'm sure they could. You want the pictures of the signs? GPS coordinates? Mile markers? More than happy to set you straight.

Mate. You can do what ever rocks your boat. In the article that we are talking about they admit that they have posted speed warning signs that have no correlation with the law. I also said that in built up areas the speed is reduced to 80 or 60kmh. Actually from numerous threads on the net it would seem 80 is the minimum speed in municipal areas, seems high to me !

60 does seem safer in town.

Regards !

[Felt 35]

No traffic signs, anywhere in Thailand seem to be mandatory.

Everybody does what ever he likes and the police who are supposed to enforce them, are having their beauty sleep in their air-condition rooms.

I found a mandatory road sign in Thailand. This one is from Ban Phru near Hat Yai, meaning, speed up, in order to make it over the rails before the train crosses the road.

that was a good shot.

[Valentine]

They way vehicle numbers are growing there will hardly be a road in Phuket where you can go faster then 50 before too long. Perhaps it should be rigorously enforced as I just saw another poor sod, who is now a statistic, on the bypass road. All crumpled up with a pink towel over his face & who knows how many grieving relatives & friends. M/Cs & large trucks do not go well together.

[Clutch]

It's a bit like a 'recommended retail price', some stick to it, some increase it and some go on sale!

[JetsetBkk]

No traffic signs, anywhere in Thailand seem to be mandatory.

Everybody does what ever he likes and the police who are supposed to enforce them, are having their beauty sleep in their air-condition rooms.

I found a mandatory road sign in Thailand. This one is from Ban Phru near Hat Yai, meaning, speed up, in order to make it over the rails before the train crosses the road.

I can beat that:

.

[roo860]

Yeah. Mandatory speed limit is 60 kph on HW 11 south of Lamphun. I usually cruise at 80 and the cars passing me, which is about 80% of the traffic are doing 120, 140, or better. In almost 8 years of traveling this stretch of road, I've seen cops with radar guns twice.

Ah huh. Mandatory.

So nobody really knows the speed limit then? Edited March 30, 2015 by roo860

[stevenl]

Yeah. Mandatory speed limit is 60 kph on HW 11 south of Lamphun. I usually cruise at 80 and the cars passing me, which is about 80% of the traffic are doing 120, 140, or better. In almost 8 years of traveling this stretch of road, I've seen cops with radar guns twice.

Ah huh. Mandatory.

So nobody really knows the speed limit then?

The Phuket forum is not the best place to enquire about a speed limit in Lamphun.

[schlog]

Saw the last 2 days busy guys working at the speed cams on Bypass and Muang Thalang school. Never saw this there after the installation. Maybe some changes are going on.

If i remember correct maximum fine was 500 Baht.

Anyone got a speed ticket ever because of this cams?

[Sayonarax]

There's speed limits in Thailand. How fast your car can go!