Government to install Chinese road signs to reduce accidents in Northern Thailand

[Cpkt8]

PLEASE RETAIN THE ORIGINAL UNIQUENESS OF CHIANG MAI!

Don't turn her into another rowdy and polluted city.

(The annual smog from the burnings is bad enough)

Edited July 2, 2015 by Cpkt8

[Soutpeel]

Are Thais (and other foreigners) allowed to drive in China?

If the answer is no, then no need for Chinese signs on Thai roads.

Yes they are allowed to drive in China, even foreign licences are accepted for up to 3 months

So using your question and logic better put the signs up then

[Soutpeel]

Nice start. Next, force the Northern Thailand to speak Chinese. Gotta give it to them, the Chinese know how to infiltrate and conquer. Must be 'em Genghis genes.

Well the whinging farangistan OAP's have been invading CM for years and trying to make the natives speak English, so maybe its time to give the Chinese a chance ?

[roo860]

They can put up signs in any language they want, nobody will take a blind bit if notice!!

[Tomtomtom69]

Peaceful Chiang Mai is a thing of the past. Chinese drivers are notorious. Putting up Chinese road signs will only encourage more cars from China. Thai government should perhaps try to help retain Chiang mai's peaceful and serene environment. One of the ways is to restrict the number of cars traveling from China.

Meanwhile Thai cars can't easily enter China, unless they go on a tour. Why this unfair, unbalanced treatment? Any such agreements, including those involving motor vehicles that can be brought in temporarily should be reciprocal. Thailand is one of the few countries that doesn't seem to insist on reciprocity in it's relationships with other countries. Even Myanmar and Vietnam demand reciprocity and therefore don't allow Chinese cars in, so why does Thailand?

[Tomtomtom69]

Are Thais (and other foreigners) allowed to drive in China?

If the answer is no, then no need for Chinese signs on Thai roads.

Yes they are allowed to drive in China, even foreign licences are accepted for up to 3 months

So using your question and logic better put the signs up then

That must be very new because as recently as last year, everyone needed a Chinese licence to drive in China. I happen to possess one myself.

However, what licence you have is a minor issue - if you want to drive to China in a Thai registered vehicle you still can't, without going on a tour at least. That may change in the not too distant future, but I haven't heard any clear indications of when that might be. Meanwhile Thai customs lets Chinese cars in without needing to make prior arrangements - a mistake I think.

[Tomtomtom69]

Peaceful Chiang Mai is a thing of the past. Chinese drivers are notorious. Putting up Chinese road signs will only encourage more cars from China. Thai government should perhaps try to help retain Chiang mai's peaceful and serene environment. One of the ways is to restrict the number of cars traveling from China.

Are they driving around insured? If so, insured with what? A Chinese policy? Yeah right....

Thai insurance can be purchased at all international checkpoints with neighboring countries. The checkpoints coming from Laos such as Chiang Khong will have insurance available for purchase (Myanmar is irrelevant since Chinese and other foreign registered vehicles aren't allowed to drive through Myanmar). It is compulsory to be covered by 3rd party insurance and any foreign vehicles caught that are not covered can expect to be in trouble, possibly impounded.

[LannaGuy]

a recently translated sign here in Chiang Mai:

"a journey of 100 kilo meters per hour begins with one foot on the peddle"

and Confucius he say:

"green means GO, orange means GO fast and red GO faster!"

[cumgranosalum]

Chinese stock market bubble is pretty much irrelevant....if you want to see what's happening in China in that respect, look at the HK market.

[cumgranosalum]

What a load of tosh!

As ever a completely arse-about-face solution proposed by some nabobs who simply either haven’t thought it through or are incapable of understanding the available research.

Firstly don’t blame other nationalities for your own hopeless road system, which is the main cause of these alleged increase in accidents

Secondly increasing the number of confusing road signs will only end up being counterproductive. We already have them in Thai and Western script, adding a third will just add to the chaos.

There are signs that need to be in Chinese - drive on the LEFT etc as well as things like toilet, lifts etc. but most road signs? NO!

There are basically two types of road signage - the US style and European.

The US style is archaic and relies on a lot of wordage and uses colors that are unscientific and ultimately unclear.

Europe, presumably aware to the various languages in use has adopted a system of symbols that minimises the use of explanatory language.

In reality the language becomes virtually unnecessary as the symbols are recognised by road users on a subliminal scale.

So what about Thailand?

Well as you might expect, the system is an unhealthy mixture of both euro-symbols and US wordage, signs are inconsistent and poorly positioned and maintained.

So what is needed is NOT extra Chinese wordage, but Thailand should look to itself, adopt the symbol system properly and completely and then put the signs in the right place....China in fact has a system similar to the European one and drivers will have no problem in understanding the main signs.

PS - Whatever you may think of driving in China, they fair consistently better than Thailand in whatever statistical criteria you care to use....

[cumgranosalum]

Peaceful Chiang Mai is a thing of the past. Chinese drivers are notorious. Putting up Chinese road signs will only encourage more cars from China. Thai government should perhaps try to help retain Chiang mai's peaceful and serene environment. One of the ways is to restrict the number of cars traveling from China.

Are they driving around insured? If so, insured with what? A Chinese policy? Yeah right....

it would seem you haven't driven abroad in this region. Essentially if you take you car into another country you are required to purchase insurance for the country on entry at the border.

It is however not always clear how good or effective that cover may be.

[cumgranosalum]

Are Thais (and other foreigners) allowed to drive in China?

If the answer is no, then no need for Chinese signs on Thai roads.

Yes they are allowed to drive in China, even foreign licences are accepted for up to 3 months

So using your question and logic better put the signs up then

That must be very new because as recently as last year, everyone needed a Chinese licence to drive in China. I happen to possess one myself.

However, what licence you have is a minor issue - if you want to drive to China in a Thai registered vehicle you still can't, without going on a tour at least. That may change in the not too distant future, but I haven't heard any clear indications of when that might be. Meanwhile Thai customs lets Chinese cars in without needing to make prior arrangements - a mistake I think.

You can take your car into China... But the cost is prohibitive. You need a roadworthy test, a driving permit and.... A GUIDE...... your route has to be mapped but you can stop anywhere on the route. You don't have to be part of a group tour.

The cost I was quoted for all this completed by an agent was 20000 Yuan inclkyding the guide.

However there was a report in the Bkk post that made no mention of the guide.

If anyone is interested in splitting the cost between 2 or more vehicles.... PM me.

I intend to drive to Kunming sometime in Xmas / new year

[cumgranosalum]

I can't see letting Chinese vehicles in with minimum hassle is a mistake....hopefully it will eventually be easier to get cars into China too...

[Tomtomtom69]

Are Thais (and other foreigners) allowed to drive in China?

If the answer is no, then no need for Chinese signs on Thai roads.

Yes they are allowed to drive in China, even foreign licences are accepted for up to 3 months

So using your question and logic better put the signs up then

That must be very new because as recently as last year, everyone needed a Chinese licence to drive in China. I happen to possess one myself.

However, what licence you have is a minor issue - if you want to drive to China in a Thai registered vehicle you still can't, without going on a tour at least. That may change in the not too distant future, but I haven't heard any clear indications of when that might be. Meanwhile Thai customs lets Chinese cars in without needing to make prior arrangements - a mistake I think.

You can take your car into China... But the cost is prohibitive. You need a roadworthy test, a driving permit and.... A GUIDE...... your route has to be mapped but you can stop anywhere on the route. You don't have to be part of a group tour.

The cost I was quoted for all this completed by an agent was 20000 Yuan inclkyding the guide.

However there was a report in the Bkk post that made no mention of the guide.

If anyone is interested in splitting the cost between 2 or more vehicles.... PM me.

I intend to drive to Kunming sometime in Xmas / new year

I am well aware of the requirements to take a Thai car into China, read my other posts. It doesn't matter what the Bangkok Post said or didn't say, most likely the tour described would have had a guide going along with the author. I have also read that since September or so of last year, it may now be possible to travel China independently without a guide, BUT first you need to register your intentions in advance by contacting a travel agency, and you still need a guide to guide you through the arrival and car technical inspection process that takes place in Mengla, about 60km north of the Lao border. Then you can reportedly travel on your own (except in Tibet). Nobody said anything about being part of a group tour. I meant tour as in a guided tour, which can be done with just one vehicle (your own vehicle) and a government approved guide.

I still think that Thailand and China should agree on the requirements for allowing each other's vehicles to pass - Chinese cars coming to Thailand should be restricted in the same way Thai cars are going to China. I disagree that the Thais allowing the Chinese in with minimal requirements will in any way make it easier for Thai vehicles heading into China, good relations between the countries and a Thai request to allow it are more likely to help.

[cumgranosalum]

You can take your car into China... But the cost is prohibitive. You need a roadworthy test, a driving permit and.... A GUIDE...... your route has to be mapped but you can stop anywhere on the route. You don't have to be part of a group tour.

The cost I was quoted for all this completed by an agent was 20000 Yuan inclkyding the guide.

However there was a report in the Bkk post that made no mention of the guide.

If anyone is interested in splitting the cost between 2 or more vehicles.... PM me.

I intend to drive to Kunming sometime in Xmas / new year

I am well aware of the requirements to take a Thai car into China, read my other posts. It doesn't matter what the Bangkok Post said or didn't say, most likely the tour described would have had a guide going along with the author. I have also read that since September or so of last year, it may now be possible to travel China independently without a guide, BUT first you need to register your intentions in advance by contacting a travel agency, and you still need a guide to guide you through the arrival and car technical inspection process that takes place in Mengla, about 60km north of the Lao border. Then you can reportedly travel on your own (except in Tibet). Nobody said anything about being part of a group tour. I meant tour as in a guided tour, which can be done with just one vehicle (your own vehicle) and a government approved guide.

I still think that Thailand and China should agree on the requirements for allowing each other's vehicles to pass - Chinese cars coming to Thailand should be restricted in the same way Thai cars are going to China. I disagree that the Thais allowing the Chinese in with minimal requirements will in any way make it easier for Thai vehicles heading into China, good relations between the countries and a Thai request to allow it are more likely to help.

I don't see the issue as it having to be exactly the same on both sides...it's a negotiated process and countries need to do what they feel is necessary; the issues are far more subtle than a simple 50/50 you give I give thing.......however having spent most of my working life in Europe I really appreciate the ability to drive anywhere at will..which of course the Brits will loose if they leave the EU.....they'll be back to negotiating a deal withs the Shengen block or the EU....

[harada]

Given the latest news out of China they may need to call the sign writers and have them changed to something backpacker friendly.

[Tomtomtom69]

Peaceful Chiang Mai is a thing of the past. Chinese drivers are notorious. Putting up Chinese road signs will only encourage more cars from China. Thai government should perhaps try to help retain Chiang mai's peaceful and serene environment. One of the ways is to restrict the number of cars traveling from China.

I know this thread is getting old now, but many members here only read certain news stories.

You may be pleased to know that starting May 23rd, according to the Thai language media, Chinese vehicles will be heavily restricted from coming into Thailand. For the most part, driving outside of the border province entered will be banned and advance permission will be required to even bring in a Chinese car in the first place. So I don't think Chinese will be flocking to Thailand by car if, once they have overcome all the entry requirement hurdles, they can only drive around Chiang Rai and not even be allowed to drive to Chiang Mai.

Also, there is no evidence that the main Thai road signs will have Chinese on them. Some of the smaller tourist signs do, but not the department of highways signs. The former are usually found in tourist areas and have nothing to do with driving or Chinese drivers.

[chiang mai]

The Brits and the French thought it was a great idea when they did similar at the Channel Ports, why not, most sensible.

[Rayk]

Peaceful Chiang Mai is a thing of the past. Chinese drivers are notorious. Putting up Chinese road signs will only encourage more cars from China. Thai government should perhaps try to help retain Chiang mai's peaceful and serene environment. One of the ways is to restrict the number of cars traveling from China.

Road traffic signs are the same in China as in ASEAN countries.

Most tourists seem to be on foot, but insist on walking with their backs to the traffic. YES, they should walk on the left in China, Europe, USA, but most traffic here is on the left.

I don't read Chinese but I can bet that the one on the left is 'stop' while the one on the right is 'yield'.

[Rayk]

And after they install the signs in Chinese the next phase will be replacing the Baht with the Yuan.

[cumgranosalum]

Peaceful Chiang Mai is a thing of the past. Chinese drivers are notorious. Putting up Chinese road signs will only encourage more cars from China. Thai government should perhaps try to help retain Chiang mai's peaceful and serene environment. One of the ways is to restrict the number of cars traveling from China.

I know this thread is getting old now, but many members here only read certain news stories.

You may be pleased to know that starting May 23rd, according to the Thai language media, Chinese vehicles will be heavily restricted from coming into Thailand. For the most part, driving outside of the border province entered will be banned and advance permission will be required to even bring in a Chinese car in the first place. So I don't think Chinese will be flocking to Thailand by car if, once they have overcome all the entry requirement hurdles, they can only drive around Chiang Rai and not even be allowed to drive to Chiang Mai.

Also, there is no evidence that the main Thai road signs will have Chinese on them. Some of the smaller tourist signs do, but not the department of highways signs. The former are usually found in tourist areas and have nothing to do with driving or Chinese drivers.

A big step back for Thailand and a purely racist/xenophobic solution.

Edited April 16, 2016 by cumgranosalum

[daveAustin]

Adding Chinese signage will just cause more confusion to Thai drivers, meaning even more accidents.

[Assurancetourix]

If the thai drivers had a look at the road signs in thai or another language . 5555..
Nearly all of them have a look at their phone or the last movie on the mini screen of their dashboard , sometimes looking at the roads and the vehicles but never at the road signs and traffic lights

[MaxLee]

What a waste of taxpayers money,.................. hell yeah how about shrimp pig eating prohibition

[Tomtomtom69]

Peaceful Chiang Mai is a thing of the past. Chinese drivers are notorious. Putting up Chinese road signs will only encourage more cars from China. Thai government should perhaps try to help retain Chiang mai's peaceful and serene environment. One of the ways is to restrict the number of cars traveling from China.

I know this thread is getting old now, but many members here only read certain news stories.

You may be pleased to know that starting May 23rd, according to the Thai language media, Chinese vehicles will be heavily restricted from coming into Thailand. For the most part, driving outside of the border province entered will be banned and advance permission will be required to even bring in a Chinese car in the first place. So I don't think Chinese will be flocking to Thailand by car if, once they have overcome all the entry requirement hurdles, they can only drive around Chiang Rai and not even be allowed to drive to Chiang Mai.

Also, there is no evidence that the main Thai road signs will have Chinese on them. Some of the smaller tourist signs do, but not the department of highways signs. The former are usually found in tourist areas and have nothing to do with driving or Chinese drivers.

A big step back for Thailand and a purely racist/xenophobic solution.

A big step FORWARD for Thailand and very reasonable, to protect the country's residents from accidents, increased congestion and environmental pollution. It's also a good step because up until now, these Chinese vehicles have paid virtually nothing to enter the country, when we Thai residents have to pay thousands in road tax every year.

The fact that China doesn't allow Thai vehicles in is another good reason. No country likes to be discriminated against like that, how stupid it was to allow them in, while we can't drive to their country. No country operates like that, so it was always going to be a matter of time before the Chinese were stopped.

I don't think anyone will miss the blue plates here - except bizarrely you. I have no idea what you get out of it, because you still won't be allowed to drive your car to China, irrespective.

Edited April 16, 2016 by Tomtomtom69