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Driving the Thai way


padsist4

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What are the rules for driving in Thailand who "teaches" who to drive and what age is the " legal" age for driving. And why are all these roundabouts appearing when no one knows how to use them. Police are everywhere in nong khai stopping searching vehicles for speeding etc but no licence pay 200 baht and away you go speed pay 200 baht again away you go no helmet pay the fine and always carry 200 baht with you is the mentality of most Thais. I know most of you will only laugh at my question but after 2 fatalities of uk. Youngsters that I was close to on Thai roads I think they should do something to clear up the mess

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The rules are as long as you don't kill anyone or you got hazard lights going, it's perfectly acceptable.

Unless you are going straight across at a small cross road junction in which case many seem to use their hazards

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I drive the Thai way now, before I drove like a British driver, now god help anybody that gets in my way. I don't give way, I don't say thank you, I squeeze in at the last moment and I honk my horn. I don't worry about Thais and my few verbal altercations have went my way. Som nam na

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Never tooted my horn in Perth, because it is illegal. Now it is a bad habit and last night, I was advised by a local cop to stop, more for my safety ie so a gun or machete does get shown to me, I think. And to tell you the truth, every time I use my horn, it achieves nothing because the driver never responds. It is a bad habit for me to get out of because all I am doing is using it as a form of relieving my constant frustration.

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I much prefer farangs driving the Thai way than farangs insisting to drive "their way".

Also don't get why farangs must always complain about the way one drives in Thailand.

I do enjoy driving here.

The nightmare is when I have to drive in a western country.

Also, had only one accident in 15 years of driving in Thailand... With a cow (she escaped without a scratch) (apparently).

Edited by gerry1011
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Never tooted my horn in Perth, because it is illegal. Now it is a bad habit and last night, I was advised by a local cop to stop, more for my safety ie so a gun or machete does get shown to me, I think. And to tell you the truth, every time I use my horn, it achieves nothing because the driver never responds. It is a bad habit for me to get out of because all I am doing is using it as a form of relieving my constant frustration.

I hope Thais don't take up this habit in general. Drivers in Indonesia honk at everything and it just adds to the noise and traffic madness. Only a few seem to do it in Thailand at the moment, but the numbers are increasing!

I live out in the country and generally find Thais give way and accommodate you (providing you forcefully assume the right of way). You can certainly make fast progress driving along the highways. You just have to be patient and not let anyone else get to you. I also ride a bicycle and Thai drivers are very courteous, compared to Australia where you will most often get abuse hurtled at you or rubbish thrown at you.

.I was back in Australia earlier this year and overtook a truck doing 100 km/hr on a 100 km/hr posted road. The truck driver had a dashboard cam and phoned the police to say there was a drunk driver speeding on the road. The police organised 5 cars and a roadblock some 20 km down the road at the next town to catch me. I wasn't drunk, and there was no proof I was speeding, so I was on my way again after 30 minutes or so.

Having said this, there is no doubt many drivers here are selfish and blind to anyone else, but themselves. And there is always the risk of an out of control drunk.

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Driving the "THAI Way" means too much speed + DELETED and ability.

THAT = THAINESS on the roads...which is why Thailand is officially the second worst country in the world for deaths per capita.

UNOFFICIALLY...that is, using the actual statistics, THAI drivers are by far THE WORST in the World.

Let's be careful out there...or buy an armour plated vehicle!

Edited by seedy
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I much prefer farangs driving the Thai way than farangs insisting to drive "their way".

Also don't get why farangs must always complain about the way one drives in Thailand.

I do enjoy driving here.

The nightmare is when I have to drive in a western country.

Also, had only one accident in 15 years of driving in Thailand... With a cow (she escaped without a scratch) (apparently).

Remind me never to be a passenger in your car!

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All you can do is drive defensively. That means if some one wants to pass you, move over to let them. If you encounter some idiot overtaking on a blind curve uphill, give them all the room you can consistent with not going off the road yourself.

The real problem with Thai drivers is the driving instructors. They don't teach stuff that would get you failed in a Western country, such as uphill handbrake starts, or using gears on an automatic for acceleration and deceleration. The licensing exam appears to be based on how much money changes hands.

I look on driving in Thailand as a good way of warding off Alzheimer's - you need to keep your wits about you.

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To answer your question:

Thai People driving a motor vehicle of any kind is more or less based on : Monkey See.....Monkey Do....... type of practiced mentality.

The basic rules are: Just drive....Just go for it....What everyone else does...Just do it also.

Cheers

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I'm not sure what driving like A Thai means.I'm an aggressive driver anyway.The only thing that seems to matter is.If the other

Vehicle is bigger than me then he has and will take the right of way.Vehicles smaller than me watch out get out of my way or get ran over.I mean it's not that bad but it seems like it.Years ago I believe it was worse.The biggest problem now is there are A lot

More vehicles.

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I'm not sure what driving like A Thai means.I'm an aggressive driver anyway.The only thing that seems to matter is.If the other

Vehicle is bigger than me then he has and will take the right of way.Vehicles smaller than me watch out get out of my way or get ran over.I mean it's not that bad but it seems like it.Years ago I believe it was worse.The biggest problem now is there are A lot

More vehicles.

So you are making a falang contribution to the general idiocy prevalent on Thai roads. bah.gif

You're an aggressive driver? That smaller vehicle may have a gun in the glovebox. facepalm.gif

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