Awfull Chinese drivers in CNX, beware.

[Tomtomtom69]

The common consensus while I was growing up in New York that the worst drivers were Chinese and from New Jersey

The common consensus can be completely insane.

There was a common consensus about things in the Jim Crow South. There was a common consensus on people in 1930's Germany. It goes on.

What you can say is that when people drive in a town they don't know, mistakes are made. That applies just as much to holidaymakers from Bangkok. Or Western backpackers on mopeds, for that matter.

Actually the common concensus amongst both Thais and local expats is that Chinese drivers in Thailand are the worst drivers in Chiang Mai. Don't bring cultural relativism or cultural marxism into this discussion, you're not going to receive a medal from Chinese people, many of whom agree that some of their fellow travellers are terrible drivers. Bangkok based Thais simply drive up or fly up and rent vehicles locally, as they have done for years and no one can tell them apart from the locals - also, there are these devices known as GPS nowadays, you can use them without getting lost! Western backpackers are now dwarfed by all the Chinese in terms of numbers and sure, not all of them know how to drive according to local standards, but let's call a spade a spade and not get sidetracked by semantics. Westerners aren't driving their own vehicles to Thailand in any significant numbers due to the huge distances, time involved and expense that would be required. The topic at hand here is Chinese drivers and I think by extension, Chinese cars.

The reality is that due to the large numbers of Chinese, many of whom are either driving their own vehicles into town (soon to be stopped as I think we should all be aware of by now as this story has been in the news since at least February) or renting motorcycles and cars locally their driving habits have become a cause for concern. The latter will continue after the new rules restricting foreign vehicles from entering go into force, however, some reports suggest the police have instructed vehicle rental agencies to scrutinize foreign renters (especially Chinese) more carefully to ensure they hold proper and valid documents including driver's licences for the vehicle they intend to hire.

Hopefully they'll become stricter just like Vietnam has, and insist on a valid licence to rent a motorbike or scooter. And yes, that should apply to all renters, from any country. After all, driving in Thailand is not a right, it's a privilege. Thailand has made it too easy for foreigners to drive here in the past, good thing they are starting to crack down a little bit.

[Tomtomtom69]

What is so depressing is that they think CM is a better place to be than Kunming or Jinghong which are rather nice places, let alone Dali and Lijiang. I suppose all these places are stuffed to overflow?

Maybe they like the exotic, but as far as the self-drive tourists are concerned, they will soon have no choice but to stick with Dail, Kunming, Jinghong or Lijiang because Chiang Mai is about to become off-limits to Chinese cars.

Of course that's not a big deal, since it will continue to be possible to fly to Chiang Mai from China and then rent a vehicle locally, including self-drive, once here.

[elektrified]

They have blue plates on their cars. Not that difficult

And the driver sits on the wrong side.

Well come to Chiang Mai after May 23rd. You won't be seeing any more blue plates then as they are about to be restricted, including being banned from driving outside of the border province entered.

I really hope this is enforced (which I suspect it will be - at least for a while). Hopefully they will kick out the motorists already here. They are the worst divers I have ever seen.

It has been entered into law, so it will be permanent, just like Chinese laws on not allowing foreign registered vehicles in aren't simply seasonal or short-term, they are permanent too. Thailand also hasn't been happy about the lack of reciprocity, so don't expect this to be anything other than a long-term solution. It also wouldn't be possible to change it without another change in the law, which simply isn't going to happen after the many months of planning on implementing this law.

Exceptions will apply only to vehicles registered in countries with which Thailand has existing reciprocal agreements, including Laos, Malaysia and Singapore. Exceptions will also apply to local vehicles traveling near the border coming from Cambodia and Myanmar.

It's very easy to enforce because without advance permission, they [the Chinese] simply won't be allowed to leave Laos for Thailand. Entry via Myanmar has never been possible without going on a tour inside Myanmar either.

We will see the results very soon, although already since early March I have only seen 2 Chinese plates in Thailand (one was parked on the 3rd floor of the Bangkok City Suites Hotel on Petchaburi road), a far cry from the many dozens I saw in February, including 33 on one day on February 15, an all-time record. I'm wondering if they're already restricted now, or if it's simply a case of low season and therefore they aren't coming as much (unlike the free for all during CNY)?

Anyway, I'm going to be so happy once all of these blue plates are off Thai roads. They really should never have been allowed on Thai roads to begin with. Also, Thailand is one of the only governments that has let them in without being afforded reciprocal privileges going the other way. I have never understood that. Look at India, Vietnam and Myanmar. Neither country allows Chinese vehicles in and never has. Very limited exceptions apply to rally type tours, but they require a lot of bureaucratic red tape, a police escort, local travel agent etc. India probably doesn't allow them in at all. About a year ago Vietnam even refused entry to 100 Chinese cars coming on a rally despite meeting all the initial entry requirements, simply because it was too many vehicles at once and there was a serious risk of accidents, not to mention inconvenience to local road users.

Thailand has finally woken up and I support the decision of the Thai Land Transport Department 110%. I wish I could have a beer with it's head, Mr. Sanit Promwong.

I think he's our new hero.

O.K. thanks for that explanation. You are in BKK. Come on up to C.M. for a day and try and count how many Chinese license plates you see in a day. I bet you would lose count.

[daoyai]

Another day, another racist topic against Chinese people. Congratulations.

Chinee aint a race ... I grew up very close to a famous american Chinatown and we all knew to look at the ethnicity of the drivers when attempting to cross a street, the Chinese just hated giving pedestrian right of way even at marked crosswalks, the old ladies were the worst they often sped up and layed on the horn... just something we learned as a survival tactic.

Steriotypes are usually based on fact, that is how they get established... Chinese, famously bad drivers. If this elicits an SJW respoce, that will be amusing.

[Tomtomtom69]

Well come to Chiang Mai after May 23rd. You won't be seeing any more blue plates then as they are about to be restricted, including being banned from driving outside of the border province entered.

I really hope this is enforced (which I suspect it will be - at least for a while). Hopefully they will kick out the motorists already here. They are the worst divers I have ever seen.

It has been entered into law, so it will be permanent, just like Chinese laws on not allowing foreign registered vehicles in aren't simply seasonal or short-term, they are permanent too. Thailand also hasn't been happy about the lack of reciprocity, so don't expect this to be anything other than a long-term solution. It also wouldn't be possible to change it without another change in the law, which simply isn't going to happen after the many months of planning on implementing this law.

Exceptions will apply only to vehicles registered in countries with which Thailand has existing reciprocal agreements, including Laos, Malaysia and Singapore. Exceptions will also apply to local vehicles traveling near the border coming from Cambodia and Myanmar.

It's very easy to enforce because without advance permission, they [the Chinese] simply won't be allowed to leave Laos for Thailand. Entry via Myanmar has never been possible without going on a tour inside Myanmar either.

We will see the results very soon, although already since early March I have only seen 2 Chinese plates in Thailand (one was parked on the 3rd floor of the Bangkok City Suites Hotel on Petchaburi road), a far cry from the many dozens I saw in February, including 33 on one day on February 15, an all-time record. I'm wondering if they're already restricted now, or if it's simply a case of low season and therefore they aren't coming as much (unlike the free for all during CNY)?

Anyway, I'm going to be so happy once all of these blue plates are off Thai roads. They really should never have been allowed on Thai roads to begin with. Also, Thailand is one of the only governments that has let them in without being afforded reciprocal privileges going the other way. I have never understood that. Look at India, Vietnam and Myanmar. Neither country allows Chinese vehicles in and never has. Very limited exceptions apply to rally type tours, but they require a lot of bureaucratic red tape, a police escort, local travel agent etc. India probably doesn't allow them in at all. About a year ago Vietnam even refused entry to 100 Chinese cars coming on a rally despite meeting all the initial entry requirements, simply because it was too many vehicles at once and there was a serious risk of accidents, not to mention inconvenience to local road users.

Thailand has finally woken up and I support the decision of the Thai Land Transport Department 110%. I wish I could have a beer with it's head, Mr. Sanit Promwong.

I think he's our new hero.

O.K. thanks for that explanation. You are in BKK. Come on up to C.M. for a day and try and count how many Chinese license plates you see in a day. I bet you would lose count.

Well I was in Chiang Mai in mid-February and I counted 12 in one evening, that was during the middle of Chinese New Year and I had only come for a few hours to have dinner with a few friends.

The 33 I counted on Feb 15 were on the road between Lampang and Singburi, as I was driving down to Bangkok. Previously I have counted 5-6 on the way up to Lampang/Chiang Mai a few days earlier and a similar number about 2 weeks later as I was heading to Mae Sot via Tak (all of the ones I spotted were driving between Nakorn Sawan and Tak).

Are you still seeing Chinese plates in Chiang Mai today? As I said, I feel there is a big difference between February and now. I have only been as far north as Lampang since mid-March and during that trip, I didn't see a single Chinese car.

No one has said anything about restrictions before the new rules take effect, although since motorhomes are going to be banned altogether, I'm wondering if they already are, as I haven't seen any since early March.

[Chicog]

What a completely rubbish topic.

Do you all genuinely live with your heads in the sand?

A recent study by the University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute confirmed what many already know about Thailand: that being on the road there can be a treacherous business. Thailand ranked number two in the university’s study of road fatalities in the world, with 44 road deaths per 100,000 people. It was second only to Namibia, which had 45 road deaths per 100,000. Fatalities from road accidents made up 5.1 percent of Thailand’s overall deaths.

https://asiancorrespondent.com/2014/02/study-thailand-roads-2nd-most-dangerous-in-the-world/

Edited April 16, 2016 by Chicog

[elektrified]

O.K. thanks for that explanation. You are in BKK. Come on up to C.M. for a day and try and count how many Chinese license plates you see in a day. I bet you would lose count.

Well I was in Chiang Mai in mid-February and I counted 12 in one evening, that was during the middle of Chinese New Year and I had only come for a few hours to have dinner with a few friends.

The 33 I counted on Feb 15 were on the road between Lampang and Singburi, as I was driving down to Bangkok. Previously I have counted 5-6 on the way up to Lampang/Chiang Mai a few days earlier and a similar number about 2 weeks later as I was heading to Mae Sot via Tak (all of the ones I spotted were driving between Nakorn Sawan and Tak).

Are you still seeing Chinese plates in Chiang Mai today? As I said, I feel there is a big difference between February and now. I have only been as far north as Lampang since mid-March and during that trip, I didn't see a single Chinese car.

No one has said anything about restrictions before the new rules take effect, although since motorhomes are going to be banned altogether, I'm wondering if they already are, as I haven't seen any since early March.

Too many to count. If you are really bored, take a drive through Central Festival parking structure...

[northernjohn]

Another day, another racist topic against Chinese people. Congratulations.

Two years ago you would have heard the same people saying the same things about Thai drivers.

[Chicog]

Another day, another racist topic against Chinese people. Congratulations.

Two years ago you would have heard the same people saying the same things about Thai drivers.

With justification (See post #96).

[Tomtomtom69]

O.K. thanks for that explanation. You are in BKK. Come on up to C.M. for a day and try and count how many Chinese license plates you see in a day. I bet you would lose count.

Well I was in Chiang Mai in mid-February and I counted 12 in one evening, that was during the middle of Chinese New Year and I had only come for a few hours to have dinner with a few friends.

The 33 I counted on Feb 15 were on the road between Lampang and Singburi, as I was driving down to Bangkok. Previously I have counted 5-6 on the way up to Lampang/Chiang Mai a few days earlier and a similar number about 2 weeks later as I was heading to Mae Sot via Tak (all of the ones I spotted were driving between Nakorn Sawan and Tak).

Are you still seeing Chinese plates in Chiang Mai today? As I said, I feel there is a big difference between February and now. I have only been as far north as Lampang since mid-March and during that trip, I didn't see a single Chinese car.

No one has said anything about restrictions before the new rules take effect, although since motorhomes are going to be banned altogether, I'm wondering if they already are, as I haven't seen any since early March.

Too many to count. If you are really bored, take a drive through Central Festival parking structure...

So they're still there? Well, as I said, not for much longer. Any motorhomes?

[Tomtomtom69]

No matter what, ALL of us will be celebrating very soon, because within just a few short weeks, those bloody blue plates will be gone from Thai roads.

It can't come soon enough.

Hooray!!

[elektrified]

O.K. thanks for that explanation. You are in BKK. Come on up to C.M. for a day and try and count how many Chinese license plates you see in a day. I bet you would lose count.

Well I was in Chiang Mai in mid-February and I counted 12 in one evening, that was during the middle of Chinese New Year and I had only come for a few hours to have dinner with a few friends.

The 33 I counted on Feb 15 were on the road between Lampang and Singburi, as I was driving down to Bangkok. Previously I have counted 5-6 on the way up to Lampang/Chiang Mai a few days earlier and a similar number about 2 weeks later as I was heading to Mae Sot via Tak (all of the ones I spotted were driving between Nakorn Sawan and Tak).

Are you still seeing Chinese plates in Chiang Mai today? As I said, I feel there is a big difference between February and now. I have only been as far north as Lampang since mid-March and during that trip, I didn't see a single Chinese car.

No one has said anything about restrictions before the new rules take effect, although since motorhomes are going to be banned altogether, I'm wondering if they already are, as I haven't seen any since early March.

Too many to count. If you are really bored, take a drive through Central Festival parking structure...

So they're still there? Well, as I said, not for much longer. Any motorhomes?

I only saw one motor home in the city recently. A lady we know in a restaurant at Kamthieng Plant Market said they had tried to camp overnight in the market but the police were called when they were seen washing their dishes outside and the children urinating outside as well. They were all set up to spend the night there.

But it's a huge problem in Chiang Rai where they are camping overnight in temples inside their motor homes, defecating on the temple grounds, etc.

[JaseTheBass]

The common consensus while I was growing up in New York that the worst drivers were Chinese and from New Jersey

The common consensus can be completely insane.

There was a common consensus about things in the Jim Crow South. There was a common consensus on people in 1930's Germany. It goes on.

What you can say is that when people drive in a town they don't know, mistakes are made. That applies just as much to holidaymakers from Bangkok. Or Western backpackers on mopeds, for that matter.

Correct. I always stop in the middle of a busy intersection when I'm driving in a town for the first time.

[Chicog]

The common consensus while I was growing up in New York that the worst drivers were Chinese and from New Jersey

The common consensus can be completely insane.

There was a common consensus about things in the Jim Crow South. There was a common consensus on people in 1930's Germany. It goes on.

What you can say is that when people drive in a town they don't know, mistakes are made. That applies just as much to holidaymakers from Bangkok. Or Western backpackers on mopeds, for that matter.

Correct. I always stop in the middle of a busy intersection when I'm driving in a town for the first time.

Perhaps they're stopping for the red light, something Thais seem to think is optional.

[JaseTheBass]

The common consensus while I was growing up in New York that the worst drivers were Chinese and from New Jersey

The common consensus can be completely insane.

There was a common consensus about things in the Jim Crow South. There was a common consensus on people in 1930's Germany. It goes on.

What you can say is that when people drive in a town they don't know, mistakes are made. That applies just as much to holidaymakers from Bangkok. Or Western backpackers on mopeds, for that matter.

Correct. I always stop in the middle of a busy intersection when I'm driving in a town for the first time.

Perhaps they're stopping for the red light, something Thais seem to think is optional.

Nope. Just braindead and trying to get run over.

[northernjohn]

The common consensus while I was growing up in New York that the worst drivers were Chinese and from New Jersey

The common consensus can be completely insane.

There was a common consensus about things in the Jim Crow South. There was a common consensus on people in 1930's Germany. It goes on.

What you can say is that when people drive in a town they don't know, mistakes are made. That applies just as much to holidaymakers from Bangkok. Or Western backpackers on mopeds, for that matter.

Correct. I always stop in the middle of a busy intersection when I'm driving in a town for the first time.

Perhaps they're stopping for the red light, something Thais seem to think is optional.

I had to laugh at that. I was in the vehicle with my son in law driving. The pedestrian light turned red and who ever crossed the street. As soon as they had crossed the street the three vehicles that had stopped stayed stopped until the light turned green. I couldn't believe it. It just didn't feel rite.

[streetsweeper]

I haven't heard of many Chinese tourists being injured or killed in traffic related accidents in Thailand.

I do see accidents involving Thais on a daily basis.

Do you think the increasing number of Chinese tourists will eventually inflame the Thai drivers to the point where they are purposely targeted for injury?

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I haven't heard of many Chinese tourists being injured or killed in traffic related accidents in Thailand.

I do see accidents involving Thais on a daily basis.

Do you think the increasing number of Chinese tourists will eventually inflame the Thai drivers to the point where they are purposely targeted for injury?

LOL.. anyway there have been a couple cases of Chinese people killed in traffic.

But then people are killed in traffic so often it doesn't even register all that much.. when someone dies in traffic back home, it typically makes the local news at least. Here you just see it all around you; saw it on Monday morning on the Superhighway near Don Chan intersection. Motorcycle of course, no helmet of course, dead of course. I hardly even slowed down or thought about it much.

As there was a slight slowing down of traffic and close to Don Chan I was concerned it would be a police checkpoint, but it turned out it was just a dead motorcyclist. Hit by a BMW 5 series car.

Oh, as it was Monday it'll be added to some Songkran statistic. Even though it had nothing to do with that specifically, just with 'traffic as usual' in Thailand.

Edited April 20, 2016 by WinnieTheKhwai

[elektrified]

I haven't heard of many Chinese tourists being injured or killed in traffic related accidents in Thailand.

I do see accidents involving Thais on a daily basis.

Do you think the increasing number of Chinese tourists will eventually inflame the Thai drivers to the point where they are purposely targeted for injury?

LOL.. anyway there have been a couple cases of Chinese people killed in traffic.

But then people are killed in traffic so often it doesn't even register all that much.. when someone dies in traffic back home, it typically makes the local news at least. Here you just see it all around you; saw it on Monday morning on the Superhighway near Don Chan intersection. Motorcycle of course, no helmet of course, dead of course. I hardly even slowed down or thought about it much.

As there was a slight slowing down of traffic and close to Don Chan I was concerned it would be a police checkpoint, but it turned out it was just a dead motorcyclist. Hit by a BMW 5 series car.

Oh, as it was Monday it'll be added to some Songkran statistic. Even though it had nothing to do with that specifically, just with 'traffic as usual' in Thailand.

Sad...but so true.....

I've seen more death and mutilated bodies here in the last 10 years than I have seen in my lifetime. I've seen human brains just inches from my feet, my car, etc. on more than one occasion. It doesn't even phase me anymore. Usually a motorcycle rider not wearing a helmet. Seen children injured.....seen the anguish on survivors/family members faces... Just another day here.

[naboo]

We will see the results very soon, although already since early March I have only seen 2 Chinese plates in Thailand (one was parked on the 3rd floor of the Bangkok City Suites Hotel on Petchaburi road), a far cry from the many dozens I saw in February, including 33 in one day on February 15, an all-time record. I'm wondering if they're already restricted now, or if it's simply a case of low season and therefore they aren't coming as much (unlike the free for all during CNY)?

So how long have yu been doing daily counts of Chinese vehicles? You have an all-time record, so I guess this has been going some time.

Is there anything else you count? Perhaps you could build a website.

[HooHaa]

Most amusing. . listening to the diatribes is like being back in Vancouver in the run-up to the Hong Kong handover.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

^ Thank you for the history lesson.

Fortunately (or unfortunately, it doesn't matter), society has moved on. (You could go even further back and get to even more horrific things that were completely mainstream commonplace.)

Edited April 21, 2016 by WinnieTheKhwai

[WinnieTheKhwai]

How about 'tourists', 'visitors' or 'foreigners', just like you and me.

How difficult is that.

And now much further can this forum sink..

[daoyai]

....i wanted to add that i don't use those terms (other than "pake" haole and farang) but as I believe strongly in freedom of speech and expression I would never tell another person how to talk, that is obsurd. Landtrouts post is a classic.

[garryjohns]

Can't say I've encountered them in Nong Hoi. Plenty of Chinese at the Holiday Inn, but they all come in on the humungous tour buses.

Don't understand why people are getting their knickers in a twist. It's just population control and Darwinism at work.

Personally, I'd rather be involved in an accident with a Chinese. Firstly because I would only speak Thai to them. Secondly, because it's more likely the BiB would be more even-handed in apportioning blame.

However, I am somewhat baffled how the OP and other posters can distinguish a Chinese motorist from a Thai motorist. Somebody let me in on the secret, please.

They have blue plates on their cars. Not that difficult

And the driver sits on the wrong side.

Well come to Chiang Mai after May 23rd. You won't be seeing any more blue plates then as they are about to be restricted, including being banned from driving outside of the border province entered.

I really hope this is enforced (which I suspect it will be - at least for a while). Hopefully they will kick out the motorists already here. They are the worst divers I have ever seen.

Big problems in New Zealand also...but they have a hotline number to call and cops get them if dangerous driving..here one example recently;

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/79007927/police-thank-public-for-report-of-driver.html

[arunsakda]

Interesting. In most countries Police could look for and investigate a particular vehicle reported driving dangerously, but could not take action without evidence.

Perhaps if they had a video for example a charge of reckless driving.

Would expats want their driving privileges in Thailand taken away based on one phone call? From some other motorist? In the US if the police did this the Officers would be brought up on charges and suspended pending an investigation of racism.

Meanwhile I saw two vehicles back into each other today, in an almost empty carpark!

Some people just don't belong behind the wheel of a motorcar.

Edited April 23, 2016 by arunsakda

[garryjohns]

Interesting. In most countries Police could look for and investigate a particular vehicle reported driving dangerously, but could not take action without evidence.

Perhaps if they had a video for example a charge of reckless driving.

Would expats want their driving privileges in Thailand taken away based on one phone call? From some other motorist? In the US if the police did this the Officers would be brought up on charges and suspended pending an investigation of racism.

Meanwhile I saw two vehicles back into each other today, in an almost empty carpark!

Some people just don't belong behind the wheel of a motorcar.

A bit more.

In NZ There is a hotline number to call and then police can/will take action if needed.

As for your "investigation of racism". That is absurd.This road safe programme targets all and sundry.

Its not racist that Chinese are probably a majority of offenders [we know why,seeing first hand here in C/M!

Good to see a country trying to be pro active in regards to trying to save lives.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/news/64748036/Dangerous-driving-tourists-having-keys-confiscated

[Chicog]

Grow up and find something enjoyable to do rather than act as armchair morality cop.

How about growing up and not using terms that are offensive just because you can?

[WinnieTheKhwai]

It's a little funny that this forum blocks harmless words like heck and 'what the f' as an abbreviation, for SEO reasons, but then allows racist slurs.

Hint: Google takes a dim view of those, too.

As they should.

Edited April 23, 2016 by WinnieTheKhwai

[LannaGuy]

It's a little funny that this forum blocks harmless words like heck and 'what the f' as an abbreviation, for SEO reasons, but then allows racist slurs.

Hint: Google takes a dim view of those, too.

As they should.

Overly sensitive, PC and no worse than "farang". Can we now get back on topic? I nearly killed that wonderful person of Chinese descent as they were looking the wrong way.