Welcome to Thailandblog.nl
With 275.000 visits per month, Thailandblog is the largest Thailand community in the Netherlands and Belgium.
Sign up for our free e-mail newsletter and stay informed!
Newsletter
Language setting
Rate Thai Baht
Sponsor
Latest comments
- Johnny B.G: Yes, if your school is more concerned about the color of a child's natural hair due to a mixed-breed status and you also m
- Johnny B.G: As long as the word “considers” is used, nothing is wrong, but it is all the more visible that the current re
- Ger Korat: Kyoto in Japan is like Pattaya in Thailand or the Keukenhof in the Netherlands: purely for tourists and fun to visit once and
- Ger Korat: Tourism provides many jobs and incomes for residents. For every 100 Euro overnight stay in the Netherlands, 17 Euro goes
- Jack S: It seems as if there are contradictory parties in the government that like to contradict themselves. There are too few tourists, k
- Pieter: Still special, spend at least 3000 euros for a holiday in Thailand. But then blow the whistle whenever possible
- Rob V: In the “perfect” picture humans may be binary, but in practice in the human world (and other animals
- Kees: Will there really be even one less tourist if an additional tax of 300 baht is levied?
- Jos: It might also be good to mention here that there are quite a few differences when it comes to taking luggage with you. We have just returned from e
- Chris: In the Netherlands, tourist tax is also levied at municipal level, but not always: an x amount per overnight stay. For ho
- RonnyLatYa: Into the country, yes. Whether they will let you board in Thailand with an expired passport is another question... Direct v
- René: That is true, but upon departure you will not be able to get away if your pass is valid for less than 6 months. Own experience with my son's pass. Then j
- René: Moderator: Please keep the discussion to Thailand.
- Henk: I was on Koh Si Chang last January and the beach was being renovated. At least I hope so, the beach experience was something I liked
- Dominique: I am always amazed when a topic is started that is about money, and many readers go crazy. Do people really think that T
Sponsor
Bangkok again
Menu
Arrivals Bangkok Airport
DOSSIERS
Learning objectives and topics
- Background
- Activities
- Advertorial
- Diary
- Tax question
- Belgium question
- Sights
- Bizarre
- Buddhism
- Book reviews
- Column
- Corona crisis
- The Culture
- Diary
- Dating
- The week of
- Dossier
- To dive
- Economy
- A day in the life of…..
- Islands
- Food and drink
- Events and festivals
- Balloon Festival
- Bo Sang Umbrella Festival
- Buffalo races
- Chiang Mai Flower Festival
- Chinese New Year
- Full Moon Party
- Christmas
- Lotus Festival – Rub Bua
- Loy Krathong
- Naga Fireball Festival
- New Years Eve celebration
- Phi ta khon
- Phuket Vegetarian Festival
- Rocket festival – Bun Bang Fai
- Songkran – Thai New Year
- Fireworks Festival Pattaya
- Expats and retirees
- state pension
- Car insurance
- Banking
- Tax in the Netherlands
- Thailand tax
- Belgian Embassy
- Belgian tax authorities
- Proof of life
- DigiD
- emigrate
- To rent a house
- Buy a house
- In memoriam
- Income statement
- King's day
- Cost of living
- Dutch embassy
- Dutch government
- Dutch Association
- News
- Passing away
- Passport
- Retirement
- Drivers license
- Distributions
- Elections
- Insurance in general
- Visa
- work
- Hospital
- Health insurance
- Flora and fauna
- Photo of the week
- Gadgets
- Money and finance
- History
- Health
- Charities
- Hotels
- Looking at houses
- Isaan
- Khan Peter
- Koh Mook
- King Bhumibol
- Living in Thailand
- Reader Submission
- Reader call
- Reader tips
- Reader question
- Society
- marketplace
- Medical tourism
- Environment
- Nightlife
- News from the Netherlands and Belgium
- News from Thailand
- Entrepreneurs and companies
- Education
- Research
- Discover Thailand
- Opinions
- Remarkable
- Calls
- Floods 2011
- Floods 2012
- Floods 2013
- Floods 2014
- Winter prices
- Politics
- Poll
- Travel stories
- Travel
- Organizations
- Shopping
- Social media
- Spa & wellness
- Sport
- Cities
- Position of the week
- The beach
- Language
- For sale
- TEV procedure
- Thailand in general
- Thailand with children
- thai tips
- Thai massage
- Tourism
- Going out
- Currency – Thai Baht
- From the editors
- Real estate law; and
- Traffic and transport
- Visa Short Stay
- Long stay visa
- Visa question
- Flight tickets
- Question of the week
- Weather and climate
Sponsor
Disclaimer translations
Thailandblog uses machine translations in multiple languages. Use of translated information is at your own risk. We are not responsible for errors in translations.
Read our full here disclaimer.
Royalty
© Copyright Thailandblog 2024. All rights reserved. Unless stated otherwise, all rights to information (text, image, sound, video, etc.) that you find on this site rest with Thailandblog.nl and its authors (bloggers).
Whole or partial takeover, placement on other sites, reproduction in any other way and/or commercial use of this information is not permitted, unless express written permission has been granted by Thailandblog.
Linking and referring to the pages on this website is permitted.
Home » Traffic and transport » An eternal drama: Thai traffic behavior (video)
An eternal drama: Thai traffic behavior (video)
It happened to me earlier this week. I drove home on my scooter and at one point I have to turn right at an intersection. I sort neatly to let oncoming traffic go first. Suddenly a moped from that row appears at great speed in my half of the road. Fortunately he sees me and swerves even further to the right. But there's more traffic coming from the same direction I came from.
An accident seems inevitable, but the driver of the moped does the only thing left for him. He hit the curb and fell off his moped into the grass. No personal injury fortunately, the moped did need a makeover.
I wouldn't have paid any further attention to it, but I had to think about it again when I saw the video below. This time a car with a hurried driver, who is lucky that no serious accident happened.
It seems as if those Thais really never learn!
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaCDj0F8oN4[/youtube]
That's why also on the moped, helmet on!
A helmet would not have helped the motorcyclist if the hasty “motorist” had hit him head-on at that speed…
Totally agree.
There is only ONE good attitude on the road here: Everyone is crazy except me. Stay tight on the left, especially in bends and don't drive too fast. From any cart path, a kamikaze pilot just crosses the road at 80 without even looking left or right. Warp and weft.
A Thai has only 1 view that is looking straight ahead in traffic.
Fortunately, we look ahead in traffic and use our mirrors.
Yes, what you see in traffic here borders on the unbelievable. There is still a lot of work to be done to bring the discipline to an acceptable level. It is not for nothing that Thailand has a very high number of annual road deaths. It is even worse in Cambodia, where I even categorically refuse to drive any vehicle. A red light is just there for show!
I drive here in Thailand myself with a shopper, regularly do long distances, both along the main and secondary roads. The main road (A41) is in a state which in many places is a hell and torture for a motorcyclist, completely destroyed by the heavy (overloaded) transport and the secondary roads are dangerous due to undisciplined drivers. I am not going to list the list of serious, life-threatening offenses because this would take me too far and everyone has their own experience about this. Can only give one piece of advice: drive carefully, rather slow down than never arrive. Provide good, not carnival lighting and always be on your guard because the unexpected lurks around the corner everywhere.
Khap dee dee, khap cha cha.
Lung addie, avid biker
Ricky,
Indeed, the Thais usually only look ahead and then no further than the car in front of them. It is unbelievable to see that most car drivers do not use the turn signals, too late or incorrectly.
And the police stand by and watch. It only comes into action when the damage has already been done.
Defensive driving is the first requirement. Never trust anyone when changing jobs.
Motorcycles rush between the cars at a crawl. Always pay attention at an intersection. Will he go or won't he go... They simply don't know how to drive. Or they drive too slowly in the right lane or drive like crazy people. Tailgating normal, head and tail collisions every day.
Be considerate of other road users. Not so. Drive slowly to find a place somewhere
No problem. They should not have placed the turn signal from the factory.
Most don't use it.
I can go on for a while. In the end it is also a culture issue. How are you in society.
How have you been brought up as a population in all this long time.
I can't blame them. We live more than 10000 km from here.
Cor van Kampen.
Another example and at the same time a warning for future visitors.
There have been traffic lights at the Dolphin roundabout, Pattaya North, Naklua Road/Second Road since December. But you guessed it: now it has become life-threatening. After all, where in the past people could wait until there was a gap in the traffic flow to cross the various streets, pedestrians are now outlawed by greenery for them.
Mopeds don't stop, cars sometimes and the numerous buses never. Police are never there to direct the new situation. The many foreigners, who feel safe, have to jump for their lives all the time. A notified man….
Thai driver only looks in one direction? (forward)…. At least he's still watching!! I can tell you that time and time again, during the drive from the airport to Pattaya, and vice versa, I sweat more during that hour and a half drive than during the entire holiday combined!
Last time from hotel to airport I had to remind the driver twice to stay awake, while we were already tailgating at 2/h … IN POURING RAIN !!, with shock absorbers that were completely destroyed, and bald tires of course …
“No problem, no problem, cha cha …., i not sleep, thai people close eye little bit for to much light' ….. yes hello!!!!! Can anyone give me a tip on how to get a good taxi service, with a decent car that is in order, and a decent driver??? That saves me from a near stroke.
Thanks, Peter
Hi Peter, try Suvith Sangtuptim, tel: +66818240616, email: [email protected]
My son has had good experiences with this. He also drives a lot for foreign businessmen, his car is not an official taxi, so it does not run on the meter, but on price agreement. He lives in Bangkok.
Last December for the first time with Bell Travel Service (there was a eeaction on this blog recently) this was perfect. From the airport with a large bus to the North Pattaya bus terminal, there are several minivans that take the guests to the specified hotel. Perfectly arranged for 230 baht incl. 1 piece of hand luggage and a suitcase.
Of course that truck does not belong there, it should stay on the left. And it is logical that irritation arises among other road users.
Not the driver of the car but the moped driver had all the luck in the world. If there had been a collision, a helmet would not have helped. The driver of the car should have seriously injured himself. It's a retarded gladiolus to drive like that.
Take my girlfriend's grandchild to school on the motorcycle every morning
is a fairly busy 2 lane road to Khorat
Motorcycles driving against traffic have long been normal
cars driving against the traffic
but if you then experience the traffic light turning green, about 50 to 60 motorcycles and then cars rushing onto the road to be the first at the next traffic light.
Then, yes, you are still shocked when a car comes towards you against the traffic, but then you are especially shocked when it is also overtaken by another car that was in even more of a hurry or it rotted to to drive.
I can also add a lot to the list, but one thing I have learned here: NEVER pre-sort with an engine. That is dangerous. Now you can say that the Thais have to adapt to us, but unfortunately, I don't think you can expect that.
I always have one crossing point on my way home, where it is always critical. So I look as far ahead as possible. If I see a lot of traffic coming, I go (or wait) on the left side of the side lane until I can cross.
In other cases I will drive my scooter on the right side lane well in advance, until I can turn right.
But pre-sorting is something we know in the Netherlands. Not here. In any case, you have to drive more gropingly here. You have cases where you can get priority. You will notice that too. You have it one time at the same intersection and the other time you don't. You must feel the traffic here.
On the Pethkasem Road I never drive next to cars. Either I overtake them, or I let them overtake me, but I will not drive next to such a car at the same speed. For the same money, he makes a left turn and then with a bit of luck I'm just lying on the roadside. If there is a traffic jam somewhere, I stay far away from it. I avoid groups of cars. Either I pass quickly or I stay well behind.
I have always done this when I still had to drive to Frankfurt four times a month. A stretch of autobahn of 270 km, where you drove past an accident every time.
about Pethkasem Road : I am also a motorcyclist and do the same thing: never hang next to a car, let it pass or overtake myself, my motorcycle has enough power to do this in a fast, safe way. Then back to the left lane, although this is hell for a motorcyclist in many places, especially between Hua Hin and Chumphon. The moped compartment, next to the roadway, is in much better condition, but you always have to be alert for overhanging branches and it is also not the regulatory roadway for heavier motorcycles.
lung addie
I do all my trips by bike ... and for sports I also have a " racing bike ".
Not a ride goes by without a "conflict situation".
Not verbally, not physically… fortunately.
The positive thing about the Thais : they never raise a middle finger 🙂
The negative… they are “unpredictable”… and so there is only 1 correct strategy: … drive extremely defensively, keep your speed perfectly under control… and don't get excited.
With a smile and a nod you always get appreciation 🙂
Have you ever attended a “driving test”? In a field behind the desk 30 meters ahead, stop along the curb, then another bend to the left and place the car between 2 cones. Success? Passed! Did not succeed? 10 euros extra, I get it “you were nervous” here is your driver's license. You can't blame the thai; usually (with exceptions) people have not had a decent driver's training.
Sake,
You are right that the threshold in Thailand is very low, but that the driver training is not everything also applies to the driving courses here. After all, only after many kilometers you can say that you can drive a car / motorcycle.
In my opinion it is more a matter of enforcement, and that is simply non-existent in that beautiful country…
I think it's time for people to stand up and protect the Thai population against themselves (and thereby also improve the safety of tourists). It seems that people are exterminating themselves in traffic. I think there is really only one good solution, which is to ban all motorized traffic (except trains, planes and boats) in Thailand. It will take some getting used to at the beginning, but eventually people will realize that it is better for everyone….
And keep whining about Thai traffic. I've been driving around here on a motorcycle and by car every day for about 40 (forty) years, I feel like a fish in water. I had more problems driving in the Netherlands than here. If you are afraid then you have no business here on the road. It is simply different here than in the Netherlands, so adapt. Says something about me too, of course. Oh yes, I'm almost eighty and still happily driving around, no problems.
If we look at this video carefully, all drivers here have butter on their heads, except for the oncoming traffic. The truck shows undisciplined behavior by continuing to drive in the right lane, where it belongs as slow transport on the left. In this way he forces one car to pass him on the left, thus committing a serious violation. The white car makes a very serious mistake by tripping over a full line and then driving on a track section that is not a lane, but a safety lane. I would say hand in your driver's license immediately, although that makes little sense here because then they simply drive without a driver's license.
The motorcyclist is also in violation because he uses a pre-sorting section which is not there: clearly visible from the oblique transverse lines on the roadway.
This is a textbook example of : no discipline ( truck ) reckless driving ( white car ) and stupidity ( motorcyclist ).
If this would have led to an accident, then the driver of the white car belongs in prison with the charge of MURDER.
It will happen to you that you will be driven to shreds that way.
Lung addie
Addie,
I think the truck was overtaking and it wasn't going that fast. As far as motorcyclists are concerned: it is not always the case that in the safety area (cross stripes) there is also a pre-sorting box at every side street. I see that here in my neighborhood, for example: if I want to enter my "compound" then I will have to pre-sort for lateral stripes. This, because there is no pre-sorting area and stopping on the right lane to turn right is still on the left with traffic coming behind…..
That white car must know that a safety strip was present and that is not intended to overtake or. to be used as a roadway. We agree: the driver of the white car should be stripped of his driver's license, in addition to a hefty fine/imprisonment and serve at least 3 years in the army to be taught some form of discipline.
Morning Gringo,
Good Lord.
Even here in my chair I gave a cry.
How lucky is that guy.
The Thai just comes around the corner from any road or street, without even looking back.
The Thai has tunnel vision and those mirrors are for popping pimples or whatever.
We always say to have an owl neck.
Continuously look in all directions, except upwards.
Although, with the poor maintenance of everything that flies or drives, a helicopter can of course come down on your side of the road.
LOUISE
I just now watched the video. Yes, it sounds very familiar to me, that kind of driving. It looked like the truck was catching up with the black one, but because it couldn't go that fast, it took a long time and the white one was in a hurry again. Catching up without much looking.
Then the motorcyclist. What was he doing there on that part of the road? I would never, ever drive like that. Not here in Thailand, where a center line or a stripe on the road is just for decoration. But as I would do it I have already written above….
Unfortunately, things don't always end so well. But will anyone learn from it?
To begin with, the white car overtakes the car from which it is being filmed, on the left. Then go two (!) lanes to the right in 1 time without taking into account any possible oncoming traffic. The fact that he also ignores a solid line is really ridiculous.
Traffic lights are a real challenge for Thais (just like solid lines on the road, whether double or otherwise)! For Thais, a traffic light works as follows:
* green: gas and nothing else
* orange: full throttle
* red: does not apply to me/can still be done easily.
Very simple but of course life-threatening.
I live in Chiangmai and therefore often drive in the mountains. There you regularly see double continuous lines on the road. But what they are for is not clear to all Thais. So in such a situation I stay far away from the continuous (double) line.