10 years Thailandblog: Traffic(d)
Participate in traffic Thailand is an experience. Which, by the way, is not without danger. Although traffic in this country drives on the left, it is not always and certainly not everywhere.
Motorcycles (125 cc) and even cars drive towards you on the emergency lane, usually because they find it too much of a hassle to use the next U-turn. In the meantime, with the Western European traffic rules in mind, you will be torn left and right by riders of these damned motorcycles. Often without a helmet and sometimes with a man/woman/child or four on the buddy seat.
Driving in Bangkok is quite a visit, given the traffic jams popping up everywhere. If the Thai is friendliness and politeness itself at home and at work, in the privacy of their own vehicle they turn out to be a true fury.
Prevailing and cutting are of paramount importance in order to be at work or at home just a few seconds earlier. Pedestrians, also on zebras, are no more than annoying obstacles. Taxis and bus drivers take it a step further by having to go from the far right lane to the far left to pick up passengers. Then travel the road in the opposite direction.
But they all have driver's licenses, I hear you mumble. That's hot Thailand a tricky point. Especially in rural areas, many motorists have never heard of such an aptitude test. If so, the local official will be happy to issue a driver's license against payment of some 'tea money'. Thais who have walked the official road only need to answer a few theoretical questions correctly on the exam, to be able to distinguish depth and to cover a course of 150 meters by car or motorcycle, amply decorated with traffic signs. When parking backwards between two bollards, most drivers fall through the basket. After which they can try again the next day, in order to obtain the coveted ticket for a fee.
I'm not going to talk about tuktuks here. In my opinion, they should have been using these driving contraptions as an artificial reef in the Andaman Sea for a long time. It is hard to imagine a more dangerous and dirty transport, apart from the shameless way in which most drivers try to cheat ignorant foreigners.
Thailand has many police officers. The officers who operate alone earn a good amount of pocket money by stopping unsuspecting motorists and blaming non-committed violations. On the way to Phanom Rung, a cop accused me of driving in the wrong (right) lane. My defense that I was overtaking and in fact the only motorist who knew the rules well, was to no avail. After paying 300 THB (approximately 6 euros), the agent tapped his cap and said: “Bye bye, my love”….
10 years of Thailand blog: The first posting by Hans Bos on October 27, 2009
If you survived the loose paving stones and manhole covers, didn't contract acute bronchitis in the toxic exhaust fumes and didn't get run over by a Tukktuk. Then you can still be hit by a car that runs a red light. But for the rest it is very nice in Bangkok 😉
Have you ever been here in the mountains of Mae Hong Son? Betsuurders cut corners and do not hesitate to take the (shorter) inside bend in an obscure right-angle bend. It seems like they watch Formula 1 and think that's how it should be. People couldn't understand me when I continued to torture our child by putting her in a high chair. She doesn't want that, does she? Until we came back from Mae Hong Son on a Friday night. It was Songkran and people don't take it too seriously with a drink more or less. Suddenly 2 cars came side by side over the hilltop and I had to slam on the brakes. Grandpa sat with his nose next to me and could still push himself back against the chairs. Our daughter was sleeping comfortably in her chair. After that night they understood that I didn't put her in the chair to bully her, but for her own safety. Her mother also likes that the little one doesn't crawl all over her all the time.
Wouldn't it be better to stay at home in this frog country here instead of complaining about how bad the traffic is in Thailand?
I think it's more warning. To give an indication, moped and motorcycle accidents in Thailand alone are responsible for 38 deaths per day.
I don't understand that nagging about traffic in Thailand, I have had a Thai driver's license for more than 35 years and drive daily, of which 13 years in Bangkok, when in Rome do as the Romans then you will not be bothered (by the way, sometimes the traffic in a experienced an African country?) in the Thai traffic code, overtaking is allowed on the left and right except at an intersection, leaving your indicator on and driving straight ahead will result in a ticket, if the light changes to orange and shortly afterwards to red, you drive on because you an emergency stop climbs the driver behind you, max speed built-up area 80 and in the sois 60 etc.etc. I am 74 years old and still drive a motorcycle at 100 per hour, funny thing you have to take tests and be medically examined these days (money for young and old, including Thais) and I was an attraction, asked how old are you? "73" I can't believe a Thai can't walk anymore she said, sorry for the long post but I can't bear the nagging about that traffic in all those forums, when I drove in Bangkok for the first time not a single Thai wanted to go with me because a farang does not know the Thai traffic, is still like that
nagging? I also drive in Thailand myself, I have also driven in Africa by the way and it can always be worse, but let's not pretend that nothing is wrong here. The high number of unnecessary road casualties is distressing and something should be done about it. The problem, as with so many things in Thailand, is mainly in (the lack of) education.
I have seen a list of countries in the world ranked by the number of fatal traffic accidents and Thailand scores very badly. That says something about the lack of road safety in the kingdom. And you can multiply the number of fatal accidents by 10 to arrive at an estimate of the number of seriously injured, often scarred for life.
Indeed, the reason for this is a lack of education and information, but also a lack of serious checks and stricter fines for violations of traffic rules, not to mention regular alcohol checks on drivers.
And… the abolition of U-turns could certainly help.
so it should be the same here as in the Netherlands? Speed cameras, cameras, a jungle of traffic signs so you can no longer see the road and the traffic roads are painted with all kinds of signs that tell you exactly what you are not allowed to do, what you are allowed to do no longer exists. I got my Dutch driving license in one go in May 1963 and in 1968 it had to be renewed and I threw it in the sink of a cafe on the Zeedijk while stepping out and have never driven a car in the Netherlands again, one big mess and in my opinion the Dutch driver is more dangerous than a Thai driver. In NL you learn if you have priority then you take priority what a Thai doesn't do oh well I'm getting sick of that nagging, ever heard of adjusting? we have to adapt to their driving behavior and not our driving behavior, I drive a car and motorcycle here daily for more than 35 years (I am 74 and still do that daily) feel safer here on the road than in the Netherlands, where they also demand that a foreigner adapt why julie not here?
'I feel safer on the road here than in the Netherlands' However, your feeling does not match the statistics, and the latter seem more reliable to me. I also gather from your diatribe that you have a hard time empathizing with what it is like to lose a loved one to a stupid accident that could easily have been prevented.
statistics are manipulated and unreliable and you can't try to make me feel guilty. I read the Telegraaf on-line every day and every day there are accidents in it such as, I quote "another cyclist hit by a cyclist" well that's what I call a stupid accident that could have been prevented and again you adapt to Thai driving behavior you are not in NL where everyone thinks they are the best drivers in the world.
Theo, I give up. Stubborn old men who spout nonsense (such as implying that traffic in Thailand would be safer than in the Netherlands) have no cure.
Nevertheless, I do agree with you that a road user must adapt to this, but that is another subject and it does not automatically mean that the situation cannot be improved.
Telegraaf 12 May: 17-year-old girl killed in Breda by a drunk driver, that is in the Netherlands where traffic is so safe and as far as your last comment is concerned, it is not necessary to swear and insult and I therefore expect an apology.
Dear Theo,
Did you really mean to claim with your example that the number of people in NL who are killed by drunk alcohol drivers occurs more often or just as often as in TH? Or even close to it? If you base yourself on what the Telegraaf says to be the truth… Well, then I give up too. I think you are the one who should make an apology to anyone who understands that TH is a dangerous country to drive. The statistics don't lie. That you have a different opinion in your personal experience, fine, but also try to look beyond your personal living environment.
Wallie, you are right about that.
But then you create another problem.
Suppose that half of those passengers then drive 1 of their own cars.
How many more accidents will we get?
Due to little income, 1 part with 1 wreck will hit the road without insurance, another part has no driver's license, and the chaos on the road will become even greater.
You are one clever person to solve something like this.
For whoever knows how to solve this, the whole world will be grateful to the person.
you will never get through there by not transporting people in loading platforms or pick-ups. Then it wouldn't be Thailand anymore. I once sat on a pickup with 22 people.
Let's just keep TH as it is for now, with all its pros and cons. If we want to make everything 'safe' and 'better', then it will look like NL again. Do we want that? Don't think so. Most of us are here for a reason. So then many of us, at least I do, have to move to another country again.
That is up to the Thai voter via the voting booth, among other things. If they want a safer or better traffic network, they will get it. And then it will start to look more like the Netherlands. Perhaps Antarctica remains for those who long for 'the old days, without all those rules in traffic measures'.
Bravo. totally agree.
80% of traffic accidents are caused by those motorcycles and drunk drivers here in Thailand (has been investigated) and that should be looked at, there are 16 million motorcycles driving around here (entire NL population) that is approx. 25% of the population which if in NL 25% had a motor that is allowed to drive 80 as the maximum speed? Then again, it is easy to blame the Thai police, but they work for a pittance AND have to buy their own uniform, gun, motorcycle, etc. themselves and then also put their lives at risk and the collection of fines is factored into their wages, there are companies that make donations of computers, luminous vests, etc. the land in soi 5 immigration was donated by a Thai if that was normalized and the police received enough money or a budget then I strongly believe that they will also be stricter checks, but most are too busy to find money to support their families and send their children to school.
Road safety is not a political priority, unlike eg prosecuting drug users and traffickers. But if we base priorities in the government's prosecution policy on the number of fatalities, the number of drug-related fatalities is minimal compared to traffic casualties.
Large-scale campaigns would be needed with daily TV commercials, advertisements in the newspapers, traffic lessons at school, serious driving instructions for obtaining driving licences, strict police and alcohol checks, higher fines, etc.
Compare it with our campaigns 'Glaasje op let je driving' , the BOB drivers, etc.
Hello Theo Souer.
Because I've been working on the family tree of the Snijder family for a while, I googled your name, because there should also be a Theo Souer in our family.
Of course I don't know if I have the right one, but was your mother's name Henny Snijder?
If so, I would be interested in some more details.
I'll wait for a response.
Best regards,
Frans Cutter
my mother's name was Hendrikje(Henny)Snijder and yes this is Theo Souer. Nice to hear from you.
how can i reach you? I don't want to put my e-mail address here for everyone to see, I still have pictures of her from 1923.
I also drove a moped in Thailand (bangkok).
Overtaking on the hard shoulder or wrong driving is indeed normal and it is best if you drive the same way yourself then you have the least chance of accidents. This is what is expected. Drinking is normal and accepted (also by the police), except if you make an accident because then you are in violation.
I once went out with a cop (in the country) and he drank whiskey all night and then just drove me home in his car. His gun was on the passenger seat and I had to put it in the glove compartment.
In the big cities like bangkok the police is indeed very corrupt. If they want to put something in your shoes unnecessarily, just don't give in and say you want to go to the agency and still not pay.
I have paid about 250 euros in fines in 8 months (while a fine costs about 8 euros maximum) and most of them were justified. I sometimes just read the ticket as a kind of toll. Sometimes I thought it was safer to break the law. or i didn't know my way around bangkok and i drove on a road where i was not allowed to go and they are always there to check.
You are really negotiating the price with the police, just like on the market. Getting angry doesn't help. Just stay friendly and keep negotiating. the best is therefore to simply bribe the police. Otherwise, you will have to go all the way to the agency to pay for it.
It is corrupt, but on the other hand I often find it fair. Crime is dealt with harshly and there is no pardon. (We in Holland can make a point of that) They don't sit in the bushes like here with speed cameras in the bushes to get a ticket quota. And it is often more pleasant. It is often seen from the human point of view. If it can be done, then the law doesn't matter that much.
Sorry Pam.
But do you want to take a different name.
I'm Pim who doesn't drink and doesn't call it normal with the rules you do break.
I have not collected so many fines in 10 years .
I find your story misleading towards newcomers in Thailand where you especially encourage young people from NL that you can do all this.
I never said anywhere in this article that I drink ??!
There is a difference between drinking a beer in the countryside and driving back home at 40, or getting drunk and hunting hard.
And I always assume my safety. So that's why I also said in my comment that I was thinking about my safety first. instead of the legal rules that everyone violates.
For example: in bangkok mopeds must drive on the far left (this is the law) but this is impossible because cars are parked there, because buses turn up and stop there and then let passengers out. In this case I am breaking the law by driving in the middle lane and this is just being checked at about 6 o'clock in the evening. So you just have that fine.
The fines you receive depend on where and how much you drive. That's just how it is. Bangkok is a minefield in that respect. Everyone (must) break the rules because otherwise it is impossible, and in bangkok it is difficult for a white person to face the police
I am not urging anyone to do this and I certainly have not mentioned young people in NL.
My advice here is mainly; Watch out and do what you think is safest!
Sorry but how can I change my name from the above article?
I now have 91000 km on it with my Yamaha scooter here. If I drove like the average Thai, I probably wouldn't be here anymore. That is not a great loss for humanity, but it is for my girlfriend and my six adopted street dogs. They have lost their Atm' etje. A small metaphor for the underlying misery that traffic accidents entail, not only for the victim, but in many respects also for the next of kin.
I also see in reactions that people describe the Netherlands and Thailand in a comparative sense, that is ¨Comparing apples with pears¨ and actually not possible, not only in terms of traffic, but also in countless other matters. But the sun is shining here and we are still alive…
First of all congratulations on the 10th anniversary of thaiblog, I've been watching it myself for 10 years. Then iTS about traffic I've been driving in Thailand for 43 years now without having had a ticket and I still drive 100000 km a year here and throughout Thailand without a fine or accident. I think that the people who have a problem with the traffic here should go back to nl. I am now 71 years old and have just collected a new driver's license for 5 years within 1 hour everything was ready. So you see that it is also possible here in Ratschabori with VISA, never had a problem. Peter
We already know that driving in Thailand is often bad. Driving is either too careful (slow) or too fast, in my opinion 20% of motorists. The rest just drives.
I got my Thai driver's license at the beginning of this year (I also wrote a blog about it - a joke) and have been driving through Thailand quite a bit since then, the longest of which was from Pranburi to Prasat. You have to pay attention. I also drove criss-cross through Bangkok (more accidentally than wanted) and that was also doable.
You should always drive in good anticipation. This has prevented many accidents. However, this is no different in Europe (used to drive four times a month on the German A4 from Landgraaf to the airport in Frankfurt).
Despite the many mistakes that are made here, I drive much more relaxed here than in Germany or the Netherlands. In the Netherlands I have had the most (high) fines and in Germany I have seen the most accidents. On almost every 280 km ride I passed an accident and once I was allowed to see an accident in the distance and I was able to pass it in time.
I don't see really aggressive behavior in Thailand. On the contrary, most Thais are very tolerant. If I drove in Germany or the Netherlands as I do here in Thailand, I would already have problems. Not that I'm cutting corners here and driving on the wrong side of the road to the right into a street, but you have to adapt to the way of driving here, otherwise you're out of luck. To keep driving on your lines with a people who take those lines very wide is asking for accidents (or head shaking Thais who then say that Farang is "baa".
However, I hope it will improve someday. Not by more fines, but by making people aware of the environment and teaching them to anticipate…that you have to accelerate slightly when accelerating, that you should not drive one meter behind a vehicle, that you cannot change lanes without watch, that you can't just drive onto a road without looking. These are all things that in my opinion can only be learned in real driving lessons. A driving test should not be for everyone, but for people who can demonstrate that they have taken a minimum number of driving lessons from an accredited driving school. I think this would already help a lot.