The photo above is of a roadsign I have only ever seen in Thailand advising drivers to use a lower gear going UP A HILL. I have often wondered why my car slowed to a stop as I drove steep climbs in fifth gear. Now I know.
Driving in Thailand is one of those hot topics on expat forums and the sort of thing that is often raised in conversations whenever farang get together. The statistic that Thailand is the second most dangerous country in the world to be on the road is sometimes quoted and examples of situations seen here that defy the traffic laws in western countries are exchanged. So what is it actually like to drive here?
I have lived here since mid-2013 and have always had a car from day one. I hired vehicles for five months and then we bought a car once I knew I was retiring here. In that time we have driven around 100,000 km covering all sorts of conditions from big cities to small backroads. This blog is a testament to our wide ranging travels. Based on this experience the following is not just a summary of my views and opinion about Thai driving, which you can take or leave, but I also provide some tips and insights that might help make life easier and safer if you take to the roads here.
Because I don’t have photos that illustrate most of the points I raise I will break up the words with some photos of my favourite roads in Thailand and anything else that is vaguely motoring related. My comparisons are mostly to driving in Australia for obvious reasons but I am sure we Aussies aren’t that different from other westerners in this category if not others! Buckle up (optional) and lets go.

My first freedom transport. This photo was taken in Germany a little while back! I was cute then and nothing has changed.
This photo above made me laugh, not because of the scene but because even then I ended up with flowers on my “wheels”. Nothing has changed as I often get garlands of flowers placed on the dashboard of the truck by Gaun for good luck, either bought from the vendors at traffic lights for 20 baht or ones that she has made herself:
Back to topic. I am probably going to be controversial by saying that I don’t think Thais totally deserve the bad rap they get on the driving issue (I am only talking about cars not motorcycles). I have certainly seen some amazingly awful overtakes and an over-reliance on the grace of Buddha but I have seen the same death defying suspension of common sense on the road in Australia too. The thing is, we all rate the greater freedom Thailand offers as one of the main reasons we live here yet somehow we then expect Thais to operate in the same fashion as the drivers in police states (where motorists are concerned) such as Australia or the UK. It took me a while after moving here but what I found most useful was to relax into the Thai driving style and stop analysing everything according to what would be allowed back “home”. I will expand on this theme as we go along, which I will write in the form of a list of random driving related topics:
Awareness
I find one of the big pluses to driving here is that I am more fully engaged in what’s going on around me than I ever was in Australia. I have driven the backroads from here to Chiang Mai many times, a nine hour journey, but never found it boring in the same way I would say on the backroads from Canberra to Queensland. I can remember doing the drive from Canberra to Sydney and return, a three hour trip each way, on a straight dual carriageway with a 110 km heavily enforced speed limit. I would set the cruise control at 118 km, on the basis the speed cameras were rated at 120 km, and basically fall into the twilight zone until arrival. I got so tired halfway as a result of boredom that I used to stop at McDonald’s for a thickshake sugar hit to keep me going.
I never find Thai journeys that deadly dull. The scenery is more engaging, the traffic is more challenging and the speed limit is more advisory 🙂 Even on major roads I need to be far more aware of what’s happening around me, which keeps me alert. Motorbikes on the left and sometimes the right, SUV’s who think they own the road coming up fast behind (not you Terry), overtaking on the inside and vehicles and motorbikes turning onto the road without checking oncoming traffic. Instead of challenging the situations and getting angry, I generally try to go with the flow and deal with what’s happening around me. An overtake on the inside just as I was about to move into the slow lane is an equal reflection of my inability to monitor what’s happening in the rear vision mirror as it is on the person making that overtake. Get involved and leave the road rage for when you get “home” and it will help.
Driving Etiquette
Slow Lane/Fast Lane on a Dual Carriageway:
The same as Australia. You get people who refuse to move out of the fast lane when they are travelling slowly no matter what you do. It not a “stuff a farang” thing requiring a ” ***** Thai” response – they are a pain for everyone on the road equally and Thais are probably just as frustrated. The good news is that although many expats get caught up in this, overtaking on the inside is perfectly acceptable here. I often do it and on occasions when travelling in a fast lane of equally slow moving vehicles, have had it done to me. I keep a very close eye on the slower moving vehicle while making the inside overtake and am still here to write this blog.
I have no idea what the problem is with this maneuver other than it is illegal “back home”. Stay alert, be prepared to take avoiding action, watch your mirrors and don’t be brain dead. This isn’t “back home” and extra flexibility in regulations is part of the joy of Thailand (and also part of the bad) but it is more punishing on the people who can’t adapt. I liken it to the soi (street) dogs in the village. The ones that don’t quickly get the hang of getting up from lying in the sun on the road aren’t contributing much to the future soi dog gene pool, which is just the way nature designed it 🙂
Also on the plus side I find that if vehicles in the slow lane see you coming up fast behind them most will get out of the way. I sit behind them and if they don’t make any sign to moving over I overtake on the inside….. problem solved. There seems to be an unwritten code that the larger and newer the vehicle the more likely you are to get consideration. I find that the Nissan pick-up gets a more responsive “courtesy” than the little Mazda 2 did in the same situations. That also may be because often the drivers of the big pick-ups (utes) and SUV’s are pretty aggressive on the road to the detriment of smaller vehicles and motorbikes.

Big can be better sometimes. Our new Nissan NP300 Sportech. I love it but not as much as the ladies modelling.
Flashing Lights:
In Australia if a vehicle flashed its lights it might be a warning but often it was an indication that you had right of way. For example if two cars are at an intersection with equal priority and one flashes their lights the other car is free to move.
In Thailand flashing lights is a warning to move over as the other vehicle is coming through (usually a pick-up or SUV) and they will run you over if you don’t get out of the way. This isn’t a negotiable situation and the other vehicle could well be in the wrong according to the road rule book. I have had cars decide that they are going to make an overtake heading towards me and they will flash their lights and move into my lane. In Australia this is a road rage opportunity and probably both cars will play chicken to the last moment. Lights, horns, fists and a residual anger is the result. You can do all of that here too or the alternative is just to move into the motorbike lane on the left (checking your mirror for motorbikes) and enjoy the rest of your day alive and well. It’s not an regular situation but it does happen. I have never had it done to me where there wasn’t space to move over. In the following video note the pick-up in front of us that moves into the bike lane to avoid a bad or aggressive overtake. Nothing dangerous unless he wasn’t paying attention. You will note by my complete lack of emotion at this move that i have been here a while. Most of this video is just of driving and I have left it because it does give you an idea of the quality of a decent rural road with a bike lane.
The Motorbike Lane:
This sort of flows on from the previous topic. Most roads in Thailand apart from the very narrow backroads have some form of motorbike lane on the left side of main pavement. Most motorbikes use this lane although they will venture over if overtaking a slower bike, sometimes without looking, and at school’s out time you may be passed by kids on your right hand side seeing how fast they can go .
This lane can be used as a safety space for cars when a two lane road is turned into an unofficial three lane version due to aggressive or badly planned overtakes as explained previously. Make sure you keep an eye on your rear vision and left mirrors so you know what is in that lane just in case you need to move into it quickly. I also use the bike lane regularly coming up to a crest of a hill. Thais make some very odd decisions about overtaking on hills and it’s an easy defensive move to keep well to the left until you see the road ahead is clear. I can’t recall having a vehicle on my side of the road coming over a hill but others have. It only takes the one so better safe than dead.
In larger urban areas most bikes will still be on the left but it is a far more flexible situation and you should expect them to flow around you on both sides. Drive as you would normally and the bikes sort of work it out by themselves (mostly).
Road Lines:
I find that Thais are really efficient about painting the new lines on a resealed road, unlike Australia where nothing often happened for ages. The downside is that the lines don’t seem to make much sense in relation to the actual road conditions 🙂 Do what the Thais do and basically ignore them. I drive to the situation as I see it and if there’s a double yellow line on a long straight I will overtake as does everyone else. Three demerit points and a multi-hundred dollar fine in Australia no matter how safe the reality is.
Do be careful with overtaking lanes on hills. The end of the lane and a return to a single road is mostly not shown clearly by the painted lines or by the signage as it is in Australia. The transition space, that is the road given over to allow for smooth merging, is often very short so you’ll go from a double to a single in no time. If you are committed to an overtake you might suddenly find the inside vehicle moving across because the extra lane is about to run out. Fun times.
Speaking of lines – make sure you stay off the white line, however faintly painted, at most traffic lights. Although we have all seen vehicles stopped well into the intersection at traffic lights it is in fact illegal to be on or over that line. The police will fine you 400 baht (Nong Bua Lamphu prices – and only by hearsay thankfully) if they are in the mood.

Not all roads have bike lanes or lines. This one heading to Doi Chaang coffee plantation in Chiang Rai. A must do drive if in the area. My original post HERE. I am sure this road has been improved since we went in 2013.
Signage:
Thailand is very kind to us expats (the English speaking ones anyway) in that there is often dual spelling on essential as well as non-essential signage. The road signs are the same. International standards are mostly adopted – a one-way street sign looks the same here as everywhere except it is more likely to be ignored here 🙂
What you will notice is that there are almost no advisory speed signage for corners. You will see signs telling you which direction the curve is going, which is nice, but after that you’re on your own! You can either see this as a negative or take it as I do as another opportunity to be engaged in the drive rather than switching off the brain when you turn on the engine. A GPS can be useful if the road is very varied as you can glance at it and get an idea of what the the road is doing ahead.
Speed Limits:
Having never had to take a Thai driving test I have no idea 🙂 As a rough guide the dual carriageways (motorways) are 110 km/h although some are 90 km/h, most other roads are 90 km/h and urban areas 50 – 60 km/h. You might see signage advising you but it is unlikely. Do what everyone else is doing and you will be around 20 km/h over the legal limit! Buses, trucks etc are supposed to travel slower but I have been overtaken at speed by local Isaan buses that were old rust buckets 20 years ago driven by drivers who Gaun reassuringly tells me are on yaba:
Yaba is a combination of methamphetamine (a powerful and addictive stimulant) and caffeine. Yaba, which means crazy medicine in Thai, is produced in Southeast and East Asia.
I have never been pulled over for speeding although I usually do (I think) but it will happen. A speeding fine, unless you are doing something especially stupid, is around 1,000 baht (A$40.00) and there is no system of demerit points. In Australia you only need three minor driving infringements and you’ve lost your licence. Here you can speed away until your money runs out.
Police
You will be stopped a lot by police here both when driving locally and on a trip by comparison to Australia, where you get your fine in the mail. The vast majority of the police you will see and meet are traffic cops and they are just doing their jobs not angling for a bribe. I am sure in the major southern farang entertainment centres it is a different story but in four years I have never had to pay a bribe for anything (famous last words!). I have found Thai cops to be generally polite, respectful and professional. They often roll out their entire English vocabulary when they see a farang and you can usually just wind down your window and say “Australia, 61 years old” and drive on 🙂
Have your licence readily to hand because that is mostly what they are checking. I have never been asked for my passport (I have a mini-laminated copy in my wallet) except on one occasion just after the military coup when I was returning to Chiang Mai from Isaan. They will also look at your vehicle registration sticker (still on the windscreen old fashion style) and then you will be free to go. Sometimes they just slow you down, check the rego and wave you on. I always laugh at the one time we got a heavy interrogated by a policeman at a roadblock. He asked Gaun in Thai where we were going. Gaun replied “we’re going home” and that was that 🙂 If you want to avoid being stopped by the police drive on Sundays, at lunchtime or when it is raining!
Greenery in the Road
Tree branches lying in the road usually means that there’s a broken down vehicle ahead not that pruning is in progress. This is a cheaper and more convenient solution than the orange cones and does the job. A very Thai solution.
Roundabouts
There maybe some written etiquette on what should happen at a roundabout but it isn’t in evidence once you try to get through one. We have a local roundabout where giving way to the right is a mystery or the biggest vehicle has priority rule applies. In Udon Thani at rush hour the roundabouts are a test of nerve and bluff. I have seen the police set up their checkpoint actually in the roundabout, which adds an extra challenge to traffic flow. It’s all very Thai however and if you take your time it all works out in the end. Unlike elsewhere in the world Thais very rarely blow their car horns so you get none of that feeling of pressure you might in other countries with cars beeping you from behind even if you can’t move.

Mae Salong, a Chinese village in the north of Thailand. Original story HERE.
Turn Left at Traffic Lights
Thailand treats you as an adult in this situation. In Australia you can be sitting at red traffic lights with a clear and safe opportunity to turn left but you have to wait until the lights turn otherwise I am sure there will be a camera to catch you out. Here you can turn left at your risk. If it’s clear off you go. How sensible.
You might also come across traffic lights flashing yellow or red. In either situation you can go through the intersection with care. If you have the yellow lights then you are supposed to have priority but never count on it. I have sat at lights in Australia late at night (I was that sort of party animal back then) with nothing in sight waiting for it to cycle through all the variations before I was cleared to go. We can’t encourage people to use their initiative and common sense – where would that lead?
Ambulances
When I first moved to Isaan I was amazed at the number of ambulances with flashing lights I saw on the road and started to think that I must have chosen a very dangerous place to live. I was also a little concerned by how slowly they were travelling and how little priority they were given by other vehicles. I decided that they must just be staff trying to get to lunch that much quicker, always a priority with any Isaan person.
However I am pleased to learn that there are two levels of ambulance travel you will spot. To explain you have to understand a little of the Thai public medical system. Hospitals are layered with the more basic ones at village and small town level up to the major hospitals in the cities such as Udon Thani or Khon Kaen, which is where my step daughter Peng has her major operation covered HERE. In theory you are supposed to work your way up the chain depending on the severity of your condition. The initial assessment will be done at your local hospital and if you need more specialised care you will be transferred to the next level up and so on. That’s where the many ambulances come into play. In their “relaxed” mode they are transferring non-urgent patients from one hospital to another. They are a taxi service with lights.
The ambulances with lights and sirens that are looking like they are urgently on a mission are just that. They are the real deal and are given some priority attention by the traffic.
U Turns
Most dual carriageway roads have a central verge or concrete wall that separates you from the traffic coming the other way, which is probably a good thing. The only downside is that if you want to turn right you have to wait for a designated U Turn point where there is a space in the barrier. If these points aren’t busy they are no more of a liability than turning across traffic in any situation. However you will sometimes find a big back-up of cars, trucks and bikes waiting to turn and there maybe two or more vehicles at the front row when it is only supposed to be one. It can be all a bit exciting but as always take your time and make a sensible decision and all will be well. When you turn into the opposite road you are supposed to cross all the lanes and you’ll find that there is a merging lane on the far left hand side. This means you don’t have to turn into the main traffic flow, which is travelling at speed. Sensible.
Mainly because of this system you may sometimes come across cars and motorbikes travelling against the traffic on your side of the road. It is less likely on the major and very busy roads but it will happen. The reason for this often is that these people were travelling on the opposite side of the road and then wanted to turn left (from your point of view) and it is quicker to go against the traffic than make an official U Turn. The diagram below illustrates and also demonstrates what happens when you work in government for too long as I did. If you are on road B and want to get to the small exit on road A you can either go all the way down to the U Turn point at 2 and then travel back or of course turn at U Turn 1 and cut across to your exit saving time and making sure you are eating sooner.
This head on traffic can upset some farang because based on the traffic laws in their own country this would be illegal. However in all the instances I have come across this maneuver has presented no problems. The vehicles are usually well over in the bike lane and not travelling fast. You see the situation and if you have to move over to the right lane that’s what you do and carry on. It only become dangerous if you are asleep at the wheel or aren’t willing to adapt to the more flexible driving conditions in Thailand. An angry farang set in his ways is far more dangerous on the roads than most Thai driving situations.
Cha Cha (slowly slowly)
What’s the hurry? I never wear a watch and my ETA is whenever I get there. I am retired and have all the time I am given so what’s the rush? Why risk my wonderful life in Thailand with a slightly risky overtake when a safer opportunity will arrive shortly? Traffic going slowly – who cares. Turn up the music and enjoy the scenery. In urban areas large or small I travel slowly as there is often a lot happening on the roads. Driving through my home village I am well aware of young kids, chickens, dogs, motorbikes, farm vehicles and buffalo all of which can unexpectedly make an appearance onto the small sois.
This isn’t a “get to work on time” western scenario and I have left that mindset behind a long time ago thank God. Try it out here even if you are just visiting. Thai-time can be frustrating but once you adapt it is a far less stressful way live your life.
Motorbikes
Motorbikes WILL turn into the road without looking your way so please be aware of the possibility at every road entering on the left. Once again it’s no problem if you are alert. They usually keep well to the left and are inside your projected path. It just is it can be a surprise sometimes to see it happen.
Driving at night is more challenging as there are few street lights and a lot of bikes seem to have broken rear lights making it hard to spot them. Farm equipment also often have no lights (a torch to see where they are going) so you need to be aware of vague movement in the bike lanes at night. Make sure you have good headlights.

Peng’s three wheel motorbike just after we shipped it to Isaan from Chiang Mai. Unlicenced so for moo ban use only.
Many motorbikes don’t have wing mirrors so be aware that they are more likely to make a rash overtake of a slower bike into your path than those with mirrors. The young blokes take them off to reduce wind drag 🙂 Most mirrors on bikes are used for checking zits, hair and applying makeup (usually when stationary).
Bikes will flow around you when you are stopped at traffic lights. No matter how cluttered it all looks before the lights turn green it all works itself out. Let them go first and cha cha works best.
Other Stuff
Driving Licence
Do make sure you have an international driving licence if you are moving here permanently . It means that you won’t have to take the theoretical test when you come to get a Thai licence, which I hear is a real pain. The Thai licence is for an initial two years and if you survive that they will renew it for five years. Very cheap to get.
Always carry the licence with you as it can be used as a general form of ID (it has your address on it) and you will be asked to produce it by police on a regular basis. You can also use it to prove you are an expat resident rather than a tourist and that can help sometimes by getting you into places that charge farang a premium price – not always but worth a try.
Car Camera
Buy one day one. Heaps of choice under 1,000 baht. If you are involved in an accident it would be really helpful to have a visual record of what happened rather than rely on Thai witnesses. The video I shared above was taken on mine, which has an internal lens as well as the road one.
PTT Service/Gas Stations
These come in two sizes. There are the small PT gas stations in bright green that are everywhere in Thailand. The other is the large PTT stations that always include a 7/11 supermarket and an Amazon cafe plus other shops. Both are great resources for the traveller.
They are well maintained and the toilets are clean. 7/11 has a range of cheap pre packaged food that they will microwave for free, as well as hot and cold drinks. Amazon cafes are always nicely landscaped and offer a peaceful break from driving. Their coffee is more expensive but better than the average. Most of the local gas stations have toilet facilities, good and bad, so if you do get caught short drop in. You don’t have to buy petrol to use their facilities.
Road Numbering
Generally the higher the road number the worse the road. The main national highways are numbered very low 1 or 12 for example. The next level may still be dual carriageways such as the 210 or just a reasonable single road like the one to our home the 228. the 1,000/2,000 series of numbered roads are reasonable rural roads, the 3,000’s less so and beyond that it is all a bit hit and miss. Generally the road system in Thailand is excellent, unless you get really back into the backwaters. Away from the main centres the traffic levels are low and the road surfaces are pretty reasonable. There are almost no overtaking lanes on single lane roads except in hilly areas but I find there are usually lots of straight sections where overtaking if required can be done safely. The scenery is interesting and you are often slowing to go through small moo bans (villages) that break up the trip (off the main highways of course).

A backroad to Chiang Dao outside Chiang Mai. Original post HERE.
Low Gear
I made comment at the very beginning of this post about the challenges hills pose to some Thais. I came across this funny entry on another blog written by someone trying to get to a temple in Isaan called Wat Pa Phu Kon, one of my favourites and on my list of “The Best Wats of Isaan” HERE:
NOTE: If you have an automatic car, I would HIGHLY suggest you don’t try to drive up to the main temple grounds. The road going to the main temple grounds is VERY steep and thus it would place a heavy strain on the cars transmission. Especially going down I don’t want to imagine if your breaks fade and you get in that situation when you step on your break pedal only to have the break pedal slam into the floor board and you are coasting down the hill faster and faster! Since I have an automatic car, I turned around about half way to the main temple grounds and we got the service of one of the temple service trucks to take us to the main temple grounds.
The final climb to this temple is a steep one but we did it at the time in an automatic Mazda 2 and we got up there without too much strain on the transmission. The “breaks” didn’t fade and slam into the floor boards on the way down either. Phew. We are taking a friend there early October so I will report back (if we make it).
I have probably missed things that I will think of later. So may update this post from time to time.
A couple of other posts you might find interesting:
Buying a Car in Thailand HERE
Motor Registration Renewal HERE
Update 27 Sept 2017
That SAME afternoon in our village this happened, which supports my recommendation to drive cha cha (slowly slowly). The calf came close to wiping out a bicycle being ridden by an elder.
An even greater disaster was averted as I had just stopped at the local noodle shop to buy some beer and you can hear the bottles falling over as I quickly slowed. I am happy to report none were broken
A couple more thoughts on Thais using lights on cars:
- When Thais indicate a lane change they mostly expect to wait until the road is clear before making that change. Other Thai drivers will NOT usually slow down to let them come across. Leave your western road courtesy aside and do what the Thais do. To slow down and expect them to move over is not likely to happen or not for ages anyway. You sit there probably blocking the fast lane and they sit there waiting for you to pass so that they can move over!
- Putting on hazard lights (both indicator lights) at an intersection means that you are planning on going straight ahead. I find this a very useful extra warning to vehicles around as to your intention.
- Thais are very slow to turn their lights on as the light fades in the evenings. I had an expat tell me once that he thought it was because they thought turning lights on used more power and therefore fuel, which sounds stupid BUT………..! Many Thais will only turn on their lights when they can no longer see the road, and some not even then, and have no concept of using headlights so other can see them sooner in dark conditions. Most new vehicles have LED driving lights that are on when the engine is running, as do motorbikes, but using headlights as a daytime safety feature is not widely used. In Cambodia only official government vehicles are allowed to have their lights on in the daytime (or so the urban myth goes – supported to some extent by comments on the web). ASEAN in action.
Thanks for reading.
Very interesting, and indeed he would be interesting to know the statistics according to vehicle types and especially schedules of the accidents.
Personally I avoid of conduct the night, as well as Friday and Saturday …
I obtained my 2 licences Thai (motorcycles and automobile) very simply: visual test and of reflex, inevitable 555
Thank you for your comment Maurice. Safe driving/riding.
Tony
Hi Tony,
Great article. I drive around 40,000km each year in Thailand. I have driven pretty much all over the country on all types of roads. Sometimes, I find myself driving in the middle of rice fields, but that’s a totally separate story and no, it has nothing to do with being drunk or drugged.
Your observations are pretty much spot on. There is an unofficial give way rule in Thailand, “might is right” which basically means that the bigger you are (your car) the more right of way you have. This is why motorcyclists will sometimes stop for cars, even when they have the obvious right of way.
On the subject of motorcycles, they are a lot of fun to ride here, but they are also up to 80% of Thailand’s road fatalities, so if you ride, take care. As a driver, you really do need to keep your eyes scanning everywhere, all the time as the majority of riders will do things that you are unlikely to ever experience back in your home country.
The lack of speed advisory signs on corners can be a problem for big bikes if you end up coming into corners too fast. I find it better to slow down earlier and be safe on the bends.
One very troubling aspect to driving in Thailand is so many drivers taking the “racing line” through corners. I have yet to find out why they do it, but it can make overtaking very difficult when you are on a multi-lane highway that is a constant series of bends. The car in front will be swerving across every lane (including the motorcycle/emergency lane) and in a lot of cases will not even know that someone is coming up behind them. Be prepared to give them a short beep of the horn to let them know you are there and they should straighten up and stay in a lane to let you past.
The bigger problem is when it is a single lane each way with no center median strip. Drivers will often swerve onto the wrong side of the road which can present you with a nasty surprise when you can’t see them coming at you. It’s not so bad if you are in a big SUV or pickup, but when you are on a motorcycle it can present a bigger challenge to tighten your line to give them room.
Another thing that I have noticed is that many drivers do not seem to be able to move from the right lane to the left lane on a right hand bend or to move from the left lane to the right on a left hand bend. Cornering safely and properly appears to be a problem for a lot of drivers so watch out on bends.
Road junctions (intersections) are the high risk areas for accidents. One common thing that I have seen after studying a lot of CCTV footage of accidents is cars and motorcycles coming out from side streets that appear to have totally misjudged their ability to accelerate and the speed of approaching vehicles which promptly run into them.
There is a really good UK website, https://nosurprise.org.uk/ that has a lot of useful suggestions to improve how you ride/drive to reduce the chances of being involved in an accident. The basic premise is that many accidents are the result of something unexpected happening, ie. a surpise. If you learn to recognise where things may “jump out” and surprise you, then you will already have planned how to counter it and avoid the problem.
Peter.
Hi Peter.
I am sorry that I have missed your very solid contribution to this subject. For some reason notification of new comments sometimes appear and sometimes don’t. Must be my Thai ISP adopting local customs 🙂
I can relate to everything you write about although from a car driver’s point of view only as I have never been a bike rider other than locally to the farm. I have noticed the different attitude I get driving the now not so new Nissan pickup over the little Mazda 2. There is definitely a pecking order depending on size and the cost of your vehicle. An SUV trumps my pickup but I rule supreme mostly except for an old Isaan bus with a driver on yaba who is king of the road – ALL of the road 🙂 Of course motorbikes are at the bottom and subjected to a lot of road abuse and carelessness as a result.
I drive confidently but am prepared to give way to a bicycle if necessary. Leave one’s ego at home and life on the road becomes a lot safer.
Thanks again.
Tony
Hi Tony,
I try to honour the give way laws whenever possible. This means I will wait for a motorcycle or bicycle if they have right of way. This does seem to cause some confusion, but once they realise I have stopped to let them pass, I generally get a nod of thanks and they are on their way again. The only exception to the give way rules is when the traffic is really heavy and you need to slowly but assertively push you way into traffic. This is more of a Bangkok thing as traffic is rarely heavy outside there.
When I am on a motorcycle, I ride it like I was driving a tank. I will appear that I am going to exercise my legal right of way, even though I am always prepared for anything and will stop if I need to. Almost all motorists will respect you if you are doing the right thing.
Hi Tony, I have been following your posts for some time now, I’ve noticed no new posts since September, hope you and your family are ok, my wife and I started building a Thai style wooden house near Phayao, I thought if your interested I can send some pics of the build, we bought and old wooden house and will use the wood for the new place…I have a great local builder and a perfect site to build, hope to hear from you, all the best for 2018…Cheers!…please feel free to email me .
Hi Shane.
Yes we are all very OK thank you Shane. I have just been having a block writing for the blog but am about to get into catch-up mode in a burst of 2018 enthusiasm! I would enjoy seeing more of your build. Converting a wooden house into a farang home is one of my great interests. I will email you separately.
All the best for you and family for 2018.
Tony
Hi Tony, good to hear you only have writers block, look forward to 2018 in Issan and maybe beyond, I sent off some pics of our wooden house build in Mae Chai, hope you receive them ok, I only have an iPad at the moment, and cafe wifi, all good…cheers!
All good Shane. I have replied to your photos as you know.
Cheers.
Loved the picture on the bike!! You don’t look a day older now…..
Just catching up on the blogs
I know. I just got taller.
Happy birthday by the way. I hope you had a lovely day and I will catch up with a proper chat later.
Tony,one of your best posts. Like you, we do a lot of touring in Thailand & are leaving tomorrow for Nan, Bo Kluea/Doi Phu Ka, Phu Chi Fa, Mae Salong, Pai, Mae Hong Son & Doi Inthanon before heading back to Thung Yai near Kranuan. We quite enjoy tuoring around, especially off the main highways, but this is a timely reminder to restrain my falang instincts. I had also never seen the Thai accident stats broken down this way, & they are much less daunting.keep up the good work! Gerry
Thank you Gerry. That’s a great trip you have planned. I love the far north of Thailand. We have visited some of those places but not all.
Safe driving and have fun.
Tony, You have some nice information presented in a positive manner. As is true any place in the world, there are both good and bad points in living conditions, driving, etc.
I’m a retired American living in Phuket and enjoy reading your submissions. Thank you.
Thank you David. Give my regards to Phuket. I have happy memories of spending time there.
Cheers Tony
Hi Tony,
Another great post which is exactly mirrors the situations that I have encountered here in Roi Et. I tend to use our motorcycle or bicycle in our Moo Ban but on the highway we use our car. I must admit that having driven all over the world Thailand was an eye opener for me it is no use getting aeriated as I have learnt one has to chill as Nond says “this is Thailand” As mentioned before a great advisory post for any new farang wishing to settle here.
Cheers Nobby. I think it is easy to get caught up on how things SHOULD be according to our background of driving elsewhere rather than how they are even if the reality in front of us isn’t necessarily dangerous. I still get a rush of annoyance when a car overtakes by pulling out into my lane heading towards me, flashing their lights and expect me to move partly into the bike lane. The farang in me wants to flash back and stay where I am until the last moment but the reality is that it is no big deal to move left (checking mirrors) and let the other guy through. Totally safe and no drama unless we challenge the situation on our historical terms. Adapt and survive.
While I have you if you’re reading this reply 🙂 have you been to Wat Pha Nam Yoi, which is close to Roi Et? I saw a report on Thai TV and it looks almost completed and even more spectacular than we we called into see it a couple of years ago. I would rate this as one of the finest temples in Thailand if it has been completed to the standard they were displaying when we were there. It’s a four plus hour trip each way for us but I would make the effort just to see the end result. It was covered in my recent post https://tonyinthailand.com/the-best-wats-of-isaan/
Well done Tony. This would be a fantastic guide to any new Falang driver in Thailand. As a Brother Falang holding a Thai licence now and having driven several thousand km in North Central and Southern Thailand (no where near as many km as you though ) I think you have nailed it all. Cheers Ian
Great to hear from you Ian. I hope you are back in the country and settling into your maybe now not so new life?
You nailed it all Tony, well covered mate. As a Brother Falang I have driven several thousand km in North South and Central Thailand (not anywhere near as many as you!) I do have a Thai licence now This blog would be a fantastic advisory guide for sure to any new Falang drivers. Cheers Ian
Another factor that influences traffic fatalities is the quality and availability of the EMS or paramedic ambulance service, which comes up lacking in Thailand. Mai pen rai.
It isn’t a very encouraging sign for your survival after a road accident when you have a rescue centre in SBR that stacks coffins in the reception area!
G’day Tony
Another great read as always :-).
I’ve only really experienced driving in and around Sakon Nakhon (except for taxi rides in Bangkok, which is another story). In Isaan I found it both relaxing and curtious, mainly because no one was in a hurry to get to their destination, we too just went with the (slow) flow.
What pleasantly surprised me was the use of traffic lights with count down numbers, indicating how long you have remaining to cross a major intersection. I’ve never seen them used in Western Australia, do they exist in the eastern states of Australia? Sounds like it is too high tech and too obvious for Oz to provide this safety related information to drivers.
Thanks again for your insight into Thai life and culture (on and off the roads), it always make for an interesting and enjoyable read.
Regards Chris
Perth WA
Thanks Chris.
The last taxi ride I took in Bangkok to the airport the driver spent the entire time on the tollway in a lane on the far left that didn’t even exist. I owed Buddha big time for that trip.
I haven’t seen those countdown traffic lights either until I came here. No doubt in Australia they would be used as an opportunity for hoons to start racing but they do give you an indication of how close you are to the lights changing, which is a good thing if done sensibly.
Hi Tony,
Very entertaining read with lots of good information.
I agree with you 100% on almost every point you made…… except for the last one! I have driven extensively in both Thailand and in the USA and I can say, without a doubt, that it is safer to drive in the USA (in my experience) ….. including New York! LOL
Thanks for the great post!
Thanks Mike. Good to hear from you.
I am going to revisit those statistics because a more sensible comparison would be the number of cars in each country rather than basing it on the population. On that basis Thailand is double the US death rate.
Interestingly the US is more than double Australia using this comparison. I wonder if that has anything to do with the use of seatbelts. Is the US still more lenient about the use of seatbelts or is that a state by state thing? They are mandatory in Australia across all states.
We hope you see you both back this year for your annual visit.
Tony
In the USA seatbelt laws are left to the states. Every state has some kind of seatbelt law.
Most states have what is termed “Primary Enforcement” which allows the cops to pull you over and ticket you if they see you driving with no seatbelt on.
Other sates have “Secondary Enforcement” where a cop can ticket you for not wearing a seatbelt but only after pulling you over for a “Primary Offense” such as speeding, reckless driving, running a red light etc….
These days I see so much texting going on while driving (even though it is against the law) that I would not be surprised to see those statistics go up considerably! Those that are texting while driving scare me more than anyone else on the roads these days.
Hope to see you in a few months…. Tell Gaun we said hello.
Cheers,
Mike
Great write up Tony. I’ll be moving over there next month and have been concerned about the driving situation in Thailand for some time…
Lets see how it goes, but I also had the mindset that a lot of the time, accidents were a result of bad decisions and pure carelessness..
Hi Kevin.
I have found that as long as you are engaged and prepared to give way to everybody, whether they are right or wrong by our standards, it’s not too bad.
Good luck and safe travels.
Tony
Another enjoyable read Tony, and good observations on driving on Thai roads. I agree, it’s always interesting on the roads here, even going for a routine drive.
Thanks!
Thanks Mike. Much appreciated.
Hi Tony,
Common sense – at last!
I certainly agree with your assessment of the Thai driving style. In all my years of association with Thailand, I have never experienced any situation, on the road, that I would not be confronted with in my home country. The huge challenge, I believe, is negotiating the incredible traffic volumes in Bangkok and surrounds! Easier (and safer) to use a Taxi.
My worst driving nightmare, is without a doubt, Italy. Talk about intimidating hooters!
I have always been fascinated by the Thai tendency to convey their entire family on a single motor scooter. One mishap, and the the entire family face their demise. Takes gambling to a whole new level.
On an unrelated note, your Mum, kinda, dressed you funny. Girls shoes no less?
Kind Regards,
Jim
Thanks Jim.
I do remember picking up a left hand drive, manual car in the centre of Florence, Italy and trying to navigate to my sister’s home close to the Arno river. Thailand is easy compared to that experience.
I do think you are right about the number of potential victims in an accident here. In Australia most road accidents would only have one or two people involved. Here you could have a pick-up with ten or more people or the family on a motorbike scenario you raise. The accident rate may be the same but the casualties would be a lot higher.
Fashion has changed a bit over the years and I resent you suggesting that there may be a ladyboy hidden away in my background. The fact that I have several shoes exactly like that in my current extensive wardrobe is not to be mentioned on this blog 🙂