The Thai style driving context is different from the international context because you always need to make sure that no one passes you or passes you on the wrong side/angle. When turning left, you need to check not only your right side (which is normal), but also your left side, as someone may just want to go straight left. Another difference is that you should not leave the signal on for too long. In international driving, you can leave the signal on for a while, traffic will notice and pass, and you will change lanes or direction after you have been able to do so. In the Thai context, this may not be the case. As soon as you report, the other drivers behind you will be on alert because you will be taking a step that falls within their area of responsibility. Thus, you may notice that the traffic behind you is waiting for you to change lanes, while you are used to international traffic that is just passing through. While you don`t neglect the obligations of your international driving rules to observe 360 degrees around you, in the Thai context, focus your attention primarily on your vehicle. You need to focus about 80-90% of your total attention in your area of responsibility in front of you.

Correct international driving behavior would perhaps attract 60% of your attention in front of you and 40% of your attention around you, because this is also part of your responsibility. But in Thailand you have to break this habit because everyone does the same thing and it is especially in front of you that accidents can occur suddenly. The transition to new traffic laws listing more types of offences and harsher penalties for offenders has already begun. Here`s what you need to know: A striking example of this is pedestrians crossing the street with a zebra, sometimes marked by traffic lights. If such an intersection takes place on a main road without an intersection, most Thai drivers are simply not used to the idea of stopping, as there are no pedestrians crossing all the time. They can therefore continue to drive, even through a red light. This creates dangerous situations for foreigners who trust the green light, I have experienced several near misses and a real accident that happened like this. Parents on a scooter with a toddler between their legs on the scooter crawling with their feet almost touching the ground, reckless acceleration, drunk driving, dangerous takeover movements, etc. are all very common. Although almost standard in some other countries, gloves are often too difficult if you`re just driving around town. Plus, long pants are actually better than shorts, not only as protection against drops and scratches, but also against the sun and mosquitoes. Accidents happen, and in Thailand accidents happen OFT.

In Chiang Mai alone, I suffer an average of 1-2 accidents per month (!) on the road, which means I see it right in front of me or pass a place where an accident happened a few minutes ago and the victims are still lying on the road. In addition, almost every day I see near misses, cars driving a few inches apart, and you can see the white chalk marks of the police almost everywhere on the roads. For me, getting a Thai driver`s license is more of a legal necessity than really helping you stay safe. Yes, you will learn some things that the driver`s license office will test you, but they will not teach how Thais really behave on the road. Taking a motorcycle or car license test in a strict country and then applying that knowledge to the situation here helped me better understand how Thai driving practice really deviates from international standards and how to stay safe. Keep in mind that a Thai driver`s license cannot be converted in many “stricter” countries, but vice versa, it is possible. If you intend to drive a vehicle in Thailand, there are several driving and parking laws that you should be aware of. Possibilities of traffic accidents and differences in interpretation between the Thai and international context: The motorcyclist changes lanes without proper control of the mirrors and shoulders and collides with a fast-moving car. In the context of international traffic, the motorcyclist would probably have been wrong, but in the Thai context, it may well be that the motorist (partially or who) is blamed because he can see what is happening, he may have driven too fast, and the motorcyclist is considered more vulnerable. The legal age limit in Thailand is 18 years. And to get a driver`s license in Thailand, potential drivers must take courses at a driving school before getting a driver`s license.

When traffic is blocked, some vehicles will try to pass the entire queue by changing to the other lane inside a multi-lane road, i.e. by driving against the current (in Thai: ย้อนทาง or ขับรถย้อนทาง or more often ย้อนศร or ขับรถย้อนศร = counter-current driving / arrows). You can see this especially during rush hour when someone is in a hurry or when someone wants to avoid the entire queue by using the lane in the opposite direction to reconnect at the intersection when the traffic light turns green. Even a double line between opposite lanes, which explicitly prohibits crossing to take over, does not prevent Thai drivers from doing so (the difference between a single line and a double line between lanes in the opposite direction is unlikely to be noticed). Resuming the lane in the opposite direction may surprise other road users who did not expect it. Drunk driving will be punished particularly severely under the new laws. Convicted drunk drivers face a fine of up to 20,000 baht and/or imprisonment for up to one year. If they reoffend within two years of their first offence, the resulting fine will be punishable by mandatory imprisonment. The fine can be up to 100,000 baht and the prison sentence up to two years. Thailand has a good network of well-maintained roads and highways between all major centers. Most of the north-south route is two-lane. Road signs follow international conventions and are written in Thai and English.

Night driving on open roads is not recommended due to heavy vehicle traffic, which tends to have poor respect for cars. Motorcycles can sometimes be a danger, especially since they are often driven in oncoming traffic. Driving on the main roads outside Bangkok and in resort areas is both a safe and enjoyable experience. A road holiday offers the opportunity to experience the wonderful Thai culture and the opportunity for travelers to stop for as long as they want in the Kingdom`s many attractions. Perhaps the most important thing is: don`t be overconfident. If you are just starting to drive a motorcycle or vehicle in Thailand, you can feel that everything is under control, you enjoy the roads or the scenery and you can become arrogant. I had three minor slip accidents while riding here, and they all happened at the beginning because I felt too safe to drive and trust the road or others. Driving too fast, hanging on corners, trusting the road surface, and trusting others to follow the rules can all stem from overconfidence and get you in trouble.