I found a very helpful and well-made website about life in Thailand – Freebeerforyorky. For us, motorcyclists, more interesting part is “Driving in Rural Thailand”. Yorky, the author of named after website, allowed me to republish typical manoeuvers, which Thai drivers use everyday. For Western drivers, who can lose driving license after 1 mistake, some of this manoeuvers seem funny, some – stupid, some – dangerous. But relaxed, polite and tolerant Thais live in this traffic Babylon for years.
“Shortest path between two points is a straight line”
“Cars are slower than motorcycles, anyway”
“It’s enough that I turned neatly during the driving courses”
“No-no, on a motorcycle you can easily bypass all oncoming cars”
“The shortest path between two points is a straight line-2”
“My 10 amulets and everyday prayer to Budha will help me to not to be smashed on that concrete dividing wall”
“I’d better spend 5 mins to cheating traffic light rather than wait 1 min for green”
“Left lane, right lane, stop puzzle me! I have a faster engine, period.”
I passed my driving test whilst serving in the British Army in 1963. I have driven all around Europe and the Near East without a single accident for 47 years. I have lived in Thailand for two years and my Truck has been rammed in the back twice now by mopeds driven by Thais. The first occasion involved a young Thai girl who ‘smashed’ into the back of my Nissan when it was legally parked at the side of the road, facing in the direction of the traffic and in a well lit area. My wife and I witnessed the event from a coffee house opposite. Witnesses alledged that prior to the collision she was on her mobile phone. How unusual!!! Fortunately she wasn’t badly hurt but did try to get away from the scene before other ferrangs stopped her. The Police were summonsed to the scene and after a conflab suggested that, as I was fully insured and she wasn’t, that I tell my insurance company that I had reversed into a post thus causing my rear offside light cluster to be severely damaged!! To add insult to injury
The following day her Father denied his daughter was at fault and that I should pay for the damage to her Bike!!!
Several weeks later I was driving along the main road into Hua Hin. The traffic was ‘stop-go’ I had been stopped in the heavy traffic for several seconds when there was an almighty crunch. It was immediately evident that something had crashed into the back of my truck. My wife and I got out and sure as eggs are eggs there was a young Thai lad lying on the ground. The force with which he hit my vehicle caused his moped to skid into the side of another vehicle stationary in the traffic at the nearside of my truck. This car was extensively damaged along its complete offside.The driver’s door was jammed shut.
After having a new bumper fitted to my Truck I have now decided to sell it and go for an ex Thai Army ‘APC’ (Armoured personnel carrier)!
Regards, Trig.
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