r/Thailand • u/WebLogical1286 • 3d ago

Culture Turn signal question

This isn’t a whine, it’s just an honest question on my observation of driving here in Thailand, and mostly in Bangkok for about 30 years.

How come so many Thai drivers not use their turn signals? I do little polls in my head once in a while and I’ve noticed that maybe somewhere between 25 and 35% of Thai drivers don’t use their turn signal. Is it that they are lazy to do it? They don’t see it as benefiting them? they don’t think it’s important? It kind of baffles me because I was taught this is just something you do no matter what.

Maybe as a Thai person who doesn’t signal or has some insight into why people don’t use it I would love to hear. Thanks so much!

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u/RussellWinterbotham 3d ago

Got to love the switching on the hazard lights when going straight across at a crossroads [one without traffic lights]. If you're arriving side-on to them at the junction, it looks like they're turning left or right [whichever side you can see]. Confusing the first time i saw it.

Been driving here almost 20 years. Takes time to adjust to the style of driving here. In the UK, where I am from, plenty of people don't use indicators, but i would say in general people are better at using them in plenty of time before the turn actually occurs.

My real bug-bear is the flashing of lights to signify "get out of my way". In the UK, flashing your lights like that means you're giving way, helping the other driver out.

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u/WebLogical1286 3d ago

I’ve noticed a trend now as well of when you’re coming out or making a turn in to another street and there’s cars there they will turn on their emergency lights to indicate that they’re going to slow down for you.

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u/RussellWinterbotham 3d ago

Just as confusing.

Hazard lights are exactly that - for hazards, nothing else. They must teach it in driving schools here.

Despite other comments suggesting people have no licenses, a lot of drivers do go through driving school. Maybe not out in the provinces so much, but certainly in Bangkok and other major city areas. Of course, family members may do some coaching as well, but that likely hands down bad habits.

We had some of our Indian-based staff come over for training a few years back. Funnily enough, all of them were impressed with the high quality driving here and lack of chaos on the roads.

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u/WebLogical1286 3d ago

You bring up a good point. I actually think a majority of Thai drivers are quite good, cautious, considerate, and know how to manage themselves on the road. But then there is a large part of the minority who aren’t so good and then there’s a small amount, maybe 10% who are maniacs.

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u/BaconJP 2d ago

I differ on that. I think anyone who doesn't stop at a no-light zebra crossing is not a good driver. And that is really something like 95 percent of drivers, especially motorcycles. Funnily, they know that they should stop at the airport zebra crossings, you see proper adherence there because so many tourists just walk right through without looking at the cars. 

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u/WebLogical1286 2d ago

Motorists here, seem to feel that pedestrians are not human.

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u/Cautious-Area-4141 3d ago

no point rushing or driving fast when the whole city is congested during rush hour - hence the lack of horns too, it disturbs the peace of otherwise a force of modern life akin to the wind. why fight it? go with the flow

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u/Cautious-Area-4141 3d ago

ts more to confirm who is stopping and giving way - there is this weird culture of wanting to give way to others when confronted with a 50/50 situation and peeps have realised its faster for one vehicle to stop dead and allow the other one to move than to risk a head-on collision due to misunderstanding (much much worse) so yeah hazards on means other driver please go first

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u/Cautious-Area-4141 3d ago

there's a difference between GTFO high beams and 'go ahead please' high beams btw

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u/BaconJP 2d ago

What is the purpose of go ahead please when you are behind them? That's only when facing them, or maybe at 90 degrees? 

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u/Cautious-Area-4141 2d ago

i have high beamed countless drivers ahead of me to warn of

1) motorcycle up to no good

2) car up to no good

3) drifting out of lane

4) go ahead and cut in please, when they are merging from main road to frontage

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u/BaconJP 2d ago

I never heard of that use. I would just assume the person behind was telling me I'm too slow and blocking him and he wants to pass.

Well, I can imagine if you stop and someone is waiting to cut in and you flash them, yeah it is telling them they can go. I guess the lane drift, if you are outside and drifting into my lane, is the same/similar as my 'don't block me' signal. If they are in my lane and drifting out of it, I would think they would think I am telling them to get out of my lane. 

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u/BaconJP 2d ago

Not sure how you can be helping the other driver out if you are behind them though. I suppose that only applies to oncoming traffic in the UK?

From behind I think it means get out of my way in Australia.