Thailand (Lonely Planet, 13th Edition) - China Williams [650]
It is also possible to buy a new or used motorcycle and sell it before you leave the country.
Insurance
Thailand requires a minimum of liability insurance for all registered vehicles on the road. The better hire companies include comprehensive coverage for their vehicles. Always verify that a vehicle is insured for liability before signing a rental contract; you should also ask to see the dated insurance documents. If you have an accident while driving an uninsured vehicle, you’re in for some major hassles.
If you need auto insurance, a policy can be purchased inexpensively through local companies. Two of the more reliable ones are Bangkok Insurance (0 2285 8888; www.bki.co.th) and AIA Thailand (www.aiathailand.com).
Road Rules & Hazards
Thais drive on the left-hand side of the road (most of the time!). Other than that, just about anything goes, in spite of road signs and speed limits.
The main rule to be aware of is that right of way goes to the bigger vehicle; this is not what it says in the Thai traffic law, but it’s the reality. Maximum speed limits are 50km/h on urban roads and 80km/h to 100km/h on most highways – but on any given stretch of highway you’ll see various vehicles travelling as slowly as 30km/h and as fast as 150km/h. Speed traps are common along Hwy 4 in the south and Hwy 2 in the northeast.
Indicators are often used to warn passing drivers about oncoming traffic. A flashing left indicator means it’s OK to pass, while a right indicator means that someone’s approaching from the other direction. Horns are used to tell other vehicles that the driver plans to pass. When drivers flash their lights, they’re telling you not to pass.
In Bangkok traffic is chaotic, roads are poorly signposted and motorcycles and random contra flows mean you can suddenly find yourself facing a wall of cars coming the other way.
Outside of the capital, the principal hazard when driving in Thailand, besides the general disregard for traffic laws, is having to contend with so many different types of vehicles on the same road – 18-wheelers, bicycles, túk-túk (motorised pedicabs) and motorcycles. This danger is often compounded by the lack of working lights. In village areas the vehicular traffic is lighter but you have to contend with stray chickens, dogs and water buffaloes.
HITCHING
Hitching is never entirely safe in any country and we don’t recommend it. Travellers who decide to hitch should understand that they are taking a small but potentially serious risk. Hitching is rarely seen these days in Thailand, so most passing motorists might not realise the intentions of the foreigner standing on the side of the road with a thumb out. Firstly, Thais don’t ‘thumb it’, instead when they want a ride they wave their hand with the palm facing the ground and the arm slightly outstretched. This is the same gesture used to flag a taxi or bus, which is why some drivers might stop and point to a bus stop if one is nearby.
In general, hitching isn’t worth the hassle as buses are frequent and cheap. In some of the national parks where there isn’t public transport Thais are often willing to pick up a passenger standing by the side of the road.
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LOCAL TRANSPORT
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City Bus & Srng•ta•ou
Bangkok has the largest city-bus system in the country. Elsewhere, public transport is typically supplied by srng·ta·ou that run established routes, although Udon Thani and a few other provincial capitals have city buses.
The etiquette for riding public transport is to hail the vehicle by waving your hand palm-side downward, You typically pay the fare once you’ve taken a seat or when you disembark.
A srng·ta·ou (literally, ‘two rows’) is a small pick-up truck with two rows of bench