It's as much a window into Thai culture as it is a guide to driving and contains a few 'aha' insights for those who've ever been perplexed by some of the traffic etiquette in Asia.
> The most important factor that influences all Thai traffic behaviour is what I call a Thai driver’s ‘Range of Responsibility’. A Thai driver’s Range of Responsibility is what he (should) pay attention to in Thai-style, basically it's all that appears in his eyesight without turning his head.
> Because of the Range of Responsibility is a Thai driver's implicit leading principle, everything else depends on it. "You're in my sight so I adapt to you" is the practical solution that Thai traffic society has adopted.
> Hindering traffic flows is common....time isn’t as valuable as in Western societies, there is less of a hurry, there is no concept of opportunity costs, and you’re supposed to adapt and accomodate each other rather than claiming your rights.
> Cutting corners is a habit (or skill!) that Thai people have...the focus is not on doing things the correct way, but on getting your things done the easier way. Another way to understand this behaviour is to realize that it is the flow that goes before the rule...expecting others to stick to the rules doesn't work, you better watch the situation as it occurs and adapt.
> When you engage in Thai traffic, be prepared to take on a double work load: think for yourself but also think for others around you.
> Sometimes traffic doesn't flow through and just parks in the middle of the intersection. The U-turn is Thailand's response to that, it allows traffic to gently blend in with the current flow, in other words: it is the Thai alternative to let people interact more harmoniously and it is much more suitable to Thai culture than open or guarded intersections.
time isn’t as valuable as in Western societies, there is less of a hurry,
This is the opposite of my experience in Bangkok. We were stuck in a taxi in a traffic jam and all the cars were honking, and the taxi driver was fuming.
But then Bangkok may be different than Chiang Mai.
It's as much a window into Thai culture as it is a guide to driving and contains a few 'aha' insights for those who've ever been perplexed by some of the traffic etiquette in Asia.
> The most important factor that influences all Thai traffic behaviour is what I call a Thai driver’s ‘Range of Responsibility’. A Thai driver’s Range of Responsibility is what he (should) pay attention to in Thai-style, basically it's all that appears in his eyesight without turning his head.
> Because of the Range of Responsibility is a Thai driver's implicit leading principle, everything else depends on it. "You're in my sight so I adapt to you" is the practical solution that Thai traffic society has adopted.
> Hindering traffic flows is common....time isn’t as valuable as in Western societies, there is less of a hurry, there is no concept of opportunity costs, and you’re supposed to adapt and accomodate each other rather than claiming your rights.
> Cutting corners is a habit (or skill!) that Thai people have...the focus is not on doing things the correct way, but on getting your things done the easier way. Another way to understand this behaviour is to realize that it is the flow that goes before the rule...expecting others to stick to the rules doesn't work, you better watch the situation as it occurs and adapt.
> When you engage in Thai traffic, be prepared to take on a double work load: think for yourself but also think for others around you.
> Sometimes traffic doesn't flow through and just parks in the middle of the intersection. The U-turn is Thailand's response to that, it allows traffic to gently blend in with the current flow, in other words: it is the Thai alternative to let people interact more harmoniously and it is much more suitable to Thai culture than open or guarded intersections.