Asia After Dark June 2017 | Page 10

DrivinginThailand

FormanyofushereinThailand, weal havetoencounterdrivingontheroads hereatsomepoint. Itcanbeavery dangerousanddauntingtasktryingto cometotermswithdrivinginThailand. Thereareseveralfactorsyouneed tobeawareofataltimeswhendrivinginThailand, andwehavelistedthe mostimportantonesthatmaywelsaveyourlife!

1) Itisanacceptedpracticeandsomepeoplesayisactualylaw, that vehiclesapproachingfrom alefthandturnhavetherightofway. Sowhenyou aredrivingalongaroadandacarormotorbikepulsoutfrom theleft, don’ t bealarmed, makesureyouhaveyourfootonthebrakereadyasitwilhappen althetime. What’ sworse, isingeneraldriverswhodopuloutinfrontof you, havelittleifanyappreciationofwhatspeedyoumaybedrivingat. Itis almostacarefreeattitudethatitisYOU whoneedstoavoidhittingthem!

2) A commonoccurrenceisfordriverstodrivetowardsyouontheWRONG sideoftheroad. Yes, youarehappilydrivingalongtheroadtherightway, andavehicleormotorbikewilbeapproachingyouonyoursideoftheroad. Driversareverylazywhenitcomestogoingdowntherightsideoftheroad, tothendoaU-turntocomebackupandtakewhateverturningtheywant. Insteadit’ smucheasiertojusthopacrossintoyourlaneanddriveatyou!

3) UndertakingwhendrivinginThailand, isalpartofdrivingouthere. Donot

3) UndertakingwhendrivinginThailand, isalpartofdrivingouthere. Donot bealarmedtofindcarsflyingpastyouontheinsidelane, it’ swhathappens outhere. A lothastodowithdrivershoggingtherighthandlanetravelingat ridiculouslyslow speeds, irrespectiveofthefacttherearenocarsinfrontof them. Thisoftenforcespeopletoundertakeinordertopassthem, causingal kindsofdangerandconfusion!