Green Means Go

Driving in Thailand is a mission not for the weak at heart. Not only does traffic flow on the left side of the road, but there are literally no (or at least FEW) traffic rules. There is no such thing as cutting a person off - motorcycles swerve in front of big trucks and pull out of alleyways onto main streets so quickly that I personally would not have failed in colliding with them. However, Thais must either be amazing drivers, or have extremely quick reflexes. I personally believe it is the latter.

If you drive in Bangkok with a taxi driver (or tuk tuk if you are a more courageous soul) you will weave in and out of the surrounding vehicles at 130 kmph all the while, holding onto their cellphone in one hand and not managing to dishevel a single hair. Thai drivers are crazy (as my visitors and many other fellow falangs will agree).

Turn signals are not used for turning. They are used if they are pulling over a foot to the side, to indicate someone can pass, to signal a stop or that it is okay they were cut off. Almost never for turning - unless they are taking a round corner, in which case there is no need to signal... but they do anyway.

I spend a lot of time biking in Nakhon Phanom which has left me with not only nice strong legs but a good understanding of Thai driving. I would usually be too afraid to bike on the road with cars flying by, but Thailand has given me a lot of courage; if I can bike around in Thailand, I can bike anywhere. The roads are horribly paved and have big chunks of tar strips across the street that cause me to jiggle and bump as I bike overtop. Dogs chase you down the street, cars pull out in front of you even if you have the "right of way" (not that there is any such thing in Thailand) and you continually find new alleyways to sneak down to save yourself from the song taews of screaming school children.

Driving is a mission in Thailand, but thankfully I am not weak at heart.

"Lets waste time, chasing cars"