Turning Left at Red Light

[Trvlr 50]

Can someone enlighten me what the rule is in Thailand/Pattaya about turning left on a red light.

Is it no left turn at all, unless there is a sign allowing it.

Or is it left turn after coming to a stop?

 

I see traffic turning left freely at red lights, but I was stopped the other day at the Pattaya Tai/3rd Road intersection. It was a trap, but if the law says you cannot turn left then there is nothing more to it.

[GlynRhedyn 32]

I, like most I guess, give way when turning left at a red light. If it's clear proceed with caution. I'm not sure if that's the law but it seems to be what everybody does.

Glyn.

[marleyboy 140]

This is Thailand.

I only turn left on a red..............if I see others doing it, or if no Police box, or evidence of police there.

Ive no idea if it is legal. What seems to be "legal though? is the corrupt Thai police choosing wether or not it is! then wether or not they decide to fine you for it! Obviously, I only turn left if safe to do so!

 

Ive even waited at a red , until some Thai turns left...then I will follow suit. I never drive a care in Pattaya though, just a scooter...............and that's becoming more and more rare.............nothing to do with the traffic..more to do with the Police , as I really hate being made to pay fines for naff all!

Edited November 8, 2013 by marleyboy

[fisherman194 702]

Can someone enlighten me what the rule is in Thailand/Pattaya about turning left on a red light.

Is it no left turn at all, unless there is a sign allowing it.

Or is it left turn after coming to a stop?

 

I see traffic turning left freely at red lights, but I was stopped the other day at the Pattaya Tai/3rd Road intersection. It was a trap, but if the law says you cannot turn left then there is nothing more to it.

only Pappilon is allowed to turn left

[jacko 8,813]

There are signs saying you shouldn't do it.

But people sure get pissed when you make them wait behind you.

The police seem to have latched onto this lately as a good earner.

The place would be safer though if they caught those who accelerate through red lights.

[lanzalad 128]

you couldn't do it then you could then you couldn't...

 

simple..

[pattayaman2001 24]

Turn left at red as long as no BIB are there.

[The_Fat_Controller 25]

Allowed at some, prohibited at others.

 

I only drive when I have a Thai with me, so she reads the signs and tells me what I can do.

[PattayaPete 530]

Left turn on red is allowed by default. It is only not allowed when there is a sign disallowing it.

 

The signs in Pattaya have a red left arrow and some English writing that is very ambiguous. So, if no sign, proceed with caution. If there is a sign, regardless of what you think it might mean, wait for the green.

[MM 6,562]

Left turn on red is allowed by default. It is only not allowed when there is a sign disallowing it.

 

The signs in Pattaya have a red left arrow and some English writing that is very ambiguous. So, if no sign, proceed with caution. If there is a sign, regardless of what you think it might mean, wait for the green.

 

I was waiting once prior to turning left onto Third Road from Pattaya Tai (going west).

 

I was first at the light, and there was a sign (still is, and I think it says wait for the light before turning left).

 

The policeman in the box came out and started banging on my window and yelling at me while gesturing for me to move on (turn left).

 

I'm still leery of that corner tho unless I see other vehicles moving thru the light ahead of me.

[jaxxon55 252]

They stop people frequently now for doing what he urged you to do. Sign says "Left turn waiting light." in English. That means wait for the light.

Jack

I was waiting once prior to turning left onto Third Road from Pattaya Tai (going west).

 

I was first at the light, and there was a sign (still is, and I think it says wait for the light before turning left).

 

The policeman in the box came out and started banging on my window and yelling at me while gesturing for me to move on (turn left).

 

I'm still leery of that corner tho unless I see other vehicles moving thru the light ahead of me.

[Idefix 2,275]

The signs in Pattaya have a red left arrow and some English writing that is very ambiguous. //

If there is a sign, regardless of what you think it might mean, wait for the green.

I agree. I think the sign say "Turn Left Waiting Light" ... Meaning ??

 

There are many of them mainly along/around 3rd road

and I see policemen waiting for offenders at 3rd Road/South road crossing nearly every morning !

BTW offender are mainly motorbikes and mainly Thai...

[bratpack 91]

This is Thailand.

I only turn left on a red..............if I see others doing it, or if no Police box, or evidence of police there.

Ive no idea if it is legal. What seems to be "legal though? is the corrupt Thai police choosing wether or not it is! then wether or not they decide to fine you for it! Obviously, I only turn left if safe to do so!

 

Ive even waited at a red , until some Thai turns left...then I will follow suit. I never drive a care in Pattaya though, just a scooter...............and that's becoming more and more rare.............nothing to do with the traffic..more to do with the Police , as I really hate being made to pay fines for naff all!

A crazy statement. u dont turn left on a red light,if there is a sign telling u not too,its very easy to see,if no sign,turn left with caution,how easy is that to comprehend,its got nowt to do with corrupt police and entrapment.

[Bushcraft 2,579]

The problem, as somebody pointed out, is that if you obey the sign and stay waiting in the left lane you will inevitably have a line of irate Thais behind you who have no intention of obeying it. I was once pressured by this into risking the left turn from 3rd Road into Tai on red, and was promptly stopped and booked by the copper concealed around the corner, while the rest whizzed past. Really galling.

I think it's madness to have imposed this ban at that junction anyway, the left resp. right turn on red principle really helps to keep traffic flowing and should be adopted everywhere (as in the US too).

[Fondles 94]

Turn left at red as long as no BIB are there.

Pretty much what I do, no pigs = go round that corner.

 

to stick it up the locals though any zebra crossing that has lights..... I stop for those.

Edited November 9, 2013 by Fondles

[InternationalTraveler 282]

Left turn on red is allowed by default. It is only not allowed when there is a sign disallowing it.

 

The signs in Pattaya have a red left arrow and some English writing that is very ambiguous. So, if no sign, proceed with caution. If there is a sign, regardless of what you think it might mean, wait for the green.

 

I am with PP on this one....the b.i.b. are getting smart...it is just another 'cash cow'

The other month on my m/c took a sneaky look round the corner before turning left off Pattaya Tai onto 3rd Road towards Tony's Gym..the b'stard jumped out of the shadows.

It was not the 400 baht that hurt... it was the 1- hours wait in the Soi 9 Station waiting to pay my fine...pick a number and join the queue.

 

White writing on a blue background sign just before the turn...blue is mandatory.

Now i always wait for green.

[MM 6,562]

I am with PP on this one....the b.i.b. are getting smart...it is just another 'cash cow'

The other month on my m/c took a sneaky look round the corner before turning left off Pattaya Tai onto 3rd Road towards Tony's Gym..the b'stard jumped out of the shadows.

It was not the 400 baht that hurt... it was the 1- hours wait in the Soi 9 Station waiting to pay my fine...pick a number and join the queue.

 

White writing on a blue background sign just before the turn...blue is mandatory.

Now i always wait for green.

 

I wonder if that is the same cop that jumped out at me and told me to turn left on red.

[steamer 158]

I was travelling south on Sukhumvit going to the Silver Lake winery and I was pulled aside by the coppers at a traffic light. My IDL was all in order and I was let go. 'My girl' told me that I didn't leave enough room for those behind me to turn left and that was the reason that I was stopped. I did leave plenty of room btw.

[midlifecrisis 4,048]

MM, check out the sec on response. Sounds like your intersection.

 

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/262275-car-can-turn-left-at-red-stop-light/

[jacko 8,813]

I agree. I think the sign say "Turn Left Waiting Light" ... Meaning ??

 

There are many of them mainly along/around 3rd road

and I see policemen waiting for offenders at 3rd Road/South road crossing nearly every morning !

BTW offender are mainly motorbikes and mainly Thai...

It means wait for the light if you are turning left.

It is also a red arrow.

I think the meaning is clear to English speakers if not perfect

They are dotted around off the main Pattaya Roads.

Left off Klang (heading towards the beach) onto ArunoTai is a sneaky one.

Doesn't matter if you aren't on a bike...the baht buses rarely leave the left lane clear.

[bratpack 91]

Its a pain in the ass waiting,but it does show the BIB arent after money,and less corruptionbut we still moan lol,much easier give the cop 200 baht but times they are a changing,and we still complain.

I am with PP on this one....the b.i.b. are getting smart...it is just another 'cash cow'

The other month on my m/c took a sneaky look round the corner before turning left off Pattaya Tai onto 3rd Road towards Tony's Gym..the b'stard jumped out of the shadows.

It was not the 400 baht that hurt... it was the 1- hours wait in the Soi 9 Station waiting to pay my fine...pick a number and join the queue.

 

White writing on a blue background sign just before the turn...blue is mandatory.

Now i always wait for green.

[Idefix 2,275]

It means wait for the light if you are turning left.

It is also a red arrow.

I think the meaning is clear to English speakers if not perfect

I remember that the first time I saw this panel I understood it the wrong way;

like "(you can) Turn Left (at) Waiting Light", so "Can turn left at red light"...

 

It would have been a lot of clear (to me) with a wording

like "No Turn Left at Red Light"...

 

BTW why this red arrow? A "standard" no turn left panel would have been lot of clearer:

[jacko 8,813]

I remember that the first time I saw this panel I understood it the wrong way;

like "(you can) Turn Left (at) Waiting Light", so "Can turn left at red light"...

 

It would have been a lot of clear (to me) with a wording

like "No Turn Left at Red Light"...

 

BTW why this red arrow? A "standard" no turn left panel would have been lot of clearer:

Doesn't that mean no left turn..... ever!

I read the Pattaya sign as it was meant, perhaps due to my time in the USA where right-on-red is common.

The UK you can never turn left on red, they have filter lanes if you can, with a Give Way or it's own dedicated traffic light.

 

Pattaya traffic lights are way behind the times. The scheduling can often seem idiotic.

[MM 6,562]

Here's the sign going north on Third road at Pattaya Tai.

Notice how it's conveniently partially obscured by the tree.

 

Tapatalk

 

 

[jacko 8,813]

I see a policeman watering that tree often!

These guys have got all the Pattaya Expats taking pictures and counting baht buses on street corners!