I'm a Brit. I was taught to drive ( properly ) by my grandfather ( in the early '70's ). In Britain we have a booklet called "The Highway Code", which describes Road Markings, Traffic Signs, Traffic Priorities at Junctions, Roundabouts etc. etc. In order to gain a Driving License, as well as having to prove your ability to handle a vehicle in traffic, you are also quizzed on the Highway Code.

Having rules makes life both simpler and safer - provided everybody "plays" by the same set of rules.

The "rule" in question here is the white line, perpendicular to the flow of traffic, at a junction - be it the entry to a roundabout, a "T" junction, or a crossroads. The British Highway Code actually details 2 such Road Markings - a single white line, and a double white line. Both require the driver to give way to other traffic at the junction; from memory, I believe the double white line requires the driver to virtually Stop - my Grandfather ( Driving Instructor ) reinforced this by saying "Only cross it in first gear". I don't know that I've seen any double white lines here in Thailand. Single white lines are common.

Take the Road junctions either side of the railway crossings. As logic would dictate ( and I accept that any sentence containing the words "logic" & "Thailand" is in itself an oxymoron ) the roads that cross the railway do not have ( that I recall seeing ) such white lines - so that traffic crossing the railway should have an unobstructed / priority exit from the crossing in the event of a train coming; conversely, the roads that run parallel to the railway, on both sides, have single white lines visible at the majority of the junctions - ergo :- the traffic "crossing" the railway has the priority and the traffic running parallel to the railway gives way ?

So how is it that I'm constantly being honked at, sworn at, and on several occasions physically threatened, when I exert ( in a polite but positive manner ) my Right of Way when crossing the railway ? Am I wrong ? Is this one of those instances when I should remind myself that I'm a guest in this country ? If the latter is the case, should I take a seat in the bank and wait until it is completely devoid of customers before approaching the counter - because when I'm in a cue, it appears that I'm invisible, the people behind me, given 1/2 a chance, will be in front of me !

Is there an equivalent to The Highway Code here in Thailand ? If there is, where can I get one - is there an English language version ? I taught my now ( Thai ) wife to drive here in Thailand, prior to enrolling her with a ( so called ) driving school - in the hopes that they would tell her what she needed to know to pass the ( so called ) driving test. She passed at the first attempt. I took her to the U.K., for our second wedding anniversary. On the plane to the U.K. I gave her a copy of the British Highway Code to study - she had said that she wanted to share the driving with me ( we had hired a car for a month ). Having digested it, she commented "it would be good to have this in Thailand", from which I presume that the (so called ) driving school didn't give her anything similar, and the test didn't  quiz her on it.

In conclusion, I pose the question again "Am I wrong . . . ?

 

 

http://thailaws.com/law/t_laws/tlaw0140_5.pdf

Doesn't appear to address the issue 

Read the thai highway code, it states where ever you are going it is compulsory to get there before the person in front of you,

Rule 2 has yet to be written

Don’t apply western road rules to Thailand.  In Australia we have the most regulated traffic in the world. If we applied that to Pattaya it would grind to a halt in minutes. Smile and wave!

That railway crossing is a game of brinkmanship 

All due respect but the old adage applies here “when in Rome do as the Romans do”

When in the U.K. apply the Highway Code.Theres no point in comparing the U.K. or Thailand in any sense of the word.

 

1 hour ago, Proffesor said:

it appears that I'm invisible, the people behind me, given 1/2 a chance, will be in front of me !

Is there an equivalent to The Highway Code here in Thailand ?

Each of my 4 trips each year, I rent a car and take a side trip from 4 to 5 days.

Yes they have a highway code (unwritten) in Thailand. Its basically when the Thais are driving they have the mindset that no matter how bad they drive or what they do, its up to the other driver to get out of there way.

If you're driving a queue and the car behind you wants to take the lead, they just pass you and it doesn't matter if you are on a small 2 lane road with on coming traffic.

I think if you could read the rule books for Indy and Stock Car racing you would fit in driving in Thailand.

For me its "white knuckle driving".

LeoTex  

I quite like that the speed limit is just a suggestion 

52 minutes ago, Ru4Real said:

I quite like that the speed limit is just a suggestion 

Just as the solid white center line and solid shoulder lines are just for eye and hand coordination.

LeoTex

3 minutes ago, LeoTex said:

Just as the solid white center line and solid shoulder lines are just for eye and hand coordination.

I thought they where so you could see the blood easier 

Why on earth would British traffic laws matter outside of UK ?

I always thought the largest vehicle had the right of way .

When you renew your thai driving-license, there's a 1-hour film which you have to sit & watch, it's hilarious when compared to the way we all actually drive here.

10 hours ago, Ru4Real said:

http://thailaws.com/law/t_laws/tlaw0140_5.pdf

Doesn't appear to address the issue 

Thai Office of the Council Of State - Land Transport Act

Here is a more up to date version of the law published by the Thai Govt.

This site has the English translation of most of the Thai laws.

You need to take a deep breath and get laid, quickly. You must have realised by now that in LOS rules/good driving/laws/common sense  mean bugger all. 

Edited April 30, 20188 yr by Tripp
spelling

I think the op is wrong, sticking to what you think is right of way will get you killed in Thailand. I have no problem on my scooter and road bike passing the train tracks.
Read this it explains everything.

http://www.chiangmailocator.com/wiki-traffic-rules-in-thailand-and-how-to-avoid-traffic-accidents-p169

2 hours ago, semi-retired member said:

When you renew your thai driving-license, there's a 1-hour film which you have to sit & watch, it's hilarious when compared to the way we all actually drive here.

Where did you renew your licence I’ve only had to do the Emergency stop and colour tests ?

OP, the railroad junctions have non-functional traffic control lights. The white lines perpendicular to the direction of travel were painted when the control lights were installed and are there to denote the stopping point when there's a red light. As the lights are non-functional, the white lines are now meaningless blobs of paint. Since the north/south road is the main road, that traffic has right a way and crossing traffic should only proceed when safe to do so.

33 minutes ago, Czmate said:

Where did you renew your licence I’ve only had to do the Emergency stop and colour tests ?

I did my last 5-year renewal in Chiang Mai, also the previous 10-year renewal (they don't do that anymore), at their testing-centre/office-block near the Southern-end of the airport-runway.

We too did the reaction-test, and colour-test, then they had the film for a dozen-or-so farangs in-English, in a side-office next to the main one for Thais, who were expressing some hilarity at the way they're supposed to drive !

Always remember that Thailand has the second worst road death rate in the world: about 40 deaths per '00,000 persons a year, compared with west Europe and Australia 5 or 6 (USA about 10. So 6-7 times worse.

Only Libya is worse and that by a fraction.

(Source: United Nations statistics)

 

Always remember that Thailand has the second worst road death rate in the world: about 40 deaths per '00,000 persons a year, compared with west Europe and Australia 5 or 6 (USA about 10. So 6-7 times worse.
Only Libya is worse and that by a fraction.
(Source: United Nations statistics)
 

You can reduce the risk though

Do you drive on the left in eu/us?Or do you follow the local laws and practises?

If the OP applies GB rules/rationale to Thai roads he'll be dead right. 

I gave up driving in LOS  early days...now I just get staff, friends or hired help to get me from A to B ... for longer trips I'm happy to pay for someone else to take the reins.

After a great many years driving in LOS

 

This is the most comprehensive explanation I've ever come across:

 

http://www.chiangmailocator.com/wiki-traffic-rules-in-thailand-and-how-to-avoid-traffic-accidents-p169