Foreign drivers in Pattaya might be excused for violating traffic rules. After all, the traffic signs, if visible at all, often aren’t in English and, even when they are, can make as much sense as “through the left ventricle.”
Tourists and expatriates both complain about the lack of proper signage in the city. Many are blocked by advertisements, are placed where they cannot be seen by motorists, or lack vital information, such as the number of the soi they’re attempting to demarcate.
Unclear traffic and road signs sometimes cannot be seen, and when they are, often don’t make much sense, such as this ““through the left ventricle” sign.
So it’s not surprising many a foreign driver protests when getting ticketed for, say, making a left turn where no left turn is allowed. But complaining that the sign isn’t in English is no excuse: Thai driver’s licenses require understanding of Thai traffic laws, regardless of whether the motorist can read the language on the sign or not.
Canadian Jay David Garmaise, 67, is one Pattaya expat complaining about such signage. He’s been in the city for nearly six years, living off Soi Khao Noi, and admits he rarely drives into town anymore due to the heavy traffic.
He not only questions the non-English, and sometimes confusing signs, but also whether Pattaya police are serious about their so-called “five-point crackdown” on traffic.
He said that Thais set bad examples for foreign drivers by parking in no-parking zones, driving without yielding to pedestrians, cutting off other drivers, dangerously overtaking others, putting three or more people on a motorbike, not wearing helmets and underage drivers.
Police recently announced a five-point plan that calls for towing, locking wheels, arresting traffic scofflaws and jailing them all while being polite. Police insist it’s still being carried out.
Traffic police reported 279 arrests since the policy began a month ago with 749 cars having their wheels locked. In all, 2,345 tickets and arrests have been made, with two charged with illegal racing and 51 with driving under the influence of alcohol.
Traffic Maj. Col. Jetsdawit Inthrapraphan said the public has welcomed the traffic crackdown and that authorities have received no complaints about the program.
