thai traffic Page 143

Thai traffic is a colourful curry of scooters, songthaews and sudden lane changes, all simmering in humidity. Expect city speeds to average 20–30 km/h at peak in Bangkok, with motorbikes treating lanes as suggestions and footpaths as optional extras. Drive on the left, watch for U-turn bays every few hundred metres, and assume someone will appear from a soi exactly where you didn’t expect. Expressways and tollways move well, but rain turns everything into a slip-’n-slide and Songkran becomes a rolling water fight with added pickup trucks. Keep your mirrors busy, leave space for bikes, and if in doubt, breathe—then beep politely like the locals.