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Vision for Safety

Thai Traffic Regulations

English Translation of the Thailand

Land Traffic Act B.E. 2522

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Traffic means the use of roads and highways by motorists, pedestrians or persons, who lead or ride animals.

Way means the motorway, a traffic lane, bus lane, road shoulder, footpath, cross streets, road junction, road slope, curb, bridge and an open area that the public uses for traffic, including privately owned land through which right of way is given for traffic by the public or land which has been declared by the Traffic Officer as way under this Act, except a railway.

Motorway means an area made for wheeled traffic either at or under or above ground-level.

Motor lane means a division of the motorway marked by a line or borderline as guidance.

Bus lane means a motor lane prescribed as the lane for busses or passenger conveyances of other categories specified by the Director General.

One-way Street means any motorway in which traffic may proceed in one direction only during the time prescribed by the Traffic Officer.

Curb means the edge of a motor way.

Road shoulder means the space immediately outside the curb that has not been made into a footpath.

Road junction means an area where two and more cross roadways, meet, or adjoin.

Circle means a motorway in which traffic is directed to proceed around traffic signs or a construction at a road junction.

Footpath means the space for the use of persons on foot on either side of a motorway or the space adjoining the curb of away which use by pedestrians.

Street crossing means a place marked by lines or studs on a way for pedestrians to cross, including a place made for pedestrians to cross either under or above ground-level.

Safety zone means an area in which traffic signs are conspicuously displayed at all times for pedestrians or persons getting on or off busses to wait before proceeding to cross the way.

Critical area means a way in which there is much coming and going of traffic or obstructions or where it can be foreseen or conceived that harm or damage can be caused to a vehicle or person.

Vehicle means conveyances of all kinds, except trains or tram-cars.

Automobile means a vehicle that has three wheels and more and driven by an engine power or electric or other power, except vehicle running or rails.

Motorcycle means a vehicle that is driven by an engine power or electric or other power and has not more than two wheels and, if attached by a side- car, has not more than an additional wheel.

Bicycle means a vehicle driven by the physical power of the person who rides it and not pulled or pushed.

Emergency vehicle means a fire-engine and ambulance of the Central Administration, Provincial Administration and Local Administration or other vehicle the Director General allows using a flash-light signal or a siren signal or other sound signal to be prescribed.

Truck means an automobile built for carrying articles and animals.

Passenger vehicle means an automobile built for conveying more than seven passengers.

School bus means a passenger vehicle while a school uses for carrying school children.

Bus means a passenger vehicle that travels along a fixed route to carry passengers at fixed points and collects fare from each individual passenger at the rate prescribed for a partial or through journey.

Taxi means and automobile which may be hired for journeys of a party of not more than seven persons.

Tow-truck means an automobile built for towing a vehicle or agriculture or construction equipment while the Tow-truck itself is not used for carrying passengers or articles.

Trailer means a vehicle moved by pulling or pushing of another vehicle.

Taximeter means a device which shows the rate of fare and automatically records the rate of fare during a journey in a taxi based on the length of journey or the time consumed or both.

Driver means a person who drives a vehicle, operates transportation equipment under the law on transportation, and who tows a vehicle.

Pedestrian means a person who walks on foot including a person who use a wheel-chair for invalids or a person who pushes a baby-carriage.

Vehicle owner includes a person who has a vehicle in possession.

Conductor means a person who collects fares and is in charge of passengers on a passenger vehicle and assigned to such passenger vehicle.

Driving license means a license to drive an automobile under the law on automobiles, a driver’s license under the law on vehicles for rent, a driving license under the law on wheeled vehicles, and a license of an operator of the transportation equipment under the law on transportation.

Traffic signal means any signal by movement or showing or sending of a fire, electric-light, hand, arm, whistle sound or by other means for drivers pedestrians or persons who lead, ride or chase animals to comply with such signal.

Traffic sign means any sign installed or made conspicuous in a way for drivers, pedestrians or persons who lead ride or chase animals to comply with such sign.

Minister means the Minister in charge and control of this Act.

Director General means the Police Department Director General.

Traffic officer means a police commissioned officer appointed by the minister as a traffic officer.

Competent officer means a police person who performs the duty of traffic control.

Traffic volunteer means a person who has completed a traffic volunteer course and is appointed by the Director General to help in the duty performance of the competent officers as provided under this Act.

Inspector means the Inspector under the laws on the land traffic and on the Automobile.

4. The Ministry of Interior shall be in charge and control of the execution of this Act and shall have the power to appoint traffic officers and issue Ministerial Regulations prescribing other activities for the execution of this Act. Ministerial Regulations shall come into force upon publication in the Government Gazette.

Characteristics of Vehicles to be used in the ways

4. No person shall put a vehicle which is not solid or is dangerous or may endanger the health of the person who uses it, the passengers or the public who use in motorways. The driver of a vehicle put to use in motorways shall assure it is complete with engine, equipment, and accessories as required by the law on automobiles, the law on transportation, the law on wheeled vehicles, the law on tow-trucks, the law on vehicles for rent, and that it functions properly. The condition of a vehicle which may endanger health and the test methods shall be in accordance with the criteria and procedures prescribed in Ministerial Regulations.

5. No person shall put a vehicle which is not complete with the vehicle registration plate, the vehicle registration sign plate or the vehicle plate under the law on automobiles, the law on transportation, the law on wheeled vehicles, the law on rickshaws, or the law on vehicles for rent to use in motorways.

6. No person shall put a vehicle which does not allow the driver enough range of vision for safety to use in motorways. For the benefits of this section, the Director General is empowered to issue rules on the use of light filtering material with vehicles put to use in motorways by proclamation in the Government Gazette.

7. No person shall put a vehicle which makes loud noises or scrapes the motorways surface to use in motorways.

8. No person shall put a vehicle with wheels or their parts that touch the roadway surface being non-rubber tire for using on the motorway, except that such vehicle is an exception pursuant to a Ministerial Regulation or is permitted by the Traffic Officer.

Section 10 bis. No person shall put a vehicle that causes a gas, a dust, a smoke, a chemical dust or other pollution that the Director General has fixed by proclamation in the Government Gazette for using on the motorways.

Use of Light or Sound Signals of Vehicles

4. At a time when there is inadequate light for clear vision of pedestrians, vehicle or obstructions on the way within not less distance than one hundred and fifty meters, the driver who drives a vehicle in the way shall turn on or use his lights in accordance with the categories, characteristics and conditions prescribed in the Ministerial Regulation.

5. In using vehicles of each category in motorways, the drivers shall use particular sound signals as follows:

1. Horn sound, for automobiles or motorcycles to be audible within not less than a distance of sixty meters;

2. Bell sound, for horse-drawn wagons to be audible within not less than a distance of thirty meters;

3. Hand-bell sound, for bicycles to be audible within not less distance than thirty meters.

For other vehicles besides those mentioned above, the drivers shall use the sound signals as prescribed and announced by the Director General in the Government Gazette.

4. No driver who drives a vehicle of any category in motorways shall use flash-light signal, risen signal, whistle signal, faltering sound, multiple sounds, too loud sound or other sound signals prescribed and announced in the Government Gazette by the Director General.

The Director General is empowered to permit emergency vehicles; vehicles assigned to military and police activities or other vehicles to use flash-light signal or siren sound or other sound signal. In this connection, the Director General may prescribe conditions for the use of light signals or sound signals and prescribe marks that represent such vehicles by announcement in the Government Gazette.

4. A driver shall use the sound signals only when required or in order to prevent accidents and, in such events, shall not unnecessary prolong or repeat the signals.

The use of sound signals of vehicles or the conditions for the use of sound signals in any area or locality shall be prescribed and announced in the Government Gazette by the Director General.

4. The driver of a vehicle with articles being conveyed that project beyond the length of the vehicle, while using a roadway and during the time required to turn on lights pursuant to Section 11 or Section 61, shall have red light signals lit or during the daytime, red flags fastened to the outward end of the conveyed articles to be conspicuous within not less than one hundred and fifty meters.

The type, characteristics or number of the red light signals or red flags pursuant to paragraph one shall be prescribed and announced in the Government Gazette by the Director General.

4. A driver who drives a truck conveying inflammable liquid that has a flash point at 21° Celsius or less or conveying inflammable gas shall comply with Section 15 and Section 56, but the light signal used must not be the type that requires fuel.

5. A driver who drives a truck conveying explosives or other dangerous substances shall make available placards with written announcement of the substance being carried and fire-extinguishers and shall comply with the conditions for danger prevention.

The characteristics and the method for the posting up of the placards with written announcement of the substance being conveyed and the installation of the fire-extinguishers as well as the conditions for prevention of dangers shall be in accordance with the prescription in the Ministerial Regulations.

Conveyance

4. The categories or types of persons, animals or things to be conveyed by school buses, trucks or passenger vehicles and the manner in conveying shall be in accordance with the criteria and methods prescribed in Ministerial Regulations.

5. In the case that it is necessary to convey persons, animals or things not in accordance with the criteria and methods prescribed in Ministerial Regulation, the Traffic Officer, upon being requested by the vehicle owner, may ease the restrictions and give temporary permission, case by case, in writing.

6. The driver who drives a vehicle conveying persons, animals or things shall make available something to prevent the people, animals or things being conveyed from falling, leaking, giving out smell, reflecting lights or being blown away, which may cause nuisance, dirty the way, endanger the health of the public or cause injury to people and property.

Traffic signals and traffic signs

4. The driver shall comply with the traffic signals and traffic signs installed at or caused to appear in the way or which the competent officer has indicated.

5. Traffic signals, traffic signs and the meaning of the traffic signals and traffic signs shall be specified by the Director General by proclamation in the Government Gazette and shall have example of figures show in the notice.

The driver shall comply with traffic signals or traffic signs in the following cases:

1. Amber traffic Light: the driver shall prepare to stop the vehicle behind the stop line in order to be prepared to act according to the traffic light to be mentioned in (2), except that a driver who has passed the stop line may proceed through.

2. Red traffic light signals or red traffic light signs with the word stop: the driver shall stop the vehicle behind the stop line.

3. Green traffic light or green traffic light with the word go: the driver may drive the vehicle through, except when there are traffic signs to the contrary.

4. Traffic Light signals showing a green arrow to turn or go straight: the driver shall turn or go straight along the direction of the arrow. In using the way along the direction points by the arrow, the driver shall use the way with great care and give the right of way to the pedestrian in the zebra crossings or the driver to the right.

5. Red traffic light signal which is blinking: if installed at the road junction with opening on which side, the driver on that side shall stop at the stop line, and when it is seen safe and not obstructing the traffic he may proceed with care.

6. Blinking yellow traffic signal: at any point where this traffic signal is installed, the driver shall reduce the speed of the vehicle and proceed though the crossing carefully.

The driver who is to drive the vehicle straight ahead shall keep to the traffic lane with a traffic sign indicating going straight ahead and the driver who is to turn the vehicle shall keep to the traffic lane with a traffic signal indicating turning. Entering into the said traffic lanes shall be made from where there is traffic sign indicating such.

4. The driver who drives his vehicle in a motorway with red light signal or green light signal installed over more than two traffic lanes shall act as follows:

1. He shall not drive his vehicle in the traffic lane over which there is a red light signal in the from of a cross;

2. He shall proceed to pass though the traffic lane over which there is a green light signal in the form of an arrow.

4. A driver of a vehicle shall comply with the traffic signals displayed by the competent officer as follows:

1. When the competent officer stands and stretches out his left arm at the shoulder level, the driver who drives his vehicle from behind the competent officer shall stop his vehicle. But when the competent officer puts down his left hand and moves it forwards, he shall proceed;

2. When the competent officer stands and stretches out his right arm at the shoulder level with the palm open upright, the driver of a vehicle coming from the direction to which the arm stretches out shall stop his vehicle. But when the competent officer turns the upright palm and moves it over his head backwards, he shall proceed;

3. When the competent officer stands and stretches out both arms at the shoulder level with the palm open and upright, the driver of the vehicles coming from the directions to which the arms stretch shall stop their vehicles;

4. When the competent officer stands and raises the lower part pf the right arm at a right angle to the upper part with the palm open and upright, the driver who drives his vehicle from in front the competent officer shall stop his vehicle. But when the competent officer turns the upright palm and moves it backwards, he shall proceed;

5. When the competent officer stands and raises the lower part of the right arm at a right angle to the upper part with the palm open and upright and stretches out his left arm at the shoulder level, the drivers of vehicles coming from in front and behind the competent officer shall stop their vehicles.

The stopping of a vehicle under this Section shall be behind the line for vehicles to stop. In the case no such line exits in a motorway, a driver of a vehicle shall stop his vehicle at not less distance than three meters from where the competent officer is standing.

4. A driver of a vehicle shall comply with the whistle sound signals given by the competent officer as follows:

1. When the competent officer gives one long whistling, he shall immediately stop his vehicle;

2. When the competent officer gives two short whittlings consecutively, he shall proceed with his vehicle.

4. In a motorway with traffic signals or traffic signs pursuant to Section 22, or traffic signals pursuant to Section 23, if the competent officer who controls the traffic in that motorway deems it proper in order to bring about safety or convenience in the traffic he may give traffic signals to be otherwise. In such case, the driver of a vehicle shall comply with the signals given by the competent officer.

5. The Director General shall have the power to amend or modify the traffic signals or traffic signs provided in this Act Proclaimed in Government Gazette if he has appropriate cause.

6. No person except the competent officer or official shall make install or display the traffic signals or traffic signs in ways proscribed by the Director General in pursuance of Section 21.

7. No person shall damage, destroy, conceal, modify, move, scratch or damage traffic signals or traffic signs installed or made available in by the competent officer or officials.

8. The traffic officer shall have the power to seize, remove, destroy or cause to be cleared away any traffic signals or traffic signs made, installed or made available in violation of Section 28 or Section 29.

Use of Roadways