Trying to be safe in thailand - buying a pickup

[ThaiMike]

So we have been in Thailand 4 times now, each time for a month and we are ready to pack up our things and make the move when our house sells here. However a large concern is the total insane driving antics in Thailand that we have witnessed, already we will never go in a minibus again and of course never have and never will drive a motorbike. Did drive a rental car in Phuket which was not that bad, i was more worried i might hit a motorcyclist than being hit myself.

According to statistics that should save us 74% of deadly accidents already. So the idea is to buy a new pickup truck as they seem to keep their value quite well and are pretty large so you have less problems in traffic.

So a few questions : Is it possible to do everything in Hua Hin with the pickup truck, i mean is there enough parking space to put it near the shops, bars, restaurants and so on ? Do most apartment buildings come with garage or a parking lot, i guess houses should be fine with their own parking space. Would driving to Bangkok be reasonably safe outside of the friday / sunday madness ?

The occasional trip to BKK will be done with the airport bus or train, or if its safer with our own pickup.

Thanks !

[Big Boy]

I am in the same situation as you, and we manage perfectly well with a truck. There can be few parking restriction where my wife thinks I'm driving a motorcycle, but generally we manage quite well.

If you're thinking of buying a town house, keep an eye on the parking space - I've seen several where a truck would not fit.

[NOKYAI]

This is an ongoing question that I haven't found an answer for yet, so I stick to my motorcycle and rent or use taxis. HH is a city that isn't well designed for cars, let alone trucks so parking at weekends and high season is a pain. Trucks struggle to fit in the spaces in multi story car parks and a car would be better. BUT, the roads are terrible out of town especially in the wet season, with huge pot holes that would swallow a small car. Plus 4x4 would be better for camping/ fishing/ perhaps trips to Burma when the border opens.
So I'm looking into the smaller 4x4's like the Suzuki Vitara, Honda CRB but everything is a compromise

[NOKYAI]

Bloody spell check...Honda CR-V

[Felipesed1]

Just what Huahin needs, another large pick-up, with an inexperienced driver, to further increase traffic congestion!

One day the Thai government will wake up to the fact that subsidising these large trucks instead of promoting smaller cars was a pretty stupid idea, and increase the annual taxation to a rate proportional to the amount of damage and traffic jams they cause.

Motorcycles are an ideal way to get around in Huahin, are easy to ride, and will get you to many places that a pick-up could not go.

Incidentally, you should be more worried about mosquito-born diseases. They are the biggest risk here, and bites are unavoidable if you ever venture out of your sealed, air-conditioned condo!

[NOKYAI]

I hope that rant wasn't aimed at me?

[Big Boy]

Trucks struggle to fit in the spaces in multi story car parks and a car would be better.

Sorry NOKYAI, but i have to disagree. Car parking spaces here are HUGE compared with the UK. I often stand and giggle to myself when I watch people try to fit their little Toyota Vios into one of the ginormous parking spaces at Market Village.

My truck is of the larger variety, and I've never had a problem in a proper car park.

[Big Boy]

Just what Huahin needs, another large pick-up, with an inexperienced driver, to further increase traffic congestion!

One day the Thai government will wake up to the fact that subsidising these large trucks instead of promoting smaller cars was a pretty stupid idea, and increase the annual taxation to a rate proportional to the amount of damage and traffic jams they cause.

Motorcycles are an ideal way to get around in Huahin, are easy to ride, and will get you to many places that a pick-up could not go.

Incidentally, you should be more worried about mosquito-born diseases. They are the biggest risk here, and bites are unavoidable if you ever venture out of your sealed, air-conditioned condo!

And don't forget, if you ride a motorcycle, you don't need to wear a helmet, and you can happily ride against oncoming traffic. If there's too much traffic, just move onto the pavement - life here is cheap, and you don't need to worry about the odd pedestrian who thinks its safe to walk on the pavement. I could go on, but..................

[BOZ]

Agree BB, I have a trailblazer and I find no issues with parking or getting around Thailand as a whole.. BKK, HH, Pattaya and Phuket as the larger areas.. I have driven 20K KM in the car and 9K KM on a Big Bike, very comfortable driving in Thailand... Basically I drive with the idea that be ready for anything, as strange things do happen here regularly... Always look both ways and expect the unexpected from the drivers here, especially the scooters.... Don't fear it, just understand what you are dealing with, you will be fine!!!

[Big Boy]

Actually you do need to fear the 2 week wonder holidaymakers who think they've arrived in the Wild West and believe anything goes. Thai and expat motorcyclists are bad, but they are 'predictably bad, and you can usually predict their moves (they've been doing it for years). The 2 week wonders are just downright dangerous.

[NOKYAI]

I would say HH has major parking problems! I avoid Market Village like the plague as I don't like that type of shopping ( actually any shopping as I'm a Yorkshireman and it involves spending money). I was thinking of the places in the city I have been to in the last week, most would be difficult to park near in a car rather than a bike.
There have been threads on here saying the same thing. More parking for any size vehicle is needed in the centre, otherwise it will only be used by tourists.

[Felipesed1]

So BB, you have never seen a car, or pick-up, driving against on-coming traffic, or a car driver not using a seatbelt?

Cars parked on pavements?

Bad or inconsiderate road use is not confined to 2-wheel users!

[Big Boy]

Yes, of course I have - TIT. You can find an exception to the rule in most things. However, these antics are very rare when compared to the motorcycle community. You can drive a car the wrong way down Petchkasem, but it is not easy, would be more of an inconvenience, and take about 10x longer than driving the correct route. Motorcycles driving the wrong way, is a given here in Thailand because they can do it without much inconvenience to themselves until they have an accident.

Helmets/seatbelts is a choice, but its breaking the law, and 2 wrongs don't make a right. Bank robbers carry guns, but it doesn't make it right

Cars parked on pavements? Difficult, but not impossible given the height of many curbs. However a parked car does not present the same danger as an idiot motorcyclist driving down a busy pavevement.

[buksida]

When you're in towns it seems to be the motorbikes that drive like loons as they generally dont bother looking where they're going ... but when you get out on the open road or a highway the lunatic drivers are nearly always in pickups.

[NOKYAI]

Many years ago a friend told me that driving a truck/car in Thailand was like a whale swimming through a shoal of small fish. As long as you did things slowly and obviously (indicating) everything worked out. It's when you expect people to follow the rules you get in trouble!!