120 kph speed limit comes local

[Big Boy]

I've started a new thread because I think this deserves it's own discussion, but if my moderator colleagues feel this needs to be merged with the existing thread mentioning 120KPH, no problems.

I drove to Ratchaburi for the footie yesterday, and was very surprised to encounter the relatively new 120kph speed limit along several stretches. However, it is so very Thai, it can never work.

The new speed limit is not for a stretch of road, it is for a specific lane on that stretch of road. My first encounter sort of confused me (list follows for Tapatalk users):

• Lane 1 - 80kph

• Lane 2 - 100kph

• Lane 3 - 120kph

Where it gets to the fork, just after Tha Yang (list follows for Tapatalk users):

• Frontage Road - 80kph

• Lane 1 - 100kph

• Lane 2 -120kph

When the new limits end, every lane becomes 90kph.

If Thai drivers drove properly it could almost work, but if you want to drive at 110kph, there is only one permissible lane. You can't pull left to let somebody driving 120kph past you unless you drop your speed.

Then you have Somchai driving his 1930s pickup in the outside lane at 60kph because the road in front of him is always clear. Don't even get me started on tour buses cruising in convoy in the outside lane all going as slow as the slowest bus in the convoy, and not even getting close to 120kph. Effectively a 3 lane highway becomes a single track road with nothing in lanes 1 and 2.

So the BIG headline that Thailand has increased it's speed limit to 120kpm is bollox. It can only work if you drive Thai style (undertaking/determining your own speed limits), which has been happening since time began.

I often wonder if the people who make these rules actually drive.

[handdrummer]

I've started a new thread because I think this deserves it's own discussion, but if my moderator colleagues feel this needs to be merged with the existing thread mentioning 120KPH, no problems.

I drove to Ratchaburi for the footie yesterday, and was very surprised to encounter the relatively new 120kph speed limit along several stretches. However, it is so very Thai, it can never work.

The new speed limit is not for a stretch of road, it is for a specific lane on that stretch of road. My first encounter sort of confused me (list follows for Tapatalk users):

• Lane 1 - 80kph

• Lane 2 - 100kph

• Lane 3 - 120kph

Where it gets to the fork, just after Tha Yang (list follows for Tapatalk users):

• Frontage Road - 80kph

• Lane 1 - 100kph

• Lane 2 -120kph

When the new limits end, every lane becomes 90kph.

If Thai drivers drove properly it could almost work, but if you want to drive at 110kph, there is only one permissible lane. You can't pull left to let somebody driving 120kph past you unless you drop your speed.

Then you have Somchai driving his 1930s pickup in the outside lane at 60kph because the road in front of him is always clear. Don't even get me started on tour buses cruising in convoy in the outside lane all going as slow as the slowest bus in the convoy, and not even getting close to 120kph. Effectively a 3 lane highway becomes a single track road with nothing in lanes 1 and 2.

So the BIG headline that Thailand has increased it's speed limit to 120kpm is bollox. It can only work if you drive Thai style (undertaking/determining your own speed limits), which has been happening since time began.

I often wonder if the people who make these rules actually drive.

Drive yes, think no.

[bajm]

It is even more complicated: The Max. 120 Kph lane also has a blue sign of 100Kph meaning that there is a MINIMUM speed limit of 100Kph for this lane.

[HHTel]

Yeh I saw them painting the road markings a couple of weeks ago and bajm is right in that there are blue signs on the road showing the minimum speed in the relevant lane.
I doubt the locals will get their head around it based on what they've always been used to. Far too big a change for it to work.

[Big Boy]

Why not just upgrade that stretch of road to a single speed limit? Limits by lane are crazy IMHO.

[buksida]

AFAIK it has always been 120 kph - this is nothing new.

On my speeding ticket, it said the limit was 120 ... but I was doing 122 apparently.

[HHTel]

Where was that? The speed limits before the new proposal only allowed +90 kph on motorways.

Cars were 80 in a built up area, 90 outside a built up area and 120 on a motorway.

And that only applied to cars weighing 1,200 kgs or less.

All other vehicles had reduced speed limits.

My only speeding ticket was on Rama II and it clearly showed 90 kph as the limit (although as I've previously posted the speed of my car was stated beyond it's capability!)
I don't see that the Ratchaburi (Petchkasem) would be any different.

I read when this new limit was being proposed was that it would only apply to roads without a ground level u-turn as well as central reservation, no right turns etc etc.

The signs going up around Petchaburi seem to have gone beyond the original proposal.

This was what was published in the Royal Gazette:

The new limit applies only to highways with 4 lanes or more (at least 2 lanes travelling in each direction, divided by barriers). In the case of roads with traffic signs that indicate minimum and maximum speeds, drivers must adhere to those limits when traffic conditions and other circumstances allow. The increased maximum limit will not apply to any roads that have intersections or U-turns. Nation Thailand has summarised the speed limit regulations based on vehicle type and taking the new speed limit into account:

But as has been pointed out, it won't change the 'accepted' driving habits. TIT.

[Big Boy]

Yes, prior to the new road markings, they have installed huge concrete crash barriers along the central reservation of the higher speed limit zone.

If it has always been 120kph, has it also been 100kph and 80kph on the same stretches of road?

[HHTel]

It’s official – the maximum speed limit on 4-lane highways in Thailand has been increased to 120 kilometres per hour, with the new regulation published in the Royal Gazette yesterday. Previously 90 kilometres per hour, Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob says the increase in the maximum speed limit is aimed at improving the flow of traffic in line with conditions, while keeping road users safe.

Vehicles with fewer than 7 seats: maximum 120 kilometres per hour

Vehicles in the rightmost lane: minimum 100 kilometres per hour

Passenger vehicles of over 7 seats but fewer than 15 seats: maximum 100 kilometres per hour

Vehicles with more than 15 seats or weighing over 2,200 kilograms: maximum 90 kilometres per hour
Tricycles and tow trucks: maximum 65 kilometres per hour

Motorcycles: maximum 80 kilometres per hour

Motorcycles with engines of 400cc or more: maximum 100 kilometres per hour

School buses: maximum 80 kilometres per hour

https://thethaiger.com/news/national/sp ... es-an-hour

All with the usual 'pinch of salt'.

[caller]

I noticed it on the way to Bkk yesterday. Glad they have finally caught up with my speed.

[KhunLA]

AFAIK it has always been 120 kph - this is nothing new.

On my speeding ticket, it said the limit was 120 ... but I was doing 122 apparently.

I've also been simply cruising at 100-120 kph since the news-blip way back when stating the change.

Then recently actually read the limitations (beyond min 100), and stated not on U-turn road, etc, which is all inter-province roads. Signage still stating 90 kph, with few new ones, anywhere. Have yet to get a camera citation, so thinking they are not enforcing anything, unless over 120.

Even the 1st half of hwy 35 to Krung Thep, I'll do 100, though signed at 80. Second half almost impossible to 80 anywhere of even 60 with the roadwork.

Cruised around everywhere last year, #2 to Udon Thani, over the Chiang Mai, then back down, #4 & #37 back to PKK, and all points south, NST, Krabi, Phuket. Not 1 camera citation, surprisingly.

[VincentD]

That limit has been in operation on the Asian Highway for quite some time now. I have been up and down between Krung Thep and up past Nakhon Sawan several times, and yes, the locals actually respect those limits. Obviously some a little over, but those going slow in the right hand lane do move over if someone does come barrelling down that lane.
The authorities did construct quite a few underpass u-turns and blocked off the above ground ones in most places, BUT in the stretches where those u-turns are, the speed limit is still 90.
Many have been caught out by this, so it is something to be aware of. You have to keep a keen eye for the change in the speed limit.
Overall, I'm quite happy that my regular drives up that way give me the option to get up to speed when I want to. The newer generation driving cars do seem to fathom the need for road rules.
Just beware of the idiots going the wrong way down the road because the u-turns are spaced so far apart..

[Big Boy]

It's not the speed limit that bothers me too much, it's the 3 separate limits on the same stretches of highway. The BIB were useless at enforcing a single speed limit - TIT and people drive at whatever speed they want to anyway. Trying to enforce 3 limits at the same time would blow their minds. Of course, they just won't bother.

[Dannie Boy]

You could probably get it to work in countries such as the UK, but as has been pointed out, it doesn’t have a chance of working here - neither by the drivers or the enforcers (especially with a lack of both patrol cars and cameras).

[Big Boy]

The old limits worked to a point. Yes, they can be frustrating, but it's the way Thais drive, and most foreigners have adapted. Now on the short trip to Ratchaburi we all have to switch from one system to another about 5 times.

When I left Tha Yang, I actually took the right hand fork because I didn't want to drop my speed to 80kph - what a huge mistake. I think every man and his dog did the same, even if they were toddling along at 70kph. The right hand fork was very congested, whilst the frontage road was deserted. Chaos!!!