Driving in Thailand
Why are Thai roads so quiet? In this lesson, you’ll find out why Thai drivers rarely use their horns, and how a polite honk differs from one that could start a fight. You’ll also learn the unwritten signals Thai drivers use instead, many of them started by truck drivers. These signals warn of police checkpoints, show when it’s safe to overtake, allow a U-turn, and say thank you. Finally, discover why many Thais honk three times when they pass a shrine.
Thai Vocabulary:
บีบแตร (bìip dtrɛɛ) – To honk the horn
แซง (sɛɛng) – To overtake
ไฟเลี้ยว (fai líao) – Turn signal / Indicator
ไหล่ทาง (lài taang) – Road shoulder
ด่านตรวจ (dàan dtrùat) – Checkpoint
ศาล (sǎan) – Shrine
พี่ใหญ่ (pîi yài) – “Big brother” (nickname for truck drivers)