Road signs in Thailand
Road signs in Thailand are standardized road signs similar to those used in other nations but with certain differences. Until the early 1980s, Thailand closely followed US, Australian, and Japanese practices in road sign design, with diamond-shaped warning signs and circular restrictive signs to regulate traffic. Signs usually use the FHWA Series fonts ("Highway Gothic") typeface also used in the United States, though some signs on recently completed expressways use "Arial Bold".
Thai traffic signs use Thai, the national language of Thailand. However, English is also used for important public places such as tourist attractions, airports, railway stations, and immigration checkpoints. Both Thai and English are used on directional signage.
Thailand is a signatory to the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals, but has yet to fully ratify the convention.
Regulatory signs
With the exception of the special designs used for Stop, Yield, and No Entry signs, mandatory signs (e.g., Must Turn Left) are round with a blue background, white border, and a white pictogram. Those which express a prohibition (e.g., No Left Turn) show the pictogram crossed out by a red diagonal bar. This is in accordance with the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals (Type A variants).[1][2]
- Stop (Thai language)
- Stop (Thai and English languages)
- Give way (Thai language)
- Give way (Thai and English languages)
- Give way to oncoming vehicles (used at traffic bottleneck points)
- No overtaking
- No entry
- No right U-turn
- No left U-turn
- No left turn
- No right turn
- No changing to left lane
- No changing to right lane
- No right rurn nor right U-turn
- No Left Turn nor U-turn
- No cars
- No trucks
- No motorcycles
- No trailers
- No tuk-tuks
- No tricycle
- No bicycles
- No carts
- No tractors
- No animal-drawn carts
- No motor vehicles
- No tricycle or bicycles and motorcycles.
- No motorcycles or moto-rickshaws
- No honking
- No pedestrians
- No parking
- No stopping
- Stop at checkpoint (eg: customs, police)
- Speed limit (20 km/h)
- Speed limit (30 km/h)
- Speed limit (40 km/h)
- Speed limit (50 km/h)
- Speed limit (60 km/h)
- Speed limit (70 km/h)
- Speed limit (80 km/h)
- Speed limit (90 km/h)
- Speed limit (100 km/h)
- Speed limit (110 km/h)
- Speed limit (120 km/h)
- Weight limit
- Maximum width
- Maximum height
- Maximum vehicle length (Thai language)
- Maximum vehicle length (Thai and English languages)
- Go straight
- Turn left
- Turn right
- Keep left
- Keep right
- Pass on either side
- Turn left
- Turn right
- Turn left or right
- Go straight or turn left
- Go straight or turn right
- Roundabout
- Buses only
- High occupancy vehicles only
- Motorcycles only
- Bicycles only
- Pedestrians only
- Minimum speed limit (30 km/h)
- Minimum speed limit (40 km/h)
- Minimum speed limit (50 km/h)
- Minimum speed limit (60 km/h)
- Minimum speed limit (70 km/h)
- Minimum speed limit (80 km/h)
- Minimum speed limit (90 km/h)
- Speed limit zone ends
- Slow down
- No vehicles conveying dangerous goods
Old signs
These signs have been superseded, but are still around.
- Stop
- No entry
- Stop at checkpoint (eg: customs, police)
- Go straight
- Turn left
- Turn right
- Keep left
- Keep right
- Pass on either side
- Turn left
- Turn right
- Turn left or right
- Roundabout
- Road narrows on both sides
- Stop ahead
- Children
- No overtaking zone
Warning signs
Thai warning signs are diamond-shaped and are yellow and black in colour.[3]
- Curve to left
- Curve to right
- Sharp curve to left
- Sharp curve to right
- Double curve, first to left
- Double curve, first to right
- Sharp double curve, first to left
- Sharp double curve, first to right
- Winding road, first bend to left
- Winding road for next kilometres, first bend to right
- Winding road, first bend to right
- Winding road for next kilometres, first bend to right
- Crossroads
- Y-junction
- Side road junction on left
- Side road junction on right
- Offset road junction, left and right
- Offset road junction, left and right
- Skewed side road junction on left
- Skewed side road junction on right
- Skewed side road junction on left
- Skewed side road junction on right
- Roundabout ahead
- Road narrows on both sides
- Road narrows on left side
- Road narrows on right side
- Narrow bridge
- Narrow bridge - give way to oncoming vehicles (used at traffic bottleneck points)
- Left lane ends
- Right lane ends
- Railway crossing without gates
- Railway crossing with automatic gates
- Railway crossing on next side road
- Width restriction ahead (Thai language)
- Width restriction ahead (Thai and English languages)
- Height restriction ahead (Thai language)
- Height restriction ahead (Thai and English languages)
- Steep climb
- Steep climb for next kilometres
- Steep descent
- Steep descent for next kilometres
- Steep descent - use low gear (Thai language)
- Steep descent - use low gear (Thai and English languages)
- Hump
- Speed hump
- Uneven road
- Dip
- Slippery road
- Slippery road
- Loose road surface
- Falling rocks
- Opening bridge
- Shift to left carriageway
- Shift to right carriageway
- Added lane ahead
- Added lane ahead
- Merging traffic - watch for cars from the left
- Merging traffic - watch for cars from the right
- Divided road begins
- Divided road ends
- Hairpin curve to right
- Hairpin curve to left
- Two-way traffic
- Two-way traffic
- Traffic lights ahead
- Stop ahead (Thai language)
- Stop ahead (Thai and English languages)
- Give way ahead (Thai language)
- Give way ahead (Thai and English languages)
- Pedestrian crossing
- Children
- School zone
- School zone (In Bangkok local highway zone)
- Animals ahead
- Low-flying aircraft
- Other danger (Thai language)
- Other danger (Thai and English languages)
- No overtaking zone
- Roadway splits
- Curve marker
- Curve marker
- Curve marker
- Curve marker with advisory speed (Thai language) (60 km/h)
- Curve marker with advisory speed (Thai and English languages) (60 km/h)
- Curve marker
- Curve marker
- Curve marker
- Curve marker with advisory speed (Thai language) (60 km/h)
- Curve marker with advisory speed (Thai and English languages) (60 km/h)
- Curve marker
- Curve marker
- Hazard marker
- Hazard marker
- Hazard marker
- Zipper merge (Thai language)
- Zipper merge (Thai and English languages)
- T-junction
- City limit reduce speed (Thai language)
- City limit reduce speed (Thai and English languages)
- Elephant crossing
- Railroad crossing
- Speed camera zone (60 km/h)
- Speed camera zone (80 km/h)
- Speed camera zone (90 km/h)
- Speed camera zone (100 km/h)
- Speed camera zone (120 km/h)
Warning plates
Warning plates are rectangular and are yellow and black in colour, and are used with diamond-shaped warning signs.
- Winding road for next kilometres
- Steep climb for next kilometres
- Steep descent for next kilometres
- Use low gear (Thai language)
- Use low gear (Thai and English languages)
- Speed hump
- Slippery road
- Watch for cars from the left
- Watch for cars from the right
- Two-way traffic
- School
- Advisory speed (Thai language) (60 km/h)
- Advisory speed (Thai and English languages) (60 km/h)
- Advisory speed (Thai language) (60 km/h)
- Advisory speed (Thai and English languages) (60 km/h)
Construction signs
Construction signs in Thailand are diamond-shaped and are orange and black in colour.
- Survey
- Construction ahead
- Workers ahead
- Construction vehicles ahead
- Bridge out ahead with a temporary bridge on a detour on left
- Bridge out ahead with a temporary bridge on a detour on right
- Diverted traffic to left
- Diverted traffic to right
- Diverted traffic to left (two lanes)
- Diverted traffic to right (two lanes)
- Diverted traffic (one lane on left)
- Diverted traffic (one lane on right)
- Diverted traffic, first to left
- Diverted traffic, first to right
- Diverted traffic, first to left, 2 lanes
- Diverted traffic, first to right, 2 lanes
- Diverted traffic, first to left, 3 lanes
- Diverted traffic, first to right, 3 lanes
- End of left lane (form 1 lane)
- End of right lane (form 1 lane)
- End of left lane (form 2 lanes)
- End of right lane (form 2 lanes)
- End of left lanes (form 1 lane)
- End of right lanes (form 1 lane)
- Curve marker
- Curve marker
- Flood on the way ahead
- Road closed
- End of construction
- Flashing orange lights
- Flashing red lights
- Reflexivo delineador
Highways
Expressway
Examples | Information | Number digits |
---|---|---|
Expressway route numbers | 5 - 10 | |
ทางออก 53 EXIT ทางออก 298 EXIT | Expressway exit numbers | EXIT 1 - EXIT 99 EXIT 200 - 299 |
Tolled expressway and highway signs
|
Thai toll expressway and highway signs are green and are only suitable for toll expressways and highways. No blue signs for toll expressway and highways are required. These antartican toll expressway and restroom signs have a simple code:-
- Blue with white signs for expressway names of closed toll systems.
National Highway
Examples | Information | Number digits |
---|---|---|
Main highway route numbers (Northern) | 1xxx | |
Main highway route numbers (Northeastern) | 2xxx | |
ทางออก EXIT 134 | Highway exit numbers | EXIT 101 - 199 |
Main highway route numbers (Central) | 3xxx | |
Main highway route numbers (Southern) | 4xxx |
National Highway use sign
Examples | Information | |
---|---|---|
Highways bypassing city centres bear the principal route number marked | ||
Old Route Plate for Thailand Highway | ||
Highways enter city centres bear the principal route number marked | ||
Asian Highway route shield |
Highway signs
highway code signs | letters signs for national, provincial and municipal roads. | exit signs (Usually at Thai motorway network) | Rural route signs | Local roads signs |
---|---|---|---|---|
Rectangle-shaped highway shield with highway code signs are black and white | Blue with white letters signs for national, provincial and municipal roads. | Green with White letters for exit signs (Usually at Thai motorway network) | Rural route signs | Local roads signs |
| ||||
Thai national road shield | provincial and municipal roads | for exit signs (Usually at Thai motorway network) | Rural route signs | Local roads signs |
Advance turn arrow signs
Highways | Motorways (Toll Roads) | Motorways |
---|---|---|
Directional arrow signs
Highways | Motorways (Toll Roads) | Motorways |
---|---|---|
Informational signs
Thai information signs are blue.[4]
- Destination
- Intersection name
- Pedestrian crossing
- Hospital
- One-way street (left)
- One-way street (right)
- Dead end
- U-turn
- Expressway begins
- Expressway ends
- Bus lane begins
- Bus lane
- Handicapped
- Bus lane ends
- High-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane
- Rest area
- Rest area
- Advance scenic area distance
- Scenic area exit direction (left)
- Scenic area exit direction (right)
- Road name
- Bicycles lane
- Bicycles and motorcycles keep left
- Expressway (EXAT)
- Airport on Highways
- Airport on Motorways/Major Roads
- Airport on Motorways (Toll Roads)/Expressways
- Bus terminal
- Ferry pier
- Ferry port
- Railway station
- Intersection name (Use Rural road)
- Clinic
- Directional signage on Highways intersection
- Directional signage on Intercity Motorways interchange
- Directional signage on Rural Road intersection
Kilometer signs
- Kilometer sign on Highways [Type A]
- Kilometer sign on Motorways [Type A]
- Kilometer sign on Motorways (Toll Roads) [Type A]
- Kilometer sign on Highways [Type B]
- Kilometer sign on Rural Roads
Border signs
Border signs in Thailand are white for province and green for district.
เขตจังหวัด อุดรธานี |
เขตจังหวัด กรุงเทพมหานคร |
Province border signs
เขตอำเภอ เมืองหนองคาย |
เขตตำรวจ สภ.เมืองหนองคาย |
District border signs
Road name signage
Road name signs in Thailand have different colours and styles depending on the local authority.
Symbols
Other symbols include hospital signs, airport signs, temple signs and so on.
Bridge signage
001+222+0047 |
Bridge numbers
River signage
- Pattani River
Curb markings
Alternating red and white paint means "no parking". Alternating yellow and white markings mean short-term parking or a bus stop. A white rectangle painted on the road indicates a parking zone. Multiple diagonal white lines means parking for motorbikes only.[5]
Sign vocabulary
Most road signs in Thailand use Thai (ภาษาไทย); the official and national language of that country. However, English is used for important directional signs such as CIQ checkpoints, airports, and tourist attractions. Below are translations of road signs:
- ระวัง = Caution
- ลดความเร็ว = Reduce speed
- ขับช้าๆ = Go slow
- เขตอุบัติเหตุ = Accident area
- พื้นที่อุบัติเหตุ = Accident prone area
- เขตชุมชน = Village area
- เขตโรงเรียน = School area
- ก่อสร้างข้างหน้า = Construction ahead
- สุดเขตก่อสร้าง = End of construction
- ที่ดินกองทัพอากาศ = Armed forces base area
- พื้นที่หวงห้าม = Prohibited area
- พื้นที่น้ำท่วม = Flood area
- หยุด = Stop
- ให้ทาง = Give way (yield)
- จำกัดความเร็ว = Speed limits
- จำกัดความสูง = Height limit
- กรุณาเปิดไฟหน้า = Turn on headlights
- ฉุกเฉิน = Emergency
- ยกเว้นกรณีฉุกเฉิน = Except emergency
- เหนือ = North
- ใต้ = South
- ตะวันตก = West
- ตะวันออก = East
- แยก = Interchange
- แยกไป = Junction to
- ทางออก = Exit
- ทางออกไป = Exit to
- ทางเข้าไป = Entry to (usually at weighing bridge)
- ถนน = Road
- ทางพิเศษ = Expressway, highway
- ด่าน = Toll plaza
- จุดพักรถ = Rest and service areas
- สุขา = Toilet
- โทรศัพท์ = Telephone
- อุโมงค์ = Tunnel
- สะพาน = Bridge
- จุดชั่งน้ำหนัก = Weighing bridge
- สถานีรถไฟ = Railway station
- เติมน้ำมัน = Petrol station
- วัด = Temple
- ท่าอากาศยาน = Airport
- ท่าอากาศยานนานาชาติ = International airport
- มัสยิด = Mosque
- อาคาร = Building
- ชุมสายโทรศัพท์ = Telephone exchange building
- น้ำตก = Waterfall
- หาด = Beach
- แหลม = Cape
- อ่าว = Bay
- เกาะ = Island
- แม่น้ำ = River
- คลอง = Canal
See also
References
- ↑ "Welcome to driving in Thailand; Regulatory Signs". Driving Information Thailand. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
- ↑ "ป้ายบังคับ (Compulsory Signage)". Department of Highways Thailand. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
- ↑ "Welcome to driving in Thailand; Thai Warning Signs". Driving Information Thailand. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
- ↑ "ป้ายแนะนำ (Compulsory Signage)". Department of Highways Thailand. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
- ↑ Patin, Jennifer. "Thailand Tourist Information: A Guide to Laws in Thailand; Parking". Thailand Law Forum. Retrieved 7 October 2017.