Road_signs_in_Thailand

Road signs in Thailand

Overview of road signs in Thailand

Road signs in Thailand are standardized road signs similar to those used in other nations but much of it resembles road signage systems used in South American countries with certain differences, such as using a blue circle instead of a red-bordered white circle to indicate mandatory actions.^[1] Until the early 1980s, Thailand closely followed American, European, Australian, and Japanese practices in road sign design, with diamond-shaped warning signs and circular restrictive signs to regulate traffic. The Department of Railway maintains a standard on the typeface used in the sign, with custom made type for Thai text, unofficially named "Thang Luang" (อักษรทางหลวง) and a small derivation of FHWA Series fonts ("Highway Gothic") typeface, which is used on American road signage, for Latin text.^[2] In most Bangkok Metropolitan Area's routes, TS Lopburi is still used.

Sign on Route 12 in the north of the country

A kilometer zero stone in northern Thailand

Highway road signs in (northeastern) Thailand

A directional board

Thai traffic signs use Thai, the national language of Thailand, and distances and other measurements are expressed in compliance with the International System of Units. However, English is also used for important public places such as tourist attractions, airports, railway stations, and immigration checkpoints. Both Thai and romanizations are used on directional signage.

Thailand is a signatory to the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals, but has yet to fully ratify the convention.^[3]

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).^[6]^[7]

Warning signs

Thai warning signs are diamond-shaped and are yellow and black in colour.^[8]

Informational signs

Thai Informational signs are white or blue.^[9]

Informational signs
Destination
Distance sign
River sign
Province border signs
Canal name on BMA Roads
Intersection name on Highways
Intersection name on Rural Roads name on Highways
Interchange name on Highways
Intersection name on BMA Roads
Pedestrian crossing
Hospital
Hospital
Hospital
Fountain
Accommodation
forest park
Waterfall
Mountain
Island
beach
cave
Sea
Water source
Cliffs
Dam
Golf Course
Resort Places
Vineyard
Zoo
ancient sites
Temple
Temple (variant)
Church/Chapel
Surau/Mosque
Shrine
Stadium
Border
Garden, Rai
Market
Monument
Research Center
Center for Arts and Crafts
Museum
Park
Hospital
Hospital
One-way street (left)
One-way street (right)
Dead end
U-turn Right
U-turn Left
Expressway begins
Expressway ends
Bus lane begins
Bus lane
Disabled persons
Bus lane ends
High-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane
Weigh station
Weigh station
Weigh station
Weigh station
Weigh station
Weigh station
Rest area
Rest area
Restaurant
Restaurant shop
Refreshment shop
Accommodation
Wi-Fi and Internet
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 (Access road from Highways)
Airport (Access road from Motorways/Major Roads)
Airport (Access road from Toll Motorways/Expressways)
Airport (Access road from Toll Motorways/Expressways) with a Name
Bus terminal
Ferry pier
Ferry port
Railway station
Toilet gender
Parking lot
Gasoline
NGV Gasoline
LPG Gasoline
EV electric Station
E85 Gasoline
B20 Gasoline
General information (Rural roads)
General information (Rural roads)
Directional guide signs on Highways (to the left lane)
Directional guide signs on Highways (through lanes)
1 kilometer exit warning (high-hanging type) for special highways
recommend in advance
Directional guide signs on Toll Motorways (to the right lane)
Directional guide signs on Rural Roads (right turn lane)

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
เขตพระราชฐาน = Royal court area
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 (e.g. 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

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This article uses material from the Wikipedia article Road_signs_in_Thailand, and is written by contributors. Text is available under a CC BY-SA 4.0 International License; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[1] [1]
"Thailand Driving Guide". International Drivers Association. 2021-08-05. Retrieved 2023-08-17.

[2] [2]
แบบมาตรฐานตัวอักษร ตัวเลข และป้าย (in Thai). Bangkok: กรมทางหลวง. 2011.

[3] [3]
"United Nations Treaty Collection". treaties.un.org. Retrieved 2023-12-10.

[4] [4]
Proclamation of the Traffic Order (in Thai) (1958 ed.). Thailand: Government of Thailand. 31 March 1958.

[5] [5]
Proclamation of the Traffic Order (in Thai) (2004 ed.). Thailand: Government of Thailand. 2004.

[6] [6]
"Welcome to driving in Thailand; Regulatory Signs". Driving Information Thailand. Retrieved 7 October 2017.

[7] [7]
"ป้ายบังคับ (Compulsory Signage)". Department of Highways Thailand. Retrieved 7 October 2017.

[8] [8]
"Welcome to driving in Thailand; Thai Warning Signs". Driving Information Thailand. Retrieved 7 October 2017.

[9] [9]
"ป้ายแนะนำ (Compulsory Signage)". Department of Highways Thailand. Retrieved 3 April 2018.

[10] [10]
Patin, Jennifer. "Thailand Tourist Information: A Guide to Laws in Thailand; Parking". Thailand Law Forum. Retrieved 7 October 2017.

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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

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 code signs	Motorways signs (Toll Roads)	Motorway signs	Rural route signs	Local roads signs
Rectangle-shaped highway shield with highway code signs are black and white	Blue with white letters signs for Motorways (Toll Road).	Green with White letters for Motorways	Rural route signs	Local roads signs

Thai national road shield Further information: Thai highway network § Highway numbering	Motorway Signs (Toll Roads)	Thai Motorway Signs	Rural route signs	Local roads signs

Road_signs_in_Thailand

History

Regulatory signs

Priority Regulating Signs

Prohibitory or Restrictive Signs

Mandatory Signs

Other regulatory signs

General regulatory signs

Mandatory signs for bicycle paths

Optional signs

Superseded regulatory signs

Warning signs

Curves and Turns

Intersections

Roundabout

Road narrows

Narrow bridge

Lane transitions

Railway crossing

Lane width restrictions

Lane height restrictions

Hills and Grades

Lane conditions

Opening bridge

Lane shiftings

Lane mergings

Divided highways

Turning back

No Turning back

Two-way traffic

Advance traffic control

No passing zone

Lane split, Curve and Hazard markers

Alternate merging

Supplementary plates

Superseded warning signs

Speed camera zone warning signs

Emergency stop warning sign (Standard form of the Department of Highways)

Warning signs on steep slopes. for heavy trucks (Standard form of the Department of Highways)

High hanging warning sign (Mast arm) (Standard type of the Department of Rural Roads)

Water overflow warning sign (Standard form of the Department of Rural Roads)

Warning signs for safety facilitation and improvement of dangerous points. In the case of installing a vehicle warning device entering an intersection (Standard form of the Department of Rural Roads)

railway warning sign (Standard road work form for local administrative organizations, Department of Rural Roads)

Combination signs

Miscellaneous

Temporary signs

Road equipment

Highways

Tolled expressway and highway signs

National Highway

Highway signs

Advance turn arrow signs

Directional arrow signs

Informational signs

Kilometer signs

Exit number signs

Road name signage

Symbols

Curb markings

Sign vocabulary

See also

References

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