ncr
10-09-03, 05:29 PM
Does anyone know why cars in Thailand drive on the left side of the road?
Admittedly, this question might be a litle bit off-topic, but if you look close, it is an interesting issue, nevertheless:
As far as I know, explicit traffic rules weren't introduced in most countries before the turn of the 19th/20th centuries (or maybe as early as the middle of the 19th?). Please correct me if I am wrong. Before that, everyone used the roads more or less as they liked, but with increasing traffic, that inevitably led to problems, even with horse carts and carriages back then. So governments had to come up with binding rules to sort out the mess. I guess it started in most "developed" countries, i.e. Western Europe (North America?) - sometime I read something about all this, but I cannot remember where.
Then of course the colonial rule played an important role in dependent territories, and that's where it really gets quite intriguing.
For example, Indochina (Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam) were French, so they drive on the right until today. Malaysia and Singapore in contrast were British - they drive on the left. Indonesia: first Dutch, then British, left (?) Philippines: Spanish/American, right. The same is true for Africa, with countries like Kenya or South Africa (British, left) on the one hand side and most of West Africa (French, right) on the other hand, for example. Or take South and Central America, which was largely Spanish/Portuguese - hence right side. Only some Caribbean Islands such as Jamaica have left side traffic.
Still, it is strange in Burma, which was also under British rule, yet they drive on the right. Maybe they changed it after gaining independence in order to protest against their colonisers? The traffic regulations haven't always been continuous. Sweden, for example changed from left to right only after the Second World War, if I remember correctly. (Now that must have been an interesting process!)
Now, finally, what about Thailand, which was never under foreign rule, as we all know? Why did they opt for the left side? I can only speculate. Did the Siamese haver better relations (political, economic) with British Malaya than French Indochina at that time? They had territorial disputes with both, but I think the mutual animosity with France was much bigger - especially if you consider issues like Angkor Wat, which once belonged to Siam. There was also a war and the Western part of Cambodia and parts of Laos were ceded to France. Siam also ceded territory on the Malay Peninsula to Britain, but without violence and bloodshed, I think.
But maybe there is another reason, or no particular reason at all? Has anyone ever heard anything about this topic, and can you share that information?
Admittedly, this question might be a litle bit off-topic, but if you look close, it is an interesting issue, nevertheless:
As far as I know, explicit traffic rules weren't introduced in most countries before the turn of the 19th/20th centuries (or maybe as early as the middle of the 19th?). Please correct me if I am wrong. Before that, everyone used the roads more or less as they liked, but with increasing traffic, that inevitably led to problems, even with horse carts and carriages back then. So governments had to come up with binding rules to sort out the mess. I guess it started in most "developed" countries, i.e. Western Europe (North America?) - sometime I read something about all this, but I cannot remember where.
Then of course the colonial rule played an important role in dependent territories, and that's where it really gets quite intriguing.
For example, Indochina (Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam) were French, so they drive on the right until today. Malaysia and Singapore in contrast were British - they drive on the left. Indonesia: first Dutch, then British, left (?) Philippines: Spanish/American, right. The same is true for Africa, with countries like Kenya or South Africa (British, left) on the one hand side and most of West Africa (French, right) on the other hand, for example. Or take South and Central America, which was largely Spanish/Portuguese - hence right side. Only some Caribbean Islands such as Jamaica have left side traffic.
Still, it is strange in Burma, which was also under British rule, yet they drive on the right. Maybe they changed it after gaining independence in order to protest against their colonisers? The traffic regulations haven't always been continuous. Sweden, for example changed from left to right only after the Second World War, if I remember correctly. (Now that must have been an interesting process!)
Now, finally, what about Thailand, which was never under foreign rule, as we all know? Why did they opt for the left side? I can only speculate. Did the Siamese haver better relations (political, economic) with British Malaya than French Indochina at that time? They had territorial disputes with both, but I think the mutual animosity with France was much bigger - especially if you consider issues like Angkor Wat, which once belonged to Siam. There was also a war and the Western part of Cambodia and parts of Laos were ceded to France. Siam also ceded territory on the Malay Peninsula to Britain, but without violence and bloodshed, I think.
But maybe there is another reason, or no particular reason at all? Has anyone ever heard anything about this topic, and can you share that information?