Village Traffic Signs

by **jackspratt** » November 26, 2011, 3:12 pm

Does anyone know which government body is responsible for the placement and maintenance of road traffic signs in Thai villages and towns?

There are a number of STOP signs around Ban Dung which are variously:

- faded such that they are unreadable

- hidden behind trees, awnings etc, to the same effect

- been moved and re-installed, into places where you cannot see them, or they are well away from the intersection they are meant to be controlling.

This is a question of general interest (to me at least), so please resist the temptation of turning the thread into one commenting on the utility of such signs............ I have heard them all.

by **trubrit** » November 26, 2011, 3:35 pm

Normally in a village road maintenance including signs comes under the jurisdiction of Tessabahn. The head of which is an elected official subject to re-election every four years by local vote but cannot serve more than 4 consecutive terms of office .Good luck Jack . :lol:

Just as a hint I found the only way to get them to listen was to photograph the offending items and display them on a prominent notice board .Wear a flack jacket though . :lol:

by **parrot** » November 26, 2011, 7:51 pm

I'd look for the nearest กรมทางหลวง (Grohm Tang Luang)(Hwy Office), as the one near our home (kilo 13ish) has a number of signs piled up along side the admin building. But if you can't find your local Hwy Office, I'd stop by the Tessabahn with a few photos of the signs that you're concerned with.

by **jackspratt** » November 26, 2011, 8:06 pm

Thanks Val and John.

Not sure what I am going to do next - but if I decide to do something, at least I will know where to go.

by **Khun Paul** » November 27, 2011, 7:57 am

There is a Department for Rural Roads, up the Udon Sakon Road, on the left hand side as you leave big 'C' going towards Nong Han.

Following a brief period attached to local County council road sign placement dept in the UK, i have found here at leat that Road signs in many places do bear no resemblance to the situation at all.

There appears to be a misnomer that all junctions are equal in precedence when in fact most are not signed correctly, there also appears to be a argument ( in signs 0 those on poles as against those on the road, I can cite two occasioons where the main road follows a path to the left, but the road sign says stop at the junction , and on the minor road, it says nothing and they obey nothing hence accidents .

So speaking to anyone would be in my view a fruitless and pointless exercise as they will not probably know the correct signs to put up anyway and one last and final thing, Thai drivers don't follow them anyway so what's the point.

by **trubrit** » November 27, 2011, 8:04 am

parrot wrote:I'd look for the nearest กรมทางหลวง (Grohm Tang Luang)(Hwy Office), as the one near our home (kilo 13ish) has a number of signs piled up along side the admin building. But if you can't find your local Hwy Office, I'd stop by the Tessabahn with a few photos of the signs that you're concerned with.

The highway office is only responsible for erecting new signs under the orders of Tessabahn or re-erecting those damaged in accidents , they have no involvement with the issuing of new ones . You will really be wasting your time there Jack. It could be a fun day out though . :lol:

by **Bandung_Dero** » November 27, 2011, 8:23 am

Come on Jack! How often do you see the locals take any notice of traffic signs, pedestrian crossings, helmet reminders etc in Ban Dung or any where else in Isaan. Your not serious or just taking the piss, right.

Edit: Just to add our one and only set of traffic lights are treated with utter contempt and they are relatively new and well seen.

by **merchant seaman** » November 27, 2011, 8:29 am

Actually if you are seriuos best not to get involved as a foreigner best have your wife or thai friend address the problem.

by **parrot** » November 27, 2011, 7:46 pm

"Actually if you are seriuos best not to get involved as a foreigner best have your wife or thai friend address the problem."

Actually I've had pretty good luck dealing with the local tetsabahn myself.....a few power problems, a hole-in-the-road problem, a missed garbage pickup, and trees overhanging incoming electrical lines....all dealt with in what I'd consider a timely manner. I'm not sure though that they'd be the responsible party for fixing sign problems, but they may know who to contact.

by **KHONDAHM** » November 28, 2011, 12:30 am

Our villages have no traffic signs anywhere. The majority of residents never bothered to get licensed, anyway. Accidents? Sure. Driving a motorbike drunk or teens showing off or racing is pretty popular. Signs in the village would be decorative, but not effective IMO. May be a different set of facts where you are...

by **trubrit** » November 28, 2011, 6:12 am

parrot wrote:
Actually I've had pretty good luck dealing with the local tetsabahn myself.....a few power problems, a hole-in-the-road problem, a missed garbage pickup, and trees overhanging incoming electrical lines....all dealt with in what I'd consider a timely manner. I'm not sure though that they'd be the responsible party for fixing sign problems, but they may know who to contact.

Glad to hear you enjoy the same level of cooperation I do from Tessabahn .My point about them being the people to see is based purely on the fact they control all the local budget and the various other maintenance departments won't move without their okay, although they do of course have stocks of regular things like sand and cement for minor repairs, but I got the impression Jack was needing new signs .

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