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.
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]
The first year for road signs in Thailand was largely unknown, but it can be dated back as far as the start of the 1920s.[ citation needed ]
Thailand is the first country in Asia to adopt MUTCD standard yellow diamond warning signs, in 1940.[ citation needed ] For regulatory signs, rectangular signs were first used and were similar in design to North America,[ citation needed ] but they have been replaced in the mid-1950s by European-style red-bordered white circle signs. [4]
In 2004, mandatory signs were switched from South American design to European design. [5]
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]
These signs have been superseded, but are still around.
These signs have been superseded, but are still around.
Construction signs in Thailand are diamond-shaped and are orange and black in colour.
These signs have been superseded, but are still around.
Expressways |
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:-
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 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 | Motorway Signs (Toll Roads) | Thai Motorway Signs | Rural route signs | Local roads signs |
Highways | Motorways (Toll Roads) | Motorways |
---|---|---|
Highways | Motorways (Toll Roads) | Motorways |
---|---|---|
Road name signs in Thailand have different colours and styles depending on the local authority.
Other symbols include hospital signs, airport signs, temple signs and so on.
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 mean parking for motorbikes only. [8]
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:
Road signs in Sweden are regulated in Vägmärkesförordningen, VMF (2007:90), and are to be placed 2 metres from the road with the sign 1.6 m from the base for motorized roads. Except for route numbers, there are a maximum of three signs on a pole, with the most important sign at the top. All signs have a reflective layer added on selected parts of the sign as is custom in European countries; most larger signs also have their own illumination.
Road signs in Malaysia are standardised road signs similar to those used in Europe but with certain distinctions. Until the early 1980s, Malaysia closely practice in road sign design, with diamond-shaped warning signs and circular restrictive signs to regulate traffic. Signs usually use the Transport Heavy font on non-tolled roads and highways. Tolled expressways signs use a font specially designed for the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) which is LLM Lettering. It has two type of typefaces, LLM Narrow and LLM Normal. Older road signs used the FHWA Series fonts typeface also used in the United States, Canada, and Australia. Most road signs in Melaka and speed limit signs use Arial.
Road signs in Singapore closely follow those laid down in the traffic sign regulations used in the United Kingdom, although a number of changes over the years have introduced some slight deviations that suit local road conditions. Road signs in Singapore conform to the local Highway Code under the authority of Singapore Traffic Police.
Road signs in Italy conform to the general pattern of those used in most other European countries, with the notable exception that the background of motorway (autostrada) signs is green and those for 'normal' roads is blue. They are regulated by the Codice della Strada and by the Regolamento di Attuazione del Codice della Strada in conformity with the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals.
Road signs in India can vary in design, depending on the location. For most part, they tend to closely follow European practices, usually identical with the United Kingdom or the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals, although yellow rectangular signs that do carry such messages like "Be gentle on my curves" and "Danger creeps when safety sleeps" are present nationwide. Road signs in India are metric.
Road signs in Iran are regulated in the INSO standard 14815-1. They generally follow the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals.
Road signs in Israel are regulated by the Ministry of Transportation in the Division of Transportation Planning, most recently set forth in June 2011.
Road signs in South Korea are regulated by the Korean Road Traffic Authority.
Road signs in the Czech Republic (Czechia) are regulated by the Ministry of Transport and the police. The signs are nearly the same as the European norm, but with small changes (e.g., the text is in Czech, some differences in colour). The law governing the road signs is Decree number 30/2001 Sb., many times amended, and replaced by decree 294/2015 Sb., in force since 1 January 2016.
In Japan, road signs are standardized by the "Order on Road Sign, Road Line, and Road Surface Marking (道路標識、区画線及び道路標示に関する命令)" established in 1968 with origins from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department's "Order on Standardization of Road Sign" of 1934 and the Home Ministry of Japan's "Order on Road Signs" of 1942. The previous designs have been used since 1986 after several amendments of order.
Road signs in New Zealand are similar to those set by the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals. While New Zealand is not a signatory to the convention, its road signs are generally close in shape and function. New Zealand uses yellow diamond-shaped signs for warnings in common with Australia, the Americas, Ireland, Japan and Thailand. Speed limit signs are a red circle with a white background and the limitation in black, and are in kilometres per hour. There are also some signs unique to New Zealand. Road signs in New Zealand are controlled by NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi and are prescribed in the Land Transport Rule: Traffic Control Devices 2004 and set out in the Traffic Control Devices (TCD) Manual.
A wide variety of road signs are displayed in the People's Republic of China.
Road signs in Hong Kong are standardised by the Transport Department. Due to being a former British territory, the road signage in Hong Kong is similar to road signs in the United Kingdom, with the addition of Traditional Chinese characters.
Road signs in Indonesia are standardized road signs similar to those used in other nations but with certain distinctions. As a former Dutch colony, until the 1970s road signs in Indonesia closely followed The Netherlands rules on road signs. Nowadays, Indonesian road sign design are a mix of European, US MUTCD, Australia, New Zealand and Japanese road sign features. According to the 2014 Minister of Transport's Regulation No. 13 concerning Traffic Signs, the official typeface for road signs in Indonesia is Clearview. Indonesia formerly used FHWA Series fonts as the designated typeface though the rules are not being implemented properly.
Road signs in Australia are regulated by each state's government, but are standardised overall throughout the country. In 1999, the National Transport Commission (NTC), created the first set of Rules of the Road for Australia. Australian road signs use the AS 1744:2015 fonts, which is the Highway Gothic typeface.
Bosnia and Herzegovina is a signatory to the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals. Therefore, road signs do not differ much from the rest of Europe, such as Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia and North Macedonia. Ministry of Transportation of Bosnia and Herzegovina regulates them. Bosnia and Herzegovina drives on the right as with the rest of Europe, except for Cyprus, Ireland, Malta and the United Kingdom. Bosnian and Herzegovinan road signs have two scripts, Latin and Cyrillic script.
Road signs in Cambodia are standardized road signs are similar to those used in Europe but much of it resembles road signage systems used in South American countries with certain differences. The designs of road signage match their neighbours of Thailand and Malaysia, both of which adopt a modified version of the South American road signage system. Until the early 1980s, Cambodia closely followed American, European, Australian, and Japanese practices in road sign design, with diamond-shaped warning signs and circular restrictive signs to regulate traffic. Unlike Thailand and Malaysia, Cambodia does not use the FHWA Series fonts typeface, favouring Helvetica instead.
Road signs in Vietnam follow Chinese and French road signs. Some signs are written in both Vietnamese and English. The signs are prescribed by the Vietnam Ministry of Transport with the 2019 standardization being the up-to-date regulations.
Road signs in the Philippines are regulated and standardized by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). Most of the signs reflect minor influences from American and Australian signs but keep a design closer to the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals, to which the Philippines is an original signatory. The Philippines signed the convention on November 8, 1968, and ratified it on December 27, 1973.
Road signs in the Republic of Bulgaria were introduced by the Road Traffic Act and are regulated by: