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 "Transport Heavy".
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 signed the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals but have yet to ratify the convention.
Route numbers
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 |
National
| 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 |
Highway codes
Directional and distance signs
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:-
- Green with white signs for expressway names of closed toll systems.
Symbol of the Thai Expressways
To expressway direction
Non-tolled national, provincial and municipal roads
Thai road signs are blue and have a simple code:-
- 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)
Thai federal road shield
Asian Highway route signs
As part of the Asian Highway Network.
Asian Highway route shield
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
Warning signs
Thai warning signs are diamond-shaped and are yellow and black in colour.
Crossroads
Side road junction on left
Side road junction on right
Exit junction on left
Exit junction on right
Offset road junction, left and right
Offset road junction, left and right
T-junction
Y-junction
Curve to left
Curve to right
Double curve, first to left
Double curve, first to right
Keep left
Keep right
Split way
Divided road begins
Divided road ends
Series of bends, first to left
Series of bends, first to right
Merging traffic
Steep descent
Falling rocks
Roundabout ahead
Two-way traffic
Uneven road
Road narrows on both sides
Road narrows on left side
Road narrows on left side
Narrow bridge
Slippery road
Traffic lights ahead
Railroad crossing with gates
Railroad crossing without gates
Stop ahead
Hump
Elephant crossing- Farm animal crossing
Wild animals crossing
Pedestrian Crossing
School children crossing
School crossing ahead
Disabled crossing
Regulatory signage
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).
Stop
Give Way
No entry
No buses
No trucks
No motorcycles
No U-turn
No left turn
No right turn
No parking
No stopping
No horns
Speed limit
Weight limit
No vehicles over height shown
Speed limit zone ends
Keep left
Turn left
Proceed straight
Proceed straight and turn right
Bicycle lane
Railroad crossing
Dead end
U-Turn
Informational signage
Thai information signs are blue.
Layby logo
Rest and Service Area green logo (usually found at toll expressways)
Rest and Service Area blue logo (usually found at major trunk roads)
Bus Stop
Truck stops
Food court
Fruit stall
Toilet
Petrol station
Jetty
Port (Harbour)
Telephone
Parking
Information centre
Repair shop
ATM
Hospital
Airport
Clinic
Construction signage
Construction signs in Thailand are diamond-shaped and are orange and black in colour.
| พื้นที่ก่อสร้าง -- เมตร ข้างหน้า |
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.
Miscellaneous
Bridge signage
| 001+222+0047 |
Bridge numbers
River signage
| แม่น้ำโขง |
| แม่น้ำน่าน |
Highway concessionaires border limit
| สุดเขตกรุงเทพมหานคร |
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:
- เหนือ = North
- ใต้ = South
- ตะวันตก = West
- ตะวันออก = East
- ระวัง = Caution
- เขตอุบัติเหตุ = Accident area
- เขตชุมชน = Village area
- ลดความเร็ว = Reduce speed
- แยกไป = Junction to
- ทางออกไป = Exit to
- ทางเข้าไป = Entry to (usually at weighing bridge)
- ก่อสร้างข้างหน้า = Construction ahead
- สุดเขตก่อสร้าง = End of construction
- หยุด = Stop
- ให้ทาง = Give way (yield)
- จำกัดความเร็ว = Speed limits
- จำกัดความสูง = Height limit
- ถนน = Road
- ทางพิเศษ = Expressway / highway
- ถนน = Street
- ถนน = Drive
- ยกเว้นกรณีฉุกเฉิน = Except emergency
- ขับช้าๆ = Slow/Slow down
- จุดพักรถ = Rest and service areas
- เติมน้ำมัน = Petrol station
- ฉุกเฉิน = Emergency
- อุโมงค์ = Tunnel
- แยก = Interchange
- ทางออก = Exit
- กรุณาเปิดไฟหน้า = Turn on headlamps
- เขตโรงเรียน = School area
- 'น้ำตก = Waterfall
- หาด = Beach
- วัด = Temple
- อาคาร' = Building
- ท่าอากาศยาน = Airport
- ท่าอากาศยานนานาชาติ = International airport
- สะพาน = Bridge
- จุดชั่งน้ำหนัก = Weighing bridge
- ด่าน = Toll plaza
- สถานีรถไฟ = Railway station
- สุขา = Toilet
- โทรศัพท์ = Telephone
- ชุมสายโทรศัพท์ = Telephone exchange building
- อาคาร = Tower
- แหลม = Cape
- อ่าว = Bay
- เกาะ = Island
- แม่น้ำ = River
- คลอง = Canal
- ที่ดินกองทัพอากาศ = Armed forces base area
- พื้นที่หวงห้าม = Prohibited area
- พื้นที่น้ำท่วม = Flood area
- พื้นที่อุบัติเหตุ = Accident prone area
See also
- Integrated Transport Information System
- Thai highway network
- Speed limits in Thailand
- Transportation in Thailand

