To cross a road in Thailand, look right first, because traffic drives on the left, and do not expect a car or motorbike to stop just because you are on a zebra crossing. Use a signal-controlled crossing or a footbridge where there is one, and keep looking both ways until you reach the far curb.
Walking is one of the best ways to see a Thai city, and on most days the worst you meet is heat and an uneven pavement. The real risk is the moment you step into the road. Thai law tells drivers to let pedestrians cross at zebra crossings, and the fine was raised sharply in 2023, but the habit of stopping is still weak and motorbikes use every gap. The US CDC's advice for Thailand says it plainly: people on foot do not always have the right of way abroad.
This page is about crossing on foot: reading the traffic, using crossings and footbridges, and the situations that catch visitors out. Curbs, ramps and lifts for wheelchair users are covered in our guide to accessible travel in Thailand.
Crossing the road in Thailand (October 2026)
- Traffic drives on
- The left: look right first
- Driver who does not stop at a zebra crossing
- Fine of up to 4,000 baht plus a one-point deduction (since 9 January 2023)
- Safest places to cross
- Signal-controlled crossings, footbridges, skywalks
- Biggest surprise for visitors
- Motorbikes overtaking a car that has stopped, and riding on pavements
- Ambulance
- 1669
- Police
- 191 (Tourist Police 1155)
Look right, then left, then right again
Thailand drives on the left, so the first traffic to reach you comes from your right. The CDC tells visitors to "look right" for approaching traffic, and that matters most for people from the United States, mainland China and most of Europe, whose instinct is to look left. Travelers from Singapore, Malaysia, the UK, Hong Kong or Australia have the right reflex already, but still need the next point.
Never trust a one-way street. Motorbikes often ride the wrong way along the curb to reach a soi (side street) or a shop. Look both ways on every road, every time, including the last lane before the pavement.
If you want to understand why traffic behaves the way it does, our sister site explains how Thai traffic works from the driver's seat. This page stays on the pavement.
Zebra crossings: the law and what really happens
Since 9 January 2023, a driver who fails to stop for a pedestrian on a zebra crossing faces a fine of up to 4,000 baht, up from 1,000, and loses a point from the driving license, according to the government spokesperson quoted by the Bangkok Post. Every driver starts with 12 points, and a license is suspended for 90 days when they run out.
The change followed public anger over a crash on 21 January 2022, when a doctor was hit and killed on a zebra crossing on Phaya Thai Road in central Bangkok by a police officer riding a motorbike. The case started a wide campaign about pedestrian crossings, and the higher fine came into force a year later.
On the street, the effect is mixed. Some drivers now slow down for a person waiting at the stripes; many do not. Treat a zebra crossing as a good place to cross, not as a promise that anyone will stop.
A car that stops for you can hide a motorbike behind it. On a road with two or more lanes, one driver may stop while a motorbike or car overtakes in the next lane, unseen by you and unable to see you. Cross one lane at a time, and look past every stopped vehicle before you step in front of it.
A few habits help: wait until there is a real gap, make eye contact with the driver, raise a hand so you are easy to see, and walk at a steady pace. Do not run, and do not stop halfway unless there is a proper island to stand on.
Traffic lights and countdown displays
A crossing with its own pedestrian signal is the safest place to cross a main road. Even there, check before you go. Vehicles turning into the road you are crossing may still be moving when your signal turns green, and motorbikes sometimes run the end of a red light.
Where a signal shows a countdown, do not start crossing when only a few seconds are left. Wide roads in Bangkok and Chiang Mai take longer to cross than you expect, especially with children or luggage.
On big roads without a signal, it is worth walking a few hundred meters to one. Crossing six lanes by reading gaps is the situation where visitors get hurt.
Footbridges, skywalks and stations
Many main roads in Bangkok are crossed by footbridges. They mean stairs, and in the midday sun they are hard work, but they separate you completely from the traffic. With a heavy bag or a pushchair the walk to a signal may be easier; our page on heat and sun explains why the middle of the day is the time to slow down.
In central Bangkok, covered skywalks link several BTS stations with shopping malls and office towers, and elevated stations have stairs on both sides of the road below. Climbing a station's stairs and coming down the other side is often the simplest way over a busy road, without buying a ticket. Our guide to the BTS Skytrain and MRT covers the lines themselves.
Motorbikes on the pavement and at soi entrances
Motorbikes are the main danger for pedestrians, because they are everywhere. In jams, riders use the pavement to get past; they come out of sois and car parks without slowing; and delivery riders park across the walkway. The UK Foreign Office notes that Thailand has a high number of road accidents, particularly with motorcycles.
The World Health Organization estimated 18,218 road deaths in Thailand in 2021, or 25.4 per 100,000 people. Of the deaths that were reported by type of road user, about half were riders of motorbikes and other two- and three-wheelers. WHO's data does not give a reliable share for pedestrians, because almost half of the reported deaths were recorded as "other or unknown".
- Walk on the inside of the pavement, away from the curb.
- Look behind you before stepping sideways around a stall or a parked motorbike.
- Slow down at every soi entrance and driveway, and listen for engines.
- Where there is no pavement, walk facing the oncoming traffic, so you can see what is coming.
The same streets look different from the saddle; if you plan to ride yourself, read our guide to safe scooter riding first, and our page on motorbike taxis if you will be a passenger.
Night, rain and busy holidays
Many sois and suburban roads are badly lit, and dark clothing makes you almost invisible to a rider with a weak headlight. Wear something light after dark, use your phone's torch on unlit stretches, and do not walk along the edge of a highway at night.
Rain changes everything. Shiny tiles on pavements become slippery, water hides potholes and drain covers, and drivers see less through a wet windscreen. In a heavy downpour, wait under cover rather than crossing in a hurry; our guide to the rainy season describes what a wet afternoon looks like.
Take extra care around Songkran and New Year, when roads fill with people traveling home and celebrating. Alcohol slows your own reactions too, and the walk back from a bar is a common time to misjudge a gap; see drinking in Thailand for the wider picture.
Crossing with children
Children are small, hard to see between parked cars and quick to run. Hold hands at every crossing, keep a child on the side of you away from the road, and teach older children to look right first before you arrive, so the rule is not new on the first street corner. Our guide to Thailand with kids covers the rest of family travel, including car seats.
If you are hit, or see someone hit
Call 1669 for an ambulance and 191 for the police; the Tourist Police on 1155 can help with language. Our page of emergency numbers in Thailand explains what to say when you call. Do not move an injured person unless they are in further danger.
Ask for a police report even for a minor injury, because insurers usually want one. Check before you travel that your travel insurance covers medical treatment; private hospitals in Thailand expect payment or a guarantee from your insurer.
Frequently asked questions
Do cars stop at zebra crossings in Thailand?
Some do, many do not. The law requires drivers to stop for pedestrians on a zebra crossing, and since January 2023 the fine is up to 4,000 baht. Still, assume nobody will stop until the vehicle has actually stopped, and check every lane separately.
Which way should I look when crossing the road in Thailand?
Look right first, because traffic drives on the left and the nearest lane comes from your right. Then look left and right again, and watch for motorbikes riding the wrong way along the curb, even on a one-way street.
What is the fine for not stopping at a zebra crossing in Thailand?
Since 9 January 2023, drivers who fail to stop for a pedestrian at a zebra crossing face a fine of up to 4,000 baht, up from 1,000 baht, and a one-point deduction from their license, as reported by the Bangkok Post.
Is it safer to use footbridges in Bangkok?
Yes. A footbridge or a BTS station's stairs separate you completely from the traffic, which no crossing on the road can do. They are tiring in the heat and hard with a pushchair, so a signal-controlled crossing is the next best choice.
Is it safe to walk around Bangkok at night?
For traffic, the main risks at night are poor lighting and drivers who have been drinking. Stay on lit main streets, wear light colors, use crossings with signals and take a taxi rather than walking along a highway or an unlit road.
Sources
- US CDC – Travelers' health: Thailand (checked October 2026)
- World Health Organization – Road safety country profile: Thailand (2023) (checked October 2026)
- UK FCDO – Thailand travel advice: Safety and security (checked October 2026)
- Bangkok Post – Higher fine for failing to stop at zebra crossings (24 January 2023) (checked October 2026)