Surprising Traffic

   Perhaps you've heard of the infamous Bangkok traffic jams.   Maybe you imagine a cacophony of blaring horns rising above the other sounds.  Well, it's not like that. Very seldom one hear's a horn and when there is a beep it's usually a short one to warn someone that may not have seen the vehicle. Drivers in Minnesota could learn much from the Thai.
   Thai drivers aren't perfect.  In fact their accident rate is high.  Drunken driving is a very serious problem and is only now beginning to be addressed.  They also believe in fate, i.e., what's going to happen is going to happen regardless, so, why worry about accident prevention?
    What Minnesota drivers could learn from Thailand is patience.  Really?  It seems odd in a country where people will drive on road shoulders and motorcycles drive between vehicles always going to the front of the line at stop lights.  However, squeeze in front of another motorist?  No problem. Need to make a turn across traffic?  Just ease out into the approaching traffic until a vehicle is forced to stop for you and make your trun.  No problem.  In all my time in Thailand I do not remember hearing a horn honked in anger.

    Minnesota seems cold after Thailand but I'll adjust...though I may never like the temp.  Thailand's not out of my system so I'll be posting more pictures and adding reflections to this blog.

Adding propane gas to a minibus.  All Bangkok taxis run on propane.

"Song Taow", literally "two benches" for the seating in the back of this truck/bus.  Smaller one's use pickups. 

Propane tanks on a semi-tractor.  Many heavy trucks use propane.