Thai highway network

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A highway sign, bearing the Thai national symbol and the route number

The Thai highway network follows the

Transportation ministry of Thailand. Public highways (ทางหลวง, thang luang) are also called public roads (ถนนหลวง, thanon luang), especially when part of urban streets. The network spans over 70,000 kilometers across all regions of Thailand.[1]
Most are
motorway, the Thai Government issued a Cabinet resolution in 1997 detailing the motorway construction master plan.[2]
Some upgraded sections of highway are being turned into a "motorway", while other motorways are not being built from highway sections.

Types of highways

The 1992 Highway Act (Thai: พระราชบัญญัติทางหลวง พ.ศ. 2535), revised as the 2006 Highway Act (Thai: พระราชบัญญัติทางหลวง (ฉบับที่ 2) พ.ศ. 2549), defines the following five highway types:[3]

A special highway (Thai: ทางหลวงพิเศษ) or motorway is a high capacity highway designed for high speed traffic, for which the Department of Highways carries out construction, expansion, upkeep and repairs, and is registered as such. Motorway entrances and exits have controlled access, and controlled by the DOH. Registration of motorways is overseen by the Director General of the DOH.

A national highway (Thai: ทางหลวงแผ่นดิน) is a primary highway, part of the network connecting regions, provinces, districts, and other important destinations, for which the DOH carries out construction, expansion, upkeep and repairs. Registration of national highways is overseen by the Director General of the DOH.

A rural highway (Thai: ทางหลวงชนบท) or rural road is a highway for which the Department of Rural Roads carries out construction, expansion, upkeep and repairs. Registration of rural highways is overseen by the Director General of the DORR.

A local highway (Thai: ทางหลวงท้องถิ่น) or local route is a highway for which the local administrative organization carries out construction, expansion, upkeep and repairs. Registration of rural highways is overseen by the provincial governor.

A concession highway (Thai: ทางหลวงสัมปทาน) is a highway for which a legal government concession has been granted. Registration of concession highways is overseen by the Director General of the DOH.

Highway numbering

The first digit of a highway number indicates the region of Thailand it serves, with the number of digits indicating the highway classification.[4] These regions are:

  1. Northern Thailand.
  2. Northeastern Thailand.
  3. Central and eastern, including the upper south.
  4. Southern Thailand, except the upper south.

A single digit indicates one of four highways connecting Bangkok to outlying regions:[4]

Two digits indicate a principal highway within a region, such as Route 22 in the northeast between

Nakhon Phanom.[4]

Three digits indicate a regional secondary highway, such as northeastern Route 202 between Chaiyaphum and Khemarat, and central Route 314 between Bang Pakong and Cha Choeng Sao.[4]

Four digits indicate an intra-province highway connecting a provincial capital to its districts, or between important sites, such as northern Route 1001 between the Route 11 intersection and Amphoe Phrao, and southern Route 4006 between the Route 4 intersection (Ratchakrut) and Lang Suan.[4]

Highways by region

Northern Thailand

Sign on Route 12 in the north of the country
Bridge construction on route 108
Route 12/Asian Highway 16 in Phetchabun Province being widened (2013)

Northeastern Thailand

Central, western and eastern Thailand

Ayutthaya

Southern Thailand

Department of Highway signage

Route number signs

DOH signs for public highways (ทางหลวง, thang luang) are white squares with a black garuda (ครุฑ khrut) centered above the route number.

Arunprasert Road
Arunprasert Road

Signs near the beginning of a route may display the highway's name on a white rectangle above or below the square.

Bypass marker
Bypass marker

Highways bypassing city centres bear the principal route number marked "Bypass" in Thai (เลี่ยงเมือง), and sometimes also in English.

Department of Rural Roads

DORR rural roads do not follow the regional numbering scheme, above.

Songkhla Province. The rural road network measures some 35,000 kilometres (22,000 mi), about 82 percent of which is paved. The Department of Rural Roads of the Ministry of Transport takes care of the maintenance of all the rural roads in Thailand.[5]

Kilometer stones

A kilometer zero stone in northern Thailand
Milestone as goal is lakh chai (หลักชัย); also see Lak Mueang, Lakh.

Lak or Lakh kilomet (หลักกิโลเมตร)

capitals.) Some edges, such as the one depicted to the left, have retroreflector panels. Dual carriageway
kilometer stones or posts in the median strip show only the kilometer number.

  • DORR milestones show the kilometer number, and the edges may show distances remaining to the next two villages.
    DORR milestones show the kilometer number, and the edges may show distances remaining to the next two villages.
  • Older roads built by the Ministry of the Interior Public Works Department (กรมโยธาธิการ กระทรวงมหาดไทย) have only departmental insignia and kilometer number and do not show distances on their edges.
    Older roads built by the Ministry of the Interior Public Works Department (กรมโยธาธิการ กระทรวงมหาดไทย) have only departmental insignia and kilometer number and do not show distances on their edges.
  • This type of kilometer stone is sometimes found on older rural highways built during a period of rural development several decades ago. They are marked with the Thai characters รพช, an abbreviation for Rengrat Pattana Chonabot (Thai: เร่งรัดพัฒนาชนบท) which, roughly translated, means "Rapid Rural Development".
    This type of kilometer stone is sometimes found on older rural highways built during a period of rural development several decades ago. They are marked with the Thai characters รพช, an abbreviation for Rengrat Pattana Chonabot (Thai: ร่งรัดพัฒนานบท) which, roughly translated, means "Rapid Rural Development".

See also

References

  1. ^ Thailand Public Relations Department Transport and Communication. Retrieved October 14, 2008. Archived March 1, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ Paper "Privatization of Highway Infrastructure in Thailand" Bureau of Planning, Department of Highways, Thailand. Retrieved 2008-10-19. Archived July 11, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ DOH website, ประเภททางหลวง, retrieved on November 13, 2008 Archived December 11, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ a b c d e "ระบบหมายเลขทางหลวง". Department of Highways website. Department of Highways. Archived from the original on 5 October 2011. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
  5. ^ World Bank, Transport in Thailand. Retrieved October 14, 2008.

External links

  • Asian / ASEAN Highway Route Marker (21MB) Department of Highways Thai-language 18-page file, with 1 index and 8 regional maps of AH system overlaid on existing Thai national highways, plus diagrams of AH route markers. Retrieved 2008-10-14.[dead link]