Driving in Cha-Am
Cha-Am Traffic Police has been doing roadchecks quite actively these last days, mainly on Narathip road (the main road leading to the beach and coming from highway #4 - Phetkasem - junction). If you ride a motorbike, make sure you wear a helmet! And if you drive any vehicle, make sure you have your papers in order (international driving licence or Thai driving licence). If you don’t, you should expect to pay a fine (usually 300 baht).
When driving in Cha-Am, you should also mind the stray dogs. They are all over the place! Yesterday I ran into a dog while riding my motorbike. My wife is a bit worried, as she says it’s a sign of bad luck. I think it is mostly bad luck for the dog, and rather good luck for me that I didn’t fall over the bike! But my bike is heavy and the dog was not. I was not driving fast, but the dog crossed the road then changed its mind suddenly and I couldn’t avoid it. I checked in my rearview mirror and saw that it was lying flat dead. เรียบร้อย!