PATTAYA, Thailand – Pedestrian crossings in Pattaya are increasingly being dismissed by residents and visitors as little more than painted lines, offering limited protection in a city where red lights are often ignored and enforcement is rarely visible — putting both pedestrians and riders at risk.
Recent video footage circulating online shows motorbikes and cars continuing through a red light while pedestrians are already crossing at a marked zebra crossing. Foreign pedestrians react angrily as vehicles pass within inches, while Thai pedestrians calmly step aside, seemingly unfazed — a response many say reflects long familiarity rather than genuine safety.
The risks are not one-sided. Images of a wrecked motorbike from a recent accident underline that riders are also exposed to danger in the same environment. When signals are ignored and crossings are treated as optional, collisions become a shared hazard, not just a pedestrian problem.
The footage has reignited debate over the purpose of Pattaya’s pedestrian crossings, with residents questioning whether the red-and-white markings have any real meaning. Several long-term visitors noted that in countries such as the UK, traffic must stop the moment a pedestrian steps onto a crossing, while in Pattaya, drivers rarely slow down, let alone yield.
Many residents say they now actively avoid zebra crossings, believing it is safer to cross elsewhere where they can better judge oncoming traffic. Others say riders are forced into sudden swerves or emergency braking when pedestrians step out with a green signal but traffic continues to flow regardless. In both cases, painted lines are seen as offering a false sense of security.
Public reaction has focused heavily on enforcement — or the lack of it. Residents questioned why police do not station officers at known problem crossings to fine red-light violators, noting that it would immediately improve safety for everyone on the road. Some argue the problem is not weak enforcement, but effectively no enforcement at all.
Several residents pointed out that traffic rules are frequently ignored regardless of signal color, leaving pedestrians to protect themselves and riders to navigate unpredictable movements at close quarters. The prevailing advice shared among locals is blunt: never assume anyone will stop, even when the light is green and the crossing is marked.
Others expressed deeper cynicism, suggesting road rules are treated as optional and that meaningful change is unlikely without sustained enforcement. Some noted that Thai pedestrians appear conditioned to anticipate danger, crossing defensively and reading traffic behavior rather than trusting signals.
What unites most views is the conclusion that Pattaya’s pedestrian crossings are not functioning as intended. Without consistent enforcement and respect for traffic signals, both pedestrians and motorcyclists are left exposed, and accidents become inevitable.
Until that changes, residents warn that road safety in Pattaya depends less on markings and signals, and more on personal vigilance — whether crossing on foot or riding on two wheels.
