The parking regulations in Thailand are very basic and easy to follow, although in busy areas parking is difficult due to the large number of cars. Parking areas are clearly marked with road signs, although these are usually in Thai, with English translations only on the signs in tourist areas.

If you are parked in the wrong place or exceed the time allowed then it is normal for a parking ticket to be issued. The fine for this will need to be paid at the police station. Occasionally you may find that the car has been clamped. This is also done by the local authorities and you will need to contact the local police station. When the fine has been paid a police officer will remove the clamp.

In some areas you may be expected to pay a small fee and you will need to look carefully for a sign that states this. There will usually be an operative in uniform collecting the fee. This fee varies and is set by the local authorities but will usually be anything between 5 and 10 THB. You will be given a ticket that is placed under the windscreen wiper to show that the fee has been paid. Some car parks may have ticket machines.

In other areas you will need to take notice of the painted markings on the road side. There are different colours for different regulations. Red and white markings on the curb indicate that parking is not permitted at any time. If the markings are yellow and white this means that you can only stop for a few minutes, usually to pick up or drop off. It should be noted that yellow and white can also indicate a bus stop, so it is advised to avoid parking there at all if possible.

If there is a white rectangle painted on the road then this is a designated parking space and it can be used, subject to any time constraints indicated on the signs. If there are diagonal white lines painted on the road then this indicates that only motorcycles have the right to park there.

There are very few parking spaces allocated to the disabled in Thailand. There is no system of issuing permits for the disabled. In busy areas there are no residents parking permits issued. It is a ‘first come, first served’ system and you just need to hope that you can find a space.