Actually it is harder because you have to pay attention all the time because people are going in different directions on the same side of the street!The mixture of bicycles,motorbikes and people seems maddening at normal Western speeds!
The answer is to drive much slower here,which IMO,is great practice for changing your overall ''pace''from the Western influenced pace that says ''time is money''!There is no reason to hurry here unless you are after the thrills of some youth,which are or cause many of the accident statistics!
On the open road,especially 4 lanes and expressways,most drivers go faster than the West!Probably because they have more purpose for not wasting time and probably because they can w/o to much speed enforcement like the West,at least not at the high penalty costs of the West!
Two lane highways need special attention as you must always be on alert to give way to oncoming passing motorists,combined with motorbikes and other ''thing'' traveling at slower speeds in the outside lane that you might have to move into!Add to that are the many crossings,driveways and ocassional ''popups'' by people and animals that emerge from lower land to the higher highway!These roads have the most death toll statistics!
When I first came to Bangkok,I ,too,said that I would never drive in Thailand.Now I drive everywhere and don't trust others to drive much as I have great confidence in my ability to pay attention to the driving responsibility at all times versus what I observe others doing,such as talking to someone and taking there eyes of the road,etc.etc.
It gets easier with time as you get used to and can anticipate many of the Thai driving patterns,but you must always be vigilant and whatever you do,don't stop in traffic to let pedestrians cross!!!
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