Thai Street Signs

By timNovember 9, 2017March 13, 2025Culture

This is a continually updated photo gallery of street signs from around Thailand. Not only are street signs in many Thai towns beautiful, their creative designs are based on local landmarks, history, culture, legends, industries, etc. Click on each photo to see it large.

Central Thailand

street sign with palace building on top — Ayutthaya city
The building represents the old royal palace, which was completely destroyed by the Burmese. I couldn't determine if it is a specific building or not, though it does bear a resemblance to a sketch I saw of the 1688 Banyong Rattanat Pavilion (aka Tai Sra Pavilion), which sat on a small island.

street sign with stupa from Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon on top — Ayutthaya city
These street signs are found around Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon temple, which has a large, historic stupa.

street sign with Christian cross — Ban Go Yai, Ayutthaya province
Most residents of this village are Catholic.

street sign with city gate on top — Ban Krot, Ayutthaya province
Though it no longer exists, there used to be a fortified city gate near Wat Kanon Neua.

street sign with fighting chickens on top — Ban Pho, Ayutthaya province
Many fighting chickens are raised here, a tradition going way back into the past.

street sign with hong on top — Ko Rian, Ayutthaya province
These are hong, mythical swan-like birds from the Himmapan Forest. They were chosen by the tambon government just because they looked nice.

street sign with shrine on top — Nakhon Luang, Ayutthaya province
Prasat Nakhon Luang is an Ayutthaya-era palace converted to a Buddhist footprint shrine.

street sign with stupa and trains — Phachi, Ayutthaya province
This town is on the train line and the stupa represents the area's most important temple, Wat Charoen Tham.

street sign with pavilion on top — Prasat Thong, Ayutthaya province
This is Aisawan Dhipaya Asana Pavilion, one of the most beautiful buildings in the nearby Bang Pa-In Royal Palace.

street sign with two hornbill sculptures on top of it — Chainat city
Chainat Bird Park was once a very popular tourist destination, hence the choice of hornbills.

Fish street sign from Kanchanaburi — Kanchanaburi city
This fish is Jullien's golden carp (bplaa yisok), a popular food that is common in rivers here. Some say that if you don't eat it, you didn't really visit Kanchanaburi.

Fish street sign from Kanchanaburi city — Kanchanaburi city
This fish is Jullien's golden carp (bplaa yisok), a popular food that is common in rivers here. Some say that if you don't eat it, you didn't really visit Kanchanaburi.

street sign with ox cart — Ban Nong Khao, Kanchanaburi province
This town has adopted the oxcart as its symbol to honor the people’s agricultural past.

street sign from Kanchanaburi with mountain design — Ban Tham, Kanchanaburi province
The popular Wat Ban Tham temple is in the mountains very near this village.

street sign with three houses on top — Ko Samrong, Kanchanaburi province
This village was settled by three Vietnamese families, represented by these houses.

street sign with three pagodas on top — Sangkhlaburi, Kanchanaburi province
Three Pagodas Pass is a famous, historically important border crossing to Burma in the north of the province.

street sign with fish — Sangkhlaburi, Kanchanaburi province
This fish is Jullien's golden carp (bplaa yisok), a common fish and popular food in the province. Some say that if you don't eat it, you didn't really visit Kanchanaburi.

street sign with rambutan on top — Tha Kha-nun, Kanchanaburi province
The "Thong Pha Phum Rambutan," which has a small size and sweet taste, grows in this area.

Kanchanaburi street sign with wheel on top — Tha Lo, Kanchanaburi province
The wheel is part of the symbol for the Army Transportation Department Training Center located here.

Kanchanaburi street sign with Death Railway Bridge on top — Tha Ma Kham, Kanchanaburi province
The top of the sign shows the Bridge Over the River Kwai.

Kanchanaburi street sign with Death Railway Bridge on top — Tha Ma Kham, Kanchanaburi province
The top of the sign shows the Bridge Over the River Kwai.

Kanchanaburi street sign with Death Railway Bridge on top — Tha Ma Kham, Kanchanaburi province
The top of the sign shows the Bridge Over the River Kwai.

Bridge over the River Kwai street sign from Tha Maka, Kanchanaburi province — Tha Maka, Kanchanaburi province
The top of the sign has the Bridge Over the River Kwai, though it's not in this town.

Peacock street sign from Tha Sao, Kanchanaburi province — Tha Sao, Kanchanaburi province
Sai Yok Noi Waterfall is a very popular tourist destination. They chose peacocks because they look better on a sign than a waterfall.

street sign in the shape of a crab — Thong Phu Phum, Kanchanaburi province
The rare Regal Crab (Thaiphusa sirikit), which has a blue body like the sign, is found in this area.

street sign in the shape of a crab — Thong Phu Phum, Kanchanaburi province
The rare Regal Crab (Thaiphusa sirikit), which has a blue body like the sign, is found in this area.

street sign with a crab on top — Thong Phu Phum, Kanchanaburi province
The rare Regal Crab (Thaiphusa sirikit) is found in this area.

Two Cupids on top of a street sign — Wai Nieo, Kanchanaburi province
There is no connection between Cupid and Wai Nieo, but at one point in the past an influential local person decided it would be fun to have him on the street signs, and so it was done.

street sign with rama shooting a bow and arrow on top — Lopburi city
This is the god Rama shooting an arrow. According to the Ramakien folktale, Lopburi was built where the arrow fell and was given as a gift to the monkey god Hanuman.

street sign with three-pranged Khmer ruin on top — Lopburi city
This is Prang Sam Yot Khmer ruin, which lies in the heart of the city.

street sign with three-pranged Khmer ruin plus French and Thai flags on top — Lopburi city
This is Prang Sam Yot Khmer ruin, which lies in the heart of the city, with added Thai and French flags in honor of this being France Street.

street sign with three-peaked mountain — Khao Sam Yot, Lopburi province
This "Three-Peaked-Mountain" sits at the east end of this sub-district.

street sign with sunflower on top — Khok Toom, Lopburi province
This is a popular tourist destination for its photogenic sunflower fields.

street sign with sunflower — Khok Toom, Lopburi province
This is a popular tourist destination for its photogenic sunflower fields.

street sign with stupa, deer, and dharma wheel — Nakhon Pathom city
This is the famous Phra Pathom Chedi. The dharma wheel and deer are symbols of Buddhism.

street sign with stupa and deer — Phra Prathon, Nakhon Pathom province
This is the famous Phra Pathom Chedi. Deer are symbols of Buddhism.

street sign with eagle on top — Salaya, Nakhon Pathom province
“Black Eagle” was the nickname of a former muay thai boxer; the father of the mayor who commissioned these signs.

street sign with elderly couple on top — Thaiyawat, Nakhon Pathom province
The elderly couple represent the area’s Mon ancestors who settled here some 900 years ago.

street sign with a sala on top of it — Thammasala, Nakhon Pathom province
A sala was chosen as the symbol of this tambon because its name means "Dharma Sala." Sitting in a sala is pleasant and relaxing and following dharma provides peace and tranquility in your life.

street sign with persimmon fruit — Bang Phlap, Nonthaburi province
These are persimmon, chosen because Tambon Bang Phlap has a lot of fruit orchards. The stupa on top represents three old stupas in the area of Wat Salikho Phirataram.

street sign with stupa — Bang Phlap, Nonthaburi province
This stupa represents three old stupas in the area of Wat Salikho Phirataram.

street sign with lotuses — Pathum Thani city
Pathum Thani means “Lotus City” in English.

street sign with sailboat — Kra Chang, Pathum Thani province
Tambon Kra Chang chose a boat as its municipal symbol because the Mon community here has an important merit making tradition using boats (though not sailboats) festooned with flags during the annual kathin festival.

street sign with crows — Lam Luk Ka, Pathum Thani province
The crow is a namesake and symbol of this district because there is a stream with three branches; kind of like a crow’s foot. The rattan sepak takraw ball picture is used because the area is well-known for weaving them.

Rose apple street sign from Phetchaburi city — Phetchaburi city
Phetchaburi rose apples are considered the sweetest variety.

Naga street sign from Phetchaburi city — Phetchaburi city
This naga design is in the style of stucco art that Phetchaburi is famous for.

street sign with stupa on top — Ratchaburi city
Phra Prang Wat Mahathat stupa, originally built by the Khmer empire, is one of the province’s holiest sites.

Cow street sign from Ban Nong Pho, Ratchaburi province — Ban Nong Pho, Ratchaburi province
There is a very large dairy farm here and their Nom Nong Pho is a famous brand of milk.

street sign with bodhi tree atop it — Pho Hak, Ratchaburi province
This town was named after an ancient Bodhi tree that broke.

street sign with lotus flowers — Bang Phli Yai, Samut Prakan province
The lotus flowers represent the annual Rob Bua (“Lotus Receiving”) Festival held on the canal during Ok Phansa.

street sign with heavenly beings fighting — Laem Fa Pha, Samut Prakan province
Laem fa pha means lightning bolt, and in this famous folkloric fight scene, Ramasun throws his axe at Mekhala, goddess of the sea, and creates lightning.

street sign in the shape of a sardine — Samut Sakhon city
Chin Huay is a large Thai company selling a variety of food products. It began in Samut Sakhon, selling canned sardines.

Drum street sign from Samut Songkhram city — Samut Songkhram city
The old name of the province was Mae Khlong and though the meaning of the name is lost to history, the word khlong also means drum, so it was adopted as a provincial symbol.

street sign with elephants — Amphawa, Samut Songkhram province
This sign harkens back to the past when this area was known as bang chang, meaning an area with elephants.

Elephant street sign from Ban Kradangnga, Samut Songkhram province — Ban Kradangnga, Samut Songkhram province
These elephants are holding ylang-ylang flowers (a symbol of the subdistrict) and bowing down before a fancy water jug because King Rama 5 once came here and left his behind.

street sign with lychee — Khwae Om, Samut Songkhram province
This area has a lot of lychee orchards.

street sign with violins — Muang Mai, Samut Songkhram province
The violins are to honor Eua Sunthornsanan, one of Thailand’s most famous singers and composers, who lived and went to school here.

street sign with traditional thai house — Plai Phongphang, Samut Songkhram province
Nobody at the township office could tell me why a traditional Thai house was used on the street sign; the people who worked there when the signs were installed have since retired.

street sign with two horses — Saraburi city
Saraburi has been an important military town for many centuries, and it's home to a large cavalry army base.

street sign with two horses and a lotus — Saraburi city
Saraburi has been an important military town for many centuries, and it's home to a large cavalry army base.

street sign with cows and cowboys — Muak Lek, Saraburi province
The cows and cowboys are because this part of Saraburi has many dairy farms.

street sign from Saraburi with mondap on top — Phra Phuthabat, Saraburi province
This is the mondap that houses the very holy Buddha footprint at Wat Phra Phutthabat.

street sign with two singha lions on top — Singburi city
Singburi means "Lion City," and its symbol is the singha, a mythical lion-like creature living in the Himmapan Forest. The same animal the beer is named after.

street sign with two naga on top — Singburi city
Before switching to lions, Singburi had naga on its street signs.

Eastern Thailand

street sign with rabbit and fruit — Chanthaburi city
Chanthaburi means “Moon City,” and the rabbit has been adopted as the provincial symbol because of a famous legend about a rabbit on the moon. Also, Chanthaburi is one of the main fruit-producing provinces in Thailand, hence the mangosteen, palm fruit, and durian.

street sign with pilot wheel shape — Pattaya, Chonburi province
The pilot wheel hearkens back to when this was just a quiet fishing village.

street sign with an elephant — Rayong city
Rayong chose a war elephant as its symbol in honor of King Taksin, who used Rayong as a base of operations before eventually defeating the Burmese in 1767. The leaves are from the species of tree (ton satue - Crudia chrysantha) that’s it’s said King Taksin once rested his elephant under.

street sign with naga — Ta Phraya, Sa Kaew province
The naga are not directly connected to the town, but they appear below a Buddha on the city's official seal.

Northeastern Thailand

street sign with Khmer design — Buriram city
Buriram province has very many Khmer ruins, so the city uses a generic Khmer design.

street sign with Khmer design — Buriram city
Buriram province has very many Khmer ruins, so the city uses a generic Khmer design.

Phanom Rung street sign from Nang Rong, Buriram province — Nang Rong, Buriam province
The Khmer ruin on the sign is Phanom Rung, which is near the city.

Street sign from Nong Din Daeng, Buriram province — Non Din Daeng, Buriram province
The government seal at the top shows the Rao Su ("We Fight") Memorial, which commemorates people who died fighting communists who were trying to sabotage construction of the highway here.

street sign with eastern gopura of Prasat Phanom Rung on top — Tambon Charoen Suk, Buriram province
This is the front view of Prasat Phanom Rung Khmer ruin, which is nearby.

Chaiyaphum street sign with Prang Ku Khmer ruin and Siam tulips on it. — Chaiyaphum city
The top is Prang Ku, a Khmer ruin on the edge of the city, and there are Siam tulips, one of the province's main tourist attractions, on the sides.

street sign with diamond — Ban Phet, Chaiyaphum province
The town’s name means “Diamond Town” in English.

Ban Thaem street sign with a Buddha image on it — Ban Thaen, Chaiyaphum province
This is the town's holy Buddha image.

Chutturat street sign with steam train on it — Chutturat, Chaiyaphum province
This small town lies along the rail line between Bangkok and Nong Khai.

street sign with stupa — Nong Paen, Kalasin province
This tambon is home to Phrathat Ya Khu stupa, the centerpiece of Maeung Fa Daet Song Yang, a Dvaravati-era city.

green street sign with a yellow jug on top — Tha Khantho, Kalasin province
This district was named after an old type of jug, called a khantho in Thai, because the land lays between two rivers and once had that shape.

Kaen and flower street sign from Khon Kaen city — Khon Kaen city
The kaen musical instrument and decorative squares are symbols of Isan culture. Dok koon is the provincial flower.

Street sign from Khon Kaen city — Khon Kaen city
The official city seal on the top has Phra That Kham Kaen, one of the province's most revered stupas.

Old street sign from Khon Kaen city — Khon Kaen city
One of Khon Kaen's very old style street signs.

Khon Kaen street sign with kochasi on top — Khon Kaen city
These street signs have two Isan symbols: kochasi from the Sin Sai legend and diamond patterns used as temple decorations.

silk pattern street sign from Khon Kaen University — Khon Kaen city
These street signs are found at Khon Kaen University. It has several patterns used in silk weaving.

Ban Fang street sign with flower design — Ban Fang, Khon Kaen province
The flower is Tall Yellow-eyed Grass flower, locally called dawk fang.

Flower street sign from Ban Phai, Khon Kaen province — Ban Phai, Khon Kaen province
A person at city hall said these are supposed to be lotuses, but neither lotus flowers or bulbs look like this, so I don't know what the real story is.

street sign with naga on top — Kranuan, Khon Kaen province
Kranuan has a large rocket festival, and the rockets are decorated with naga like this during a parade.

Dinosaur street sign from Phu Wiang, Khon Kaen province — Phu Wiang, Khon Kaen province
Phu Wiang National Park was the first place dinosaur fossils were found in Thailand.

Silk worm and stupa street sign from Chonnabot, Khon Kaen province — Chonnabot, Khon Kaen province
Chonnabot is one of Thailand's main silk weaving towns.

street sign with nagas — Nam Phong, Khon Kaen province
This district is named after the Nam Phong River, so it’s logical to have the water-related naga as a symbol.

Bat street sign from Phu Pha Man, Khon Kaen province — Phu Pha Man, Khon Kaen province
A cave near town is home to tens of thousands of bats.

street sign with elephants on top — Tambon Phu Kradueng, Loei province
Phu Kradeung sub-district is most famous for the national park that shares its name, which has many elephants.

Tree and bai sema street sign from Wang Saphun, Loei province — Wang Saphung, Loei province
The tree is Tetrameles nudiflora, which in Thai is a sapung tree, and because there are many of them here, the town took it for its name. In the lower right are Dvaravati era bai sema sacred boundary stones found at Wat Phatthasimaram.

street sign with stupa on top — Maha Sarakham city
Phra That Na Dun is the holiest stupa in the province.

Street sign from Borabue, Maha Sarakham province — Borabue, Maha Sarakham province
The circle is the official city seal, which has a lotus and a dharma wheel.

Ho Kaew Mukdahan street sign from Mukdahan city — Mukdahan city
The ball represents the city's number one tourist attraction, Ho Kaew Mukdahan, a 65m-tall museum and observation tower. Though the real one has a much smaller pole on top.

Fire boat street sign from Nakhon Phanom city — Nakhon Phanom city
Nakhon Phanom has Thailand's biggest "fire boat" parade at the end of the Buddhist Rains Retreat. This is what the boats look like.

Stupa street sign from Renu Nakhon, Naphon Phanom province — Renu Nakhon, Nakhon Phanom province
The town has a very holy stupa, Phra That Renu.

street sign with stupa on top — Tha Uthen, Nakhon Phanom province
This is Phra That Tha Uthen, the city's massive, very holy stupa.

Street sign from That Phanom, Nakhon Phanom province — That Phanom, Nakhon Phanom province
This design is found on the holy That Phanom stupa.

Stupa and naga street sign from That Phanom, Nakhon Phanom province — That Phanom, Nakhon Phanom province
That Phanom is home to one of the holiest stupas in Thailand and Laos.

Khorat city street sign with city gate design — Nakhon Ratchasima city
This is Pratu Chomphon city gate, the only original part of the old fortifications still standing.

street sign with grapes and corn on it — Pak Chong, Nakhon Ratchasima province
Corn and grapes are two well-known crops in this area.

Khmer ruin street sign from Phimai, Nakhon Ratchasima province — Phimai, Nakhon Ratchasima province
This is the main tower inside Prasat Phimai Khmer ruin.

street sign with naga on the sides — Phimai, Nakhon Ratchasima province
There are many nagas decorating Prasat Phimai Khmer ruin.

street sign with lotuses on top — Nong Bua Lamphu city
The name Nong Bua Lamphu means "Lotus Lake in a Low Spot in the Foothills."

street sign with naga on top — Ban Wang Nam Khao, Nong Bua Lamphu province
As far as I can determine, this naga is just some low-cost decorative flair and doesn’t represent anything specific to the village.

street sign with ox cart design — Tambon Ban Kho, Nong Bua Lamphu province
An ox cart was chose because a lot of cattle are raised in this area.

Naga street sign from Nong Khai city — Nong Khai city
Many Thais believe there are naga living in this part of the Mekong River.

Naga street sign from Nong Khai city — Nong Khai city
Many Thais believe there are naga living in this part of the Mekong River.

Phon Phisai street sign with naga fireball design — Phon Phisai, Nong Khai province
Phon Phisai is the most popular place to watch naga fireballs.

street sign with elephant on top — Si Chiang Mai, Nong Khai province
Si Chiang Mai uses an elephant as a symbol because in the past there was an elephant stockade here for keeping the royal elephants.

street sign with stupa — Maha Sarakham city
Phra That Na Dun is the holiest stupa in the province.

street sign of Suphannahong bird-boat — Tha Bo, Nong Khai province
The "bird" is a representation of Suphannahong ("The Golden Swan"), the largest of Thailand's royal barges. It is used as a symbol of Tha Bo to commemorate a visit from King Rama 9 in 1955.

Wot pan pipe street sign from Roi Et city — Roi Et city
'Roi Et' means 101 in Thai, and many musical instruments, including wot (circular pan flute) are made in the province.

Monkey street sign from Ban Niwet, Roi Et province — Ban Niwet, Roi Et province
This village's former name was Ban Bong Ling, "Monkey Salt Lick Village" because there used to be a troop of monkeys that hung around a salt lick near the village.

street sign with wax castle design on top — Sakon Nakhon city
This is what the parade floats look like during the city's Wax Castle Festival at the end of Ok Phansa.

street sign with wax castle design on top — Sakon Nakhon city
This is what the parade floats look like during the city's Wax Castle Festival at the end of Ok Phansa.

street sign with stupa on top — Sakon Nakhon city
This design represents Phra That Choeng Chum, Sakon Nakhon city's holiest site and principal tourist attraction.

street sign with stupa on top — Sakon Nakhon city
This design represents Phra That Choeng Chum, Sakon Nakhon city's holiest site and principal tourist attraction.

street sign with stylized stupa on top — Sakon Nakhon city
This design represents Phra That Choeng Chum, Sakon Nakhon city's holiest site and principal tourist attraction.

street sign with khmer stupa on top — Tambon That Naweng, Sakon Nakhon province
The noticeably non-symmetrical stupa is Phra That Narai Jeng Weng, the source of the Tambon's name – Naweng being a shortened form of Na(rai Jeng) Weng.

street sign with kala on top — Waritchaphum, Sakon Nakhon province
This kala design is inspired by, though not a direct copy of, the kala on the pediment of the city's important Jao Pu Mahesak Shrine.

Elephant street sign from Surin city — Surin city
Surin province is home to the Kui ethnic group, Thailand's most renown elephant trainers.

Candle festival parade street sign from Ubon Ratchathani city — Ubon Ratchathani city
This represents the city's famous candle parade.

Street sign from Tambon Kham Yai, Ubon Ratchathani province — Kham Yai, Ubon Ratchathani province
I could not find the meaning behind this sign.

Buddhist street sign from Warin Chamrap, Ubon Ratchathani province — Warin Chamrap, Ubon Ratchathani province
This is Mae Thorani, a Buddhist version of Mother Earth.

Buddhist street sign from Warin Chamrap, Ubon Ratchathani province — Warin Chamrap, Ubon Ratchathani province
This is Mae Thorani, a Buddhist version of Mother Earth.

Ban Chiang and city pillar shrine street sign from Udon Thani city — Udon Thani city
The city pillar shrine is on the top and a Ban Chiang-style pot is on the bottom.

Ban Chiang and city pillar shrine street sign from Udon Thani city — Udon Thani city
The city pillar shrine is on the top and a Ban Chiang-style pot is on the bottom.

Ban Chiang and city pillar shrine street sign from Udon Thani city — Udon Thani city
The city pillar shrine is on the top and a Ban Chiang-style pot is on the bottom.

Ban Chiang and city pillar shrine street sign from Udon Thani city — Udon Thani city
The city pillar shrine is on the top and a Ban Chiang-style pot is on the bottom.

Yak street sign from Udon Thani city — Udon Thani city
Udon Thani's city pillar shrine has a yak guardian.

street sign with Ho Nang Usa rock tower — Ban Phue, Udon Thani province
This is Ho Nang Usa, an iconic rock formation in the nearby Phu Phrabat Historical Park.

Monkey street sign from Kumphawapi, Udon Thani province — Kumphawapi, Udon Thani province
Three troops of monkeys live in the city center park.

street sign with stupa on top — Nong Bua, Udon Thani province
This is the highly respected stupa from Wat Dong Sa Phang Thong.

street sign with Prince Pajak on top — Nong Samrong, Udon Thani province
Prince Prachaksinlapakhom, the founder of Udon Thani.

street sign with tiger — Nonsung-Namkham, Udon Thani province
The founder of this town was a powerful man and he chose the symbol of a tiger standing on a tall wall as its symbol to provide strength for the town.

Rocket Festival parade street sign from Yasothon city — Yasothon city
Yasothon has the biggest rocket festival in Thailand, and the rockets are decorated like this when they are in the parade.

Rocket Festival parade street sign from Yasothon city — Yasothon city
Yasothon has the biggest rocket festival in Thailand, and the rockets are decorated like this when they are in the parade.

Northern Thailand

Doi Suthep temple street sign from Chiang Mai city — Chiang Mai city
The temple on top is Wat Doi Suthep.

Wat Phra That Doi Suthep street sign from Chiang Mai city — Chiang Mai city
The stupa and umbrella are from Wat Phra That Doi Suthep.

street sign with stupa and elephants — Chiang Mai city
The stupa is Wat Jet Yot, one of the city’s holiest sites.

Street sign with bananas. — Kamphaeng Phet city
Kamphaeng Phet is famous for its bananas; particularly the small, sweet gluai kai (“egg banana”).

street sign with hongsa — Khlong Lan, Kamphaeng Phet province
The mythical hongsa atop these street signs are purely decorative and have no specific connection to this town, although they are particularly popular throughout Kamphaeng Phet province due to some ancient ones found here.

Lampang chicken street sign from Lampang city — Lampang city
The chicken is used because Lampang is famous for it's chicken bowl pottery.

Small han-nam roof street sign from Lampang city — Lampang city
This is in the style of a han-nam, the traditional Lanna roofed stand used for keeping water pots to offer refreshment to visitors.

street sign made of wood and painted orange and red — Ban Tha Pa Pao, Lamphun province
There's no story or symbolism, I just like that it's made from a slice of tree trunk.

street sign with stupa — Mae Hong Son city
The stupa is from Wat Phra That Doi Kongmu, which is perched high above the town.

street sign with local-style roof — Mae Hong Son city
This is a Shan-style type of roof construction called sawng kaw sahm chai, “two necks, three edges.”

street sign with dragons around it — Nakhon Sawan city
Nakhon Sawan has adopted the dragon as its symbol due to its large Chinese population.

street sign with man riding horse — Ban Takhli, Nakhon Sawan province
The name Takhli is derived from dee-klee, a sport similar to polo played by Phra Sang (the man on the sign) and the god Indra in the musical Sang Thong written by King Rama 2.

street sign with train on top — Chong Khae, Nakhon Sawan province
Long ago, when the railroad was being constructed, there were many large trumpet trees (ton khae na) here.

street sign with Phra Siwali on top — Krok Phra, Nakhon Sawan province
Krok is high land on a river bank and Phra is monk. The particular monk chosen for the street signs is Phra Siwali, one of the Buddha’s top disciples.

street sign with long boat and stupa — Nan city
At the bottom of the sign is a traditional Nan long boat – long boat racing is very popular here – and the stupa on top is Phra That Chae Haeng.

King Naresuan on his war elephant street sign from Phitsanulok city — Phitsanulok city
King Naresuan, shown riding his war elephant, ruled Ayutthaya, but was born in Phitsanulok.

Street sign from Phitsanulok city — Phitsanulok city
Has five icons of Phitsanulok province. 1) Wat Phra Si Ratana Mahathat (home to the famous Chinnarat Buddha, but the Buddha on this sign is the large Phra Attharot Buddha). 2) Nature, represented by the waterfall. 3) Houseboats on the Nan River. 4) Native son King Naresuan riding his war elephant. (The elephants are often broken.) 5) The ancient, and long ago destroyed, "Naresuan Hat Fortress." When replica sections of the old city walls were built, hat-shaped roofs were included over the towers in honor of this fort.

street sign with candle, garuda, and naga — Cho Hae, Phrae province
Nobody in the district office could tell us what is atop this street sign, but it is probably a candle since Phrae has a large candle parade during Khao Phansa.

Sukhothai street sign in form of Ramkhamhaeng Inscription — Sukhothai city
This is the shape of the famous Ramkhamhaeng Inscription.

Sukhothai street sign with loy kratong float on top — Sukhothai city
The lotus shape on top is a float for the Loy Kratong festival, which is a very big event in Sukhothai.

Wat Mahathat street sign from Sukhothai old city — Sukhothai old town
The stupa is from Wat Mahathat temple ruin.

street sign with bamboo design — Umphang, Tak province
In the local language, Umphang is a type of container (กระบอกไม้ไผ่) made of bamboo.

street sign with elephants — Uthai Thani city
In the past, Uthai Thani was a fort town. People from Ayutthaya and Bangkok landed at Tha Chang ("Elephant Pier") and continued their journey by elephant.

street sign in the shape of a fish — Uthai Thani city
The giant gourami is a popular local fish for eating.

Southern Thailand

street sign with swiftlet birds on top — Pak Tako, Chumphon province
The birds are swiftlets, and their nests are used for making bird nest soup, an expensive Chinese delicacy. This region has many caves where the nests are collected, and these natural nests are considered superior to farmed nests.

Krabi street sign with smilodon on top — Krabi city
This is a smilodon, a type of saber tooth tiger. Theirs are some of the many fossils of ancient animals found in the Krabi area.

Krabi street sign with while-bellied sea eagle on top — Krabi city
This is a white-bellied sea eagle (nok-awk). These birds are rare in Thailand, though several nest in the Krabi area.

Krabi street sign with elephant holding a sword in its trunk on top — Krabi city
An elephant holding a sword is the symbol of the city. In the past, Krabi was noted for its large elephant population, and the word krabi means sword, and this is probably (there are other theories) where the name of the province came from.

Krabi street sign with elephant holding a sword in its trunk on top — Krabi city
An elephant holding a sword is the symbol of the city. In the past, Krabi was noted for its large elephant population, and the word krabi means sword, and this is probably (there are other theories) where the name of the province came from.

Ao Nang street sign with sailfish on top — Ao Nang, Krabi province
These are sailfish, a popular sportfishing prey. The design is similar to a large sculpture along the waterfront.

street sign with amulet — Nakhon Si Thammarat city
The “Namo Head” amulet originated here.

street sign with anchor and shark — Pak Nakhon, Nakhon Si Thammarat province
The anchor and shark design is on the tambon’s official seal. It uses a nautical theme because, long ago, people traveling to Nakhon Si Thammarat, once a very important city, would arrive by ship here before traveling up the river.

street sign with soldier on top — Pak Phun, Nakhon Si Thammarat province
This is a copy of the Weerathai (“Thai Heroes”) Monument at Fort Wachirawut army base that commemorates the soldiers who died resisting the Japanese invasion of Thailand during World War 2.

Narathiwat boat street sign — Narathiwat city
A traditional korlae fishing boat, typical of far southern Thailand.

Narathiwat boat street sign — Narathiwat city
A traditional korlae fishing boat, typical of far southern Thailand.

Narathiwat artistic boat street sign — Narathiwat city
An artistic representation of a traditional korlae fishing boat, typical of far southern Thailand.

Tambon Kaluwo Nuea street sign with pilot wheel design — Kaluwo Nuea, Narathiwat province
A pilot wheel is used because there are many fishing villages here.

Tak Bai street sign with sailboat on top — Tak Bai, Narathiwat province
The sailboat represents this region's connection to the sea in commerce and fishing, and connections to faraway places.

Pattani city street sign with Phaya Tani cannon on top — Pattani city
This is the 17th-century Phaya Tani cannon, the largest ever cast in Thailand. It was hauled off to Bangkok after the Thais defeated the sultanate and destroyed the city in 1786. It's now on display in front of the Defense Ministry and the government's refusal to return it to Pattani is a taken a serious affront by many locals.

Pattani city street sign with Phaya Tani cannon on top — Pattani city
Phaya Tani cannon, same as the other signs.

Pattani city street sign with Phaya Tani cannon on top — Pattani city
Phaya Tani cannon, same as the other signs.

Pattani city street sign with Phaya Tani cannon on top — Pattani city
Phaya Tani cannon, same as the other signs.

Phang Nga elephant street sign — Phang Nga city
The symbol of an elephant holding a lotus in its trunk comes from Khao Chang mountain on the southwest side of the city, which has the shape of a crouching elephant.

street sign with dugong — Pak Phayun, Phatthalung province
Phayun means dugong, and long ago there were many of them living here.

Phuket street sign with fishing boat design — Koh Kaew, Phuket province
In the past, many people here worked in fishing, and this sign artistically represents the front of a fishing boat.

Pineapple street sign from Prachuap Khiri Khan city — Prachuap Khiri Khan city
Pineapples are one of this province's main products.

Pineapple street sign from Ban Ao Noi, Prachuap Khiri Khan province — Ban Ao Noi, Prachuap Khiri Khan province
Pineapples are one of this province's main products.

Shrimp street sign from Ban Khung Tanod, Prachuap Khiri Khan province — Ban Khung Tanod, Prachuap Khiri Khan province
This area has a lot of shrimp farms.

Street sign from Bang Saphan Yai, Prachuap Khiri Khan province — Bang Saphan Yai, Prachuap Khiri Khan province
The big gold disk is the city's official seal, which features Wat Khao Bot temple.

Sailboat street sign from Hua Hin — Hua Hin, Prachuap Khiri Khan province
Members of the royal family used to sail here often.

Elephant street sign from Kuiburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan province — Kuiburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan province
Kuiburi National Park is one of the best places in Thailand to see wild elephants.

street sign with whale shark on top — Mae Ram Phueng, Prachuap Khiri Khan province
This is one of the few areas in Thailand where whale sharks are regularly seen.

Frangipani street sign from Wing 5 Air Force Base, Prachuap Khiri Khan province — Wing 5 Air Force Base, Prachuap Khiri Khan province
This is a frangipani flower.

Temple street sign from Ranong city — Ranong city
The top of the sign comes from the province's official seal. The building represents Ratana Rangsan Palace where King Rama 5 stayed in 1890 – the symbol in the middle of the building is the Thai numeral 5. At the bottom is a crab, since Ranong has hundreds of soft shell crab farms.

Street sign from Ranong city — Ranong city
At the center of the design is a ship's wheel around the reclining Buddha from Wat Waree Banprot, one of the province's most important temples. The birds on the sides are hongsa, swan-like birds from the mythical Himmapan Forest. Nobody could tell me if the bell-shaped top represents anything or not. I thought maybe it was supposed to be a lighthouse, but was told that it was not this.

Songkhla mermaid street sign — Songkhla city
A bronze mermaid statue was erected on Laem Samila Beach in 1966 and has since become the symbol of the city. The mermaid comes from the classic folktale Phra Apai Manee written by Sunthorn Phu, "The Shakespeare of Thailand."

Songkhla mermaid street sign — Songkhla city
A bronze mermaid statue was erected on Laem Samila Beach in 1966 and has since become the symbol of the city. The mermaid comes from the classic folktale Phra Apai Manee written by Sunthorn Phu, "The Shakespeare of Thailand."

Songkhla mermaid street sign — Songkhla city
A bronze mermaid statue was erected on Laem Samila Beach in 1966 and has since become the symbol of the city. The mermaid comes from the classic folktale Phra Apai Manee written by Sunthorn Phu, "The Shakespeare of Thailand."

Tambon Phawong street sign with naga design — Phawong, Songkhla province
The naga design represents a parade float. Tambon Phawong often wins the phra ruea parade competition.

Tha Chang street sign with elephant on top — Tha Chang, Songkhla province
Tha Chang means Elephant Waterfront, and long ago mahouts brought their elephants here to bathe in the river.

street sign with muay thai fighter on top — Phum Riang, Surat Thani province
The fighter represents the local version of Thai kickboxing, Muay Thai Chaiya.

Yala street sign with red-whiskered bulbul on top — Yala city
A red-whiskered bulbul symbolizes the city's large annual ASEAN Java Songbird Contest.

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4 thoughts on “Thai Street Signs”

Thomas says:

July 31, 2019 at 5:01 am

Maybe a strange question, but can you buy these street signs? Ones that have been discarded of course and are no longer in use because they were deemed too damaged or too old. Would look nice on your own house with your own name on it.

Reply
1. tim says:
  
  July 31, 2019 at 5:03 am
  
  I have never heard (or even thought of that) but I’m sure a city would sell the old ones if someone asked.
  
  Reply
Mallika says:

May 26, 2019 at 5:20 pm

Wow, this is interesting. I have never noticed these street signs myself. I guess this article would change the way I read the street signs from now. Probably look at the pattern before reading the street names …lol.

Reply
1. tim says:
  
  May 26, 2019 at 6:12 pm
  
  Thank you. I will always be adding new ones when I find them.
  
  Reply

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