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All Thailand Tambon Pak Nam Krabi Traffic Lights

Krabi Traffic Lights

Cavemen, elephants, and eagles greet passengers driving through the town's main intersection.

Tambon Pak Nam, Thailand

Added By
Mark Gilchrist
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Caveman.   Maksym Kozlenko/cc by-sa 4.0
This stoplight, one of four with sculptures in the city of Krabi, Thailand, honors the ancestors of the city.   mark27472 / Atlas Obscura User
  tntula / Atlas Obscura User
Eagles.   Владимир Е/cc by-sa 3.0
Elephant.   Владимир Е/cc by-sa 3.0
Sculpture traffic light.   Maksym Kozlenko/cc by-sa 4.0
Cavemen traffic lights.   Владимир Е/cc by-sa 3.0
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About

The traffic lights along Maharaj Road in Krabi, Thailand, are far more beautiful than your typical illuminated roadside safety feature. Look around the center of the intersection, and you’ll easily spot striking sculptures standing atop the lights.

Drivers (and pedestrians) will notice eagles, an elephant, and an otter; all animals that are considered sacred. You’ll also see something that from a distance resembles a primate. But look closer, and you’ll notice these ape-like fixtures are actually cavemen, carrying “suitcases” that contain the light boxes.

The prehistoric men are meant to be an ode to the town’s ancient ancestors. Archaeologists have found pottery, stone tools, and rock art within the region’s caves and cliffs. The remains of prehistoric people that date back to about 30,000 years ago were also found in the region, and these sculptures celebrate the discoveries of those long-lost human relatives.

Related Tags

Roadside Attractions Sculptures Public Art Urban Planning Traffic Lights

Know Before You Go

Krabi is a beautiful, little city to spend a day or two. Take a ferry across the river to a small indigenous community, and enjoy a beautiful, lively night market with stage entertainment.

Community Contributors

Added By

mark27472

Edited By

Kerry Wolfe, tntula

  • Kerry Wolfe
  • tntula

Published

January 25, 2019

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Sources
  • http://www.krabi-magazine.com/krabi-then-and-now/
  • https://www.thaizer.com/thailand-photos/the-cavemen-traffic-lights-of-krabi-town/
  • https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/galleries/weird-and-wonderful-traffic-lights-from-around-the-world/krabi/
  • https://www.gpsmycity.com/attractions/krabi-traffic-lights-36278.html
Krabi Traffic Lights
Tambon Pak Nam
Tambon Pak Nam
Thailand
8.064794, 98.915275

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