On October 8, 2025, two very different stories about road signs unfolded thousands of kilometers apart—one in the heart of Poland’s urban corridors, the other along a winding highway in Thailand’s Kanchanaburi province. Both tales highlight the evolving relationship between drivers, tourists, and the signage meant to guide and protect them, but they also reveal the challenges authorities face in managing public behavior and ensuring safety on the roads.
In Poland, a brand-new road sign—F-23—has started appearing within populated areas, catching the eye of local and foreign drivers alike. According to reporting from Ukrainian news outlets, the F-23 sign is a blue rectangle with three distinct stripes, the middle one set aside for a very specific purpose. For many Ukrainian motorists traveling in Poland, this sign is unfamiliar and even a bit perplexing at first glance.
So, what’s the story behind this new sign? The F-23 is designed to mark a special lane that serves two main functions: ensuring a safe left turn and providing a secure exit from yards or secondary roads. As outlined by the sources, its installation is particularly relevant between intersections in urban areas, where traffic can be dense and accidents during left turns are a persistent problem. The authorities hope this innovation will significantly increase safety on city streets, where such collisions are all too common.
But there’s more to the F-23 than meets the eye. The lane marked by this sign is strictly off-limits for overtaking or direct-through traffic, a rule that aligns with the established sign B-25 in Polish traffic law. In other words, if you see the F-23, don’t even think about using that lane to bypass slower vehicles or head straight ahead—it’s simply not allowed. This restriction is designed to keep the lane clear for its intended purpose, reducing the risk of sudden, dangerous maneuvers by impatient drivers.
There are additional rules to keep things orderly. If the special lane marked by F-23 stretches for more than 500 meters, the sign is repeated along the route to remind drivers of its presence. And when the lane ends, motorists are notified by an ‘End’ sign or another appropriate road sign. Polish authorities believe these measures will provide a more comfortable and safer driving experience, especially in urban environments where the risk of accidents during left turns is notably high. “This innovation aims to increase safety on urban roads in Poland, particularly to prevent accidents during left turns,” the Ukrainian news source explained.
While Poland is ushering in a new era of road safety with the F-23, a very different drama is playing out in Thailand, where a highway sign has become an unlikely tourist attraction—and a headache for local officials. Along highway 3272 in Thong Pha Phum district, Kanchanaburi, a large overhead sign indicating the approach to Ban Pilok has turned into a must-stop “check-in” point for travelers. The sign, perched on a tall gantry, is hard to miss—and that’s precisely the problem.
Tourists, eager to mark their journey, have taken to plastering stickers all over the sign and its supporting structure. Some have even climbed the poles to slap their marks on the highest reaches, turning the sign into a patchwork of personal mementos. According to the Bangkok Post, Apilak Tosaporn, the chief of the local Department of Highways, issued a stern warning on October 8, 2025, urging tourists to stop this behavior immediately. “Tourists frequently stop there and take photos of the sign, which has become a sort of ‘check-in’ point,” Apilak said. “Tourists have attached stickers to the poles and also climbed up to attach more on the Ban Pilok sign itself.”
The consequences of this sticker craze are more serious than one might think. The stickers damage government property, obscure vital information on the sign, and violate Thailand’s highway laws. Offenders, Apilak warned, could face up to six months in prison and/or a fine of 10,000 baht. There’s also the matter of personal safety—climbing up to attach stickers is risky business—and the inevitable litter that comes with such unsanctioned activity.
In response, the local highway office has announced plans to erect new signs explicitly prohibiting both the attachment of stickers and climbing on the sign. The hope is that clear rules, backed by the threat of legal action, will deter future acts of vandalism and help preserve the sign for its intended purpose: guiding drivers safely along the route to Ban Pilok and onward to Ban E-Tong.
For those unfamiliar, Ban E-Tong is a remote village famous for its ancient mine and the misty, winding roads that lead to it. After passing the controversial sign, motorists must navigate a jaw-dropping 399 curves over the next 63 kilometers—a journey that’s become legendary among travelers seeking adventure in Thailand’s mountainous west. The sign, in many ways, marks the start of this challenging and scenic drive. But when its visibility is compromised, so too is the safety of those who rely on it for directions.
These two stories, while worlds apart, share a common thread: the tension between public utility and individual behavior. In Poland, officials are proactively redesigning roadways to reduce accidents and make city driving safer for everyone. Their approach is rooted in careful planning and a deep understanding of how small changes—like a new lane for left turns—can have a big impact on public safety.
In Thailand, the challenge is less about engineering and more about public cooperation. The Ban Pilok sign was never meant to be a tourist attraction, but social media and the modern urge to “check in” have transformed it into a magnet for visitors. The result is a classic case of unintended consequences: what began as a harmless travel ritual has morphed into a problem that endangers both property and people.
Both countries are responding with a mix of education, enforcement, and new signage, hoping to strike a balance between accessibility and order. In Poland, the F-23 sign is being rolled out with clear instructions and repeat markers, ensuring no driver is left guessing. In Thailand, officials are cracking down on sticker-happy tourists, but also recognizing the need to communicate clearly with travelers who may not be aware of the rules.
As roads become more crowded and travel more globalized, the humble road sign remains a crucial—if often overlooked—tool for keeping chaos at bay. Whether it’s a new safety measure in Warsaw or a battered landmark in Kanchanaburi, these signs tell a story not just of regulation, but of the ongoing negotiation between the needs of the many and the impulses of the few.
In the end, the message from both Poland and Thailand is clear: respect the signs, and the roads will respect you in return.