Thailand

[Glenn A]

I am considering going to Pattaya in Thailand late next year and the obvious way to get there from Bangkok airport is by taxi or air conditioned bus. Are the roads of a decent standard and what are the speed limits and standards of driving like?

[si404]

a quick google/wikipedia tells me that there's a Motorway from Bangkok to Pattaya. They are upgrading quite a bit to D4 and it looks like it's the quality of a British Motorway. Speed limit is going to be 120km/h for a lot of that.

I suggest a bus, as it's a bit far for a taxi!

[Glenn A]

a quick google/wikipedia tells me that there's a Motorway from Bangkok to Pattaya. They are upgrading quite a bit to D4 and it looks like it's the quality of a British Motorway. Speed limit is going to be 120km/h for a lot of that.

I suggest a bus, as it's a bit far for a taxi!

Hello, Simon, Thailand is becoming more advanced and no doubt the road system reflects this. 120km/h is on a par with Europe. However, I have heard the standard of driving is erratic and Bangkok is as congested as London.

[Gav]

Pattaya - now are you going alone or with your partner ? Pattaya has quite a risque air about it ! wink wink..... Anyways I went to pattaye twice and was in phuket once have to say that the roads are a nightmare went on a trip to chang-mai aswell. Standard of driving is very scary and there is a mix of vehicles on the road that you have to watch for. Also you will find that if you have an accident then you are to blame - thias are finacially poor and will try to obtain money from you any way possible! But it is a lovely country. Sections of road from Bankok to Pattaya have some interesting layouts. Think of the M8 at glasogw with four carriageways and then add a motorway elevated above this road. Three carriageways each way ! The elevated section continues for quite some time too.

[MDTyKe]

If you do go to Pattaya, be careful. It's really an absolute HOT BED for illegal human and sex trafficking. Many young CHILDREN in this area are used in the sex trade. So please, watch yourself here.

I am naturally biased since my job is to fight against all of this kind of stuff. But, watch yourself there, please. Mind and eyes...

[Derek]

Haven't driven in Thailand since the mid-90's and a lot's changed since then, but I would agree that the standard of driving is a lot lower then here, I wouldn't advise it.

Bangkok is hell on earth for driving, London is a walk in the park in comparison and "just don't" is the best advice.

To be honest the best way to go south by far is on the train, take the overnight sleeper, enjoy a stunning meal and get a good nights sleep in a comfy bed.

Oh yeah - be careful in Pattaya, it's not a place I would go to be honest although it's good for bonking apparently. Watch out for the ladyboys if you're not that way inclined.

Derek

[Halstead]

If you do go to Pattaya, be careful. It's really an absolute HOT BED for illegal human and sex trafficking. Many young CHILDREN in this area are used in the sex trade. So please, watch yourself here.

I am naturally biased since my job is to fight against all of this kind of stuff. But, watch yourself there, please. Mind and eyes...

Ironically there's currently an hour long documentary or two on Bravo featuring the negative highlights of Pattaya. I'm unsure as to why Glenn would visit there but at least I learn something from watching it.

Also there's the small misfortune of having your photo taken with a drugged animal. It shouldn't be a big problem although I recall a bloke a few years back who would do the same with a snake on his head over here but assumedly the residents were scared of this and was sent packing.

[mistral]

Thailand is becoming more advanced and no doubt the road system reflects this.

I still can't believe how good the road is from Bangkok to Khorat/Nakhon Ratchasima, Khon Kaen, Nong Khai and Laos!I travelled up it last Friday and Saturday and one does wonder how a relatively poor country like Thailand can afford to build a 10 lane (mostly D3 + D2 frontage roads) motorway that runs at that width for the best part of 200 miles out of Bangkok?

[GrahamP]

If you do go to Pattaya, be careful. It's really an absolute HOT BED for illegal human and sex trafficking.

Did you shout "hot bed" as a warning or an advertising slogan?

[mistral]

After 12 weeks of travelling around SE Asia, I'm wondering why you want to go to Thailand in the first place when Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam are far better options in pretty much every way that one can think of; cheaper, less corrupt, food that's less likely to poison you and so on. Why not spend a couple of weeks in e.g. Kompong Som/Sihanoukville (Cambodia), Phu Quoc, Nha Trang (both South Vietnam) or Halong City (North Vietnam) instead?

[mistral]

I am considering going to Pattaya in Thailand late next year ...

Did you get to Thailand in the end?

[DavidB]

I've just returned from a holiday in Thailand. After spending a few days in Bangkok my friend and I hired a vehicle and driver to take us on a figure-of-eight route Bangkok-Chanthaburi-Bangkok-Kanchanaburi-Bangkok taking a few days.

I expected that most non-motorway roads would be S2 but all main highways I travelled on were either D3 or D2 and they often continued as dual-carriageway through town centres. However most central reservations had no crash barriers even though they did have many trees and often a ditch in the middle. There were also many U-turn gaps which sometimes had traffic queueing back from them in the outside lane.

The motorways (Expressways) I travelled on were all of a high standard with usially 4 or 5 lanes in each direction. However Expressway 7 running SE from Bangkok, which appeared to be very new, had what were in effect humped-backed bridges! The road rose at about 45 degrees for 10 metres before being level for 50 metres and then dropping back down again. At one point there were two of them in quick succession! What effect that has on vehicle suspensions I don't know. I saw one designated service area on that road which looked more like two small towns on either side of the Expressway with a variety of shops and restaurants.

There appears to have been a hugh amount of recent highway construction in and around Bangkok with several large new bridges and I travelled into the city from the west on the Borommaratchachonnani Road which is an elevated highway some 20km long. I understand that the present King Bhumibol trained as an engineer and has taken a big interest in promoting improvements to the nation's infrastructure.

As for driving in Thailand, let's just say I'm happy that someone else drove, although I think I could develop appropriate techniques given time. Vehicles seemed to swap lanes indiscriminately and there was much undertaking. Many vehicles stopped or pulled out without warning although I saw no road rage and there was very little use of the horn from any driver. I saw the aftermath of quite a few shunts but the only serious accident I saw involved a lorry which had gone off the road into a ditch and had shed its load. Elsewhere I saw a lone policeman gallantly standing in the outside lane of a D2 directing traffic away from a load of broken bottles which had obviously recently fallen off a lorry.

Left turns appear to be allowed at all red traffic lights and most of them have countdown timers for green and red phases (and I saw at least one for an amber phase).

All quite different to my British eyes!

[mistral]

I was just wondering if anyone has rented a car in Thailand recently? I'll be renting one in Phuket for a couple of weeks next month, and would be very interested in any tips on general roady type stuff, as well as on places to visit etc. on the island, or on the nearby mainland.

[Glenn A]

I never went to Thailand, it was something from my younger days and have no desire to now. On a more Sabrist note, for a supposedly poor country, they do have a fairly advanced road network with decent D3s between the major cities. Also the Suzuki Celerio, which is a popular used city car, was made in Thailand.