Bangkok Pattaya motorway update?

[Palatkik]

Having not been to Pattaya since the end of last year does anyone have an update on the road status around between Pattaya and Bangkok-Cholburi motorway?

 

Last time I looked it had been totally ransacked across all 6 lanes in several sections by some cheap arsed looking construction contractors with the prospects for a quick 90 minute drive down from Bangkok likely to remain in distant memories for a long time to come?

 

 

[SingaporeSteve]

They are doing a surprisingly good job of the upgrade to the motorway itself - its about 80% finished already where its being widened to 3 lanes. Of course, the lighting and signposting sucks big time.

 

Of the part between Chonburi and Lam Chabang, thats not so great - the problems are mostly where they have built new roads to swerve around where they are making bridges on the old road which is also being widened to 3/4 lanes. The temporary roads are for the most part in an appalling state of collapse already. Deffo do not suggest you drive either:

 

1. At night - no lighting and no way of knowing where huge potholes are, until your in them.

2. In a car with decent low profile tyres and expensive alloys - for the reason shown in point 1.

 

Having said all that, they are making pretty good progress with the whole thing - just as I say, the road markings are non existent, lighting is there but for the most part not working and the temporary roads crumbling apart.

 

Cheers

SS

[Mekong]

Since I travel that route every week (see my locations) I can report that the section of Route 7 between end of Motorway and Laem Chabang is worse now than it was at the begining of the year.

 

I leave home at about 5:50 am on a Monday and going the Bangna-Trat route am usually at where the Motorway joins Route 7 by 6:40 am, that is 85 KM. The next 30 KM to Laem Chabang / Pin Tong Industrial Estate takes at least 45 minutes

 

As SS states it is where the bridges are being built is where the problems lie, for some reason some drivers slow down to a standstill at these points and some swerve all over to avoid potholes making it a one lane highway.

[Pom Michael]

Went down Friday afternoon - have not been to Pattaya in probably 7 months or so.

 

As all have mentioned, that short strip of highway - from where the Motorway joins in the Bypass (Mekong notes it as Road 7) to the Pintong/Laem Chabang cutoff is a complete pain in the ass. That portion alone must have taken me an hour. Then since I didn't know what was happening, I was in the wrong lane for the Laem Chabang turnoff and was forced to do the Pintong u-turn - what a complete mess that is also.

 

Then, the 17 kms from this point to the Rayong/Pattaya junction is also a mess - what are they doing putting I believe 5 overpasses on this section? This road was just completed a few years ago if I remember correctly. It is completely concrete and the 3 lanes were perfect condition. So now this section is also a slow section.

 

Too bad really, I had a great time in Pattaya - slow season is the good season it seems. So many new bars - and most offering beer at such a bargain.

 

But just the drive will keep me out of Pattaya for the next 6 months. I did record the distance from the corner of walking street to the new airport - exactly 120 kms. Once all of this construction is over (including the Laem Chabang Port overpass) I'm sure that at times you could go from the airport to Pattaya in one hour.

 

The trip back I do say was a bit better but I came back early on Saturday (10 am) and the opposite side traffic was already backing up.

 

Any better ways to go? After the point of the motorway joining should you take a side road to the old Chonburi/Srirach road or is that also a mess right now?

 

Cheers!

[Mekong]

It will probably be quicker taking the Bangna-Trat to Chonburi then down the coast on Route 3 (Sukhumvit) through Ban Rong Khoei and Sri Racha once the Laem Chabang flyover is complete.

 

That work has been going on since Feb '06 and and should have been finished before this songkran but it still looks about 2 months away from completion.

 

 

[Palatkik]

Thanks for updates guys. I too have postponed all Pattaya trips since last year as the road construction on both routes down just pisses me off. Will give it a try this weekend but likely my only trip this year if things unchanged as you suggest.

 

Almost reminds me of the late 1980's when I once sat on the Pattaya - Ekamai bus for 5 hours.

 

[Khun_Kong]

WTF is with those bridges/overpasses? What are they bridging? There's one in particular that seems to simply be so the market shacks on either side can be directly connected. Nothing else anywhere around there except for those roadside shanties.

 

I amon the bus almost every weekend. Going down is always 2.5 - 3 hours, whereas coming back can be 1.5 - 2 hours. I haven't looked at a map yet, but question for those who know-can't the stinking buses use the same route both ways? And why do they always seem to go through Sri Racha to drop off 1 friggin' Thai person? Isn't there a Sri Racha bus?

[Pom Michael]

The overpasses are for making u-turns mostly. Before the style was to make u-turn bridges, but now it seems the style is to make the main road an overpass, and the u-turn under. Actually this is probably easier/safer but still for this section of road I think 5 overpasses are a bit much. But once done - that 17kms will be able to move in about 8 minutes.

 

Which brings up the next point - why does this highway stop at the Rayong/Pattaya interestion? Why not finish it all the way to Sattahip and bypass all the Pattaya-Sukhumvit traffic?

 

 

[ALHOLK]

Hi!

 

If they only stopped once in Sri Racha to let someone off you were lycky. I have done that trip any times and often they stop in Chon Buri, Sri Racha, Laem Chabang and Bang Lamung. My personal record is 4+ hours on an evening bus to Patters. Of course thia included a flat tire in Chon Buri.

And yes, from Ekemai there are buses to both Chon Buri and Sri Racha so why the BLOODY HELL don't they take the Chon Buri bus if that is where they are going.

 

regarads

 

ALHOLK

 

P.S. Are you the BM that I met at Flintstone a couple of years ago. I will be in Pataya from June 27 to July 26. If you are down there and care to meet up for a beer pt me.

[Pom Michael]

Here is a snapshot from Google Earth - timeframe unknown. You can see that the expressway continues for about 1.23 kms before it ends. Only 33 kms straight line to Sattahip beach.