Julian2 Posted February 8, 2012 Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 The first time I drove on Thailand's roads was a pleasant surprise for me. The main roads are excellent and the minor roads as good as in most western countries. My only advice would be to assume all motocycle riders are insane and get the bulk of the driving on country roads out of the way early; the late afternoon/early evening traffic can be a bit on the DUI side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Munchmaster Posted February 8, 2012 Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 I’m unclear why BB doesn’t just rent a car and drive himself there. It is an easy 4 hour or less drive on major highways the entire way. Take Highway 1 out of Bangkok to Saraburi; take a break there when you change to highway 2 and then on to Nakhon Ratchasima. Back in the mid 90's I used to drive this route 3 or 4 times a month, to arrend site meetings for an electronics factory my client was building. An easy drive back then and probably easier now if any of the roads have been upgraded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted February 8, 2012 Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 Yes, my vote is for the trains if for no other reason you can stand up, stretch and walk around. I bussed to Nong Khai from Chiang Rai a couple of times. One nightmare tripped involved a total of 28 hours on the bus and a visa run to the Thai Embassy in Vientiane all in the space of 65 hours.... I was weeks recovering. Definitely! Get up, walk around, go to the dining car, go to the loo, chat with the girls, buy food from the vendors who come on board or from those outside through the window. It is an adventure. Sitting cooped up for hours on a bus is more like torture. Plus can you buy all the ice cold beer you want on a bus and get shitfaced while you are travelling? p.s. That video was great - hadn't made the trip past Khorat since the 1970s. I'm close enough to hear the trains pass and I know the area they were travelling when they came south past Don Muang Airport on the way to Hua Lampong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horneytorney Posted February 8, 2012 Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 I’m unclear why BB doesn’t just rent a car and drive himself there. you are kidding, right? I would never recommend such a bloody tourist like BuBi to rent a car and drive himself in Thailand. as expats living in this country we drive nowadays everywhere but did we start our adventure of driving a car with such a pretty long and not so easy trip to Korat? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffalo_bill Posted February 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 such a bloody tourist like BuBi to rent a car Sir , I did already report this insult to our Beloved Leader Khunsanuk who will hopefully ban you from this otherwise elegant and educated board for ever . Nonetheless you are right . Traffic in Asia I consider as dead slow and irrational , no good for BuBi who was born on the Autobahn . Neither any good for my blood pressure . Backed by the positive response from the joint Thai360 - gentlemen I did already pick up the phone and told Nok we are going by train . I found out that she estimated the train to take no less than 2 days or so to arrive at Khorat , she did in fact never use a train in her life . Up to me , she said . I have to say that on inspection of the luxury-bus website I might use it if we go back to BKK in the morning . Looks great . Although it depends on evaluating the driver first , the one on my excursion back from Korat was about 14 years old . Maximum . Thank you for your input . Still -14 degrees in the morning here in Yeormany . I might retire in the Kingdom if that lasts . Or maybe not . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted February 8, 2012 Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 33 degrees today. You know it is hot when you see the candles melting in the candlesticks. << she estimated the train to take no less than 2 days or so to arrive at Khorat. >> Maybe she was thinking it was like going by buffalo cart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horneytorney Posted February 8, 2012 Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 Back in the mid 90's I used to drive this route 3 or 4 times a month, to arrend site meetings for an electronics factory my client was building. An easy drive back then and probably easier now if any of the roads have been upgraded. easier? not sure with all the increased traffic in comparison to 15 years ago... And the basic Pahonyothin highway to Korat was already there and was not improved. And do you remember the terrible road condition in the Saraburi-Khao Yai area caused by all the overloaded trucks from the quarries.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horneytorney Posted February 8, 2012 Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 I did already report this insult to our Beloved Leader Khunsanuk who will hopefully ban you from this otherwise elegant and educated board for ever . Herr BuBi! bloody tourist is not a insult at all! it's a fact and still better than "rip off tourist", "sex tourist", "budget tourist" or "group tourist". banning me from this board will jeopardize my prescribed mental program to regain sanity and certainly you are a well educated fellow as your english is much better and your style much more elegant than that of most people in your cold and icy yeormany auf wiederrrsehen! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lozz17 Posted February 9, 2012 Report Share Posted February 9, 2012 My wife and i had to travel from Krabi to Bangkok ( new years eve ) no seats on plane , so had to get vip bus ! 24 seats and driver had to stop every couple of hours and check in at roadside check points ! I wouldnt want to do it regularly but wasnt to bad ! ( 11 hours ). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted February 9, 2012 Report Share Posted February 9, 2012 Air Asia when it started was even cheaper than now. I flew round trip to Penang for 3,000 baht. I met a guy there on a visa run who was doing the trip by bus for 2,200. He was shocked to find he could have flown in one hour for only 800 baht more than he'd paid to sit crammed into a bus for about 14. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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