Driving In Thailand And Planning A Route

[qpgwmh]

Hello,

My wife and I are off to Bangkok soon where we will be hiring a car (not sure where yet though if anybody has any recommendations?). We need to drive from BKK to Buriram/Ko Rat and wanting to plan ahead I'm hoping to be able to get maps and directions beforehand. I'm just not sure where the best places to find them are.

I can imagine that getting out of Bangkok will be tricky but hopefully after that it will be fairly straightforward.

I've never driven in Thailand (although I've been a scared passenger many times!) so any advice and information that you may be able to offer from your own experience would be extremely gratefully received.

Thanks

[qualtrough]

Things to watch out for that occur to me as I sit here:

1. When you turn be sure to look in your side mirrors for some idiot attempting to overtake you on the inside. This happens all the time.

2. Traffic can come from any direction, no matter what the street sign says. Always look both ways.

3. Many vehicles, particular motorcycles, may have no light at night. Best to avoid night driving if you can anyway.

4. Most drivers do not slow down for rain so accidents increase greatly during any rainfall. Be particularly careful during the first ten minutes of rain when the road is slick from oil being washed off.

5. If you have to pull off the road, pull way off the road. There is no such thing as a 'shoulder' here.

6. Someone flashing their lights at you means get out of my way, not 'go ahead'.

7. Don't believe the morons on this forum who say that farangs are always found at fault in an accident. Make sure you have the proper insurance, and in the event of an accident call the insurance company. They have people who will come on a motorbike to sort things out. I am sure the rental company can advise you of the procedure.

I am sure others can add more. The main thing is to be aware that the number of hare-brained stunts you will experience will be many times what you are used to back home. Never assume that nobody would be stupid enough to drive the wrong way down a street on a motorcycle at night without lights, pass around a blind curve, over a hill, or even pass two abreast, etc.

Edited August 29, 2007 by qualtrough

[tracer5050]

Things to watch out for that occur to me as I sit here:

1. When you turn be sure to look in your side mirrors for some idiot attempting to overtake you on the inside. This happens all the time.

2. Traffic can come from any direction, no matter what the street sign says. Always look both ways.

3. Many vehicles, particular motorcycles, may have no light at night. Best to avoid night driving if you can anyway.

4. Most drivers do not slow down for rain so accidents increase greatly during any rainfall. Be particularly careful during the first ten minutes of rain when the road is slick from oil being washed off.

5. If you have to pull off the road, pull way off the road. There is no such thing as a 'shoulder' here.

6. Someone flashing their lights at you means get out of my way, not 'go ahead'.

7. Don't believe the morons on this forum who say that farangs are always found at fault in an accident. Make sure you have the proper insurance, and in the event of an accident call the insurance company. They have people who will come on a motorbike to sort things out. I am sure the rental company can advise you of the procedure.

I am sure others can add more. The main thing is to be aware that the number of hare-brained stunts you will experience will be many times what you are used to back home. Never assume that nobody would be stupid enough to drive the wrong way down a street on a motorcycle at night without lights, pass around a blind curve, over a hill, or even pass two abreast, etc.

Good advise i have found this to be true . get the insurance I found this to be very helpful when i had a bump up.

[traveldog]

Good advice above....driving is tricky for sure. Someone else can give you directions out of Bangkok-I avoid it like the plague Decent maps for your journey are available online from budget rent a car www.budget.co.th The local bookshops also have lots of maps to choose from maybe go check em out.

Agree to that driving at night is more hazardous. Personally I leave at daybreak and try to finish my drives before noon....but that's me. Good luck getting out of Bangkok!..Once you do its pretty straight forward....and you have a Thai navigator who probably can help you find her home....if that is where you are headed. Cheers

[jayenram]

For a new-comer to driving in Thailand, I would suggest taking the straight forward route to Khorat (Nakhorn Ratchasima). Use the Don Muang tollway to exit Bangkok to Saraburi (Route 1). Then from Saraburi, Route 2 to Khorat. To continue to Buriram, use the 226. All signs are now in English as well as Thai.

Try this link for some driving advice:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=119099

[jayenram]

7. Don't believe the morons on this forum who say that farangs are always found at fault in an accident. Make sure you have the proper insurance, and in the event of an accident call the insurance company. They have people who will come on a motorbike to sort things out. I am sure the rental company can advise you of the procedure.

I am unaware that any "morons on this forum" have said that farangs are always found at fault in an accident. However, and I appreciate that I'm generalising, outside Bangkok you will find that many drivers carry only third class insurance or in some cases, no insurance at all. As the vast majority of farangs carry first class insurance, in the event of an accident, the minimally insured Thai will attempt any way to pile the blame onto the farang.

[Scott]

The best advice would be to hire a driver--if your visiting a family maybe they have a family member, neighbor or friend who can do the driving for you.

If you decide to drive yourself, just remember our rules are completely different from their rules and you can't count on anything. Secondly, relax and don't hurry. I find that because of the traffic, inconsistent rules, etc. etc. that I have to be extra vigilant and to do this, I need to make sure I am in the right frame of mind and not being aggressive.

Previous posters have given you some very good advice about motorcycles, rain, and looking everywhich way but up before doing anything.

Best of luck to you.

Jeff

[ElectricNorth]

At all costs try to avoid school opening and closing times when driving. The volume of traffic increases dramatically. More motorbikes with 3 people on, vast numbers of min buses full of kids, then there are the parents on the school run etc.

It can lead to increased idiocy, chaos and gridlock, never mind the idiots that seem to be on the road at the best of times

[chavy]

Top top advice from the chaps above, for once I agree with what everyone's posted

[Thanyaburi Mac]

7. Don't believe the morons on this forum who say that farangs are always found at fault in an accident. Make sure you have the proper insurance, and in the event of an accident call the insurance company. They have people who will come on a motorbike to sort things out. I am sure the rental company can advise you of the procedure.

I am unaware that any "morons on this forum" have said that farangs are always found at fault in an accident. However, and I appreciate that I'm generalising, outside Bangkok you will find that many drivers carry only third class insurance or in some cases, no insurance at all. As the vast majority of farangs carry first class insurance, in the event of an accident, the minimally insured Thai will attempt any way to pile the blame onto the farang.

Re "at fault," I was hit by a motorcycle that'd run a red light at Klong 6, right in front of the cop booth in front of the Thanyaburi hospital.  I was turning right on the green to go to the post office.  I stopped there in the middle of the intersection, motorcycle laying on its side, driver getting up, after having hit the left front door of my van. Got a pretty decent scratch there.

Cop came up, looked at me, looked at the motorcycle driver, didn't say anything.  I said "Lao doot fai dang," "he jumped the red light."  Cop seemed to agree and asked what's next.  I held up two fingers for baht 2,000, cop nodded, the motorcycle driver paid up on the spot, I said "layo luang," "end of problem," cop nodded, and we all went on our merry ways, perhaps the motorcycle driver less so, tho.

Another posting here, yes, get on the Don Muang Tollway which ends in the Rangsit area just past Future Park, and keep heading north.  Take the overpass at Saraburi that heads NW up towards Korat.  About two hours + on there's an interchange just before Sikhiu, take the route marked Hwy 24 to Chok Chai which leads on to the area south of Amphur Muang Buri Ram.  Make your way from there to your Buri Ram destination.

If you've not driven much in Bangkok before probably best to minimize your exposure.  A handy way to get to the Don Muang Tollway is the Expressway.  A handy way to get there is to stay at a hotel on upper Sukumvit Road, such as the Ambassador, or one of several others, on Suk Soi 11.  Easy access to the Expressway from here, up Sukumvit to pass Soi 1, bump across the railroad tracks, and almost immediately turn right to the toll booth for the Expressway, baht 40.  Get over in the right lanes and head on towards Din Daeng, 5-10 minutes, down off the Expressway and stay in the right lanes, to the baht 20 (30?) toll booth for the Tollway north.

WFIW!

Mac

[qpgwmh]

This is all absolutley priceless advice - thanks so much for taking the time to offer it.

[thaihome]

I have used Budget a number of times. They have an office at the Lotus on Rama IV near Soi 24. There are also a couple of independent agencies at the corner of Silom and Rama IV.

TH

[percy2]

In the UK companies like Budget will rent you a GPS to go with the car.

Will they do the same here?

Is there a niche in the market for somebody like Gadgetrend to do this?

Cheers

[qualtrough]

7. Don't believe the morons on this forum who say that farangs are always found at fault in an accident. Make sure you have the proper insurance, and in the event of an accident call the insurance company. They have people who will come on a motorbike to sort things out. I am sure the rental company can advise you of the procedure.

I am unaware that any "morons on this forum" have said that farangs are always found at fault in an accident. However, and I appreciate that I'm generalising, outside Bangkok you will find that many drivers carry only third class insurance or in some cases, no insurance at all. As the vast majority of farangs carry first class insurance, in the event of an accident, the minimally insured Thai will attempt any way to pile the blame onto the farang.

Type farang accident 'at fault' or various similar combinations in the forum search box and you will become aware. That farang are automatically at fault here is an urban legend that just won't die. Uninsured and even insured motorists will often try to blame the other party whether or not they are farang, but that isn't really the same as farangs always being found at fault is it?

[keestha]

I drove from southern Thailand to Buriram many times, getting around Bangkok using the outer ring road (Kanchanapisek), and once you are on the number 1 motorway going to Saraburi it is very easy.

There is a very good road atlas called Thailand highway map, published by the roads association of Thailand, Tel. 029840836. It also contains a map of the major roads for through traffic in greater Bangkok, city maps of many provincial capitals, and many small detailed maps of complicated junctions.

Edited August 30, 2007 by keestha

[phibunmike]

Hello,

My wife and I are off to Bangkok soon where we will be hiring a car (not sure where yet though if anybody has any recommendations?). We need to drive from BKK to Buriram/Ko Rat and wanting to plan ahead I'm hoping to be able to get maps and directions beforehand. I'm just not sure where the best places to find them are.

I can imagine that getting out of Bangkok will be tricky but hopefully after that it will be fairly straightforward.

I've never driven in Thailand (although I've been a scared passenger many times!) so any advice and information that you may be able to offer from your own experience would be extremely gratefully received.

Thanks

Be prepared for a bit of frustration and wasted time getting out of Bangkok - after that it is easy. After Saraburi the road is pleasant.

Enjoy the driving, take it easy, stop often at the roadside places for a snack or drink, enjoy it. Try to stop before dark - potholes, vehicles with no lights, make night driving stressful.

Cheers,

Mike