Post Covid, Bangrak has changed drastically. What was until 2019 a fairly quieter, more laid back area has become a gridlocked nightmare, with cars and minivans parked all along both sides of the road. Almost impossible to find a parking space.
I think business owners saw that while Chaweng was dead, a ghost town, Bangrak seemed to potter along due to many expats living there. So they started investing there.
Now it is full of the usual cannabis shops, massage parlours, small bars, and beach clubs. Plus of course all the piers for boats heading to the other islands. More tourists, and an influx of long term stayers brings more traffic.
Chaweng and the ring road near the Fisherman’s Village are always jammed.
Choengmon seems to be the only quiet place on this side of the island now.
Wait until they build their often mentioned bridge from the mainland and then the true traffic hell will arrive.
On the subject of motorbike accidents. (I too had one.) I was talking to my doctor at Bangkok Hospital. After saying he must be really busy, with it being high season, he told me surprisingly “No. Not as much as before. I was doing around four operations a day, but not so much at the moment.”
I wonder if that is due to the lack of Chinese tourists.