The Most Dangerous Road You Know

[Tony Clifton]

Although driving here in Thailand is dangerous pretty well anywhere, some areas such as the elevated expressway are relatively safer with less traffic, which road do you consider the most dangerous?

By saying dangerous, I don't necessarily mean the way it was built but also include driver behavior.

The pics were taken on highway 3 (old Sukhumvit) between Bang Pakong and Samut Prakan. As of yesterday, I have decided to no longer use it as it has become too dangerous, now overloaded with heavy trucks, with only 2 lanes, cars, pick-ups, buses and trucks constantly overtaking even though there is oncoming traffic. About halfway, there is one police booth with a flashing red light as a preventive measure. Vehicles are forced to move over to the side of the road where motorcycles are already risking it, parked vehicles buying food from roadside stands.

Here are a few pics of the constant madness, taken within minutes of a stressful hour long trip. It's best to use the road between Bag Phli and Samut Prakan, this short cut is not worth risking your life every minute.

Gives a whole new meaning to "emergency lane" doesn't it?

Edited March 10, 2007 by bronco
just corrected spelling in Title

[ThaiGoon]

I hope there's not a more dangerious road in Thailand than that one. That's the craziest I've seen.

It's interesting to see that you were still relaxed enough to have some time to take pictures while driving on that road though. But I guess you didn't help make the road any safer with driving and taking pictures at the same time.

Edited March 10, 2007 by ThaiGoon

[sbk]

Scarily enough the main highway from Bangkok to the South was like that for many years. One terrifying bus ride was enough for me, years back when it was a two lane road.

[Globeliner]

The worst drivers in the world have to be here, why they never indicate remains a mystery,cutting up also, on the phone whilst driving, etc....go to a local market and get a police horn, that, believe me does the trick

[Mid]

Patong Hill will take some beating ...........................

[Tony Clifton]

I hope there's not a more dangerious road in Thailand than that one. That's the craziest I've seen.

It's interesting to see that you were still relaxed enough to have some time to take pictures while driving on that road though. But I guess you didn't help make the road any safer with driving and taking pictures at the same time.

Relaxed? I was angry as I haven't been in a looong time. Assh*les. The pile of dirt they're hauling is worth more to them than our lives.

By the way, the pictures were shot with the camera resting on the dashboard without looking at it. There are more than a dozen more bad ones.

Edited March 10, 2007 by Tony Clifton

[terry57]

in 1993 my business partner and myself were involved in a head on collision between a police car and the taxi we were in.

we were going from phuket to surattani on a very wet day and the taxi driver was speeding and lost control.

i could feel that something was going to happen and was just waiting.

we were so lucky we were in the back seat and escaped with minor injury but the front seat passenger was'nt so lucky.

because i perform road rescue as part of my job and see what really happens in road accidents, especially head on collisions, i can only travel small distances by road and never travel at night as i break out in a cold sweat thinking about the possible consequences.

i give that up years ago and now train it or fly.

i do travel by taxi in the city but have my seat belt on full alert.

i will do road travel by luxury bus, but only if there's no other way and 4 hours is about my limit.

ive had that many close calls in the early days in los , that now i am totally paranoid about getting in a vehicle as you aint got no " 911" specialist, wizz bang road recue vehicle heading your way to help you.

the volunteers do there best but god help you if you are seriously trapped.

consider taking the train people, as its very relaxing and you will get there in one peace.

anyway just to answer the OP'S question,

i would say there is no safe road in los and asia in general.

singapore would be the closest one will get to a reasonably safe road system anywhere in asia.

thank you very much.

[terry57]

Patong Hill will take some beating ...........................

i was in a baht bus going over that hill and a car went under the back tray of the truck.

the dude was decapitated.

[srisatch]

Drove, last week, from Phitsanulok to Nong Khai.

Not that far-about a 1000K trip.

We Play I-Spy

Death toll:

Dogs 10

Chickens 6

People 4

Snakes 2

Crashed Buses 1

Crashed Siplors 3

Crashed Cars/Pickups 4 (One 3 metres up a tree..we could not explain that!)

Crashed Bikes 7

Still reckon Phuket the most dangerous-and farangs never ridden a bike before contributing

Its not really the roads-its the 'situation'

If anywhere lanes narrow from 3 to 2 or 2 to 1 you will get people zooming by on the inside outside or anywhere..and if by chance you need to drive on the wrong side of the road because the highway construction has cut you off...well just do it

Its me, I am here, I didn't even notice you. Have not considered any principle of 'right of way' yet. Anyway have you ever taken a Thai driving Test!!? And most people have not!!

[ThaiGoon]

Relaxed? I was angry as I haven't been in a looong time. Assh*les. The pile of dirt they're hauling is worth more to them than our lives.

By the way, the pictures were shot with the camera resting on the dashboard without looking at it. There are more than a dozen more bad ones.

All right I see. Next time try to pull over and then take the pictures. All your pictures might turn out to be good then.

I agree that those truck drivers were horrible though.

[terry57]

i got one more,

we were in a public bus in rayong travelling through the mountains when another public bus came screaming up behind us.

the 2 drivers knew each other and decided to play chicken around blind corners, and being young dudes possibly on ya ba they had no fear.

it's got to be the most terrifying situations i have been in, ( besides going over the himilaya from india to kathmandu by public bus ) , and i looked around the bus and the local thais were shi-tting themselves.

we are on a blind corner going flat out and the drivers assistant is laughing like a mad man waving the other bus driver around us.

i mean there was no where to go if another vehicle had come along.

there's something in thai's make up, that tells them that when they drive a vehicle they must go as fast as they can and pass every single vehicle that is in front of them.

anyway, they can have it as im not playing no more games of chicken on thai roads.

[cdnvic]

because i perform road rescue as part of my job and see what really happens in road accidents, especially head on collisions, i can only travel small distances by road and never travel at night as i break out in a cold sweat thinking about the possible consequences.

I used to cover the job of nightshift photographer at a paper and saw far too many people in various states of disassembly because of recklessness and alcohol. Changed my driving attitudes in a big way.

To answer the OP's question, the stretch of highway between Nonthaburi and Nakhon Sawan.

Edited March 10, 2007 by cdnvic

[sonicdragon]

I know that stretch of road quite well and it's one of the worst I know too. We live in Samut Prakan and drive to Chon Buri quite often. My wife used to enjoy driving on that road, until I told her that it scared me too much and asked her not to constantly overtake. Then we stopped using it alltogher because the journey took too long (according to her, although it was fine by me) so we started to use Bangna-Trat (which took almost exacty the same time). But even on Bangna-Trat, she refused to take the elevated section because she enjoyed dodging in and out so much down below.

She learned to drive at 15. Never took a proper lesson and never took a test - just paid extra for the license. I believe that is quite common. It surely has something to do with the standard of driving here. She told me that when she was younger she enjoyed taking risks in the car. These days she is quite a safe driver.

I suppose there is some similarity with "boy racers" back home - I'm sure every country has them. The main difference is that the law is less strict here and the law that does exist is hardly enforced at all.

I'll never forget my first driving experience in thailand - at a u-turn thnking that the oncoming traffic was signalling me to go first. But actually I think the Thai way does make more sense in that particular respect.

[Heng]

Ratchadaphisek Road inbound from SCB Park.... there's a tree called the 100 corpses tree that easily has more than a hundred ribbons tied around it, wreaths, etc. Located opposite the courts and Shell service station. Conveniently enough...right at the pak soi of one of my condos. High speed drivers (often drunk, stupid, or both) coming down from the flyover + a lot of merging traffic + a pretty decent 200-300 meter curve = lots of gnarly accidents.

[Acquiesce]

Thai roads are tame compared to India.

[OM3N]

The top 5 most dangerous roads in the world can be found HERE

Quite interesting, especially the one in South America

Edited March 10, 2007 by OM3N

[Globeliner]

Ratchadaphisek Road inbound from SCB Park.... there's a tree called the 100 corpses tree that easily has more than a hundred ribbons tied around it, wreaths, etc. Located opposite the courts and Shell service station. Conveniently enough...right at the pak soi of one of my condos. High speed drivers (often drunk, stupid, or both) coming down from the flyover + a lot of merging traffic + a pretty decent 200-300 meter curve = lots of gnarly accidents.

Have seen that tree many times, not head on though, wife says before that road had no street lighting, hence numerous accidents into that tree.

[Neeranam]

Thai roads are tame compared to India.

You can't have been on the ChumPae Chaiyapum road.

[Totster]

I was on a minibus from BKK to Ban Phe (Samet), and was talking to an aussie couple. The aussie lass suddenly pointed forward and exclaimed "is the driver asleep?"

Sure enough the driver was slumped to the side, we were driving rather fast but in a straight line, and the woman next to him in the front was also kipping....

A bit of frantic shouting ensued and the driver woke with a start (and the co-driver !) and we pulled over for a little break !

I never used the minibus service again.

totster

[qualtrough]

Ratchadaphisek Road inbound from SCB Park.... there's a tree called the 100 corpses tree that easily has more than a hundred ribbons tied around it, wreaths, etc. Located opposite the courts and Shell service station. Conveniently enough...right at the pak soi of one of my condos. High speed drivers (often drunk, stupid, or both) coming down from the flyover + a lot of merging traffic + a pretty decent 200-300 meter curve = lots of gnarly accidents.

In my opinion any road that curves more than 5% from straight is a deadman's curve in Thailand. The road above is one example. Another is on the tollway from Don Muang into the city. There is one section that is just a very mild curve, nothing drastic at all. The walls are completely scarred on either side from driver's that failed to negotiate the curve. Thank God it doesn't snow here!!

[Somtham]

Most dangerous road?.....My vote goes for ANY road that has a Thai driver on it.

[Dupont]

Drove, last week, from Phitsanulok to Nong Khai.

Not that far-about a 1000K trip.

We Play I-Spy

Death toll:

Dogs 10

Chickens 6

People 4

Snakes 2

Crashed Buses 1

Crashed Siplors 3

Crashed Cars/Pickups 4 (One 3 metres up a tree..we could not explain that!)

Crashed Bikes 7

Still reckon Phuket the most dangerous-and farangs never ridden a bike before contributing

Its not really the roads-its the 'situation'

Siplors aside, I have seen that many crashed vehicles during one 5 minute downpour on Patong Hill.

Serious proposals this past 5 years have included a tunnel, raking (scarifying) the surface to allow more traction and incredibly... TAKING THE HILL AWAY!! I kid you not

There is a continuous line of spilt concrete on both sides of it, a lump sticking through the surface as large as a foolball, which makes every body swerve round it, and it is as slippery as the cresta run when its wet. Add to this every single person blowing their horn three times at the Tiger Temple and the giant movie screen at the side of the road and you get carnage.

Not rained here for a few months so the pores of the tarmac will be nice and full of sump oil and diesel residue. Next downpour we are certainly into double figures on here and forty or fifty.

[srisatch]

The top 5 most dangerous roads in the world can be found HERE

Quite interesting, especially the one in South America

Well now there are Russians probably driving to Pattaya in search of deck chairs it can only get worse..When will there be Bolivian Tourists?

[Richb2004v2]

I'll never forget my first driving experience in thailand - at a u-turn thnking that the oncoming traffic was signalling me to go first. But actually I think the Thai way does make more sense in that particular respect.

I guess that with the Thai way does work better with a certain mentality.

In Thailand you must assume that the other driver waiting to pull out will quite possibly make a dangerous maneuver. Therefore it is useful to be able to flash him to stopping him doing it. The other system in countries with sensible drivers it is assumed the other driver will wait and not do anything stupid, and therefore no need to flash. If you are going to let him out then you can give him a flash. I guess that in Thailand no one lets anyone out, so no need to give them a signal to do it.

I remember that after my first four months in Thailand I went home to the UK. I was driving too fast down the motor way and approached to overtake a truck in the slow lane. Without thinking I flashed my lights to remind him not to pull out. Off course he thought I was giving him the all clear and pulled out. I had a lucky escape.

[Nignoy]

The worst stretch of road of road for me used to be the bit from Ubon to Mukdaharn, in 1963, no concrete bridges,no tarmac, and timber trucks overloaded with hard wood logs playing chicken with any thing that dared to be on the road have got some b&w photos somewhere of of the state of the roads back then and a few really bad pileups,I still get the shakes when I pass what used to the wobbly wooden bridge over the gorge near Phu Mu , but luckily the yanks filled the gorge in 65 after a lowloader with a generator on the back ended up in the gorge,To drive a motor vehicle in 21st century thailand is no problem, just remember, the indicator switch is purely there to stop your holy strings from slipping down the steering column, never put both hands on the steering wheel,always use your mobile phone when turning or overtaking, and last but not least, if you are overweight and a bit on the chubby side Never, Never Drive!! fat people must be rich, because they can afford to Eat and drink a lot, So your Speeding Fine and Teamoney will be exzorbitant Nignoy

[Austhaied]

Most dangerous road?.....My vote goes for ANY road that has a Thai driver on it.

The only post that tells the "full story".. Sad but true..

[solent01]

Most dangerous road?.....My vote goes for ANY road that has a Thai driver on it.

The only post that tells the "full story".. Sad but true..

I agree, they are all dangerous, but are any roads truly safe, regardless of the country? Personally, after many years of driving in Thailand I kind of find them safe, well to a point, but certainly not as dangerous as when I first started driving here, I've learnt to adapt.

[jackr]

Saw five crashes along the stretch into Bangkok from the west (meets up with highway 4, south) after a 5-minute storm. Seems they don't handle rain very well, perhaps with the assumption "well, I always go this speed along this bit and it hasn't happened before"

Part of the road from Chiang Mai to Chae Son National Park (direct) is pretty hairy. Must be 1:1 in parts (45 degrees) and straight down... no windy, windy. I reckon that Bolivian 'Road of Death' takes some beating though.

[sonicdragon]

I'll never forget my first driving experience in thailand - at a u-turn thnking that the oncoming traffic was signalling me to go first. But actually I think the Thai way does make more sense in that particular respect.

I guess that with the Thai way does work better with a certain mentality.

In Thailand you must assume that the other driver waiting to pull out will quite possibly make a dangerous maneuver. Therefore it is useful to be able to flash him to stopping him doing it. The other system in countries with sensible drivers it is assumed the other driver will wait and not do anything stupid, and therefore no need to flash. If you are going to let him out then you can give him a flash. I guess that in Thailand no one lets anyone out, so no need to give them a signal to do it.

I remember that after my first four months in Thailand I went home to the UK. I was driving too fast down the motor way and approached to overtake a truck in the slow lane. Without thinking I flashed my lights to remind him not to pull out. Off course he thought I was giving him the all clear and pulled out. I had a lucky escape.

Exactly.

Signalling the all clear to other people is very dangerous - even in a "safe" country like the UK. Unless things have changed, driving instructors (and the police) in the UK will advise you never to do it. The point is that although you might think it is safe for the other driver, you might very well be wrong and cause an accident.

[Toni]

Most dangerous road?.....My vote goes for ANY road that has a Thai driver on it.

right!

the situation showed in the pictures of the first poster I have seen various times on my past visa runs to Cambodia in the province.

Other experiences around Ram Inthra and Kuh Bon same same. Heavily loaded lorries but also cars overspeeding day and night not to speak about the motorbikes. In the mean time using handphones or watching videos.

I even don't feel save on the pedestrians pavement after seeing a car crashing full speed into the stairs of a foot bridge at Ram Inthra.

Latest experiences Kuh Bon this week: clients parked out carefully and somebody speeded into their car where after another idiot crashed into the police car which could be seen clearly due to the flashing lights.

Yesterday night people crossing the road knocked down by a motorbike for no reason. Whilst waiting at the ambulance the bike driver rushed away as is also usual here.

Next time I will take the keys of the vehicle involved as I have seen before Thai locals doing this.