Good driving roads from BKK

[Ezzer]

I have been searching in vain on and off for years for good driving roads within an hour or two reach from BKK. 

 

Am a car nut living in central BKK and, whilst I have the car and commute with it during the week (in gridlock trafffic) - the weekend I really feel suffocated that I can't seem to find good, quiet, curvy roads in the countryside near enough without driving 200km somewhere (i.e. getting a good morning's run before the misses calls in and blasts my absence). 

 

Anyone could recommend some good roads to do a bit of spirited driving? 

 

Thanks. 

[Pilotman]

what planet have you been living on mate?  Bangkok is surrounded by good roads, you just need to move your ass and get out of the City.  If you lift up your eyes and go east, north, west or south the roads are just brilliant.  

[richard_smith237]

Its Thailand... and while there are area’s of Thailand with well surfaced roads with great views, cambered corners, nice and twisty which ‘could’ be enjoyable they are not because at every single corner is the risk of an idiot (lorry etc) coming in the other direction with overheated failed brakes or just some tool overtaking on a blind bend... 

 

Thailand is not a place to enjoy driving / riding... although some area’s are better than others, the enjoyment is relative. 

 

As far as twisties within a proximity of Bangkok - not really. 

[foreverlomsak]

All roads out of Bangkok are good roads, especially if you do not have to go back.

[wprime]

35 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Its Thailand... and while there are area’s of Thailand with well surfaced roads with great views, cambered corners, nice and twisty which ‘could’ be enjoyable they are not because at every single corner is the risk of an idiot (lorry etc) coming in the other direction with overheated failed brakes or just some tool overtaking on a blind bend... 

 

Thailand is not a place to enjoy driving / riding... although some area’s are better than others, the enjoyment is relative. 

 

As far as twisties within a proximity of Bangkok - not really. 

 

Roads in Thailand are usually wide enough to avoid those muppets when they come speeding around a blind corner on the wrong side of the road.

[PatOngo]

47 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

what planet have you been living on mate?  Bangkok is surrounded by good roads, you just need to move your ass and get out of the City.  If you lift up your eyes and go east, north, west or south the roads are just brilliant.  

The only problem is the maniacs you have to share those good roads with!

[ExpatOilWorker]

Bit more than ur 1 hour from Bangkok, but brilliant driving.

 

 

[Ezzer]

2 hours ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

Bit more than ur 1 hour from Bangkok, but brilliant driving.

 

 

Thanks a lot!!! Appreciated - looks right on the map already with those wiggles. 

[Ezzer]

3 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Its Thailand... and while there are area’s of Thailand with well surfaced roads with great views, cambered corners, nice and twisty which ‘could’ be enjoyable they are not because at every single corner is the risk of an idiot (lorry etc) coming in the other direction with overheated failed brakes or just some tool overtaking on a blind bend... 

 

Thailand is not a place to enjoy driving / riding... although some area’s are better than others, the enjoyment is relative. 

 

As far as twisties within a proximity of Bangkok - not really. 

Indeed, I would tend to think that also but in the past I have experienced some better road manners 2-3 hrs outside of BKK. The driving and space both diminishes equally as you get closer to the big smoke!

[Airalee]

55 minutes ago, Ezzer said:

Thanks a lot!!! Appreciated - looks right on the map already with those wiggles. 

I have the same issue being a car nut in BKK too.  All I seen to do is drive my car to wash it and then back to the garage once every week or two.  Unfortunately, that mapped area is 4 hours outside BKK.  Probably easier to just drive down to Huahin and head into the hills from there.

[ExpatOilWorker]

2 hours ago, Ezzer said:

Thanks a lot!!! Appreciated - looks right on the map already with those wiggles. 

It is truly a great drive.

It is actually an abandoned road, since a 3 minute ferry crossing save you 20 km of driving.

It is still a good blacktop road with no potholes. Part of the road is covered in dry leaves blowing everywhere when you cruise along with open windows.

 

[AlQaholic]

The roads towards Pathum Thani are good, and the Nong Chock area North East of Bkk is good as well. However good luck jogging in the morning with all the dogs chasing you down.

[PGSan]

23 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

at every single corner is the risk of an idiot (lorry etc) coming in the other direction with overheated failed brakes or just some tool overtaking on a blind bend... 

This risk occurs equally at every single  corner of every single country (Antarctica is not a country:-).

[PGSan]

17 hours ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

since a 3 minute ferry crossing save you 20 km of driving.

Not been there in a long while.  I did not see a ferry on google maps: where is it exactly?

Edited February 25, 2021 by PGSan

[PGSan]

17 hours ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

It is still a good blacktop road with no potholes.

But it does seem to have attractively ornamented beamers parked on the wrong side of the tarmac: quite some hazard!

[natway09]

The quality of the roads in Thailand are pretty good just about which ever way you go.

Just give way to the local drivers who I must say have got better over the years at driving skills.

Motorbikes are another story

[brianthainess]

1 hour ago, natway09 said:

Just give way to the local drivers who I must say have got better over the years at driving skills.

Well not in my opinion, they seem to have got worse.

[canthai55]

3 hours ago, natway09 said:

The quality of the roads in Thailand are pretty good just about which ever way you go.

Just give way to the local drivers who I must say have got better over the years at driving skills.

Motorbikes are another story

Been quite a large improvement in driver ability since I washed up here.

Roads for sure have gotten better on the whole.

I try hard to not drive or ride at nite, so am spared the drunks, which is altogether a good thing.

 

[AgMech Cowboy]

On 2/24/2021 at 12:59 PM, richard_smith237 said:

which ‘could’ be enjoyable they are not because at every single corner is the risk of an idiot (lorry etc) coming in the other direction with overheated failed brakes or just some tool overtaking on a blind bend... 

Richard, you nailed it. I have never failed to be amazed at the idiots (or fools) who overtake on blind curves here in the Kingdom. My experieince has the drivers east and North of Nakhon Ratchasima are the 'bravest', but I've witnessed the same west of Bangkok; although, I 'think' to a lesser degree.

 

But on the topic of the post. I enjoy driving in Kanchanaburi. I've made trips to the Phu Nam Ron border crossing a number of times and usually pick out different routes. They've been enjoyable drives without adding lots of extra km by going North or South of the most direct route. Lot's of interesting sights, too.

[ExpatOilWorker]

On 2/25/2021 at 12:27 PM, PGSan said:

Not been there in a long while.  I did not see a ferry on google maps: where is it exactly?

 

Dotted line just to the left of where the road takes a sharp right hand turn.

 

[HashBrownHarry]

On 2/24/2021 at 12:59 PM, richard_smith237 said:

Its Thailand... and while there are area’s of Thailand with well surfaced roads with great views, cambered corners, nice and twisty which ‘could’ be enjoyable they are not because at every single corner is the risk of an idiot (lorry etc) coming in the other direction with overheated failed brakes or just some tool overtaking on a blind bend... 

 

Thailand is not a place to enjoy driving / riding... although some area’s are better than others, the enjoyment is relative. 

 

As far as twisties within a proximity of Bangkok - not really. 

Thailand is a great place to enjoy riding!

[Huckenfell]

Just a couple of years ago i did a 5000 klm road trip from Koh Samui in a circle North -Isaan and back. It was a trip that i thoroughly enjoyed and would do again. Only had one problem when i drove down a massive hole in the road near Khukan. My front wheels were down the hole with my rear wheels about one meter up off the road. The hole was unmarked ! but at the massive cost of Bht100 a tractor which happened to be lurking nearby, pulled me out.

I found the long haul truck drivers very good and attentive always ready to pull over. But the general traffic OMG!