A new motorway, connecting the north of Bangkok to the northeastern region, is to be opened for a trial period during Songkran, after the transport ministry completes inspections this weekend.

 

A 36-kilometre stretch, part of the Bang Pa-in to Korat motorway, will be the first to be tested with normal traffic. It will open to motorists for 24 hours with an 80km/hr speed limit. This part of the highway will connect to gateway roads to northeastern regions of Thailand.

 

The Department of Highways say that the trial will be outbound from Bangkok only, between 9th and 13th April, then inbound to Bangkok only, between 14th and 19th April, during which only 4-wheel vehicles will be allowed. Lorries and motorcycles are not permitted.

 

Full Story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/new-korat-motorway-to-be-open-for-trial-use-during-songkran/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2021-04-05

 

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Brilliant......we are outbound on the 7th, two days too early and inbound on the 13th one day too early....nice timing.

7 hours ago, Surelynot said:

Brilliant......we are outbound on the 7th, two days too early and inbound on the 13th one day too early....nice timing.

You're lucky, it will be jam packed.

12 hours ago, Upnotover said:

You're lucky, it will be jam packed.

 Very likely. Its free and will attract a whole lot of traffic.
Probably best avoided. Too many "onlookers".

And it's only a stretch of 36 km. Korat - Bang Pa-in is about 200 km.

And now it would be nice to know WHERE this 36 km stretch is?

Anybody found?

I've sighted this new road a few times above me when in the area passing through Pak Chong. To be fair it looks pretty impressive and looks longer than 36 clicks. But is it really needed, must have cost some, and I've never been stuck in traffic in that area?

8 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

And now it would be nice to know WHERE this 36 km stretch is?

Anybody found?

 Yea when travelling through Pak Chong on the no 2 you can see it above you.

Just now, Johnny Mac said:

 Yea when travelling through Pak Chong on the no 2 you can see it above you.

The road as such is very well known to me (taken pictures and videos).

It looks ready for more than a year to me ????

And I found an article in Thai:

the trial stretch starts at km 65 off from highway 2.

That is a bit south of the reservoir (dam).

Than it goes north up to Sikhio where the connection to rd 201 is.

I have driven the current route on hw 2 just in March.

 

And as written this is only a small portion of the whole thing (about 200 km).

 

18 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

The road as such is very well known to me (taken pictures and videos).

It looks ready for more than a year to me ????

And I found an article in Thai:

the trial stretch starts at km 65 off from highway 2.

That is a bit south of the reservoir (dam).

Than it goes north up to Sikhio where the connection to rd 201 is.

I have driven the current route on hw 2 just in March.

 

And as written this is only a small portion of the whole thing (about 200 km).

 

 

I did think it looked longer than 36 km. And yes been ready for a long while, I wondered what was going on with it.

I wonder if the first fatality (it won’t be long) will be awarded a commemorative badge ? ???? 

On 4/6/2021 at 3:33 PM, Johnny Mac said:

But is it really needed, must have cost some, and I've never been stuck in traffic in that area?

Yes, very much needed.  The current road is the worst out of town drive in the whole country. 

1 hour ago, PGSan said:

Yes, very much needed.  The current road is the worst out of town drive in the whole country. 

Where exactly does it start and finish?