Mass Exodus for New Year's Holiday Begins

[webfact]

 

NAKHON RATCHASIMA, Dec 28 (TNA) – Traffic on the main highway to the northeastern region started to get heavy as mass exodus from Bangkok for New Year celebrations has begun.

On the Mittraparb Road in the Nakhon Ratchasima province, every lane is filled with vehicles. Special lanes for reverse traffic flow need to be opened. It is expected that today, people will use the M6 motorway more to travel back to their hometowns during the extended New Year holidays.

 

In the Sikhiu district, traffic congestion has been evident since yesterday afternoon (Dec 27).

Vehicles are moving slowly, with speeds ranging from 30 to 40 kilometers per hour. The presence of large trucks transporting goods is causing the traffic to slow down, resulting in a cumulative traffic jam of more than 2 kilometers.

 

Full story: TNA-MCOT 2023-12-28

 

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[PJ71]

Let the chaos begin.

 

Stay safe out there...

[mfd101]

Always organize your road travel (whether on a daily or weekly or annual holidays basis) to be heading in the opposite direction from everyone else.

 

Easier said than done for some, but not so hard for those not in the workforce and whose visits to and from BKK are optional.

[JBChiangRai]

Chiang Rai is already busy, there were 3 cars queuing at the traffic light just now.

[Bagwain]

Will never drive in this <deleted> up place again in holidays.

However New Years day is fantastic. Nobody & no trucks on the road.

Done it 3 times to Surin before the Plann/d#mik and twas great.

Took an hour off the trip not to mention the stress!

 

[hotchilli]

18 hours ago, webfact said:

Vehicles are moving slowly, with speeds ranging from 30 to 40 kilometers per hour. The presence of large trucks transporting goods is causing the traffic to slow down,

Maybe that's not a bad thing.

[shackleton]

Same every year no change except the number of vehicles increases ever year 

Plus accidents 

People are always in a rush 🙄 

[EVENKEEL]

Plane fares heading north are exploding.

[brianthainess]

Sadly there will be a lot less returning. 

[Barnet1900]

On 12/29/2023 at 9:51 AM, brianthainess said:

Sadly there will be a lot less returning. 

Yep. It's like one of those BBC great migration films. Many make the trip with casualties along the way.

 

About 10 years ago, I made the mistake of journeying through the mountainous range near Korat, when it was 2 lanes. It was carnage. It took an eternity to get across, mainly due to impatient idiots making 2 lanes into 4. Plenty of vehicles ended up in ditches or collisions. My trip was in the Songkran holiday but much the same as this.

[Lacessit]

On 12/28/2023 at 1:47 PM, JBChiangRai said:

Chiang Rai is already busy, there were 3 cars queuing at the traffic light just now.

Clock Tower is closed off, big concert with a Thai superstar for the next couple of days.

[peter zwart]

Then i hope that every one has a save trip and i wish all of you an excellent and healthy 2024.

[brianthainess]

7 minutes ago, Barnet1900 said:

Yep. It's like one of those BBC great migration films. Many make the trip with casualties along the way.

 

About 10 years ago, I made the mistake of journeying through the mountainous range near Korat, when it was 2 lanes. It was carnage. It took an eternity to get across, mainly due to impatient idiots making 2 lanes into 4. Plenty of vehicles ended up in ditches or collisions. My trip was in the Songkran holiday but much the same as this.

I can remember years ago in the central reservation on a highway, they had left a completely demolished car, all the traffic slowed to gawp but for about the next 15min everybody was driving a lot slower. 

[Woof999]

Drove up to Nakhon Phanom on Friday. Left at 2am and the traffic was already heavy. Very heavy around Korat as usual and didn't abate until well after Khon Kaen. Took 11 hours total. 3 or so hours longer than a normal trip, but not the longest ever.

 

Flew back late yesterday. Going in the opposite direction to most people, so flight was cheap.

 

One thing that did occur to me was that I didn't see a single accident on the 11 hour drive. On previous drives I'm seen several each time.

[brianthainess]

3 minutes ago, peter zwart said:

Then i hope that every one has a save trip and i wish all of you an excellent and healthy 2024.

I won't be driving anywhere until the mayhem has slowed down, maybe in a month or two.

[Barnet1900]

3 hours ago, Woof999 said:

Drove up to Nakhon Phanom on Friday. Left at 2am and the traffic was already heavy. Very heavy around Korat as usual and didn't abate until well after Khon Kaen. Took 11 hours total. 3 or so hours longer than a normal trip, but not the longest ever.

 

Flew back late yesterday. Going in the opposite direction to most people, so flight was cheap.

 

One thing that did occur to me was that I didn't see a single accident on the 11 hour drive. On previous drives I'm seen several each time.

Oddly enough I experienced the best two journeys to and from Isaan this month. Left at 06.30 on the 16th, returned same time on the 26th. I know they're not the busiest days but literally no traffic, no police stops at all. 

 

I took the older route, no tolls, from Chonburi to KK. Bit slower but lovely scenic driving.

[The Fugitive]

On 12/28/2023 at 1:26 PM, mfd101 said:

Always organize your road travel (whether on a daily or weekly or annual holidays basis) to be heading in the opposite direction from everyone else.

 

Easier said than done for some, but not so hard for those not in the workforce and whose visits to and from BKK are optional.

Absolutely! When in UK I avoided pre-Christmas (works do's), Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Eve. Used to go to clubs and restaurants etc. during the first week in January. Got treated like royalty!