Korat to Trat

[MangoKorat]

Is anyone familiar with highway 317 from Nakhon Ratchasima to Trat?  Looks like a decent - ish road, some dual carriageway some just normal roads.  Any problems that anyone knows of?

[2baht]

13 minutes ago, MangoKorat said:

  Any problems that anyone knows of?

Be aware of local drivers, their driving abilities are legendary!

[MangoKorat]

10 minutes ago, 2baht said:

Be aware of local drivers, their driving abilities are legendary!

Not exactly what I'm looking for. As I'm sure I've told you before - I'm hardly a newcomer.

[gomangosteen]

1 hour ago, MangoKorat said:

Is anyone familiar with highway 317 from Nakhon Ratchasima to Trat?  Looks like a decent - ish road, some dual carriageway some just normal roads.  Any problems that anyone knows of?

Hi

 

Can't help you with the whole route, but we travel the Sa Kaeo - Chanthaburi section of 317 fairly often, most recently 4 December. 

 

No issues, been hugely improved in the time we've lived here, for years there were roadworks from Makham towards Pong Nam Ton but all all finished now.

 

If time not of importance, go past Sa Kaeo and take a right/south on highway 3395, slower, more scenic, less traffic.

 

You bypass Chan city, intersection Chanthaburi to Trat puts you on Sukhumvit #3 to Trat, good road.

 

As both roads are the main transport routes in the region, there will be trucks. Going north from Chan there some long inclines up to Soi Dao area the trucks crawl along - as with everywhere, just a little patience required.

 

There are two permanent army checkpoints but in our (now 13) years here we have only ever been properly stopped once - and that was to check my wife as being Thai and that maybe I wasn't smuggling her in from Cambodia. Other times just a smile and waved through.

 

No shortage of fuel stations and Amazon cafes along the way.

 

Happy travels.

Edited January 3 by gomangosteen
Spelling

[gomangosteen]

And a bonus photo!

Highway 317 heading north towards Soi Dao.

 

Many a foreigner will have been through here Pong Nam Ron to go east to the Cambodian border crossing at Ban Pakkard or Ban Laem.

 

Khao Soi Dao Tai is its highest peak at 1,675 metres (5,495 ft).

 

Minus the cloud

 

Edited January 3 by gomangosteen

[MangoKorat]

9 hours ago, gomangosteen said:

If time not of importance, go past Sa Kaeo and take a right/south on highway 3395, slower, more scenic, less traffic.

Thanks for all your info.  unfortunately I won't have time to take the scenic route - I'll be heading for the islands and I want to arrive well before dark.  I've been literally dozens of times but always from Bangkok or Samet.  I did once go from Korat with the ex's family - down the 304 and instead of hanging a right at Prachin Buri, they carried on down the 331. I did ask why but just got blank looks - what would a stupid foreigner know? Those damned foreigners with their maps, they think they know everything .