It's "only" 3 hours away, they say.

 

Just for comparison, Chiang Rai is only 1.5 hours away from BKK or Don Mueng airports.

 

Left Hua Hin at 8am on a normal sunny Saturday morning.

 

Currently stuck in traffic 44kms away from Suvarnabhumi airport and it's already been 4 hours.

 

I'm calling porkies.

 

HH is a remote provincial city, the geographic equivalent of a cul-de-sac.

 

cul-de-sac

noun

a route or course leading nowhere.

😀

Hua Hin Airport is one of the least utilized airports in Thailand, possibly even in the world. Shame on these guys. They can do so much better. Thailand desperately needs more regional airports, especially within a few hours of Bangkok. Anything to ease congestion, and save souls from the nightmare of getting in and out of Bangkok has to be a good thing for the nation and it's people. Shame. Shame. 

Hua Hin might as well be 1,000 km. away, with the lack of high speed transport options. It's no wonder Thailand can't attract many affluent tourists. The same promises being made for 20 years for an airport that desperately needs a significant number of international flights and domestic flights, to take pressure off of the airports in Bangkok, and the absolute nightmare of getting back and forth.

 

The lack of many flights a day is something that just has never made any sense

“We will begin by growing the flight base at Hua Hin Airport with a focus on international destinations, and domestic travel and our numbers will take time to grow.  We will get started immediately working with the town and recruit local businesses to participate in our new programs, Open to the World and LIVE-LEARN-WORK-PLAY, in Hua Hin,” Laroche said. Ha. What a joker. 

 

New routes are a decent thing to have, but Thailand absolutely has to get its act together and create some high-speed ways to move people around. There should be High-Speed Rail from Bangkok to Hua Hin, which there is not. Rama II is an abomination. The current situation with Rama II a decade behind schedule, and moving at a snail's pace is an absolute boil on the face of Thailand. 

 

There should be commuter flights from Bangkok to Hua Hin Airport, which there is not.

 

There should be flights from Hua Hin airport to Pattaya, which there is not, since Hua Hin airport is one of the least utilized airports in all of Southeast Asia.

 

This hapless administration has to at least make an attempt to get their act together, and they need to stop pretending that they are competent and that they are representing the Thai people. They are not competent, and they are not representing anyone here in Thailand, other than their own self-interests, and the interests of the elites. Period. 

 

 

 

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

There should be flights from Hua Hin airport to Pattaya, which there is not, since Hua Hin airport is one of the least utilized airports in all of Southeast Asia.

 

 

Or at least start the high speed Ferry again, have used it a couple of times and it was quite relaxed.

It you're flying you need to leavea minimum of 4 to 5 hours before departure - depending on road works, etc.

 

I've been hopping over to and from Cambodia a few times recently and the 'airport run' is a complete pain - takes far too long and you have to build in contingencies just in case of extra traffic

Normally you end up sitting there in the airport like an idiot with nothing to do for hours - if there's no traffic.

 

The worst part - my flight time is only 50 minutes on these trips!
 

1 hour ago, ukrules said:

It you're flying you need to leave a minimum of 4 to 5 hours before departure - depending on road works, etc.

 

 That, and the high cost of a flight vs a bus or a train is probably why they don't have commuter flights from BKK or DMK to HH.   The demand just isn't there. 

 

I don't go to HH, but I love Kanchanaburi and showing up minutes before the train departs (100 baht), or the bus station and getting on the next bus which will generally leave in the next half hour (130 baht).  You can't even buy a coffee at the airport for that.

 

46 minutes ago, impulse said:

 That, and the high cost of a flight vs a bus or a train is probably why they don't have commuter flights from BKK or DMK to HH.   The demand just isn't there. 

 

I don't go to HH, but I love Kanchanaburi and showing up minutes before the train departs (100 baht), or the bus station and getting on the next bus which will generally leave in the next half hour (130 baht).  You can't even buy a coffee at the airport for that.

 

I don't go th HH either, as a beach or holiday destination.  First time was as a holiday, as wanting to sample the 'train journey', along with being a close beach (not Patts) to BKK.  That was enough, as nothing there to make a repeat visit, for Hua Hin itself.

 

That was before I owned a car, and it was nice, 2001.   Further visits were pit stops, to points further south, or to attend the Jazz Festivals, which were excellent, until beer advertising was banned.   As the financing dried up.  Think I attended the first 8 festivals.

 

After I discovered Muang, PKK, I simply drove the extra hour for a more relaxed pit stop, on the way to Phuket, usually, 2X a year, during school breaks.

 

HH has a beach, most won't swim in.   So not a 'beach holiday' destination.  Really no reason to go there, IMHO, unless as the weekenders do, just to escape the city for a few days, for a much better view.

 

Flying, as pointed out is a joke, silly prices, and unless a conx flight, then takes just as long to fly, as to drive, or public trans.   Go to airport, 2 hr check in, 1 hr gate to gate, out the door, then deal with the taxi mafia    Repeat to return, when all you have to do is hop a van, train or bus if in BKK and don't want to drive for fraction of the cost.  Arrive ground transport, and most things are within walking distance.

 

Taxi for door to door convenience, and still cheaper than flying.

10 hours ago, SiSePuede419 said:

It's "only" 3 hours away, they say.

 

Just for comparison, Chiang Rai is only 1.5 hours away from BKK or Don Mueng airports.

 

Left Hua Hin at 8am on a normal sunny Saturday morning.

 

Currently stuck in traffic 44kms away from Suvarnabhumi airport and it's already been 4 hours.

 

I'm calling porkies.

 

HH is a remote provincial city, the geographic equivalent of a cul-de-sac.

 

cul-de-sac

noun

a route or course leading nowhere.

😀

Flying out? Good news.

4 hours ago, KhunLA said:

 

HH has a beach, most won't swim in.   So

Who is most? Most won't swim in any beach. Too many expensive restaurants. The beaches are great.

 

the gf owns a few condos in and around HH so go there reasonably often, can;t say i'd ever want to go there for a holiday, the drive is dull.

19 hours ago, SiSePuede419 said:

Currently stuck in traffic 44kms away from Suvarnabhumi airport and it's already been 4 hours.

 

...and the reason for that was almost certainly the construction on route #35. The massive construction on that road has been going on for many years. We too, were stuck in that last night (Saturday) after leaving Amphawa at 8pm, arrived back in Bangkok 10:30pm. For what should have been a journey of less than 90 minutes. Apparently, every weekend night, the main road will be closed and traffic can only use the frontage roads. A huge number of cranes and workers on the route after Samut Sakhon all the way to the city. A nightmare for anyone heading between Bangkok and Hua Hin or further south.

 

Can I say its all about timing - time of day, day of week, holiday, road works, etc.  I have driven from Hua Hin to Sukhumvit Road in Bangkok in about 2 hours and 45 minutes many a time.

13 hours ago, KhunLA said:

I don't go th HH either, as a beach or holiday destination.

 

I stayed in HH a few times, usually at the behest of other couples I knew from work.  I enjoyed it.  But, as others have pointed out, the road down was pretty miserable.  I suspect that's because we were following the weekend crowd on Friday nights. 

 

I recently arrived in BKK on a Friday night and felt sorry for those headed to Pattaya on the taxi ride going the other way.  It was gridlocked the entire way.  That's the way the road to HH felt.

 

1 hour ago, impulse said:

 

I stayed in HH a few times, usually at the behest of other couples I knew from work.  I enjoyed it.  But, as others have pointed out, the road down was pretty miserable.  I suspect that's because we were following the weekend crowd on Friday nights. 

 

I recently arrived in BKK on a Friday night and felt sorry for those headed to Pattaya on the taxi ride going the other way.  It was gridlocked the entire way.  That's the way the road to HH felt.

 

I try avoid traveling to BKK on Sundays, or leaving on Friday after noon or Saturday.  Usually gridlock.

 

Timing is everything around BKK or other metros at rush hour also.  

 

If we can make it to Ibis Riverside in < 4 1/2 hrs, I'm happy.  That includes about a 30 min munch stop..   If crossing the river and into 'town', that's another 30 mins.

 

We're about 1 hr 15 mins below HH.  Which we were at 3 times in the last 10 day   

 

1  pit stop, coming back from BKK, and 2 trips to the vet for Sniffy the WonderDogs's check up 🙄

5 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

I try avoid traveling to BKK on Sundays, or leaving on Friday after noon or Saturday.  Usually gridlock.

 

Timing is everything around BKK or other metros at rush hour also.  

 

The one time I did a round trip to HH to buy a kayak off BahtSold (or was it Craigslist?), it was pretty smooth sailing both ways.  I think I left and returned on a Saturday afternoon, not during prime time.  Traffic is about the worst disadvantage of having a work schedule in Bangkok, when I couldn't pick my travel times.

 

Hua Hin tourist officials have been complaining to the government about the slow progress on the Rama 2 project, and its negative effects on tourism.

 

 

Suriya orders contractors to speed up work on Rama II extensions

 

After the meeting, Suriya told reporters that since taking office, he has been regularly discussing the issue with the Highways Department chief.

 

He said the Rama II highway construction has been dubbed a “seven-generation” project due to specific reasons.

 

https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40036100

 

 

Just a few weeks ago the Transport Minister said the project would be completed "this year".

 

There are also a record number of accidents on this stretch with many attributed to the construction.

 

https://www.nationthailand.com/blogs/news/general/40043729

 

11 hours ago, Harrisfan said:

Too many expensive restaurants

No.  That's Samui & Phuket you're thinking of.

 

Although I was just in Chaweng Beach on Samui last night and saw a restaurant where EVERYTHING Thai menu was 80B.

Packed with Farangs.

Was it good?  Anyone try it?

My guess is...

"Maybe." 😀

 

Actually, HH has many mid-level priced restaurants with a mix of Thai & Farang food.

Example: Im Jang, Rose Cafe

Fried rice with shrimp 45B

Grilled Dollyfish steak with fries and salad 89B

Pork Chop plate 185B

 

Middle priced, tasty.

 

I think you got pulled into tourist traps because you saw other Farangs sitting in there.

 

Go to restaurants with Thai people. 😉

49 minutes ago, bamnutsak said:

Hua Hin tourist officials have been complaining to the government about the slow progress on the Rama 2 project, and its negative effects on tourism.

 

 

Suriya orders contractors to speed up work on Rama II extensions

 

After the meeting, Suriya told reporters that since taking office, he has been regularly discussing the issue with the Highways Department chief.

 

He said the Rama II highway construction has been dubbed a “seven-generation” project due to specific reasons.

 

https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40036100

 

 

Just a few weeks ago the Transport Minister said the project would be completed "this year".

 

There are also a record number of accidents on this stretch with many attributed to the construction.

 

https://www.nationthailand.com/blogs/news/general/40043729

 

 

Other than the omnipresent graft and corruption, can anyone explain the reasons for the extended project?  

 

In fairness, that G&C isn't specific to Thailand.  In the US, it's a common practice for highway contractors to front load the costs into the first phases of the contract so they get paid a lot up front, then they use that money for other things while they slow walk the rest of the work.  Like, they'll charge $200 million for early dirt work, then $20 million for the rest of the project.  They're still low bid, but they get to use that money for years before they actually earn it.

 

BTW, those links are blocked here.  So apologies if the answer is in there.

 

12 minutes ago, SiSePuede419 said:

No.  That's Samui & Phuket you're thinking of.

 

Although I was just in Chaweng Beach on Samui last night and saw a restaurant where EVERYTHING Thai menu was 80B.

Packed with Farangs.

Was it good?  Anyone try it?

My guess is...

"Maybe." 😀

 

Actually, HH has many mid-level priced restaurants with a mix of Thai & Farang food.

Example: Im Jang, Rose Cafe

Fried rice with shrimp 45B

Grilled Dollyfish steak with fries and salad 89B

Pork Chop plate 185B

 

Middle priced, tasty.

 

I think you got pulled into tourist traps because you saw other Farangs sitting in there.

 

Go to restaurants with Thai people. 😉

I think you have no idea. I prefer northern food and in Hua Hin there's 1 good north style restaurant which charges double for everything. The best cheap food was in a mall. Dollyfish is junk btw. Udon has better restaurants for western food and cheaper. Bangkok and Chiang Mai far superior for all food types than Hua Hin. 

 

Food near the beach is all inflated. Cheaper at Ao Manao.

 

Hua Hin has good beaches and room prices are ok but food poor or rip off.

18 minutes ago, SiSePuede419 said:

That's Samui & Phuket you're thinking of.

No, Phuket has far superior food to Hua Hin and lots of cheap Thai food. Also lots of cheap rooms.

 

Hua Hin is quieter than Phuket and that's the main reason to go. Phuket too many farangs.

1 hour ago, impulse said:

BTW, those links are blocked here. 

 

The links I posted?

 

Where is "here"?

 

They're from The Nation  https://www.nationthailand.com/

 

 

My guess is that an influential family is involved in this project, based on the vague references the Transport Minister makes, and they are part of the Networked Corruption which is the backbone of commerce here in the Kingdom.

 

Italian-Thai Development Public Company Limited (ITD) is the primary contractor. Not sure if Panther Man still runs things day to day?

 

 

Let´s just pack it up and say like this. Almost 300 km is not close. How long time it takes to go there, is only 33% connected to the distance. The other two 33,5% parts are what you drive, and how qiuck.

I visit HH every few months.  The construction is a big negative and very dangerous.   Last trip there was a cement barrier that had been some how moved and was sitting in the right lane. Lots of trucks and heavy traffic. 

The time you drive is key.  Last time I left at 3:30 am and it took a little over 2 hours to get to BKK.

5 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

The other two 33,5% parts are what you drive, and how qiuck.

Agree.

If what you drive is a "helicopter" you won't have any problems with traffic jams in Bangkok.

But once you get into a traffic jam

(Definition: Every single lane has stopped or is crawling along, including the emergency "shoulder" lane on the left side of the highway)

It doesn't matter if you drive a Suzuki Swift or a Lamborghini.

You ain't going nowhere fast.

Nice try,Cubby.

Now put down the crack pipe, you've had enough.

It's just common sense that in heavy traffic it doesn't matter what you drive, duh. 😄

2 hours ago, SiSePuede419 said:

Agree.

If what you drive is a "helicopter" you won't have any problems with traffic jams in Bangkok.

But once you get into a traffic jam

(Definition: Every single lane has stopped or is crawling along, including the emergency "shoulder" lane on the left side of the highway)

It doesn't matter if you drive a Suzuki Swift or a Lamborghini.

You ain't going nowhere fast.

Nice try,Cubby.

Now put down the crack pipe, you've had enough.

It's just common sense that in heavy traffic it doesn't matter what you drive, duh. 😄

First Cubby?? What is that? Did you mean Chubby? After that, why would you assume I am using crack? Own experience?

Back to topic! Your common sense just shows that you are not an experienced motorbike rider. In a traffic jam, that´s perfect as you have no problem navigating around the cars. Sure, it will go slower in heavy traffic, but far more quick than in a car under same circumstances. So, as a result in that case, it matter what you drive.

Now when you know that, try a reply without insults.

14 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

Your common sense just shows that you are not an experienced motorbike rider.

Sorry!

I didn't realize you were a fool who rides a motorcycle from HH to BKK.

Where do you park your motorcycle at the airport? What's the maximum time you can park there? And how much does that cost? Sounds like you got everything figured out.  Riding in-between cars in heavy traffic.  Yeah, I've seen that in California, too.  One unexpected lane change by one car and it's bye bye. "Legal, but not advisable". Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should.  Cheers. 😀

 

9 minutes ago, SiSePuede419 said:

Sorry!

I didn't realize you were a fool who rides a motorcycle from HH to BKK.

Where do you park your motorcycle at the airport? What's the maximum time you can park there? And how much does that cost? Sounds like you got everything figured out.  Riding in-between cars in heavy traffic.  Yeah, I've seen that in California, too.  One unexpected lane change by one car and it's bye bye. "Legal, but not advisable". Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should.  Cheers. 😀

 

Only an idiot would drive from HH to BKK same day to catch a flight unless its a night flight.

1 minute ago, Harrisfan said:

Only an idiot would drive from HH to BKK same day to catch a flight unless its a night flight.

You've done it then............😐

On 3/2/2025 at 9:07 AM, KhunLA said:

avoid traveling to BKK on Sundays, or leaving on Friday after noon or Saturday. 

Just say Friday afternoon to Sunday afternoon it's busy

1 minute ago, Harrisfan said:

Just say Friday afternoon to Sunday afternoon it's busy

Direction dependent.  Just go the opposite way of the weekenders 

2 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Direction dependent.  Just go the opposite way of the weekenders 

 

Which is difficult when you (I) am a weekender... 

 

... Getting down there after school on a Friday afternoon is ok...

But as pointed out, getting back on a Sunday afternoon can be horrific...

 

But... to be honest, getting back into Bangkok from any direction on a Sunday afternoon / early evening is not fun.

 

Given the proximity of Pattaya, that can be a decent alternative and the 'grime' can also be avoided (as its not all about bars etc)... 

 

Koh Chang is also a good trip, but that starts to feel like a little but too far away for a 'quick weekend away' kind of trip.

 

A quick flight across to Vietnam can be an option - but they Immigration lines there are notorious for taking a long time...  A flight Krabi and a Boat across the Raiyleh beach is often a good option, as is a flight to Krabi and a cheap car hire to Koh Lanta....