Anyone here sitting in Isaan dreading the drive home this week. I am, but gotta do it.

Are the roads there that bad on new year?

4 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

Are the roads there that bad on new year?

Traffic, people start working 2. so it is going to be crazy. 

5 minutes ago, Hummin said:

Traffic, people start working 2. so it is going to be crazy. 

 

People start working on the 5th I believe. Public holiday 31 > 4

27 minutes ago, CallumWK said:

 

People start working on the 5th I believe. Public holiday 31 > 4

I figure most will start 5 jan. Will be an experience.

The son-in-law drove up to Roi Et from Korat two days ago, and it took him over 6 hours.
He intends returning this coming Saturday, hoping to miss Sunday as possibly the worst day.

3 hours ago, CallumWK said:

 

People start working on the 5th I believe. Public holiday 31 > 4

Then we might postpone our return a few days

9 hours ago, Hummin said:

Traffic, people start working 2. so it is going to be crazy. 

Don't a lot get the 2nd off and hence into the weekend?

I always find a way to avoid most of it.

Starting at 2am and then getting off the main roads before 5am. Buriram very easy to avoid but Nong Khai would be impossible. Too many near accidents and irate drivers to deal with after 5am and night driving that is usually avoided becomes exponentially safer. 2AM on Saturday from Buriram for example would be no concern.

10 hours ago, Cameroni said:

Are the roads there that bad on new year?

10 hours ago, Hummin said:

Traffic, people start working 2. so it is going to be crazy. 

I was hoping that the opening of all 6 lanes on the M6 in a one-way direction from Korat to Bang Pa-in would make a noticeable improvement to the return trip this time.

It's only one way Bang Pa-in Pak Chong. 2 way Pak Chong Korat.

11 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

Anyone here sitting in Isaan dreading the drive home this week. I am, but gotta do it.

Leave at 4am.

8 hours ago, Liquorice said:

The son-in-law drove up to Roi Et from Korat two days ago, and it took him over 6 hours.
He intends returning this coming Saturday, hoping to miss Sunday as possibly the worst day.

It takes me 45 minutes to drive four kilometres down Pattaya Tai three times every week.

31 minutes ago, novacova said:

Leave at 4am.

Yep that's the plan

I tend to make those kinds of drives between 10pm and 6am as there is considerably less traffic on the road, other than trucks

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WHEN MY GF drives back from her house in the village I always ask her to break up the drive by spending a night in a roadside hotel.

The worst traffic will be back to Bangkok, and not out of Bangkok.

7 minutes ago, Hummin said:

The worst traffic will be back to Bangkok, and not out of Bangkok.

We usually avoid travel on Sat & Sun, and holidays. Unless going to BKK, and we're going the opposite direction than the folks going to/from Hua Hin, so usually not a problem.

Saying that, we're out the door ourselves, 3rd for a pitstop & 4th, at area we want to be. I forgot they made the 2nd a holiday. Heading south though, and both legs are only 250 kms, and don't expect much traffic, as everyone should already be where they wanted to be.

Staying in non touristy areas, and the 5th and beyond is open. Even booked both nights, which is rare for us, but both places will be full, as popular, even though off the beaten track.

HAPPY TRAVEL

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

I tend to make those kinds of drives between 10pm and 6am as there is considerably less traffic on the road, other than trucks

And drunks

5 minutes ago, flexomike said:

And drunks

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

I tend to make those kinds of drives between 10pm and 6am as there is considerably less traffic on the road, other than trucks

No way Im driving after dark in Thailand if I do not have to!

Drunks is one thing, sleep drivers, yaba, on the phone and tinted windows makes Thailand to dangerous in the Night.

5 hours ago, atpeace said:

I always find a way to avoid most of it.

Starting at 2am and then getting off the main roads before 5am. Buriram very easy to avoid but Nong Khai would be impossible. Too many near accidents and irate drivers to deal with after 5am and night driving that is usually avoided becomes exponentially safer. 2AM on Saturday from Buriram for example would be no concern.

when the RTA statistics come out for the holiday periods they invariably indicate that there are fewer road accidents, injuries and deaths compared to the annual numbers, so statistically, you're safer driving during the holidays - though it may take longer

1 hour ago, it is what it is said:

when the RTA statistics come out for the holiday periods they invariably indicate that there are fewer road accidents, injuries and deaths compared to the annual numbers, so statistically, you're safer driving during the holidays - though it may take longer

Interesting. In Thailand or the world?

Never mind - I found the answer which is not even close to what you stated.

New Year Road Accident Statistics

Statistics from recent New Year campaigns (typically running from late December to early January) consistently show a sharp increase in fatalities and injuries compared to the daily average. 

• 2024-2025 Campaign: During the extended "Ten Dangerous Days" (Dec 27, 2024 – Jan 5, 2025), authorities reported a total of 436 deaths and 2,376 injuries across 2,467 accidents.

My wife says she is sick of eating eff's. Apparently when I drive its eff this and eff that about anything & everything in relation to Thai drivers,pedestrians, roads.,traffic lights, and traffic in general. I hate driving in Thailand.

Driving long distance is out of the question for me.

Good luck maneuvering the madness.

Just now, riclag said:

My wife says she is sick of eating eff's. Apparently when I drive its eff this and eff that about anything & everything in relation to Thai drivers,pedestrians, roads.,traffic lights, and traffic in general. I hate driving in Thailand.

Driving long distance is out of the question for me.

Good luck maneuvering the madness.

More like you lecturing her on Kamila Harris and the lefties whilst locked in the car...............😬........😂

19 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

Anyone here sitting in Isaan dreading the drive home this week. I am, but gotta do it.

Earlier this year, coming back from Isaan, that new motorway was partly opened (M6?). Few cars on it and no services at all - but some portable toilets at pull-outs where the services would eventually be built. I think that road has just fully opened, so give it a go. It was great when we used it. Much of it is elevated too and scenic in parts.

Figure on the 331 all way back. We'll see.

27 minutes ago, riclag said:

My wife says she is sick of eating eff's. Apparently when I drive its eff this and eff that about anything & everything in relation to Thai drivers,pedestrians, roads.,traffic lights, and traffic in general. I hate driving in Thailand.

Driving long distance is out of the question for me.

Good luck maneuvering the madness.

Got a 900 km run starting at 0100

Gonna be Amazon double expressos and toasties

4 hours ago, Hummin said:

No way Im driving after dark in Thailand if I do not have to!

Drunks is one thing, sleep drivers, yaba, on the phone and tinted windows makes Thailand to dangerous in the Night.

Agree, those reasons, and since we stay in hotels, arriving way too early is way to much time to kill before check in, after an overnight drive, which means, I didn't get a good night's sleep to begin with.

NO THANKS

4 hours ago, Hummin said:

No way Im driving after dark in Thailand if I do not have to!

Drunks is one thing, sleep drivers, yaba, on the phone and tinted windows makes Thailand to dangerous in the Night.

My preference for the trip to/from Pattaya and Udon is always overnight. I would leave late evening and arrive around dawn, either way. Most big trucks pull over and park up overnight, and the inter-city buses tend to travel in 'slugs' where they all stop for piss-breaks and noodles around the same time. You pass one, you pass them all. The minivans I just let them go and to be honest, the only mad ones I encountered are around dawn as they try to make their scheduled stops. Police check points tend to vanish after 10 p.m. with theb odd hold out at 2 a.m. Just need to be aware if you're passing through Kohn Kaen when the clubs empty around 2 a.m., and watch out for scooters from around 4 a.m. onwards as factory and farmworkers start their day.

A total of maybe 17 overnight trips over the past dozen years or so, no drama, no accidents, no flat tires and only the one piss-stop needed is at Pak Thong Chai on 304, just south of Korat.