Your Opinion, What Is The Most Dangerous Road In Samui

[loiner100]

Just come along the Ghost Road from Club 99 end.

According to my wife, the big new sign at the end of the road says they are closing the road on November 30th and laying drains. That will be right as there is a site cabin 500 m. on on the RHS and sections of drainage pipe connectors being poured in situ same as on the main Bangrak road opposite Samui Mermaid.

She also reckons that the road will be 'repaired' where necessary, but not being fully re-constructed. It will be interesting to see what really happens and how long it takes.

[BigC]

What is the Ghost Road? Are there actual ghosts there? Or is it named because it's not on the map?

many ghosts on the ghost road. even though they are every where. that road is famous for ghosts.

just look how narrow it is ands the amount of traffic going through it, u will understands why. also the scrapping that goes on there.

[BigC]

i hate to say this because many poeple have lost people on this island but the resonablitly ( most of the time ) is down to the person who is driving.

If u drink and speed and not wear helmet and like i see people all the time. the driver wears a helmet but the 5 month kid on the front of the bike is not wearing any protection, wear shorts t-shirt and sandles ride the opposite side of the road and have no liscense or any exeprience on a motor bike.

Then the fault is of the driver. I drive at my own risk. if i do any of those things above and i have a bad accident. even if the rented bike was faulty or there were bad drivers on the road or there were pot holes it is still my fault becuase these are the things they teach you on your test.

same my brother broke his leg.

first he told me it was a taxi drivers fault.

then he told me he was looking at a lady.

then he told me he was drunk out of his head looking at a lady.

he was lucky. only 1 year not being able to walk.

this is why in england we have a nanny style country because people don't want to take the blame so the inssurence companies take over.

yes police could do more but if they did would you really want them to.

no win situation.

there again sometimes it is nones fault just bad cercomstances ( bad spelling will dorte that word out later ).

[jeztennis]

hi just an update on the ghost road the engineers have been out surveying the whole road for the last few days and are now spraying red paint on the road every 5 or 10 metres so it looks as though they are going to redo the whole road, quite disappointing really coz with all the big holes its very difficult to go fast so chances of a fatality are slim, if they resurface the whole road people will drive faster and i guarantee a fatality within 2 months, really crappy roads are actually a blessing as it makes people drive slowly.

[mattias33]

hi just an update on the ghost road the engineers have been out surveying the whole road for the last few days and are now spraying red paint on the road every 5 or 10 metres so it looks as though they are going to redo the whole road, quite disappointing really coz with all the big holes its very difficult to go fast so chances of a fatality are slim, if they resurface the whole road people will drive faster and i guarantee a fatality within 2 months, really crappy roads are actually a blessing as it makes people drive slowly.

Yes, work seem to finally been started. Good thing.

Allthough you most definately have a point, good roads people drive faster with more accidents, i still say repair is nessesary. Some parts of the ghostroad been so bad that even the best, most solber driver can have an accident. A bad one. Holes in the middle of the road with iron sticking straight up, covered with water so you dont see it, is deadly dangerous. Not to mention some off the "good" parts of the road (Between Ting tong corner and blessing) where the houses got floaded. Drains not working good enough.

Good news for all of us. Im exited enough to buy a few houses in this area. I always loved the area, it has everything, except, who want to invest in a house on a road that is undriveble during monsun? This is a good thing for all the bigger projects along the road, and espcially for the poor people i saw desperatly putting sandbags along the road to try to keep their houses dry during the latest rain.

[goldfish]

quite disappointing really coz with all the big holes its very difficult to go fast so chances of a fatality are slim, if they resurface the whole road people will drive faster and i guarantee a fatality within 2 months, really crappy roads are actually a blessing as it makes people drive slowly.

I agree with this. Th eonly thing which seems to make some thai drivers slow down is a pot-holed road. I noticed when driving back from malaysia recently that a lot of drivers would slow down for an uneven road, and then blast past a market at high speed narrowly missing pedestrians and bikes.

I'm also impressed with google. It understood what 'cercomstances' means, but got a tad confused with 'dorte'. Apparently he's a famous dane

[Nirvana]

What is the Ghost Road? Are there actual ghosts there? Or is it named because it's not on the map?

it's on the map, and sometimes (just in the highseason) ther's a ghost around this area........

but until today nobody watched him......sadly, i go there many time in the night...but nothing there

Chayaphum

Chayaphum this looks like a good map, I would like to find a map of whole of samui with as many of the small roads as possible. Any Ideas of maybe the link or where i could find ? Thanks

[Chayaphum]

What is the Ghost Road? Are there actual ghosts there? Or is it named because it's not on the map?

it's on the map, and sometimes (just in the highseason) ther's a ghost around this area........ but until today nobody watched him......sadly, i go there many time in the night...but nothing there Chayaphum

Chayaphum this looks like a good map, I would like to find a map of whole of samui with as many of the small roads as possible. Any Ideas of maybe the link or where i could find ? Thanks

have a look at this link here

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=123004

i never saw a really good map with fine details from samui.....(printed or online)

anyway, every samui-map never can be up to date because

every month something has changed here.

Just the ringroad (4169) 4170&4173 are the same since about 25years

and will be on the same place in the future as now ....maybe.

Chayaphum

[Nirvana]

What is the Ghost Road? Are there actual ghosts there? Or is it named because it's not on the map?

it's on the map, and sometimes (just in the highseason) ther's a ghost around this area........ but until today nobody watched him......sadly, i go there many time in the night...but nothing there Chayaphum

Chayaphum this looks like a good map, I would like to find a map of whole of samui with as many of the small roads as possible. Any Ideas of maybe the link or where i could find ? Thanks

have a look at this link here

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=123004

i never saw a really good map with fine details from samui.....(printed or online)

anyway, every samui-map never can be up to date because

every month something has changed here.

Just the ringroad (4169) 4170&4173 are the same since about 25years

and will be on the same place in the future as now ....maybe.

Chayaphum

Thanks

[abbaskip]

Sorry to bring back an old topic, but I've thought for years, and my local friends have assured me, that 'Ghost Road' is different than the one that the map points to...Could someone clear this up?

My friends say that 'Ghost Road' is the road that runs next to the Airport Perimeter. With the two right angled corners, that goes up the hill?

[PoorSucker]

[Rooo]

I reckon the new one to watch out for, will be outside the new Tesco in Lamai.That should be fun.

[crusty]

I reckon the new one to watch out for, will be outside the new Tesco in Lamai.That should be fun.

Exactly. The island idiots allowed Tesco to be built in the busiest road section on the island where you have

The Lamai beachroad junction, the Lamai market, opposite three busy roads of housing estates and Wat Lamai which seems to have a temple fair once a week !

[Pilchard]

Sorry to bring back an old topic, but I've thought for years, and my local friends have assured me, that 'Ghost Road' is different than the one that the map points to...Could someone clear this up?

My friends say that 'Ghost Road' is the road that runs next to the Airport Perimeter. With the two right angled corners, that goes up the hill?

Thai friends have told me that the 'Ghost road' runs from Bandon hospital to the Chinese cemetery at the the end of the runway (close to perimeter fence)

The name apparently come from the ghosts moving from the hospital where they died to the cemetery where they are buried.

True or not I have no idea

[samuibeachcomber]

Sorry to bring back an old topic, but I've thought for years, and my local friends have assured me, that 'Ghost Road' is different than the one that the map points to...Could someone clear this up?

My friends say that 'Ghost Road' is the road that runs next to the Airport Perimeter. With the two right angled corners, that goes up the hill?

Thai friends have told me that the 'Ghost road' runs from Bandon hospital to the Chinese cemetery at the the end of the runway (close to perimeter fence)

The name apparently come from the ghosts moving from the hospital where they died to the cemetery where they are buried.

True or not I have no idea

sounds feasible,i've always understood the "ghost road" to be from banrak to 99 crossroads.after 3am there are ghosts everywhere

[PoorSucker]

Because of all the causalities on this road.

[danw]

Worst Junction - i'd say ring rd/bandon, scares me every time

Worst road - for condition compared to usage I would say Lake Road, it's in terrible condition for the use it gets. However the bophut - ban rak - plai laem - choeng mon stretch is also bad, mainly because the road is deceptively straight and people drive down it far too fast as if it didn't have multiple junctions / pedestrians / dogs / sand all the way along it

www.buddhabeach.com/stories_1.htm is how I understood Ghost Road got it's name

[abbaskip]

Thanks for the map, but that's just the same as the previous map, and doesn't answer my question...I asked my local friends again today, and the assured me, that the "Ghost Road" locals refer to is from the 99 cross roads, EAST to the to right angled corners around the airport perimeter. Google Maps doesn't even show where this joins the main connecting road between Chaweng Beach Road and the Ring Road...It does this just after the turn off the road taking you toward the airport.

In my picture, the light blue part is what my locals friends told me was Ghost road. And the green is what Google Maps doesn't include.

[crusty]

I guess there should separate questionaires for A) Worst to drive B ) Most dangerous for people C) Worst for the vehicles D) Most dangerous junction

My list would be: A) Ghost Road B ) Ring Road C) Chaweng Lake Road D) Meanam, Soi 5

C) You can't beat the Laem Din road for testing a drivers tolerance. Turning left off the beach road you have a reasonable two lanes until the soi Reggae crossroads and then heading West to the traffic lights the first section has markets on the right and foodstalls on the left with bikes and vehicles parked both sides. If you are in luck and there is no large delivery truck parked, you ease your way up to the Chinese shrine at 5km/hour, trawling behind 3 wheeled salaengs stacked high with stoves and food displays beneath a wobbling umbrella and pushcarts with food snacks. Down the hill there is usually a flooded creek before you reach the Dow Seafood area. To alleviate the parking problem, the tessaban has built parking lots for cars and bikes but these have long been rented out to vendors so it is now a single lane of badly parked bikes and trucks and great skill is required to get through without a scratch or knocking a bike. Only when you get to the traffic lights do you then realise this was meant to be an important road artery to enable traffic to reach the ringroad.

[koheesti]

I guess there should separate questionaires for A) Worst to drive B ) Most dangerous for people C) Worst for the vehicles D) Most dangerous junction

My list would be: A) Ghost Road B ) Ring Road C) Chaweng Lake Road D) Meanam, Soi 5

My answers would be: A)Chaweng lake road (ok ghost road those 10 meters from team mart to blessing, but road is the whole road for me) B)Agree with poorsucker here. Obviously the road outside msdonalds along the lake has alot of accidents. C) Lakeroad without competition not only in Thailand but also in the world. D) Agree on soi 5 in Maenam. But whats up with the lights? Those are only making it more dangerous! False security.

Ps. sbk, dont understand a few edits you did on smileys?? What does that mean? (sidepoint, just curious).

The most dangerous for people is the Ring Road?? Not if you mean pedestrians. There's plenty of room there to walk. Ghost Road is probably the most dangerous for walking - it's narrow, has curves, dark, plenty of drunks going between Bangrak & Chaweng, and has places where there is nowhere to jump out of the way.

[joe84330]

having lived worked and operated all types of vehicles around samui and its "roads", i have never in any of my years seen as many car bike and pedestrian accidents as i have on the ring road through mae nam. i distinctly remember once seeing 3 completely separate accidents as i made my way from bophut to bang por. partly due to the massive amounts of traffic i'm sure, but also due to an always growing number of pot holes, lack of lighting etc.

i don't know if there is an official "ghost road", i've always thought of it as soi bond kai, from bang rak 7-11 to the 7-11 on the lake road. hate driving any type of vehicle down that road, way too narrow and way too busy.

[bluechipit]

ONE MORE THING... Has anyone ever heard about of someone getting a speeding ticket on Samui??? Just out of curiosity. Helmet tickets sure are given in well known three to four places between 11 AM - 2 PM (except weekends, lol).

Funny you should say that.... I got pulled over for speeding on the mainland not so long ago on the road between Chumpon and Suratthani. I wasn't speeding at all as I was in no rush to get back and was low on fuel. I was actually doing about 60. There was a Policeman in the middle of the road who waved me over (no speed gun, no speed-trap, just his calibrated laser speedvision eye )

Him: "Kap Rrot Raew..." (driving to fast)

Me: "How much?..."

It cost me 200 baht. At least he will eat well tonight. You have to love this place!

I guess one day the police on Samui will catch on to how much revenue can be produced from speeding tickets. Like back in the UK!

The worst road on Samui has to be the one BigC stated in his original post. The 99 cross roads. I know of several people who have died there. I do that run regularly to pick friends up from the airport.

I always put my hazzard warning lights on whilst driving straight through the cross roads (as many other drivers do) I also always drive with my side-lights on in the day time, anything to make you more noticeable on the road.

I just sold my bike after riding it for 3 years here, I will never ride one again. Too many friends have been in nasty accidents now, it's just not worth it. There's too many idiots on the road.

Matt.

[yorkie100]

ONE MORE THING... Has anyone ever heard about of someone getting a speeding ticket on Samui??? Just out of curiosity. Helmet tickets sure are given in well known three to four places between 11 AM - 2 PM (except weekends, lol).

Funny you should say that.... I got pulled over for speeding on the mainland not so long ago on the road between Chumpon and Suratthani. I wasn't speeding at all as I was in no rush to get back and was low on fuel. I was actually doing about 60. There was a Policeman in the middle of the road who waved me over (no speed gun, no speed-trap, just his calibrated laser speedvision eye )

Him: "Kap Rrot Raew..." (driving to fast)

Me: "How much?..."

It cost me 200 baht. At least he will eat well tonight. You have to love this place!

I guess one day the police on Samui will catch on to how much revenue can be produced from speeding tickets. Like back in the UK!

The worst road on Samui has to be the one BigC stated in his original post. The 99 cross roads. I know of several people who have died there. I do that run regularly to pick friends up from the airport.

I always put my hazzard warning lights on whilst driving straight through the cross roads (as many other drivers do) I also always drive with my side-lights on in the day time, anything to make you more noticeable on the road.

I just sold my bike after riding it for 3 years here, I will never ride one again. Too many friends have been in nasty accidents now, it's just not worth it. There's too many idiots on the road.

Matt.

I have noticed how many drivers switch on their hazard warning lights at these and other cross roads when driving straight across and in my opinion it is extremely dangerous, as if you are approaching the cross roads from his left or right and not directly from behind or in front of him, you only see one set of blinking lights on the vehicle and it can appear as if it is turning and not going straight across.

Surely the car/pickup/truck is big enough to be seen without the need for hazard lights?

Incidentally, I got a speeding ticket (justified) on the main road near Hua Hin and the wife negotiated the cost of 200 bahts.

I was also breathalysed in Khon Kaen last year and found to be over the limit (3 bottles of Tiger with a meal, honest!!!) and was let off with a warning but no question of a fine??? Decent coppers in Issaan.

Edited September 25, 2009 by yorkie100

[bluechipit]

I say turn on every light you can on the truck to make yourself seen! The more the better! Fog lights as well. The amount of people that pull out in front of the truck is ridiculous.

I've even had people on bikes at junctions look at me coming in the truck and then pull out! Crazy!

Or you have the idiots on their bike that try to overtake you as you're turning right!

I also love the aggressive way car/pickup/truck drivers flash their lights saying "stay there, I'm coming through!"

The amount of near misses I see everyday on the roads astounds me. Especially the mini-bus drivers overtaking on blind corners or the cement trucks flying through built up areas. Those things would take an eternity to come to a halt at those speeds!

People caught drink driving should be locked up for 50 years. Idiots.

[samuibeachcomber]

IMO all the roads are dangerous,but whats even more dangerous are the thai crazy drivers,it sometimes feels like some of them are just itching to crash you off the road.

[carmine]

IMO all the roads are dangerous,but whats even more dangerous are the thai crazy drivers,it sometimes feels like some of them are just itching to crash you off the road.

It's not just "Thai crazy drivers"...it's pissed up foreigners aswell. It does matter how proficient you are behind the wheel of a vehicle if you're pissed out of your brains. Back in our home countries we generally don't drink and drive or we'll get banned, whereas so many come here and use it as a guilt edged oppotunity to "drink and drive.

Sadly, the situation will only get worse as the increase in the number of bikes and vehicles continues.

[crusty]

IMO all the roads are dangerous,but whats even more dangerous are the thai crazy drivers,it sometimes feels like some of them are just itching to crash you off the road.

It's not just "Thai crazy drivers"...it's pissed up foreigners aswell. It does matter how proficient you are behind the wheel of a vehicle if you're pissed out of your brains. Back in our home countries we generally don't drink and drive or we'll get banned, whereas so many come here and use it as a guilt edged oppotunity to "drink and drive.

Sadly, the situation will only get worse as the increase in the number of bikes and vehicles continues.

And why is it the worst and most aggressive drivers drive Fortuners ? Any given day, you get one tailgating you and attempting to overtake when there's no space up front and when they do get past out comes the finger usually from a livid farang. Mates in Pattaya and Bangkok tell me it's no different up there ! wanke_rs !

[limbos]

Ever considered the fact that the Fortuner or Vigo are amongst the best selling cars in the Kingdom.

[Rooo]

Ever considered the fact that the Fortuner or Vigo are amongst the best selling cars in the Kingdom.

That's true Limbos. But also people driving 4x4's, get a false sense of speed. They sit higher & feel like they are going slower.Also some use the fact, that they have a better view of the road ahead to overtake.

[limbos]

Fully agree Rooo, however, Crusty came up with the Fortuner remark, that's all I wanted to point out.