Bangkok To Pattaya Highway Expansion

[jonniebkk]

I gotta say the expansion of the main highway running from Pattaya to Bangkok (technically I guess from Pattaya to either the entry to the motorway or elevated expressway) is really coming along nicely. I would say it is about 80-85% complete. I don't know how they did it, but the Thai road engineers and construction crews found the room to double the size of this vital transportation link from 2-lanes in each direction to 4. It is almost like a Western superhighway now.

I returned to Thailand from a visa run last nite and drove down from Swampypoon in the evening (dark already) and it was a breeze. In only a couple places, where the overhead bridges are incomplete, did we have to detour momentarily off the 4-lanes onto the side lanes. These bridges also eliminate most (all?) of the dangerous and slowdown inducing u-turns and road crossing points that were there before.

What used to be a rather stressful and often congested drive with trucks and cars having to share 2 lanes between them has become an almost pleasant and easy drive.

Hats off to all the Thais involved with this worthwhile project.

Edited January 17, 2008 by jonniebkk

[sweetchariot]

Yeah hats off for 10 years of hard work

Give it another 5 years and they may be finished, but then will have to start repairing it.

[wca01]

Pattaya to Bangkok is quite good; but has Bangkok to Pattaya improved as well in the last few weeks?

WCA

[Mobi]

I extracted this from one of the local rags a few weeks ago.

You might find it of interest.

.......The Pattaya Business and Tourism Association, led by association president Chamroon Witsawachaiphan, has asked about progress on the construction of Special Highway No 7 from Chonburi to Pattaya, voicing concern that the project has progressed only 60 percent because of the problem concerning lands surrendered to the government.

Porawut Chanpen, assistant engineer on part three of the project said that the Department of Highways had authorized construction of the road under a 2006 budget of more than 2 billion baht, the objective being to provide a fast and convenient connection between Pattaya and Suvarnabhumi Airport.

This project has been divided into four parts. The first and second sections start from the 4km +100 marker, and from the Chonburi overpass. The project ends at the 42km +400 marker at the International School of the Regents, and runs for a total distance of 38.3km. It will use the old path of Special Highway No 7, and will add four traffic lanes. Currently, this section of the project is planned for completion in August of 2008, and is 70 percent complete.

Parts 3 and 4 have a budget of more than 1 billion baht, and were started in December 2005. The road has four traffic lanes that are 7.2 meters wide. It started from the old No 36 intersection to Sukhumvit Road between North Pattaya and Central Pattaya, and runs for a total distance of 7.7 km. This section has two intersections that can connect to the local road at the Pattaya Water Drainage Well and Chaiyapornwithee Road.

Construction on parts 3 and 4 has been delayed, and the project is unlikely to be completed by its May 2008 target. This was due to the right of ownership for the land that the road had to pass over. The construction stage for this section has reached 60 percent........

[Irene]

For a change, it is good to hear something nice about Thailand.

[wilko]

I drive on the7 every day and I have to say that the standard of this road worries me......potholes have already appeared and been covered (sometimes) one strtch flooded to a depth of about 5 to 10 centimeters after a heavy rainstorm. I still have to queue for hours at the Pattaya end (at last week-end) and the crash barriers look like they are designed to kill anyone leaving the straight and narrow.

[jonniebkk]

Pattaya to Bangkok is quite good; but has Bangkok to Pattaya improved as well in the last few weeks?

WCA

I drove it round-trip and both ways were about the same and coming along nicely.

[CGW]

Pattaya to Bangkok is quite good; but has Bangkok to Pattaya improved as well in the last few weeks?

WCA

I drove it round-trip and both ways were about the same and coming along nicely.

"Coming along nicely" It's been bloody criminal how long it has taken, it's been a fiasco and a disgrace! How many billions has it cost the country in lost time\revenue, not to mention the accidents\injuries that have occurred!

[Mobi]

Pattaya to Bangkok is quite good; but has Bangkok to Pattaya improved as well in the last few weeks?

WCA

I drove it round-trip and both ways were about the same and coming along nicely.

"Coming along nicely" It's been bloody criminal how long it has taken, it's been a fiasco and a disgrace! How many billions has it cost the country in lost time\revenue, not to mention the accidents\injuries that have occurred!

I second that.

When I first read the quote I posted above, I was surprised to find that the project actually had any engineers, let alone a completion date, as the project has been an abortion from day one. Most, if not all those expensive flyovers - which have created a major part of the disruptions, seem to be entirely unnecessary, and appear to have only been constructed to line someone's pockets.

You only have to compare the total mismanagement of the road widening after the motorway to the widening carried out on the motorway itself. By comparison The motorway work was carried out quickly and efficiently, with the minimum of disruption to road users. Obviously a different company carried out that work. The same applies to the road widening that was carried out from Suvarnabhumi to Bangkok a couple of years ago. Again,minimal disruption, despite the large scope of the project.

[Cuban]

Better than it was, yes.

But doesn't the sudden appearance of dirty posts fixed to cubes of concrete in teh lane ahead scare the carp out of you - even if you are within the speed limit.

BKK bound, just afetr the services, the width restriction going over teh bridge was where a saw a really nasty accident about two weeks ago. A larger minibus (15 seat) seems to mis-judge the gap and in clipping the driver side wheel against the concrete barrier. The resultant damage suggested that he was going quite fast as the impact removed the wheel and struct from the minibus which then came to a stop about 20 metres futher along the bridge laying on the passenger side. Unaware if any died but passengers sitting on the road side looked pretty messed up. Seatbelts?

If the road was lit at night, even if only the junctions and other probable accident spots with portable lighting units it would be a better road for the bulk of Thailand's much loved Tourist Baht.

Sorry - I'm aware I sometimes transpose letters in words - but I'm sure meaning si not lost.

[PhilHarries]

Better than it was, yes.

But doesn't the sudden appearance of dirty posts fixed to cubes of concrete in teh lane ahead scare the carp out of you - even if you are within the speed limit.

BKK bound, just afetr the services, the width restriction going over teh bridge was where a saw a really nasty accident about two weeks ago. A larger minibus (15 seat) seems to mis-judge the gap and in clipping the driver side wheel against the concrete barrier. The resultant damage suggested that he was going quite fast as the impact removed the wheel and struct from the minibus which then came to a stop about 20 metres futher along the bridge laying on the passenger side. Unaware if any died but passengers sitting on the road side looked pretty messed up. Seatbelts?

If the road was lit at night, even if only the junctions and other probable accident spots with portable lighting units it would be a better road for the bulk of Thailand's much loved Tourist Baht.

Sorry - I'm aware I sometimes transpose letters in words - but I'm sure meaning si not lost.

ko ew forgive ouy.

[Mobi]

I'll never forget driving along one of those countless potholed diversions, in the pitch dark, pissing with rain and barely able to see a yard in front of me, when out of the blue there comes a pick- up going in the opposite direction, on the wrong side of the road with full headlights on.

I still have nightmares about it.

Over two years of dangerous, unlit roads and countless accidents and deaths.

How much would it have cost to have erected some portable lighting, as they would have done anywhere else in the world?

[CGW]

Not as scary as above, = I came down from Bangkok late one night, followed a truck of a diversion and ended up in the middle of a field in Lord knows where, took me 10 minutes to find the so called highway again!

[bottleymike]

I'll never forget driving along one of those countless potholed diversions, in the pitch dark, pissing with rain and barely able to see a yard in front of me, when out of the blue there comes a pick- up going in the opposite direction, on the wrong side of the road with full headlights on.

I still have nightmares about it.

Over two years of dangerous, unlit roads and countless accidents and deaths.

How much would it have cost to have erected some portable lighting, as they would have done anywhere else in the world?

Look on the bright side. At least the other driver in this case had his lights on so you could see him.Usualy they just come oout of the dark with no lights at all.

[jonniebkk]

gosh all this negativity...of course there is going to be major inconvenience when you double the size of a major highway WHILE KEEPING SAID HIGHWAY IN SERVICE. i was/am unawares of the many accidents caused by the wreckless driving of those driving through a construction zone... maybe they should have been more careful. in any case, the end result is a highway with twice the carrying capacity of the prior one and is almost finished and that's fine with me

[Mobi]

I'll never forget driving along one of those countless potholed diversions, in the pitch dark, pissing with rain and barely able to see a yard in front of me, when out of the blue there comes a pick- up going in the opposite direction, on the wrong side of the road with full headlights on.

I still have nightmares about it.

Over two years of dangerous, unlit roads and countless accidents and deaths.

How much would it have cost to have erected some portable lighting, as they would have done anywhere else in the world?

Look on the bright side. At least the other driver in this case had his lights on so you could see him.Usualy they just come oout of the dark with no lights at all.

Not really, because he blinded me. How I avoided hitting him, or anything else for that matter when I took evasive action at the last moment, I will never know.

[wilko]

The road is sub-standard....

The surface is already showing signs of damage...

the road markings are illogical and inconsistent or incomplete.

the crash barrier look positively lethal.

the lighting is more likely to impair vision than improve it.

With corruption rampant vast sums of money that should be used to buy foundations and hardcore are lost in the linings of pockets...the result is a road built with a lack of the allotted funds this results in shortcuts in construction and delays when money "runs out"