Khon Kaen To Pattaya - Driving

[Gladiator]

Would appreciate any further comments after you have driven it.

This is one I will be doing later.

TIA

I left Khon Kaen at 0615 on Saturday 11th April and arrived Pattaya at 1315 with kilometre at 490 K.Full tank of diesel.

Took the Highway 2 to Kolat

Highway 304 over the mountains

Highway 331 to go into Pattaya

Only one manned police road block

The left hand lane on the 2 to Kolat is in poor condition but try to avoid staying too long in the right hand lane as there are lots of concealed police units.

When I got to Kolat I did not like the look of the cones on the right hand pass so took the left hand. There were some traffic lights but no big deal.

The drive through the mountains was as posted. No problem geting by the trucks if you are careful. But there was the Mother of all traffic jams coming in the other direction with Songkran traffic.

So true… I was stuck here on my way from Pattaya to Surin. The last few kilometers before the climb up the mountains it was stop and go for about 1 ½ hours. Did the same mistake last year, and drove up on the first Saturday of Songkran. Guess I now have learned my lesson… The drive, 420Km, took us close to 9 hours, it's usually 6-7 hours depending on how many stops we do on the way. Alone I do it in about 5 hours if the traffic is light.

On the 304 - stay sharp as there is one part where the 304 is signposted in 2 directions. Follow signs for Kabin Buri.

My room in Pattaya is on Soi 4 (Soi Asia) on the hill. So I elected to stay on the 331 and cross over the 36. Approximatly 2 kilometres there is an ATC/Mobile Phone tower on the right and a buss shelter. Turn right. Straight on for 8 kilometres (the road becomes Huay Yai Road). Turn right at the traffic lights on to Sukumvit and the left again at Tesco Lotus.

I also prefer this route, as I live in Jomtien, and then don't have to go through the Pattaya traffic, it's a nice timesaver.

I can only say that driving past that traffic jam was a case of muttering a little prayer and saying "There but the grace of all that's holy go I". I am not sure at just what time I may have passed you but it went on unrelenting for kilometre after kilometre. Short of having a Sherman Tank - I can't see how it was in any way possible to pack it all in, get across the central reservation and return home. The problem was made worse by a broken down bus at the top of the hill. As always it is the poor bugger who is driving the car who takes the brunt while everyone else is having a kip

[MTH]

Would appreciate any further comments after you have driven it.

This is one I will be doing later.

TIA

I left Khon Kaen at 0615 on Saturday 11th April and arrived Pattaya at 1315 with kilometre at 490 K.Full tank of diesel.

Took the Highway 2 to Kolat

Highway 304 over the mountains

Highway 331 to go into Pattaya

Only one manned police road block

The left hand lane on the 2 to Kolat is in poor condition but try to avoid staying too long in the right hand lane as there are lots of concealed police units.

When I got to Kolat I did not like the look of the cones on the right hand pass so took the left hand. There were some traffic lights but no big deal.

The drive through the mountains was as posted. No problem geting by the trucks if you are careful. But there was the Mother of all traffic jams coming in the other direction with Songkran traffic.

So true… I was stuck here on my way from Pattaya to Surin. The last few kilometers before the climb up the mountains it was stop and go for about 1 ½ hours. Did the same mistake last year, and drove up on the first Saturday of Songkran. Guess I now have learned my lesson… The drive, 420Km, took us close to 9 hours, it's usually 6-7 hours depending on how many stops we do on the way. Alone I do it in about 5 hours if the traffic is light.

On the 304 - stay sharp as there is one part where the 304 is signposted in 2 directions. Follow signs for Kabin Buri.

My room in Pattaya is on Soi 4 (Soi Asia) on the hill. So I elected to stay on the 331 and cross over the 36. Approximatly 2 kilometres there is an ATC/Mobile Phone tower on the right and a buss shelter. Turn right. Straight on for 8 kilometres (the road becomes Huay Yai Road). Turn right at the traffic lights on to Sukumvit and the left again at Tesco Lotus.

I also prefer this route, as I live in Jomtien, and then don't have to go through the Pattaya traffic, it's a nice timesaver.

I can only say that driving past that traffic jam was a case of muttering a little prayer and saying "There but the grace of all that's holy go I". I am not sure at just what time I may have passed you but it went on unrelenting for kilometre after kilometre. Short of having a Sherman Tank - I can't see how it was in any way possible to pack it all in, get across the central reservation and return home. The problem was made worse by a broken down bus at the top of the hill. As always it is the poor bugger who is driving the car who takes the brunt while everyone else is having a kip

Well you were almost back in Pattaya by the time I left, as we got a late start and headed out about 12:30 in the afternoon. The broken down bus must have been fixed by the time we hit the mountains, as I don't recall seeing it. However I did see at least two cars and two trucks that had broken down heading up the mountain, and therefore slowing down traffic some more.

BTW, on the way back, I set the trip just after passing over Highway 36 on 331, at the end of the flyover where it changes into a two lane road, and it was exactly 2.5 Km to the little bus shelter and the side road that eventually becomes Huay Yai Road. So your guestimate of 2 km was spot on.

[just_another_guy]

OK, it's nearing that time for another trip to the beach, but this time I have decided to hire a Thai friend to drive down. Not sure what day, but it will be in the first week of May. He has a pick-up and said he would drive me down for 3000 baht !!

I think that is a fairly good price because diesel fuel will cost him at least 1500 baht round trip, at least that is what it costs me in my pick-up.

Anyway I will be curious what roads he takes and I'll try to remember so I can share the route he takes with you all later. I also plan on taking a few photos of the different interchanges as we travel along and will post them if I can figure out how to upload the photos.

He doesn't speak much English and I don't speak much Thai so it will be an interesting trip. Apparently he has a home near Sattahip and travels there every other month or so.

Thanks again to all of you for your tips & insights.

[davethailand]

Returned home to Pattaya yesterday from 4 nights in Khon Kaen, the route we took was the 331 to the 304 then onto highway 2 all the way to KK, left Pattaya at 1020am and we were in the Khon Kaen Hotel at 430pm, not a bad drive but got stopped 3 times on the way there for "speeding" (although one stop was with a radar gun, 400bht fine) the other 2 stops were the normal smile donation, on the way back left KK at 11am, had lunch in Korat and got back home to Pattaya before 6pm after dropping mates off etc. got stopped once.

[mahtin]

Returned home to Pattaya yesterday from 4 nights in Khon Kaen, the route we took was the 331 to the 304 then onto highway 2 all the way to KK, left Pattaya at 1020am and we were in the Khon Kaen Hotel at 430pm, not a bad drive but got stopped 3 times on the way there for "speeding" (although one stop was with a radar gun, 400bht fine) the other 2 stops were the normal smile donation, on the way back left KK at 11am, had lunch in Korat and got back home to Pattaya before 6pm after dropping mates off etc. got stopped once.

So you decided against the ferry?

[chuckd]

Returned home to Pattaya yesterday from 4 nights in Khon Kaen, the route we took was the 331 to the 304 then onto highway 2 all the way to KK, left Pattaya at 1020am and we were in the Khon Kaen Hotel at 430pm, not a bad drive but got stopped 3 times on the way there for "speeding" (although one stop was with a radar gun, 400bht fine) the other 2 stops were the normal smile donation, on the way back left KK at 11am, had lunch in Korat and got back home to Pattaya before 6pm after dropping mates off etc. got stopped once.

I've made this trip at least once a month for the past year. You can't always escape the farang road tax stops but I have found if you stay in the outside (left) lane as much as possible it cuts down on the stops. My most ever stops on one trip is four and the least, of course, is zero.

The roads around Korat are the most heavily posted. I've never paid over 100 baht, even when stopped by radar. Just have it ready to hand over and drive off after the nice policeman rips it out of your hand.

Edited May 27, 2009 by chuckd

[blackcountryboing]

Done this drive quiet a few time.

Avoid the mountain route, what a nightmare with all the trucks and buses.

Keep to the motorway... from memory.

Route 2 to Korat. then head towards Saraburi, keep going towards Bangkok then take the route 9 that goes around bangkok then you are on the road to pattaya...

Sorry cant be more precise but not in Thailand at the mo and dont have access to a map.. you should be able to look and work it out ..

Hope all goes well.

[chuckd]

To each his own, of course, but I have tried both ways and will never go the BKK route again. It is longer and slower.

The mountain stretch is becoming four lane very quickly the past couple of years. My guess is there are not more than

20-30 kilometers that are only two lane. The rest of the way is divided highway from Khon Kaen to Pattaya.

As DaveThailand points out, the only real problem with the drive are the numerous speed traps set up to increase the BIB retirement fund.

Edited May 27, 2009 by chuckd

[Gladiator]

Perhaps a little bit off topic but...

It may be that you, like me, look for something, anything... unusual on a long car journey to alleviate the boredom and stop from going brain dead.

On the 304/331 going to Pattaya (can't remember if before or after Kabin Buri) there is a Shell petrol station on the left.

The rest area inclduing coffee shop and toilet facilities is all built around mini-canals and ponds with fish in the ponds. Inside the Mens Loo - the urinals are make out of concrete animal heads with mouths gaping. Curious and strange...