One-way Traffic

[Guderian]

Yesterday I found that the police had road blocks all over the Jomtien area, and had converted the main roads into one-way streets (why, <deleted>, the other side was empty, so it was just wasted???). I gather that this is also affecting Pratumnak. Is it affecting the town as well? Is anyone interested in posting any Asean traffic restrictions where they live? This is what I have found so far:

Thepprasit: one-way from Sukhumvit towards Jomtien.

Thappraya: one-way from the Thepprasit junction towards Dongtan Beach.

Jomtien Beach Road: one-way from the Dongtan Beach end heading south to Chayapruek.

Boonkanjana: two-way, but at the Jomtien Beach Road intersection you have to turn left (south).

These restrictions only seem to be enforced during the day. After about 17:00 yesterday Beach Road/Thapparaya seemed to be back to normal.

If people could add their own experiences, we might get a useful picture of how to get around the town in the next week.

Edited April 7, 2009 by Guderian

[patsfangr]

Yesterday I found that the police had road blocks all over the Jomtien area, and had converted the main roads into one-way streets (why, <deleted>, the other side was empty, so it was just wasted???). I gather that this is also affecting Pratumnak. Is it affecting the town as well? Is anyone interested in posting any Asean traffic restrictions where they live? This is what I have found so far:

Thepprasit: one-way from Sukhumvit towards Jomtien.

Thappraya: one-way from the Thepprasit junction towards Dongtan Beach.

Jomtien Beach Road: one-way from the Dongtan Beach end heading south to Chayapruek.

Boonkanjana: two-way, but at the Jomtien Beach Road intersection you have to turn left (south).

These restrictions only seem to be enforced during the day. After about 17:00 yesterday Beach Road/Thapparaya seemed to be back to normal.

If people could add their own experiences, we might get a useful picture of how to get around the town in the next week.

I have to go to Immigration on Friday.

I'f I'm reading this correctly, we can still get to Immigration by driving west on Thepprasit, to Thappraya, and turning left. Then the "back way" on that small road where Theppraya turns right should take us to east end of Soi 5. Is that right?

Then, the question is, how's the parking on Soi 5? There's rarely a spot open inside the Immigration gate.

[lawling]

If you are heading for the Immigration Office you might want to be aware that some of the roads in the surrounding area are in a bad condition due the ongoing road-works. The recent rain isn't helping.

Soi 5, from Beach Road as far as the office, is OK (and it is usually fairly easy to find a parking spot on it close to the office.)

However, the top of Soi 5 and the surrounding area has serious potholes and there is constant flooding in the direction of the Revenue Office. That's how it was as recently as this morning and the way they're going it's doubtful if it will be fixed by Friday.

So drive carefully.

An alternative return route would be back down soi 5, left along Beach Road and then Watboon back to Sukhumvit but that would be a bit longer than the way you are suggesting.

Incidentally, the road works now seem to be progressing fairly quickly but with little regard to the convenience of road-users. The whole approach just seems very sloppy - for example, cables which were cut from poles at the start of the current phase a few weeks ago are just left lying in the mud to be driven over. They could probably have been gathered up and disposed of in no more than a couple of minutes!

[Basil B]

Seems some jokers in City Hall have managed to caused more chaos in Pattaya and Jomtien than 300,000 red shirts could ever dream of.

[patsfangr]

Seems some jokers in City Hall have managed to caused more chaos in Pattaya and Jomtien than 300,000 red shirts could ever dream of.

Well, now, Basil, be fair. The Pattaya government is entitled to ONE mistake, isn't it?

[AceCafe]

It's such a cock-up it's hilarious....... but would you seriously expect otherwise? Coupled with the flooding it's a great photo op!

[gmac]

This is a great advert to all those visitors for the Asean summit. Wide thoroughfares with hardly any traffic, police to salute them every few metres, no double parking, infact parking banned everyware on the major routes. What wonderful infrastructure we have here in Pattaya! If you actually live here though, particularly in Jomtien, its a frustrating disaster. All routes to Pattaya blocked (to let the mighty pass) no detours marked just no entry signs and police to turn you back. Minor roads are clogged with drivers trying to find alternative routes. I know TIT but what a c...-up, can these mighty leaders not share the roads?? In fact are they even here yet? I thought the conference didn't start until the 10th!

[lor]

Last night found that Soi Chayapook was one way (going from Beach to Sukamvit Road) as far as the Ban Suan Lalana Estate. So no access to the Beach from Sukamvit Road by going along Soi Chayapook.

Coming from Sukhamvit Road, to get to the bottom end of Soi Chayapook you need to turn right at the road block, just after Lalana. Follow the road until you get to Soi Watboon, then turn left and go down to the beach road. There you can only turn left and at Soi Chaypook can turn left again to get to the shops/bars at the bottom end.

[dogleg]

Cant get accross Suk at Chayapruek 1/2 now, have to take the long detour and U turn.

Plus they are stopping everyone for 20 mins or so at Soi Wat boon lights, and the rest I imagine, for the VIP motocades.

Fun!!

[dogleg]

Also, my mate got an official 400 baht fine Tuesday, for turning east on Theprasit from Soi 17 when there were no signs or police directions otherwise.

[redman]

I got my pickup lifted this afternoon because I was parked at the bottom of Pattaya Nua (facing away from the beach). I was parked in a line of vehicles, no idea if the rest of them were impounded too. I did eventually see a no parking sign about 200 metres up from where my vehicle had been. Had to pay 500 baht, but finding the dam_n thing was a problem as no one could tell me where it ws. Soi 9 told me Threpassit, which turned out to be an old scrapyard, then a yard in Soi Gorpai, then a yard behind Nirun Condo. Wasn't damaged in the least.

However, I wonder why the police are blocking all parking down both sides of a very busy road miles from the conference venue. I have no ideas about Security matters, but would have thought that taking ASEAN delegates to Jomtien via the beach and a choke point roundabout was pretty foolhardy

[basjke]

I got my pickup lifted this afternoon because I was parked at the bottom of Pattaya Nua (facing away from the beach). I was parked in a line of vehicles, no idea if the rest of them were impounded too. I did eventually see a no parking sign about 200 metres up from where my vehicle had been. Had to pay 500 baht, but finding the dam_n thing was a problem as no one could tell me where it ws. Soi 9 told me Threpassit, which turned out to be an old scrapyard, then a yard in Soi Gorpai, then a yard behind Nirun Condo. Wasn't damaged in the least.

However, I wonder why the police are blocking all parking down both sides of a very busy road miles from the conference venue. I have no ideas about Security matters, but would have thought that taking ASEAN delegates to Jomtien via the beach and a choke point roundabout was pretty foolhardy

Well you came out cheap I guess.Mine was impounded Wednesday early morning between 7 and 8 am and towed to the sukhumvit soi 50 yard.Paid 1000 baht but the initial claim was 2500.

[Guderian]

I drove along Thepprasit yesterday (Thursday), and it was in strict lock-down. The traffic was pulled over three times as convoys of police cars with their lights flashing rushed by. Made me think of Nigeria during the military dictatorships when I worked there, apart from those boys had a big machine gun mounted up front and would blow you off the road if you didn't stop. I wonder when the Thai cops will figure that one out?

This morning (Friday) it all seems to be locked-down again in Jomtien. They don't even seem to be allowing motorbikes to go the 'wrong' way along Thappraya. Bizarre, really. It's the start of the Songkran long weekend, and this should be one of the busiest days of the year in Jomtien, but it's deserted.

I think I'll spend a nice, wuite afternoon on the beach for a change!

[QED]

Enjoy your wuite afternoon

So are baht busses running? I was hoping to take some friends to Jomtien fishing park (from Pattaya). If they are running are they taking an alternate route back? I stupidly lent my car to a friend to go up country, maybe I should just charter a baht bus - how much from Pattaya Thai to fishing park (soi 14 I think)

[LennyW]

A few minutes ago on Sukhumvit between Tai and Theprasit, this is the Korean convoy, one second they were are at the right of me then the left, looks like they abandoned an attempt to go down theprasit?? Major snarl up anyhow!!

Funny, when the Korean tour buses come to Pattaya they go flying through under a police escort, no such luck for their government!!

[hughden]

Yesterday you could not go up Thappaya road to get to Pratumnak, had to go up the steep hill coming up from second road. Today the road up the hill is totally blocked, but you can go up Thappaya road; although the whole nonsense ground to a halt for an hour or so to let some convoys go past. Our condo manager tells us that tomorrow, Pratumnak will be totally locked down, with nobody coming in or getting out.

[dogleg]

Enjoy your wuite afternoon

So are baht busses running? I was hoping to take some friends to Jomtien fishing park (from Pattaya). If they are running are they taking an alternate route back? I stupidly lent my car to a friend to go up country, maybe I should just charter a baht bus - how much from Pattaya Thai to fishing park (soi 14 I think)

Bad Idea today, I think. you just dont know when or where you will hit the back of a long tail-back then find you are directed back where you came from when you reach the front. If you have to go out, motorbikes are a better bet than a car/bus.

[patsfangr]

Here's a couple of questions for those of you who have ventured out during the past couple of days.

How many cops did you see along the highways and biways of Pattaya & Jomtien?

Now, how many cops do you see on those same highways and biways, dealing with everyday traffic situations, on ordinary days?

Finally, assuming that you, like me, come up with a very significant difference in those two numbers, WHERE THE HEL_L ARE ALL THOSE COPS WHEN WE ARE DEALING WITH ANARCHY ON THE ROADS EVERY DAY?!

Would you not agree that, here in Pattaya, they are either doing NOTHING to control traffic; or they OVERKILL for "special events"?

[chuckd]

Would you not agree that, here in Pattaya, they are either doing NOTHING to control traffic; or they OVERKILL for "special events"?

All of the above.

[ohdearohdearohdear]

Would you not agree that, here in Pattaya, they are either doing NOTHING to control traffic; or they OVERKILL for "special events"?

All of the above.

The best part of this fiasco is that they think that they are doing a good job! If I was a delegate being transported through the empty streets that had been closed for security reasons for hours before just to give any would be terroist a bit of a clue as to which route I was going to use, I would and should be worried. Having been involved in secure motocade in the Uk for many years this is not the way to do it but then T.I.T.

[Guderian]

There is the occasional Baht Bus leaving Jomtien for Pattaya, but they are very few and far between. I had a few sundowners in a bar near the Dongtan police box this afternoon, and in over an hour I saw just one Baht Bus taking people from there into town.

I wanted to do some shopping in Lotus, so headed out through the side roads back of the market. Trouble is that the traffic along these lanes is about three times its usual level, everyone's going that way now. On Sukhumvit, one lane had been completely blocked off by a 'video truck' with a huge LED sign up above it saying 'Welcome Asean Delegates', or something like that. I could think of a more appropriate message personally, but as this is a 'family' board I won't post it.

Thepprasit must have had 100 cops along it, some of them lounging in the shade, but lots of them just standing in the road, presumably looking for the next delegate convoy so that they could pull traffic over once more. Or maybe checking that Thaksin isn't sneaking in on the quiet?

You know, I think I could have put up fiasco with this a lot better if it had been NEXT weekend instead of this one. At least then it would have kept the Songkran retards and their water throwing away.

[Basil B]

Just seems to be getting madder...

There just seems to be no communications, nobody is informing the people, not even the Thais.

It even seams that there is no communication between different police units.

it seems that there is some form of unofficial lifting of restrictions after 19:30 with 2way traffic along Jomtien Beech road back to Sio 5, the problem is that the Bhat Buses have problems getting across the road works at the top of Sio 5, also last night coming back it was 2 way from Pattaya up Thaphraya Road until Thepprasit.

What is Clear there is no seance in the road restrictions other than to annoy everybody, just to point out that twice on Thursday I was in a mini bus heading Jomtien to Bali Hi peir and back and we were directed by the Police to drive right past the Royal Clifts even though the driver was wearing a red tee shirt.

Edited April 11, 2009 by Basil B

[Guderian]

A mate caught a Baht Bus yesterday from town back to Jomtien. It had to go via Sukhumvit, and it would have been quicker to walk. Interestingly, some people asked the driver to take them somewhere, and he produced a printed map of Pattaya/Jomtien showing all the one-way routes. It seems that there is a plan, and that it has been communicated to some people, but not to farangs (he said that the map was in Thai). A few nights back I asked the cops in Walking Street if they could explain the one-way system to me, and they didn't offer me such a map. Either they were also being kept in the dark (I asked two Thai cops, no farangs), or else they were just being unhelpful.

[HenryHH]

I have booked Sheraton Pattaya and check in on 12/4, is there any way I can goup hill tomorrow?

[CGW]

^ have you got a red shirt? - should be no problem!

[Guderian]

I have booked Sheraton Pattaya and check in on 12/4, is there any way I can goup hill tomorrow?

It's all over now. No problem. Before the last helicopter doing a runner from the Royal Cliff had safely whisked its dignitaries away to the airport, traffic was flowing normally both ways along Jomtien Beach/Thappraya again. Road blocks all removed, police no doubt back in their box and snoozing, or else betting on the footie.

Did anyone see the photos? It really was uncannily like the Americans saying 'Goodnight Saigon'.

[sotsira]

It's all over now. No problem. Before the last helicopter doing a runner from the Royal Cliff had safely whisked its dignitaries away to the airport, traffic was flowing normally both ways along Jomtien Beach/Thappraya again. Road blocks all removed, police no doubt back in their box and snoozing, or else betting on the footie.

Did anyone see the photos? It really was uncannily like the Americans saying 'Goodnight Saigon'.

Unfortunately the one way route on Theppresit lasted one day too long, as there was a fatal motorbike accident yesterday, where 2 riders, one Thai, and one farlang both died when they collided head on to each other, due to the confusion caused by the one way route, it was an accident waiting to happen im afraid.

I nearly had the same thing happen to me on Jomtien beach rd earlier in the week, while riding southbound a car was coming straight at me and had a close shave.

My condolences to both the deceased family and friends, i knew the farlang rider, a German guy called Ralph, he lived in the same condo block as me, very sad.

[Guderian]

It's all over now. No problem. Before the last helicopter doing a runner from the Royal Cliff had safely whisked its dignitaries away to the airport, traffic was flowing normally both ways along Jomtien Beach/Thappraya again. Road blocks all removed, police no doubt back in their box and snoozing, or else betting on the footie.

Did anyone see the photos? It really was uncannily like the Americans saying 'Goodnight Saigon'.

Unfortunately the one way route on Theppresit lasted one day too long, as there was a fatal motorbike accident yesterday, where 2 riders, one Thai, and one farlang both died when they collided head on to each other, due to the confusion caused by the one way route, it was an accident waiting to happen im afraid.

I nearly had the same thing happen to me on Jomtien beach rd earlier in the week, while riding southbound a car was coming straight at me and had a close shave.

My condolences to both the deceased family and friends, i knew the farlang rider, a German guy called Ralph, he lived in the same condo block as me, very sad.

Sorry to hear that. As you say, the semi-enforced one-way system was an accident waiting to happen. They allowed motorbikes to go the wrong way along Jomtien Beach Road and up Thappraya. At the same time, people driving large SUV's seemed to think that this was now a four-lane superhighway, and it was perfectly OK to drive down the right-hand side of the road.

On Friday afternoon, a farang driving a car was turning right into Jomtien Complex Condo. A Thai on a motorbike overtook him on the right, hit the car's wing, and was catapulted off his bike. The bike hit what looked like the water main for VT7 and ruptured it, so we had a new water attraction for an hour or two. Luckily, the farang was unharmed, and I don;t think the Thai was too badly injured, maybe a broken bone or two, but still very much alive.