Driving Bangkok To Chaing Mai

[skydiver1]

hello my wife her dad and me will be driving to chaing mai in the morning and this might sound kind of stupid to some of you,but can anyone tell me if we if we should expect any problems along the way, ive heard storys about red shirts stopping cars and shakeing them done for money ,searching cars etc im no pussy but i dont think i could handle it very well-i know we picked a bad time to come back here but the tickets were bought along time ago im serious can anyone tell me to go or stay in bkk

please ive been a thaivisa member along

and dont bother anyone THANK YOU mike

[andrew55]

Hi Mike,

Don't think anyone can give you a definative answer. However I'd suggest that your risk areas are BKK and CM more than the journey. Other driver's are a greater risk to you and your family' safety. Drive defensivelly like you never have before. Go and enjoy your trip. I'd also suggest that regardless of any opinion you may have on the current crisis keep it to yourself. Don't offer comment. It's Thai's business. Sometimes best to be a pussy.

Hope all goes well for you and you enjoy your tour through this beautiful Kingdom.

Let us know how it goes.

Andrew

[chuang]

Don't worry no such problem with the reds.....we drove from Chiangmai to Bangkok and back the only problem is being stopped by police for speeding at 130 km..

which is nonsense...settle it with 200 baht....and this happened every trip we made....happy driving

[dick turpin]

Don't worry no such problem with the reds.....we drove from Chiangmai to Bangkok and back the only problem is being stopped by police for speeding at 130 km..

which is nonsense...settle it with 200 baht....and this happened every trip we made....happy driving

Out of interest how long does the trip take you am told it is about 8 hours.

is there a good overnight stopping point if there is only one driver

[skydiver1]

thank you everyone for your replys this is day 2 and we are getting close-No Problems mike

[phetaroi]

Don't worry no such problem with the reds.....we drove from Chiangmai to Bangkok and back the only problem is being stopped by police for speeding at 130 km..

which is nonsense...settle it with 200 baht....and this happened every trip we made....happy driving

Out of interest how long does the trip take you am told it is about 8 hours.

is there a good overnight stopping point if there is only one driver

I've driven it a few times. The best break point in terms of distance in probably Phitsanuloke, which has some very nice hotels. About the same distance is Sukhothai, where there are fewer -- but still decent -- hotels (I prefer a couple of those out near the ruins; I don't find the city of Sukhothai that interesting). Other stopping points with good hotels include Nakhon Sawan, Phrae, and Lampang. If you go the western-more route, there's Tak (I haven't been there), or Kamphaeng Phet (limited but "okay" hotels there).

[dingdongrb]

Don't worry no such problem with the reds.....we drove from Chiangmai to Bangkok and back the only problem is being stopped by police for speeding at 130 km..

which is nonsense...settle it with 200 baht....and this happened every trip we made....happy driving

I agree to these replies, you're biggest problem is the other drivers on the roads. I drive frequently from CM to Surin and I have learnt to keep a few hundred baht in the middle console of my car so I don't have to open my wallet displaying how much money I really have. When cops pull you over (and they will when they see you are a farang...) Learn not to speak Thai to them if you know how, play dumb like you don't know if you've done anything wrong (even if you were going 160kmph), and offer 100 baht even if they asked for 200..... Of course always smile and be polite. Have a safe trip...