Jump to content

Khon Kaen To Chiang Mai ..By Car


boatguy

Recommended Posts

I am wanting to go visit some friends in Chiang Mai from my location in Khon Kaen. I thought about driving our nice Toyoda pickup truck so as to get a view of the countryside between these two major cities.

My Thai wife says too dangerous, and too far to drive. She wants to fly.

What advice might I receive here?

Is it really a bit to adventurous for me to make this trip even if she decided not to drive with me? I would guess it might take me a couple of days?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You can drive it in 1 long day. Head for Phitsanalok. The scenery is beautiful.

Check map beforehand, because you have choices at Phitsanalok, either go for 1 or 11 via Uttaradit.

Make sure you fill with petrol in KK ------ gas stations are few and far between in the mountains.

Safe enough, but one lane mostly, therefore slow and you need to be patient.

Enjoy your journey. Absolutely breadthtaking at times.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Listen to the wife.. one little prang and you'll never hear the end of it! (joking)

I think you got that right. She doesn't want to do the driving, and I have yet to get my international license...but I driven in many countries with left hand styles. Its just around town at the traffic intersections that I have some problems understanding who gives right away to who ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Boatman,

I live in Chiang Mai and my wife's hometown is in Khon Kaen, so I have done the journey a few times. Always in one day. Tend to leave at aroung 0600 CM and get into KK around late afternoon. I guess that you will have to reverse the order but from CM - I dirve on Highway 11 over the mountain to Lampang, Then continue down on Highway 11 via Desai to Pitsanalok. I usually stop at PTT/7-11 for pit-stops for the facility of western toilets.

They are improving the road between Lampang and Phrae and Pitsanalok ... but it is is much better than it used to be, When you hit Pitsanalok - take a left on Highway 12. It will lead you through some other small ranges of mountains and a national park. Some sharp turns on the range of Petchabun so take care in the rainy season, Good adfvice to keep your tank full as once you leave the outskirts of KK not much is the way of petrol station before you reach Pitsanalok.

Good luck

Gladiator

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Boatman,

I live in Chiang Mai and my wife's hometown is in Khon Kaen, so I have done the journey a few times. Always in one day. Tend to leave at aroung 0600 CM and get into KK around late afternoon. I guess that you will have to reverse the order but from CM - I dirve on Highway 11 over the mountain to Lampang, Then continue down on Highway 11 via Desai to Pitsanalok. I usually stop at PTT/7-11 for pit-stops for the facility of western toilets.

They are improving the road between Lampang and Phrae and Pitsanalok ... but it is is much better than it used to be, When you hit Pitsanalok - take a left on Highway 12. It will lead you through some other small ranges of mountains and a national park. Some sharp turns on the range of Petchabun so take care in the rainy season, Good adfvice to keep your tank full as once you leave the outskirts of KK not much is the way of petrol station before you reach Pitsanalok.

Good luck

Gladiator

Chom Phae which is on Highway 12 about 60 kilometers west of KK has a new PTT service center on the west side of town. I have made this my stop going both west and east to top up. Highway 12 and Highway 11 are major highways and serious improvement have been made over the past 4 years and continue. I usually drive from Chiang Mai to KK in under 9 hours and that is with two fuel stops, one coffee stop and one food stop with the wife.

There are no flights from KK to CM. Nok Air does fly from Udon to CM.

Edited by gotlost
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for all the advice...and the mapped directions. Looks like I will put this trip off until Jan/Feb as my time here this time is growing short, plus I understand that Chiang Mai is getting lots of rain and some flooding at this time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just to put things into perspective, it's an 11 hour drive. Are you proposing to do the trip in one day? If so, then you'll have to leave at 06:00 in order to complete the journey before it gets dark.

Just using the city names put you in the middle of the province, the middle of the towns change the time dramatically.

post-4090-034787100 1285775499_thumb.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.




×
×
  • Create New...