Mae Nam To Lamai In 20 Minutes.

[BigC]

done most of the trip in neutral using minimum gasoline or desiel. no point putting into gear thoug it is not correct driving as u have less control but anyway i dont half the trip in nutral

Diesel you spell this way .... is this you on the bike and is that your first aid kit you are carrying????

yes that is me. anyone why hates me there i am come kick me

[samuijimmy]

Update!

Repairs to the few small sections of Soi One from Maenam to Lamai .... coming along!!! This taken today!

Looks like a new bridge going here... more Maenam end... you can still drive around...

I had not realized there were two water lines along there!

This road seems to get busier and busier!

[Neilly]

Update!

This road seems to get busier and busier!

Probably partly our fault

Hope to have a new CRF next week (a mate now has the 'old' one after he slid it down the road) so will be back up on the hills again soon

[samuijimmy]

Progress on that bridge being built on Soi One Maenam / Lamai... there is a good by pass for both trucks and bikes!

[robsamui]

Jimmy,

Big C you are babbling about something here, but I don't think any of use quite understand what.... ?

Get the round a bout sorted in your mind ...

Do not fret, Big C has this image of you . He understands you frequent that road a lot & thought you might put your talents to good use & help people by setting up a First Aid station..

I think this is what Big C imagines you look like.

Samui Jim.jpg

IT'S HIM!

That's not Jimmy - that's exactly how I C Big See!

Well - maybe not the frock, but the hair . . . and the heels . . . maybe . . .

R

[BigC]

Jimmy,

Big C you are babbling about something here, but I don't think any of use quite understand what.... ?

Get the round a bout sorted in your mind ...

Do not fret, Big C has this image of you . He understands you frequent that road a lot & thought you might put your talents to good use & help people by setting up a First Aid station..

I think this is what Big C imagines you look like.

Samui Jim.jpg

IT'S HIM!

That's not Jimmy - that's exactly how I C Big See!

Well - maybe not the frock, but the hair . . . and the heels . . . maybe . . .

R

GRRRRRRRrrrrrr!!!!4

i actually have short heair 4 legs and a tale thanks ruff!!!

[Tropicalevo]

GRRRRRRRrrrrrr!!!!4

i actually have short heair 4 legs and a tale thanks ruff!!!

Down boy - I guess that explains the tryping errorrs then

[maccaroni man]

IMO this road ruined one of the most beautiful parts of the island and for what? It is a crying shame to destroy so much natural nature for a road that is clearly not needed.

[samuijimmy]

IMO this road ruined one of the most beautiful parts of the island and for what? It is a crying shame to destroy so much natural nature for a road that is clearly not needed.

I have to disagree with that, it's a link up to other roads up in the hills where there are many farms tucked away off some of the tracks, surely these people need a better way to get their produce to market... ? Most of them live up there rough enough without electric etc..... Why should they need to ride the rough sand gravel roads which can be very hazardous....?

Also it avoids all the non farm traffic having to go via the ring road.

[BigC]

IMO this road ruined one of the most beautiful parts of the island and for what? It is a crying shame to destroy so much natural nature for a road that is clearly not needed.

if that road was not there then u would not be able to see that part of the natural island. a road is only a small section in width in comparsime which lets you see the island through the middle a gives u a great short cut when u need to get from manam to lamui in a hurry or lamui to manam

[maccaroni man]

Don't get me wrong it is/was beautiful up there I would spend hours with my son in our 4x4 exploring the trails at 5kph. I assumed the safari companies paved the roads to make faster trips. Still don't think the farmers were a part of the equation.

[samuijimmy]

I don't think the Safari companies have anything to do with concreting the back country roads.....

Obviously you have missed the Rubber tree, Cashew, Jack fruit, Durian, pineapples, bananas, coconuts plantations and other things grown up there .... hundreds of people make their living up there farming, why would they not have a reasonable road to bring there produce down? I am sure many of them would love to have electric too...

As far as Soi One goes I can't say I ever remember seeing a safari truck on that road. It actually is not the most attractive of the "back roads", in my opinion, although it does have it's "moments" in spots.

If there was some major problem on the ring road being blocked, between Maenam Soi one, and Lamai that would be the only route they could use as a bye pass.. on the east side of the island .... . or would have to drive via Nathon and around... some larger vehicles would have to do that anyway. During rush hours it cut's 20 or 30 minutes off the drive from Maenam or Lamai....or other way around... and many people us that route for that reason.

It took me 30 minutes last evening to get to Lamai, from Maenam, at around 5 pm, had I driven the ring road through the strip from Bophut to past the Bangkok hospital, it would have taken much longer. Coming home I did use the ring road, at around 8.30 pm... it took the same amount of time... but the traffic is much lighter then.... the distance on the two roads it about the same.

The Safari trucks use the road coming out at Soi 5 Maenam, and probably roads coming out in Lamai or Hau Thanon or the road down to Autoboy shop in Nathon, .. depending on their starting or ending point... Perhaps when the bridge is repaired near Lipa Noi Chev dealer, that road will be another route for the "safari trucks" or any other vehicle needing that route.

Every year more of these "back roads" are concreted, some where the Samui administration, must be a long term plan to pave all the inner island roads...

If you are driving a 5 kmh, Mac Man, please pull over for those of us, driving faster!

Edited May 30, 2013 by samuijimmy

[maccaroni man]

As I said the area was ruined for me when the clear cut took place so there is no need to drive 5kph any longer. Progress is wonderful isn't it.

[BigC]

Don't get me wrong it is/was beautiful up there I would spend hours with my son in our 4x4 exploring the trails at 5kph. I assumed the safari companies paved the roads to make faster trips. Still don't think the farmers were a part of the equation.

un believable. i think you are on a wind up. safari companies are in business to make money not spend it. if they had enough money to concrete that whole road then i am in the wwrong business. considering just a small road not even half a km is more than 2 million baht adding proper drainage. Samuijimmy was right the local helped it be built as as he said the famers need easy access. The only thing that is a waist of space is your post. sorry dont mean to be rude but i am hitting the nail on the head in a blunt manor

[BigC]

As I said the area was ruined for me when the clear cut took place so there is no need to drive 5kph any longer. Progress is wonderful isn't it.

is 5 kmph to slow for you maybe try upping a gear 5 kmper hour i can walk that fast lol

[oldsailor35]

A beautiful view trip which i do occaisionally. BUT make sure you have got good brakes if you go by motorbike and i would not recommend trying to do it two up on a Honda click or similiar bike as it can be very very steep in places.

[maccaroni man]

I am not trying to get in a pissing contest with those who obviously knowich more than me. All I have to draw from is personal observation and as I recall the 1st bit of concrete laid was on the steep hills that became a problem in the wet season. These were tracks and did not require a clear cut to lay them. My comment was more about the destruction of the interior of the island and less about the safari companies. IMO the road ruined a great part of the island where 5kph was max speed while 4x4 and there was never a worry of some Pratt running up the bumm in a hurry to cross the island

[notmyself]

Aside from Jimmy doing a bit for freelance civil engineering inspection work on the bridge I doubt few tourists use or even know about the road. Perhaps we should ask all the small businesses inland if they feel that the road has had a positive impact on their life. I imagine they find it easier and cheaper to sell their local produce now.

[Gulfsailor]

"Yeah. All that development is not good for the island. It should have stopped just after I arrived in 19xx/20xx. (Insert your personal date here)"

[Neilly]

"Yeah. All that development is not good for the island. It should have stopped just after I arrived in 19xx/20xx. (Insert your personal date here)"

[BigC]

Aside from Jimmy doing a bit for freelance civil engineering inspection work on the bridge I doubt few tourists use or even know about the road. Perhaps we should ask all the small businesses inland if they feel that the road has had a positive impact on their life. I imagine they find it easier and cheaper to sell their local produce now.

tourists do use the road as to explore the island plus there is a bar at manam side of the hill

[Neilly]

They've just about finished repairing the section of hill that was washed out and the bridge they are repairing on Maenam side is about 70% done...but they have just started on another bridge on the Lamai side...you can still pass easily tho

[Tropicalevo]

They've just about finished repairing the section of hill that was washed out and the bridge they are repairing on Maenam side is about 70% done...but they have just started on another bridge on the Lamai side...you can still pass easily tho

It will probably be finished ..... just in time for the winter monsoon.

[Neilly]

They've just about finished repairing the section of hill that was washed out and the bridge they are repairing on Maenam side is about 70% done...but they have just started on another bridge on the Lamai side...you can still pass easily tho

It will probably be finished ..... just in time for the winter monsoon.

LOL

[samuijimmy]

The fix is coming along! They just need to concrete the area now, also working a little further down....

The detour works!

My guess it will be ready before the monsoons!

Bye the bye, Soi 3 from Maenam is now open all the way, to the island's centre connecting road.... still just gravel/ sand... but quite a good ride...

[oldsailor35]

"Yeah. All that development is not good for the island. It should have stopped just after I arrived in 19xx/20xx. (Insert your personal date here)"

Maybe ! but ee's right ain't ee

[oldsailor35]

They've just about finished repairing the section of hill that was washed out and the bridge they are repairing on Maenam side is about 70% done...but they have just started on another bridge on the Lamai side...you can still pass easily tho

It will probably be finished ..... just in time for the winter monsoon.

I was up there today (Sat 29th) its all just about finished apart from tidying up.

[oldsailor35]

Don't get me wrong it is/was beautiful up there I would spend hours with my son in our 4x4 exploring the trails at 5kph. I assumed the safari companies paved the roads to make faster trips. Still don't think the farmers were a part of the equation.

This is a "Tourist" island, and tourists want to see it. It is not just for you alone. If you and any others against the road were genuine, you would not have gone up there thrashing your 4x4 around the dirt roads. Plus the people who live up in the hills deserve a better life which comes with this road access. People who use this road do not go off it doing damage on their honda clicks..

[oldsailor35]

earth road appr. 2 km after the toilette, the one next to the traffic light

looking up ......................................................looking down

other people there: 0

at the moment

Bloody toilette! i turned around and reached out, but no paper ! not even a bum gun.

[BigC]

The fix is coming along! They just need to concrete the area now, also working a little further down....

The detour works!

My guess it will be ready before the monsoons!

Bye the bye, Soi 3 from Maenam is now open all the way, to the island's centre connecting road.... still just gravel/ sand... but quite a good ride...

can i drive my car crazy and get the back end out. I mean of the car round the corners rally style