Chiang Mai - Ubon Ratchathani

[KhunDave]

Planning a road trip to Ubon via Lampang, Uttaradit, Khon Kaen. Anyone know what the flooding (if any) is like along Highways 11, 12 and 23?

[Dellboy218]

I can tell you what it was like on the 5th. I left this on another forum at the time so I will copy and paste. I will presume the work in Nam Nao may be finished by now and the minor landslide cleared up. From Khon Kaen I prefer to take the 2116 then head down to the Roit bypass. The 2116 was in good shape.

Work continues at Denchai on route 11 junction, the traffic lights are working but not a lot else.

For a few KM south on the 11 the road is good but the road works take over with a bumpy surface in places and carriageway changes. That hill section is still a horrible mess. All road works finish by the junction with route 1105

Minor road works entering Uttradit by the first set of traffic lights with one (I think) carriagway change.

South of Uttradit (I wish I had marked it) on the north bound carriageway there was a minor bridge that has been covered in tarmac. This has been very badly (dangerously) rippled in the middle of the road. Enought to give me palpatations driving a Fortuner, bloody dangerous to any one on a bike. The rest of the road is excellent which makes this all the more dangerous to anyone on a bike. Watch out for the short, just a few metres, section of tarmac.

Approaching Khao Kho from the west there are some rough patches and holes appearing. God forbids it ends up like it was 20 years ago. The main west-east carriageway through Khao Kho itself is blocked off with diversions onto the frontage road. It looked like a big rip in the road surface.

In Nam Nao national park, 14km from the western entrance the east to west carriageway has completely disappeared down the hillside. They were working on this yesterday with traffic control (!!) This leaves a short section of bumpy mud road for a few 10's of metres. In the same area there were a couple of other gangs out clearing up minor landslides. These were very recent.

Road works continue west of Chum Pae and look like there will be for a long time. A number of carriageway changes and rough surfaces in various places. To a minor extent the same on the eastern side.

The road into Khon Kaen form the west has shown a marked deterioration since last I drove this road a few months ago. It isnt the nice smooth road it once was.

Road widening works on the northern side of the Yasathon bypass. The rest of it appears to be deteriorating in places as well.

Road widening works continue on the western approach to Ubon. This dual carriageway looks like it will be meeting up with the dual carriageway through Khueang Nai when they finish that bit.

If anyone is really interested in the 24 from Ubon to Det Udom, a fairly new wide road, pity its showing badly rippled edges and holes already. As for the road through Det Udom, it was bad the day day before they laid it and it hasnt improved any

[rodcourt49]

..as at 1000 hrs 13/10/2011

[SantiSuk]

I may be going the other way on pretty much the same route starting Sunday (Fortuner), so the above is helpful. I was mostly interested in flooding or landslide closures. In respect of the former I was mostly concerned about flooding in the Pitsanulok/Uttaradit area: I know that most of the rest of the route is on higher ground and I think Issaan is generally ok on major roads.

If anyone has info on the situation on Highway 11 between its junction with Highway 12 and Uttaradit I would welcome hearing it. If those AOT maps are comprehensive it looks that there is no issue in that area.

When are you going Khun Dave? I'm going from SiSaket, not Ubon but I'm pretty sure you will have no problems between Khon Kaen and Ubon. The river Mun has dropped at least half a meter in the last week, showing that Issaan has been draining through to the Mekong quite nicely.

[SantiSuk]

Have just seen another thread where someone who lives 100k south of Pitsanulok reports that Highway 11 is very busy; he presumes that all the traffic to Chiang Mai from points South is now going that route (Highway 1 is impassable - at least in its southern stretches around Nakhon Sawan).

Also the tail end of the latest tropical storm to hit the Philippines is expected to track from Hanoi to Issaan in a few days time. Might cause local flooding along the route, but who knows?

Could be a slow drive at best. I might defer my Chiang Mai venture! There is now a (new) direct Air Asia flight from Ubon to CM if all else fails, but at last look the first bookable flights are not until mid November.

[KhunDave]

I'm at my overnight stop on this trip now at Chumpae. The trip so far has been flood-free. Traffic was quite light and the only thing of note was that there have evidently been many landslides on Highway 12 between Phitsanulok and Chumpae. A lot of mud on the road in several places, but still passable.

[KhunDave]

And the second day:- a lot of flooding around Khon Kaen, Maha Sarakham and Ubon itself, but none of it high enough to affect the roads. Hundreds of people camping out in temporary shacks on the Ubon ring road. Very sad.