Travel From Isaan To Samui

[yorkie100]

I am planning to travel from Khon Kaen to Samui over the weekend.

Has anyone driven this trip, either way, over the last day or so?

With all the flooding I would like to know if all the main highways are passable,the A2,1,9,35 and A4?

[itishothere]

Hi yorkie100.

Suspect you are not likely to find that much info here. According to the Isaan Forum, Khon Kaen sounds OK for now, but from what I have read, the next few days will impact the areas south of there more severely. Maybe posting in that Forum might give some answers? Whatever you do, drive carefully.:jap:

[joe84330]

i made this trip south a few days ago and a lot of traffic stopped in both directions on the ring road (9) due to water in the road. the rest of the trip was clear save a couple of minor redirects north of bkk due to washed out roads.

[yorkie100]

Thanks Joe, that's a big help.

I may leave it another day or two to let things (and the floods) settle down a bit more before leaving.

[joe84330]

from various reports around the area, it's only going to get worse over the next week or two. ayutthaya is under water and it's all headed down to bkk.

when i drove down, on the western section of the outer ring road, traffic on both sides was restricted because half of one lane going each direction was under water. a friend took the bus up to bkk and isan two days ago and said it was down to one lane each direction. if you need to drive through that area, allow for a lot of extra time and do anything possible to avoid regular rush hour traffic. it's going to be a mess for a while.

[limbos]

Drove last Tuesday from BKK to Samui and all was fine, hard rain at times but no flooded roads.

[yorkie100]

Thanks Limbos & Joe for the info.

I always drive overnight anyway leaving KK around 5.00 pm it's much quieter going through Bangkok that way.

Normally it takes me 12-14 hours (with stops) to Donsak and catch the 7 or 8 am ferry.

[limbos]

Hi Yorkie, to each his own but I deffo prefer day time driving! Roads are so badly lit and the amount of trucks and buses with their irresponsible driving makes me prefer the daytime. Safe travels though and hope the roads will be dry!

[yorkie100]

Hi Yorkie, to each his own but I deffo prefer day time driving! Roads are so badly lit and the amount of trucks and buses with their irresponsible driving makes me prefer the daytime. Safe travels though and hope the roads will be dry!

You are so right. Not only the roads are badly lit but you can count the number of lorries with correct lighting on one, never mind two hands.

Problem is I have two dogs to take and it's unfair for them to travel with the sun??? beating down on them in the back all day.

[limbos]

Yorkie, you gotta make choices! Drive safely and godspeed!

[Rooo]

Take care Yorkie,

IMPORTANT INFO:

Google Flood Crisis Map now available in English:http://bit.ly/qSPlf4

(it is posted in 'Thailand Live' http://www.thaivisa....ost__p__4763974 )

[joe84330]

Hi Yorkie, to each his own but I deffo prefer day time driving! Roads are so badly lit and the amount of trucks and buses with their irresponsible driving makes me prefer the daytime. Safe travels though and hope the roads will be dry!

You are so right. Not only the roads are badly lit but you can count the number of lorries with correct lighting on one, never mind two hands.

Problem is I have two dogs to take and it's unfair for them to travel with the sun??? beating down on them in the back all day.

i used to drive across the states quite a lot and with kids it just seems a bit more comfortable that way. they can sleep and i can avoid confined kids being kids. unfortunately that doesn't apply to asia or thailand in particular. i was driving after midnight and the overnight vip buses were out in full force, driving 140, switching lanes without signalling, staying in the right lane etc. i just looked for a hotel to get away from those idiots and when i got to samui, i read about a vip bus crashing on the same stretch of road i was sharing with them, killing 5 people.

[yorkie100]

Well, made it safely back in time for the 10.00 am ferry yesterday morning.

Saw little evidence of floods on the way back except for a long and slow detour via the 305 around Bangkok.

Hundreds of cars parked on the expressways through BKK due to the flooding below.

You are right about the buses Joe, they are usually a bl00dy menace but this time I think I saw only around a dozen buses/coaches the whole way, don't know why, must have been my timings, I set off a couple of hours later than usual from KK around 7 pm.