Exodus Out Of Chiang Mai

[eyecatcher]

I decided quite spontaneously to find a less "full on" place to spend the Songran Period and went up to the bus station to get a ticket to Bkk, then I will go onto one of the islands.

We were fortunate to get a ticket.... but coming from Bkk to CM you can forget it, Nakornchaiair had a notice up...every bus from there from the 7th april to the 16th april was booked up.

lets assume most of the other bus companies are also booked up bringing people to CM, that means its going to get rather busy...to say the least

will you be joining the smaller exodus of people wishing to escape C.M this time.?

[BlackArtemis]

Nope, and I wouldn't want to be on the road in a bus during this time at all either.

I'd rather be sopping wet for 5 days than travel during the deadliest time of the year.

Good luck to you, safe journeys and have an enjoyable break though!

[elektrified]

Nope, and I wouldn't want to be on the road in a bus during this time at all either.

I'd rather be sopping wet for 5 days than travel during the deadliest time of the year.

Good luck to you, safe journeys and have an enjoyable break though!

+1

I would not want to be on the road either. Many of those bus drivers will be working for 48 hours+ without sleep. Very dangerous time to travel!

Be safe!

[onthedarkside]

Nope, and I wouldn't want to be on the road in a bus during this time at all either.

I'd rather be sopping wet for 5 days than travel during the deadliest time of the year.

Good luck to you, safe journeys and have an enjoyable break though!

+1

I would not want to be on the road either. Many of those bus drivers will be working for 48 hours+ without sleep. Very dangerous time to travel!

Be safe!

I would not even drive my own car on the main intercity highways at this busy time. A public bus would be much worse risk. Best of luck ....

[JeffreyMcCollum]

It just is not as much fun as it use to be . . .

Maybe I am older, or there is just more drinking, and idiots out there.

Will be in my car, not on my motorbike

Leaving a few days before, Remembering the traffic is going up I will head down a few hours to a very quiet country side for a family visit.

And return about when the traffic is heading back down.

Beats locking myself in my home for a few days

[Semper]

Nope, and I wouldn't want to be on the road in a bus during this time at all either.

I'd rather be sopping wet for 5 days than travel during the deadliest time of the year.

Good luck to you, safe journeys and have an enjoyable break though!

+1

I would not want to be on the road either. Many of those bus drivers will be working for 48 hours+ without sleep. Very dangerous time to travel!

Be safe!

I would not even drive my own car on the main intercity highways at this busy time. A public bus would be much worse risk. Best of luck ....

Agree, dangerous indeed. I've stocked up with some books (from one of our sponsors) and plan to stay indoors untill it's over.

[Ulysses G.]

It just is not as much fun as it use to be . . .

There are not nearly as many celebrants as back in the day. It used to be wall to wall people pretty much everywhere before the economic downturn..

[eyecatcher]

hmm, got me worried now....i can see the logic of those drivers wanting to get back to bkk asap to collect another busload.

i will be going tuesday night, but my priority will be to check out the escape window, maybe wear my bike helmet on the coach...and make sure i dont see any whisky near the drivers seat...haha

[WinnieTheKhwai]

No way would I do major road travel during the holidays.

And besides, Chiang Mai is among the very best spots in the country for Songkran.

[MESmith]

And besides, Chiang Mai is among the very best spots in the country for Songkran.

Except for those who do not wish to partake. Doesn't bother me, I live well out of town in the middle of nowhere & have no need to change that situation ;-)

[FarangBha]

Look out Bali.

[TPI]

hmm, got me worried now....i can see the logic of those drivers wanting to get back to bkk asap to collect another busload.

i will be going tuesday night, but my priority will be to check out the escape window, maybe wear my bike helmet on the coach...and make sure i dont see any whisky near the drivers seat...haha

You think you're joking don't you? You can only book a month in advance...30 days ago every bus too and from CM was sold out! Last year they killed 1600 people and injured 32,000 in 5 days in the land of smiles!

Best of luck!

[Beetlejuice]

hmm, got me worried now....i can see the logic of those drivers wanting to get back to bkk asap to collect another busload.

i will be going tuesday night, but my priority will be to check out the escape window, maybe wear my bike helmet on the coach...and make sure i dont see any whisky near the drivers seat...haha

No problem.

My brother in law runs the Kamikaze Songran coach tour company.

Crash helmets and a life insurance policy included.

Pm me if you are interested.

[Mestizo]

hmm, got me worried now....i can see the logic of those drivers wanting to get back to bkk asap to collect another busload.

i will be going tuesday night, but my priority will be to check out the escape window, maybe wear my bike helmet on the coach...and make sure i dont see any whisky near the drivers seat...haha

You should also check to make sure that your seat is actually firmly bolted to the floor. Seriously. There have been a couple bus accidents in Thailand lately where people have unnecessarily died due to seats not being bolted down to the floor. The seats came loose and smashed peoples heads when the bus flipped over on its side.

-Mestizo

[hellodolly]

I am just going to stay inside until dark no problem.

Now if I had a job or couldn't stand to be with myself or the people around me I might run.

Fortunately I have books a computer and a TV. (that is when the Thai soaps aren't on). I get along great with my wife so what is the problem.

Some people make it sound like it is a 24 hour a day thing. Plenty of time to go out for diner or a show or to your favored bar.

[IanForbes]

There is a reason WHY I always leave Thailand at the end of March. I have no interest in a silly contest that goes on for a week or more. If it only lasted 2 days like Loi Krathong then I might be interested, but not for a week. Hey, I like a party as much as anyone, but getting hit with a bucket of who knows what is not pleasant if you are riding a motorcycle. I don't ride my motorbike in the city during Loi Krathong either, and especially not after getting hit in the head with one of the hand rockets. Thankfully I was wearing a helmet.

[flying]

drove 600k from Chiang Mai a couple of years ago during Songkron

Did not know at the time it was the most dangerous time to be on the roads.

Would not do it again

The worst is going up mountains there is always two lanes & one going down.

Many times while going up in the right lane around blind corners we were met by

tractor trailer sized trucks & buses coming right at us in our lane around the blind corner.

Thrilling to say the least.

[Puwa]

Annual roadtrip to visit relatives elsewhere in the north, on the scenic route through Lampang, Phrae, and Uttaradit. We drive south while the roads north to Chiangmai are clogged, then return as travelers jam the roads heading back to BKK. If you get the timing right, you hardly notice that it's a holiday. Not that I mind being in Chiangmai during Songkran. I find that if you don't live in the old city, it's pretty easy to opt out.

[eyecatcher]

Still going.....................but has anyone got a Chieftain or a Panzer I can borrow?

[moe666]

drove 600k from Chiang Mai a couple of years ago during Songkron

Did not know at the time it was the most dangerous time to be on the roads.

Would not do it again

The worst is going up mountains there is always two lanes & one going down.

Many times while going up in the right lane around blind corners we were met by

tractor trailer sized trucks & buses coming right at us in our lane around the blind corner.

Thrilling to say the least.

It doesn't have to be songkram for that to happen.

[true blue]

going friday to bkk then further afield,back friday nok air 1000 bht to fly to and from bkk this week and next,easy.

[IanForbes]

drove 600k from Chiang Mai a couple of years ago during Songkron

Did not know at the time it was the most dangerous time to be on the roads.

Would not do it again

The worst is going up mountains there is always two lanes & one going down.

Many times while going up in the right lane around blind corners we were met by

tractor trailer sized trucks & buses coming right at us in our lane around the blind corner.

Thrilling to say the least.

That's just normal, every day driving in Thailand. Silver vans that travel in groups are the worst. At least the transport trucks are usually driving slowly. The vans are all traveling at top speed. I can't count the number of times I've been run off the road by them. But, because I EXPECT it, I've always managed to get out of their way... barely.