Pattaya Traffic Jam

[poanoi]

I made an attempt to break my isolation and go out to a go-go for the first time in half a year,

but the road was jammed 400 meters before Carrefour so i made a U-turn and headed back home.

I'm regretting i didn't move to Sihanoukville while i was still single.

[Darrel]

It's that stupid "music" festival nonsense.

[pipo1000]

It's that stupid "music" festival nonsense.

I think the music festival is a very good initiative, but it is the stupid BIB who always mess up the traffic.

This evening on Pattaya Tai all traffic heading direction sukhumvit was forced into the slums at right before the Seat boat company.Now give me one good reason for that,because at sukhumvith they already had placed cones to direct all traffic to the north.

[Darrel]

It's that stupid "music" festival nonsense.

I think the music festival is a very good initiative......

Regardless of the relative merits of the "music" on offer this weekend, any sort of Beach Rd event here turns the usual slow traffic into a nightmare that limits my choice of where to have supper, and I dont like that. Pattaya was never designed for that number of people and vehicles.

If I wanted traffic jams I would probably be living in BKK, and that's where the festivals should be.

[pipo1000]

It's that stupid "music" festival nonsense.

I think the music festival is a very good initiative......

Regardless of the relative merits of the "music" on offer this weekend, any sort of Beach Rd event here turns the usual slow traffic into a nightmare that limits my choice of where to have supper, and I dont like that. Pattaya was never designed for that number of people and vehicles.

If I wanted traffic jams I would probably be living in BKK, and that's where the festivals should be.

Bit of short minded,isn't it?

[poanoi]

Traffic in Pattaya can never be ok,

but it would become a whole lot better if the City bought up every 10th building on busy roads,

and then turned them into parking buildings, and simultaneously enforced a complete ban on parking on any traffic line,

with hefty penalty

[FarangBuddha]

The music festival has been advertised for weeks so most have known to stay close to home, lay in supplies of food, or order in. Pattaya is a tourist resort so these types are to be expected and are a benefit to the economy. If you want peace and quiet, don't live in the beach/tourist areas or move to Paak Issaan.

[Penkoprod]

I am beginning to think that City Hall view the success of these ventures on how much of a traffic snarl-up there is generated.

The bigger the chaos, then the more successful its been.

Penkoprod

[pattayadingo]

Motorcycle seems to be the only way to get anywhere at times like these.

The BiB do seem to have very little idea on traffic management so taking the car out is nuts.

Whistles, more whistling, arm waving and utter chaos delivered by the BiB for your entertainment whilst sat in your car. Better than the music festival itself.

[JSixpack]

Note to self: next year, extend the Songkran escape through the weekend followiing.

[Darrel]

Note to self: next year, extend the Songkran escape through the weekend followiing.

It's getting near the point where you would need to leave for the whole of April in order to get a bit of peace.

[midas]

Traffic in Pattaya can never be ok,

but it would become a whole lot better if the City bought up every 10th building on busy roads,

and then turned them into parking buildings, and simultaneously enforced a complete ban on parking on any traffic line,

with hefty penalty

plus a list of other things such as food vendors not pushing their trolleys the wrong way up the street and

the pedestrians not walking along the road when there is space on the sidewalk and .......

[Wavefloater]

Between that lack of thought put into the Pattaya traffic infrastructure and the lack of consideration by the local drivers, it's got to be one of the worst places in Thailand to be behind the wheel of a car. It amazes me the way that many Thais drive, but more particularly where and when they park their cars -- just stop in a busy lane during rush hour because they've got to have something a street vendor is selling (and to hell with the 100 people behind me trying to get home after a day a work) . I'm still not sure if it's a case of ignorance, stupidity or just plain inconsideration

[vel_tins]

I'm still not sure if it's a case of ignorance, stupidity or just plain inconsideration

A combination of all three...

[Markland]

http://Sihanoukville is over rated and is nice to visit but to live there no

and i did try for 9 months

you picked a bad night to go out with the music festival being on

i took a motorbike taxi into town from siam royal view and was in town in 15 min

[MJCM]

^ I agree with Markland on Snookyville. Sihanoukville is nice to visit but I wouldn't live there especially during the rainy season.

Isn't the song, Too much rain will kill you

Edited May 2, 2012 by MJCM

[smedly]

during all these festivals the authorities should ban roadside parking of all vehicles including motorbikes on all main roads/routes around the city - no exceptions

[robia6]

Note to self: next year, extend the Songkran escape through the weekend followiing.

Well said, exactly what I was thinking sat in music festival traffic!

[Bagwan]

I'm still not sure if it's a case of ignorance, stupidity or just plain inconsideration

A combination of all three...

All it takes to create a traffic jam is two Thais. one on a pair of roller skates and the other bowling a hoop. Throw in a couple of shunts - hey presto!

[saengsureeya]

The music festival has been advertised for weeks so most have known to stay close to home, lay in supplies of food, or order in. Pattaya is a tourist resort so these types are to be expected and are a benefit to the economy. If you want peace and quiet, don't live in the beach/tourist areas or move to Paak Issaan.

You might be right FB, but the PMF was first announced to be held during the weekend of 16, 17 and 18 March, then it moved to beginning of April, but due to the Royal Cremation moved to the end of April.

Of course it was advertised weeks ago, but you have to agree that this year's edition of PMF was announced slightly confusing.

As for the OP..........whether you like the disadvantages of living in a tourist-destination or not..........just stay, there are so much more things that can be seen as an advantage.

[chops]

Usually when you want to go out and have fun these stupid things happen. It rains heavily or something at the worst moment. Unfortunately moving to Sihanoukville is not going to help.

[rod2011]

Like thousands of others my girlfriend and I actually stayed in Pattaya to see the music frestival.

We both knew the traffic would be dire so stayed in a central guesthouse and walked to all the events. Now I can feel some pain for the OP but if you chose to live in a tourist area then these things will happen. I think this weekend is the Miss Tiffany show so traffic will be bad again.

Traffic in Thailand, not just Pattaya, can be awful at times especially if there is a festival on. The same goes for many other countries in the world. Try getting anywhere in North West London today will be impossible due to the football cup final.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Note to self: next year, extend the Songkran escape through the weekend followiing.

Correction to various notes to selves: the music festival got moved to this date only due to the royal funeral last month.

Reading this topic I get the feeling a lot of yous aren't very informed on what goes on in town? It's a major, popular festival and attracts visitors from Bangkok and beyond.

Try getting around in other major towns when big festivals and events are going on. If you don't have a motorbike then park somewhere a bit away and grab a motorcycle taxi.

Remember how many of you also claim Pattaya has more to offer besides sad exploitative nightlife? Well, this is it. But again there's whining.

Edited May 6, 2012 by WinnieTheKhwai

[Darrel]

What was the cause of tonight's huge traffic jam?

I was intending to go and eat somewhere downtown and had to get out of the bahtbus by the flyover on 3rd Rd/Thappraya. Traffic was solid into 2nd Rd and also along 3rd Rd towards the South Rd junction,

[gmac]

What was the cause of tonight's huge traffic jam?

I was intending to go and eat somewhere downtown and had to get out of the bahtbus by the flyover on 3rd Rd/Thappraya. Traffic was solid into 2nd Rd and also along 3rd Rd towards the South Rd junction,

No idea what the reason was, but the cause was our glorious BiB's stopping all traffic outside Central, presumably for the purpose of allowing some dignitary to leave without having to mingle with the riff-raff. After about 20 minutes, with no-one important appearing to have emerged, the angry mob was allowed to proceed!

[Darrel]

[pipo1000]

What was the cause of tonight's huge traffic jam?

I was intending to go and eat somewhere downtown and had to get out of the bahtbus by the flyover on 3rd Rd/Thappraya. Traffic was solid into 2nd Rd and also along 3rd Rd towards the South Rd junction,

No idea what the reason was, but the cause was our glorious BiB's stopping all traffic outside Central, presumably for the purpose of allowing some dignitary to leave without having to mingle with the riff-raff. After about 20 minutes, with no-one important appearing to have emerged, the angry mob was allowed to proceed!

There has been a traffic jam all week-end as they switched the traffic lights on Sukhumvith to a very long cycle time which of course also creates very long qeueus for Pattaya center as traffic is not allowed to exit the city.

I have such a feeling that every evening and during the weekends people at the higher level of the MIB sit together and try to find how they can create a traffic jam so that the city looks busy while it actually isn't.

It is a given fact that every evening between 5pm and 7 pm, when the MIB take over the traffic light control, there are huge traffic jams all over Pattaya while they aren't 10 minutes before and after that particular time.

[simple1]

There has been a traffic jam all week-end as they switched the traffic lights on Sukhumvith to a very long cycle time

Do you know why BIB are doing this?

[JoePai]

There has been a traffic jam all week-end as they switched the traffic lights on Sukhumvith to a very long cycle time

Do you know why BIB are doing this?

Yes - they take bets on how long they can get the queue

[chris2004]

That's why i won't own a car in Pattaya. The traffic is bad at the best of times and parking is next to impossible in the places you want to go, Soi Buakhau etc. Better to use a bike or public transport or sometimes even quicker to walk.