India To Open Super Highway To Burma And Thailand

[KeyserSoze01]

Somehow when I think of a highway from India to Thailand, I get this mental image.

[cobra]

In the days when Burma was part of the British Empire they used to drive on the proper side of the road - and they changed to the wrong side in the 70's? Thailand also drives on the correct side of the road. In India they drive in the middle, so it will not mattter at the border.

The French influence in Vietnam must have caused them to drive on the wrong side of the road?

... in India they drive in the middle ...

Yes indeed, and change direction, stop, whatever, all within the legal notice of two horn beeps,

Drove a rick from Triv up to Goa recently, (Malabar Rampage), quite sporting.

[yoshiwara]

Thailand also drives on the correct side of the road.

Are you sure?

[jacnl2000]

Signposting is quite an art.

[el jefe]

from the article linked by the OP:

"The new "trilateral highway" is aimed at creating a new economic zone ranging from Calcutta on the Bay of Bengal to Ho Chi Minh City on the South China Sea."

Interesting that nowhere is it mentioned that they have to cross Bangladesh too. It sounds great but I don't think they've checked the maps yet.

"Mohan Guruswamy of the New Delhi-based Center for Policy Alternatives, said a two lane highway connecting the Indian border to Mandalay, 375 miles away, had already been built, and the next phases will be to broaden it to a four-lane road and extend it a further 375 miles to Rangoon."

There's already a new road from Mandalay to Yangon. I haven't heard anything about the road west out of Mandalay to the Indian border. if that already exists, that's great. I'll be in Mandalay in July and should make for some interesting exploring, but I'm not counting on finding a highway.

But in order for any of this to become reality, the Myanmar govt will first have to open up the land borders. Despite all the talk about govt reforms and "democracy", they still have closed borders.

they don't have to cross the Bangla Desh swamps as India has a thousand mile border with Myanmar.

Check your map again, Naam.

The article said "... creating a new economic zone ranging from Calcutta on the Bay of Bengal to Ho Chi Minh City". If they're going from Mandalay to Calcutta and they've already built "a two lane highway connecting the Indian border to Mandalay, 375 miles away," do you really think they're going all the way up to Sikkim??

A thousand mile border is meaningless. You'd probably go from Bangkok to Yangon by crossing the border at Mae Sai/Tachilek.

[Xangsamhua]

I hope they (India) ease their visa requirements while they're at it, or long before indeed.

I did it myself the first two times. Got the agent to do the third time. Too much hassle, and that's with an Oz passport.

Ditto Myanmar, though it's easier than it was.

[Payboy]

I hope they (India) ease their visa requirements while they're at it, or long before indeed.

I did it myself the first two times. Got the agent to do the third time. Too much hassle, and that's with an Oz passport.

Ditto Myanmar, though it's easier than it was.

I'm guessing they might consider it on a reciprocal basis.

[harrry]

from the article linked by the OP:

"The new "trilateral highway" is aimed at creating a new economic zone ranging from Calcutta on the Bay of Bengal to Ho Chi Minh City on the South China Sea."

Interesting that nowhere is it mentioned that they have to cross Bangladesh too. It sounds great but I don't think they've checked the maps yet.

"Mohan Guruswamy of the New Delhi-based Center for Policy Alternatives, said a two lane highway connecting the Indian border to Mandalay, 375 miles away, had already been built, and the next phases will be to broaden it to a four-lane road and extend it a further 375 miles to Rangoon."

There's already a new road from Mandalay to Yangon. I haven't heard anything about the road west out of Mandalay to the Indian border. if that already exists, that's great. I'll be in Mandalay in July and should make for some interesting exploring, but I'm not counting on finding a highway.

But in order for any of this to become reality, the Myanmar govt will first have to open up the land borders. Despite all the talk about govt reforms and "democracy", they still have closed borders.

they do not have to cross Bangladesh as their is a continuos path in India.

[Naam]

from the article linked by the OP:

"The new "trilateral highway" is aimed at creating a new economic zone ranging from Calcutta on the Bay of Bengal to Ho Chi Minh City on the South China Sea."

Interesting that nowhere is it mentioned that they have to cross Bangladesh too. It sounds great but I don't think they've checked the maps yet.

"Mohan Guruswamy of the New Delhi-based Center for Policy Alternatives, said a two lane highway connecting the Indian border to Mandalay, 375 miles away, had already been built, and the next phases will be to broaden it to a four-lane road and extend it a further 375 miles to Rangoon."

There's already a new road from Mandalay to Yangon. I haven't heard anything about the road west out of Mandalay to the Indian border. if that already exists, that's great. I'll be in Mandalay in July and should make for some interesting exploring, but I'm not counting on finding a highway.

But in order for any of this to become reality, the Myanmar govt will first have to open up the land borders. Despite all the talk about govt reforms and "democracy", they still have closed borders.

they don't have to cross the Bangla Desh swamps as India has a thousand mile border with Myanmar.

Check your map again, Naam.

The article said "... creating a new economic zone ranging from Calcutta on the Bay of Bengal to Ho Chi Minh City". If they're going from Mandalay to Calcutta and they've already built "a two lane highway connecting the Indian border to Mandalay, 375 miles away," do you really think they're going all the way up to Sikkim??

A thousand mile border is meaningless. You'd probably go from Bangkok to Yangon by crossing the border at Mae Sai/Tachilek.

my map is ok and neither you nor me have any idea what them Injuns are planning. most probably it's just one of the usual lukewarm farts which takes (as i mentioned already) several reincarnations to materialise IF they ever materialise

summary for the record:

-India has a long border with Myanmar,

-India does not need to cross Bangla Desh for a road connection to Myanmar.

-the existing two-lane road from Mandalay to India is to the Indian state Manipur (east of Bangla Desh),

-neither hairsplitting nor rational arguments in a Thaivisa forum will influence Indian policy makers how/where/why/when to route a connection to Kolkata.

period!

[Xangsamhua]

I hope they (India) ease their visa requirements while they're at it, or long before indeed.

I did it myself the first two times. Got the agent to do the third time. Too much hassle, and that's with an Oz passport.

Ditto Myanmar, though it's easier than it was.

I'm guessing they might consider it on a reciprocal basis.

Why does it have to be reciprocal? Thailand grants on-arrival visas to lot of nationalities without expecting reciprocity, so does Laos and Cambodia (though you need photos and fillout a form at the airport).

I doubt there are all that many Australians, Americans, etc overstaying in India and working illegally on tea plantations, in factories or the trishaw industry.

Anyway, I hope they build the road.

[Payboy]

I hope they (India) ease their visa requirements while they're at it, or long before indeed.

I did it myself the first two times. Got the agent to do the third time. Too much hassle, and that's with an Oz passport.

Ditto Myanmar, though it's easier than it was.

I'm guessing they might consider it on a reciprocal basis.

Why does it have to be reciprocal? Thailand grants on-arrival visas to lot of nationalities without expecting reciprocity, so does Laos and Cambodia (though you need photos and fillout a form at the airport).

I doubt there are all that many Australians, Americans, etc overstaying in India and working illegally on tea plantations, in factories or the trishaw industry.

Anyway, I hope they build the road.

Well maybe they just don't want our tourist dollars so much then.

Although, that road if built would be more for cross border cargo than anything else.

[el jefe]

from the article linked by the OP:

"The new "trilateral highway" is aimed at creating a new economic zone ranging from Calcutta on the Bay of Bengal to Ho Chi Minh City on the South China Sea."

Interesting that nowhere is it mentioned that they have to cross Bangladesh too. It sounds great but I don't think they've checked the maps yet.

"Mohan Guruswamy of the New Delhi-based Center for Policy Alternatives, said a two lane highway connecting the Indian border to Mandalay, 375 miles away, had already been built, and the next phases will be to broaden it to a four-lane road and extend it a further 375 miles to Rangoon."

There's already a new road from Mandalay to Yangon. I haven't heard anything about the road west out of Mandalay to the Indian border. if that already exists, that's great. I'll be in Mandalay in July and should make for some interesting exploring, but I'm not counting on finding a highway.

But in order for any of this to become reality, the Myanmar govt will first have to open up the land borders. Despite all the talk about govt reforms and "democracy", they still have closed borders.

they don't have to cross the Bangla Desh swamps as India has a thousand mile border with Myanmar.

Check your map again, Naam.

The article said "... creating a new economic zone ranging from Calcutta on the Bay of Bengal to Ho Chi Minh City". If they're going from Mandalay to Calcutta and they've already built "a two lane highway connecting the Indian border to Mandalay, 375 miles away," do you really think they're going all the way up to Sikkim??

A thousand mile border is meaningless. You'd probably go from Bangkok to Yangon by crossing the border at Mae Sai/Tachilek.

my map is ok and neither you nor me have any idea what them Injuns are planning. most probably it's just one of the usual lukewarm farts which takes (as i mentioned already) several reincarnations to materialise IF they ever materialise

summary for the record:

-India has a long border with Myanmar,

-India does not need to cross Bangla Desh for a road connection to Myanmar.

-the existing two-lane road from Mandalay to India is to the Indian state Manipur (east of Bangla Desh),

-neither hairsplitting nor rational arguments in a Thaivisa forum will influence Indian policy makers how/where/why/when to route a connection to Kolkata.

period!

Exactly!

we're discussing this rationally while the original article that started this 43 post thread is completely illogical. Fortunately, for the planners, we all have plenty of lifetimes to see this road completed.

[Familyonthemove]

In the days when Burma was part of the British Empire they used to drive on the proper side of the road - and they changed to the wrong side in the 70's? Thailand also drives on the correct side of the road. In India they drive in the middle, so it will not mattter at the border.

The French influence in Vietnam must have caused them to drive on the wrong side of the road?

... in India they drive in the middle ...

Yes indeed, and change direction, stop, whatever, all within the legal notice of two horn beeps,

Drove a rick from Triv up to Goa recently, (Malabar Rampage), quite sporting.

Wow - the auto-rickshaw trip sounds fantastic!

By the way - I hope the Superhighway from india goes via Soi 11 - it would make an ideal service stop.

[samran]

Looking at the state of Indian roads, I'm guessing the term "super highway" is used in the lightest of senses.

It is a bit more in the vein of "Super, they managed to build a highway (that goes for more than 10km)".

[BillyBobThai]

According to Wikipedia

Today about 66.1% of the world's people live in right-hand traffic countries and 33.9% in left-hand traffic countries. About 72% of the world's total road distance carries traffic on the right, and 28% on the left

[Familyonthemove]

According to Wikipedia

Today about 66.1% of the world's people live in right-hand traffic countries and 33.9% in left-hand traffic countries. About 72% of the world's total road distance carries traffic on the right, and 28% on the left

Interesting.

And so with population growth in India and the launch of the Tata Nano; the World's cheapest car, we can expect the balance to shift to the left.

Pause for British national anthem, pan out to shown Union Jack fluttering over foreign fields.

[redroo]

even the aboriganee's in australia mount there kangaroo's from the left hand side!

because of the boomarang holsterd on the left side of their undies...

[Crushdepth]

Does anybody know of a nation that has been able to switch the side of the road on which they drive? It would seem to be a nearly impossible undertaking.

Sweden 1967 and Nigeria early 70s

In Thailand we drive on both sides. And the footpath too.

[Payboy]

even the aboriganee's in australia mount there kangaroo's from the left hand side!

because of the boomarang holsterd on the left side of their undies...

Errr, that hanging thing you mentioned, it's not a boomerang.

[Payboy]

Does anybody know of a nation that has been able to switch the side of the road on which they drive? It would seem to be a nearly impossible undertaking.

Sweden 1967 and Nigeria early 70s

In Thailand we drive on both sides. And the footpath too.

Hmmmm, okay, if you want to call it driving.

[masuk]

When you cross the bridge from China to Hong Kong, (where they drive on the correct side of the road, , ) the bridge looks like a pretzel as cars are switched from the right to the left and vice versa.

BTW: Most of the South Pacific drives on the left, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, most of the islands, and then in Asia, it's all on the left, from Indonesia, to Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, India.

[Norvabc]

In the days when Burma was part of the British Empire they used to drive on the proper side of the road - and they changed to the wrong side in the 70's? Thailand also drives on the correct side of the road. In India they drive in the middle, so it will not mattter at the border.

The French influence in Vietnam must have caused them to drive on the wrong side of the road?

please elaborate your oxymoron claim why the right side is the wrong side is it based on the British thinking "right or wrong... my country" ?

for the record: the majority of vehicles on this planet drive on the (correct) right side. exceptions like India, Thailand and a few other countries (mostly insignificant remote islands) drive on the (wrong) left side.

India is soon to be the most populous country in the world - and they drive on the proper side of the road.

History shows why the way the Brits, Indians, Japanese, Thais and Australians, malaysians etc are using the correct side of the road. Roads were originally built for horses, and people used to wear swords. Most people are right handed, so the sword is worn on the left. Try getting on your horse from the right side wearing a sword on the left and you'll soon see why horses were (and still are) mounted from the left. Motorbikes follow this lay-out - just look at your side-stand position (though not many people wear swords on motorbikes, except maybe Harley riders?).

So if you've got on your horse from the left side of the road .... you may as well carry on riding on that side.

After the French revolution they wanted to do things differently - so they decided to ride on the wrong side of the road just to be different from the Brits. So areas with a French colonial influence such as Vietnam now drive on the wrong side of the road and those with a British colonial history drive on the correct side. Thialand has never been colonised, but they made a wise choice to ride on the correct side anyway.

Well researched, nice one..

[Norvabc]

and South Africa.

and Zimbabwe.

Botswana,Lesotho, Swaziland, South WEst Africa, Mozambique etc etc

[Naam]

and South Africa.

and Zimbabwe.

Botswana,Lesotho, Swaziland, South WEst Africa, Mozambique etc etc

and most important Bophuthatswana!

[Naam]

world map showing areas in red right side driving and in blue wrong side driving.

right and wrong clearly defined, case closed, appeals not admissible...

next!

[uptheos]

Does anybody know of a nation that has been able to switch the side of the road on which they drive? It would seem to be a nearly impossible undertaking.

Ne Win (Burma) had a fear of his regime becoming communist and sought advice from mystics regarding what he should do. They told him that people in Burma shouldn't be driving on the left and should change to driving on the right immediately, to counter leftness. The very next day, Ne Win put out a proclamation that everyone had been driving on the wrong side of the road and didn't give a shit about the vehicles and intersections being designed to drive on the left. He also banned motorcycles in Yangon, causing a lot of transport problems for poor people. Dictators can do anything.

[Naam]

Does anybody know of a nation that has been able to switch the side of the road on which they drive? It would seem to be a nearly impossible undertaking.

Ne Win (Burma) had a fear of his regime becoming communist and sought advice from mystics regarding what he should do. They told him that people in Burma shouldn't be driving on the left and should change to driving on the right immediately, to counter leftness. The very next day, Ne Win put out a proclamation that everyone had been driving on the wrong side of the road and didn't give a shit about the vehicles and intersections being designed to drive on the left. He also banned motorcycles in Yangon, causing a lot of transport problems for poor people. Dictators can do anything.

Sweden, Nigeria, Ghana and several others changed from wrong to right.

Today, about 66.1% of the world's people live in right-hand traffic countries and 33.9% in left-hand traffic countries. About 72% of the world's total road distance carries traffic on the right, and 28% on the left.

[NeverSure]

Looking at the state of Indian roads, I'm guessing the term "super highway" is used in the lightest of senses.

But, all they have to do is make it to Thailand and it's clear sailing to Ho Chi Minh City.

[copa8]

even the aboriganee's in australia mount there kangaroo's from the left hand side!

because of the boomarang holsterd on the left side of their undies...

glad you wrote "from the left", instead of from behind.

[harrry]

even the aboriganee's in australia mount there kangaroo's from the left hand side!

because of the boomarang holsterd on the left side of their undies...

glad you wrote "from the left", instead of from behind.

let you into a secret.....that is no boomerang.