Hua Hin Traffic Jams And Parking Shortage

[george]

How would you solve Hua Hin's growing problems with total traffic jams and shortage of parking space in the city shopping center?

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Good question! It can be a nightmare trying to drive around HH, especially at weekends.

How about some sort of park and ride scheme or is that too elaborate?

Edited March 30, 2013 by TheScarf

[lovinglife]

I lived in Hua Hin for 5 years and it has got steadily worse, I moved out to Dolphin Bay 2 years ago and now only go in on weekdays, weekends are just unbearable.

Some kind of park and ride would be great but I am not sure the Thais would adopt it, 19 Rai in the North and the temple just South of the flyover would be perfect for it.

Be interesting when the high speed rail plans are unveiled whether something could be added to that, I am assuming the line and therefore the station for Hua Hin will not run where the current line does and therefore there will need to some kind of link to the centre, a large parking lot could be included for those that live close by and wish to drive in.

[clifric]

Like 'Lovinglife' I too lived in HH for 5 years, having escaped the log jam that is Pattaya traffic; I now live in Pranburi far enough out of the main town centre for traffic to no longer be an issue. I too rarely go to HH and time my arrival to get to Market Village before 1030 or the temple by Starbucks before it gets full.

There appears to be no way to divert through traffic other than the Cha Am-Hua Hin by-pass as the dual-carriageway under construction along the canal road ends up by the railway crossing which is already congested and there is no eastern access via 19-rai. There was talk of demolishing Chat Chai market and building a new market hall with multi-storey parking over the top; I think they couldn't decide how to divide up the graft.

There is scope for the Tessabahn to build some social housing and rehouse the people living in corrugated iron huts at the top of soi 78 to create car parking spaces; I'm sue there are other opportunities.

Park & Ride only works if the travel is progressive and there is sufficient frequent capacity of public transport; I recall Oxford had a successful system, although the security staff there didn't sleep on the job!!

[jacknorman]

just go home if u find it difficult to be here, not complain go on bicycle instead

[darrendsd]

just go home if u find it difficult to be here, not complain go on bicycle instead

I can't see any of the above posters complaining? They are just asking on views to a solution to the problem.

[challenger99]

just go home if u find it difficult to be here, not complain go on bicycle instead

I can't see any of the above posters complaining? They are just asking on views to a solution to the problem.

I agree with you "darrendsd" ... I am living 7 years in HH and avoid just go un Saturday/Sunday ... have a look at the plates, more than 50% are from Bangkok, before was Cha Am and after will be Pranburi for this which bypass now HH via ourter ring and come in from the south or west!

Make a park and ride and close on weekend the center for car and the matter is done. Anyway most of Bangkoker not buy in HH they just hang around and profit in the Mall of aircondition

[thepanom]

If they come to Hua Hin only to hang around in the Mall for the airco, then they can better stay in Bangkok, there are many many more Malls there, all with airco

[HUAHIN62]

There is a couple of things that can be done:

1. Law enforcement - double parking nomally blocks one lane but I will not hold my breath on this one

2. By taking away the parking on both sides of the road an additional lane can be created, which will then be used to double park but atleast 2 lanes will be open. Replace these parking areas with multi storey car parks.

3. Build a barrier in the middle to prevent u turns everywhere.

4. Ban tour buses from entering the city center.

5. Can also think to make Phetkasem rd a 1 way and the canal rd a 1 way to the other side.

6. Erect tollgates at the Pranburi and Cha Am turn offs from highway 4 to minimize drives through HH city center. Many people just drive through to see HH and dont stop to buy anything.

Unfortunately the traffic is going to get worse. The new mall will be build close to Market Village which will make it a nightmare to go there over a weekend. According to what I heard the rail line to HH will be made double plus the HST system, all 3 lines will be running next to each other. We only goto Market Village about 2 a month and do most of our grocery shopping at Macro, no parking problems, no traffic and no crowds (and cheaper).

[challenger99]

7. finaly ban Taxis and Tuk Tuk (I mean give them a limited and stricte place) which block over 70% of parking in the whole town. There was a law by the police but I guess each taxi and tuk tuk driver bribe and nothing changed!

Some Thai have good ideas but missing the executive !!!

Edited March 31, 2013 by challenger99

[HHM]

The problem is mainly due to a lot of new condomiums at Khao Taikiap, half of the trafic comes from there so there should be some shuttle bus from there and a bottle neck that avoids the flow of cars from there.

When they build the new railway track they should buid a a bypass along the rialway track.

A lot of congestionst comes from U-turns so they should build U-turn bridges.

Improve the training of the policemen who switch the trafic lights. They are not very efficient.

Change the new trafic light for pedestians, it leaves only seconds for cars once new people want to cross the road and cut the time of the red light from 30 to 15 seconds.

Enforce penality for 2nd line parking and stopping.

[challenger99]

The problem is mainly due to a lot of new condomiums at Khao Taikiap, half of the trafic comes from there so there should be some shuttle bus from there and a bottle neck that avoids the flow of cars from there.

When they build the new railway track they should buid a a bypass along the rialway track.

A lot of congestionst comes from U-turns so they should build U-turn bridges.

Improve the training of the policemen who switch the trafic lights. They are not very efficient.

Change the new trafic light for pedestians, it leaves only seconds for cars once new people want to cross the road and cut the time of the red light from 30 to 15 seconds.

Enforce penality for 2nd line parking and stopping.

Good idea, enforce penalty for 2nd line parking .... it would hit 90% of taxi drivers with his many Toyota SuperSalon etc.! I was really once counting, there was close 80% only taxi which even move only 2 - 3 times a day and close the open parking by own cars .... never ending problem as long HH have no stricte executive!

[realenglish1]

While there are some very good recommendations here that will solve traffic problems The Thais will not impliment them. The reason is because its to simple a solution and ther are much happier with mayhem then applying new regulations that will make it better for lots of people

The first step is ban double parking and Enforce it stricly

Edited March 31, 2013 by realenglish1

[Sayonarax]

just go home if u find it difficult to be here, not complain go on bicycle instead

What a great idea, on ya bike then.

[darrendsd]

If they come to Hua Hin only to hang around in the Mall for the airco, then they can better stay in Bangkok, there are many many more Malls there, all with airco

Can you let me know when you plan to go into all the malls here and tell all the Bangkok Thais this? I will get a coffee and come and watch you, it should be a great afternoons entertainment

[bluemoon58]

Personally, I have never had a problem parking in what is probably Hua Hin's best kept secret car park. However, it will need to remain secret so I can still get a parking space there... Sorry!

[Arkady]

Just back from a week-end in HH and was dismayed to find that traffic was as bad as it used to be at Songkran, New Year and Chinese New Year. I have long since given up going there for any long week-ends and can't imagine what it is like now over those holidays. Village market now creates a tail back all the way to the Khao Takiab intersection. When I first got a place in HH that stretch of road was only 2 lanes! Travelling back to Bkk on Sunday afternoon there were intermittent traffic jams starting by Village Market and in several other places along Rama II Road making the trip back over 4 hours.

The by-pass which started out in the 90s as a clear stretch of good quality road that was great for trying out maximum speed of your new roadster and for traffic cops busting people with their fake radar traps is now in terrible condition and completely congested with unroadworthy 10 wheeler trucks lurging all over the road.

I don't know what the solution is. There probably won't be one, other than avoiding week-ends or selling up the condo as far as I am concerned. Bangkokians love to go to crowded places and the more crowded and jammed up it gets the more popular it will be.

[Arkady]

While there are some very good recommendations here that will solve traffic problems The Thais will not impliment them. The reason is because its to simple a solution and ther are much happier with mayhem then applying new regulations that will make it better for lots of people

The first step is ban double parking and Enforce it stricly

Instead of banning double parking they prefer to post policemen to wave stupidly at the traffic on week-ends to try to make it move faster. This idea probably came from the think tank that came up with the idea of having small craft in the river churning their engines to make the flood waters go to the sea faster.

[tuktukmike]

One of the first ways to improve parking would be to clear out the rows upon rows of rental bikes that line all the streets beach side of hua hin.

For me there is always the temple to park in.

Ttm

[hhfarang]

^ and rental cars. Rental bikes, cars, tuk tuks, and songteaws take up half the curbside parking downtown.

[HUAHIN62]

Phartley we have two, the one you are talking about with a clothing shop and Korean BBQ place on the top floor and one close to the Phetkasem banks.

[IsaanUSA]

I've been to Hua Hin once for a weekend trip. I do like looking at maps and do enjoy subway systems. I am in no way an urban planner, civil engineer, or understand traffic patterns.

I'm not sure if the government has released the plans for the new railway and where exactly the new station will be built, but my idea would be to remove the current rail that runs through Hua Hin and turn that land into a new road. If possible try to elevate sections of it to create a quicker route over intersections.

My plan is completely dependent on the running of the new railway on a different route.