Since when in the last 5 years or so has Bang Saray ever been 'only 15 minutes from Pattaya'? Maybe, just maybe on a crotch-rocket at 3 AM in the morning?

Lovely place about 24 years ago when I first bought a house there. Then I moved on. When I came back in 2005, I revisited and realized that it would not be too long before the condo's and congestion would arrive. The fact that Sukhumvit is the ONLY way of getting to/from anywhere and Bang Saray is a real big detractor IMHO.

Having to take Sukhumvit is what stood out for me as a big negative as well. Would have been so nice if the Jomtien beach road went all the way there. Still a relatively sleepy place when you compare it to the circus Pattaya has become.

36 doesn't look like an alternative to me. Not by a long shot.

yea sorry I guess was meaning people (weekenders) coming from Bangkok and not those living there full time who just want to run into Patts.

For the past 4 months I have travelled from Bang Saray to Pattaya at 6.30am and it takes just under 15 minutes to get from Bang Saray village to Pattaya South Road (Tai), and just over 15 minutes from Pattaya to Bang Saray, early evening at 5.30pm. These times are achieved with safe driving and not exceeding 100km/h. On the Pattaya to Bang Saray journey, once you get passed Chaiyapreuk 1, Jomtien, it is flowing traffic, particularly now that they have deactivated the traffic lights at the intersection just before Ambassador City. The only time it mayt take an additional 5-10 minutes is on a Sunday, late afternoon/evening, from Bang Saray to Pattaya when the Thai's return to Bangkok from their weekend vacation.

Try it out for yourself and unless you are travelling under 50km/h you will discover that the above is true.

For the past 4 months I have travelled from Bang Saray to Pattaya at 6.30am and it takes just under 15 minutes to get from Bang Saray village to Pattaya South Road (Tai), and just over 15 minutes from Pattaya to Bang Saray, early evening at 5.30pm. These times are achieved with safe driving and not exceeding 100km/h. On the Pattaya to Bang Saray journey, once you get passed Chaiyapreuk 1, Jomtien, it is flowing traffic, particularly now that they have deactivated the traffic lights at the intersection just before Ambassador City. The only time it mayt take an additional 5-10 minutes is on a Sunday, late afternoon/evening, from Bang Saray to Pattaya when the Thai's return to Bangkok from their weekend vacation.

Try it out for yourself and unless you are travelling under 50km/h you will discover that the above is true.

That works for you, good. My mate gets up early every week day and commutes around 6 AM from his estate in Huay Yai all the way down Sukhumvit to his office in Laem Chabang in a little over 25 minutes. However, if he stops for an egg McMuffin (drive-thru), he runs the risk of having a 45 minute commute.

Now, if anyone wants to get into Pattaya for say, 9 AM, you better leave well before 8 AM. If anyone wants to get home before 5PM, they better be on the road by 3.30 PM.

Yes, I agree that like any other city with huge traffic problems, there are tight windows of reasonable free-flowing traffic on Sukhumvit.

Saturdays and Sundays are stay the <deleted> at home days unless, like my mate, you start your Makro, Friendship, Villa, Foodland round trip around 6.30 AM which usually gets him back home between 9 AM and 10 AM.