Route 12 Roadwork: Phitsanulok to Lomsak

[peaty911]

Does anyone know what is taking so long to complete the road works between Phitsanulok & Lomsak?

I have been living halfway between Phitsanulok & Khao Kho since Feb last year when the road works started. There are many stages that are half finished and seem like they could be completed quiet quickly but work has completely stopped on most of them? Then there are other areas where is seems like they endlessly push dirt from one spot to another and then back again, never making any progress?

It's like taking your life in your hands driving on this road now and I have seen the aftermath of a couple of nasty accidents on it. Anyway, I know this is Thailand and all that but I just thought someone may something about it?

[Thighlandman]

This is a major mountain road...so of course it will take a lot of work to complete. It is scheduled to be finished around the middle of next year (2015). I live in Khao Kho and travel this road to Phitsanoluk quite regularly. I personally think they have done a very good job keeping road road still quite drivable.

[bobo42]

Ughh. I wish they would finish this too. I don't know why they are trying to do the whole thing at once. I think they've been at this for at least a couple of years now. Seems like the get a large section cleared and graded, then forget about it an move on to another section - meanwile the first section get washed out with the rains. I know its probably not as bad as it looks, but it seems like a near endless cycle, with very little progress in the few years I've been driving that road.

[stoneyboy]

The funny thing is that although it's a serious chunk of road construction and from what I've seen they seem do be doing a fairly decent job,the amount of carnage that will happen upon completion will make everyone wish it was only two lanes again.

The speeds that will be achievable on this road by the crazy gang,interprovincial buses included make my arse nip.

[canopy]

Yeah the buses can almost top 10 KM/hour going up those hills . Traffic on highway 12 drives at great differences in speeds is why there is so much passing. Sometimes you get 30 cars stacked behind a dog slow truck and they all try for kilometers to squeeze past it and themselves. Passing is often playing chicken with head on collisions in extremely tight spaces. And some drivers just take a gamble no one will pop out in the curve ahead of them and go for it. I've heard it is one of the most dangerous roads in Thailand and ambulances are dispatched very frequently. Having 4 lanes will increase the safety dramatically. The thing is after they make it 4 lanes is more people will use it so it could get quite congested and not at all be like today. Just look what happens when you get to 4 lane towards p-lok--it's solid traffic from then on.