Hi folks,

I have only been back here for 2 days but am finding the traffic horrible. I have been into the inner moat about 3 times and it's horrible! street stalls - parking / unloading everywhere and the usual skillful driving.

I know the flower festival is on but is this normal? I think I will be heading off for a few days to get away from this madness! Anyone know the best route to Sukhothai

Yes, its normal.....

Sukothai head south and keep going

That's one less expat moving in

very normal,just have to get use to it im afraid, must admit that flower festival does catch me out every year though.

New Year's Day, CMU graduation, Chinese New Year, Flower Festival, Songkran, and on and on. Throw in some concerts, other graduations, lesser festivals, protests, downpours, street repairs and miscellaneous other traffic impediments and the fun never ends. Welcome back to Chiang Mai.

Anyone know the best route to Sukhothai

Yep, by air ;-)

Hate to bring em into a harmless thread but you can also blame the Shins for a lot of the extra traffic.

It's just these couple of days that many traffic from BKK and other provinces. Added to the already flooded Chinese drivers/riders

Yup, just the flower festival. Every year in Feb.

Yup, just the flower festival. Every year in Feb.

Been here for a few of them but only bought a vehicle last year, I think I will sell it ! went to Moon Muang area for a couple of beers earlier on songtaw and it was brutal - lol

re

miscellaneous other traffic impediments

at least we dont have elephants roaming the sois now

dave2

Anyone know the best route to Sukhothai

Yep, by air ;-)

Hate to bring em into a harmless thread but you can also blame the Shins for a lot of the extra traffic.

VIP bus to Phitsanulaok (5-6 hours and 350 baht each way) then change bus to Sukhothai.

I'd agree the traffic is a tad heavy, but it's Saturday, so we have Wulai walking street and the Flower Festival, adding to the fun..

....not to mention crazy people standing in the middle of the traffic taking photos

(no, not me.... I was behind a traffic barrier!)

The airport was a ZOO today. I've never seen it as busy as it was today. Total chaos. Chinese people EVERYWHERE, awkwardly making their way around the place, bumping into each other, kids running about.

Traffic on the way back was insane too.

Pesky flowers.

The airport was a ZOO today. I've never seen it as busy as it was today. Total chaos. Chinese people EVERYWHERE, awkwardly making their way around the place, bumping into each other, kids running about.

Traffic on the way back was insane too.

Pesky flowers.

I had no problem there. Picked up my boy at 3:30 and grabbed a cab. No problem the driver was smart enough to stay away from the flower festival even though it would have been the fastest way. Found it quite interesting as he used streets I had never been on before.

This place has turned into utter MADNESS!!! I can not drive one block without seeing tons of cars, smoke, noise, and it is driving me mad!!!!

I will be too tired to work with all this going on. Hold on, I don't work here. This is my retirement!!! So why am I complaining all day? I need to relax!!!

I must escape this madness and head to BKK. I heard it very relaxing there.

The flower festival may have been ok at its current location years ago when there wasn't much traffic, but now ought to be moved to a location where it would be less disruptive.

blame the flower festival and the police closing roads.just one day of chaos.back to normal next day

Yes, its normal.....

Sukothai head south and keep going

That's one less expat moving in

Not sure what you mean by moving in as I live here anyway. Were you unable to understand my post?

the traffic is killing me....i used to be so relaxed here. now i find myself getting stressed out often as i do a lot of driving.

The flower festival may have been ok at its current location years ago when there wasn't much traffic, but now ought to be moved to a location where it would be less disruptive.

Disrupting and blocking traffic allows people to walk more freely and enjoy the city, flower festival .

The flower festival may have been ok at its current location years ago when there wasn't much traffic, but now ought to be moved to a location where it would be less disruptive.

Disrupting and blocking traffic allows people to walk more freely and enjoy the city, flower festival .

You do have a point; a lot of people who don't have cars do visit the flower festival area as it's easy to get to, even on foot or cheap on public transport. Once you move it out (say, to the Royal Flora area or Chiang Mai convention center), you force more people into their cars to create traffic jams at those locations.

We don't mind the traffic at all. We simply don't get involved with it. Problem solved.

We use a motor scooter when there isn't a 'Madness Event' going on, just normal traffic jams and ridiculous tourist drivers on the streets. And for festivals, graduations, mall opening, holidays, and days that end with a 'y,' we just take a selor or walk. Every place in Chiang Mai is within walking distance if you have the time.