Evacuation?

[pagallim]

This weekend, my normal Sunday Chalong/Sarasin/Chalong bicycle morning ride became the Saturday ride (noticed a great many other riders doing the same thing, must share my aversion to having water thrown over me when I'm travelling at speed on a bicycle?).

Anyway, trafffic wise, pretty much as it would be for a Sunday, with the exception of the traffic heading north (off Phuket). On my way to Sarasin it wasn't that noticeable at first, though when I got to the turn off for the airport (I'm going straight across) there seemed to be a sizeable number of cars that I passed on my way to the lights ( this was around 8.30 a.m.)

On the way back, going through the same airport junction, there must have been a tailback of nearly 2 km heading north (the slip road going left to the airport was empty). Every major traffic lights after that was the same, at Thalang, tne new Tesco at Thalang, Koh Kaew (particularly the lanes going north at Toyota Pearl).

Obvously there's an exodus from Phuket at Songkran, which doesn't appear to be matched in numbers by those returning here.

[LivinginKata]

Not really surprising. Many many Thai people head back home for Songkran. It's well know that many folks here in Phuket are 'incomers'. My own wife (and staff) headed back home yesterday, a day early to miss the mass 'evacuation.

[phuketsub]

Songkran is like the Thai version of Homecoming Weekend, so any migrant workers that can afford to return to their home provinces.

Replacing them will be tourists. domestic and foreign, some of which will be coming for Big Bike Week, etc.

Water play is typically limited to one day in Phuket, which will be tomorrow...after that you can cycle again safely...

[steelepulse]

Yep, every year I see license plates from a lot of different provinces here, driving about 5 kmh along rawai beach front, up around the viewpoint, and various other popular tourists spots bringing traffic to a crawl. Double parking along road at Nai Harn creating another clustertruck. Thais from other provinces are worse drivers and tourists than tourists from other countries.

[beechbum]

Happens every year and songkran in the village is actualy pleasent unlike songkran in phuket

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[simon43]

My own wife (and staff) headed back home yesterday,

Same here - I have had to don a chambermaid outfit and wield a toilet brush......

I got stuck in the traffic at Thalang. Even allowing fior this holiday period, driving up and down the main 402 road in Phuket is beginning to remind me of commuting in/out of London, ==> no fun!

[stevehaigh]

i thought everyone traveled the week before and after songkran, not on the day. today is a stupid day to drive.