Popular Post PostmanPat Posted December 31, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted December 31, 2014 (edited) It seriously is. The great New Year Drinking Binge has started and will continue until Sunday. Last evening, Tuesday, had to take a short trip from near Hang Dong towards Global House, and this was before 8pm, and entirely on the main roads, and in approximately 20 kilometres total distance I saw more examples of completely bonkers driving/ turning/ parking/ exiting from shopping centres than I could shake the proverbial stick at! If the stories I hear about Police/ Authorities/ Judiciary coming down hard on bad driving/ driving under the influence are true, then if they apply it the queues outside police stations and courts will be very long......and good luck to them. For the next few days, probably until monday, apart from necessary visits to local supermarkets etc my car is staying home with quite a few good movies/ tv series etc ! It just isnt worth the risk of how mental things will be out there !! Edited December 31, 2014 by PostmanPat 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post up-country_sinclair Posted December 31, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted December 31, 2014 Stay off the roads. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PostmanPat Posted December 31, 2014 Author Share Posted December 31, 2014 Stay off the roads. Exactly. Thats what I said in my OP ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
worgeordie Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 Sounds pretty normal Thai drivers,but will not be venturing out on the roads after dark,the majority of Thai drivers do not know what they are doing when sober,add drink,night time driving,its accidents waiting to happen. regards Worgeordie 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMHomeboy78 Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 "Collective insanity" might be one way to describe the multi-day festivals in Thailand. Like the Bacchanalia of the ancient world, you either join in with alacrity or you opt out. It's quieter in the countryside... that's where I'm heading. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khwaibah Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 This is the one time of year that Chiang Mai truly turns into Bangkok. All the elite are in the north and it party time for them and chaos for the rest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkles Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 Our little beach hideaway, Bangsaphan, down past Hua Hin has about 50% of normal bookings,especially foreigners, as of yesterday. Maybe the global news of unsolved murders and beach side scams has put people of. Pity the hordes that are currently invading CM don't go south. Really is CM such a party town with the latest crack downs ? and it is total chaos on the roads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khwaibah Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 Our little beach hideaway, Bangsaphan, down past Hua Hin has about 50% of normal bookings,especially foreigners, as of yesterday. Maybe the global news of unsolved murders and beach side scams has put people of. Pity the hordes that are currently invading CM don't go south. Really is CM such a party town with the latest crack downs ? and it is total chaos on the roads. It has all ways been the place to go for years for all of Bangkok over the long New Years holiday. The workers in Bangkok go home but those with money only know one destination and thats north which includes Pai. They want cold weather. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trainman34014 Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 Did a bit of shopping yesterday and the Mrs said to me the car park at Tesco was full of BKK number plates, so they are all up here visiting. This morning on my bike ride it was very quiet without much of the usual traffic from people going to work, so i guess a lot of Civil Servants and others finished yesterday. Plenty of empty beer bottles and food wrappers littering the country roads that weren't there yesterday and it seems a lot of them were most likely sleeping it off this morning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloudhopper Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 Yeah if you want to experience peak madness come to Pai now. I think that's actually one of the main attractions. I'm not unlocking the gate 'til Monday...HNY everyone. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mania Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 Really is CM such a party town with the latest crack downs ? and it is total chaos on the roads.What I get from talking with Thai's from other places isthat it is the cool air & feeling that many scenic tourist spots here give that they like. Not to mention with the building boom going on many from Bangkok have now bought getaway places here in CM of their own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grin Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 I would say about a quarter or a third of the houses in my moo baan are vacation homes for Bangkok owners and most of them are here now. I have never seen so many cars in the driveways as there are today. Probably the most crowded it gets in here all year. Grin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post eyecatcher Posted December 31, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted December 31, 2014 I was in Makro Hang Dong just an hour since. I actually thought the world was going to end. The cars were queueing all the way back to the lights and around the corner another 100m opposite Homepro in fact. The bike park was so full they were parking into the service delivery yard and I managed to get one of the last 5 trolleys. Inside it was heaving; I would normally have said bedlam; but you know the Thais, unflappable resolve. I tried to dart to grab a baguette and some bread only 20m from the entrance but with everyone coming to the checkouts it was a struggle. Three people around the baguette basket it felt like desperation and greed to get one. The fish area was the busiest I would say, I am not sure you could squeeze in to get a fish or prawns it was so chocked. people were leaving their trolleys in the aisles, parked in a line and going for their produce. if you want something from a shelf, you have to move a trolley. I even had the veggie weigher man telling me to get in the correct line,he got some verbal from me of course; my stress level was already too high. After the bread and chicken breasts I was outta there, in my haste to escape I got to the shortest queue and realised I hadnt even had the chicken weighed and ticketed. A few choice words of damnation and stress level 9 approaching I had to go all the way to the back; I did apologise to the old biddy for glancing her with the trolley into a pasta aisle but in the end I too had to abandon the trolley and take to foot. Eventually checked out quite easily and after spending only 220bt that was the wrong time to go. Its the same in England,the supermarkets will be shut for ONE day but everyone insists on stocking up for a month. what is it with people who think they are going to starve. I thought thats why they created the mama pot noodles? I just hope we get a massive power cut and water shortage; who stocked up on candles and water? 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chiengmaijoe Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 When the city is packed with drivers from Bangkok and just about everywhere else, how could you make the traffic even worse? Easy, close Thapae Rd to allow people to sell what you can get just about anywhere in town. That works. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amexpat Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded. Yogi Berra 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmficc Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 I was in Makro Hang Dong just an hour since. I actually thought the world was going to end. The cars were queueing all the way back to the lights and around the corner another 100m opposite Homepro in fact. The bike park was so full they were parking into the service delivery yard and I managed to get one of the last 5 trolleys. Inside it was heaving; I would normally have said bedlam; but you know the Thais, unflappable resolve. I tried to dart to grab a baguette and some bread only 20m from the entrance but with everyone coming to the checkouts it was a struggle. Three people around the baguette basket it felt like desperation and greed to get one. The fish area was the busiest I would say, I am not sure you could squeeze in to get a fish or prawns it was so chocked. people were leaving their trolleys in the aisles, parked in a line and going for their produce. if you want something from a shelf, you have to move a trolley. I even had the veggie weigher man telling me to get in the correct line,he got some verbal from me of course; my stress level was already too high. After the bread and chicken breasts I was outta there, in my haste to escape I got to the shortest queue and realised I hadnt even had the chicken weighed and ticketed. A few choice words of damnation and stress level 9 approaching I had to go all the way to the back; I did apologise to the old biddy for glancing her with the trolley into a pasta aisle but in the end I too had to abandon the trolley and take to foot. Eventually checked out quite easily and after spending only 220bt that was the wrong time to go. Its the same in England,the supermarkets will be shut for ONE day but everyone insists on stocking up for a month. what is it with people who think they are going to starve. I thought thats why they created the mama pot noodles? I just hope we get a massive power cut and water shortage; who stocked up on candles and water? TAKE 2 VALLIUM AND CALL ME IN THE MORNING 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A1Str8 Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 I still like to go out and take photos as they face the consequences of their non driving abilities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill97 Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 I still like to go out and take photos as they face the consequences of their non driving abilities. Sounds thrilling. Can you post some or a video? Really would like to see. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WinnieTheKhwai Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 Its the same in England,the supermarkets will be shut for ONE day but everyone insists on stocking up for a month. what is it with people who think they are going to starve. I thought thats why they created the mama pot noodles? It's not for the month, and there is actually no day that Makro is closed anyway. This is just for people's New Year Parties, typically involving BBQ which is why the seafood & meat area is so busy. And then especially Makro, as their meat and seafood is better/cheaper/fresher than anywhere else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
llp Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 What day will traffic start to return to normal as the bkk people head home? On the 2nd? 4th? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WinnieTheKhwai Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 I'd say most people will drive back on Sunday 4th. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MESmith Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 I'd say most people will drive back on Sunday 4th. Good riddance!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMKiwi Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 Yep the roads thru Mae Rim have been chaos the last week or so with a lot of BKK maniacs drivers heading to Pai or MHS. Now its the New Year the traffic flow seems heavier heading South. Mix into the equation a heap of VIP vans and the roads are crazy. Then there is the road works at the future underpass on the way into town. 2 or 3 lanes into 1 cause huge headaches especially when VIP vans/buses think its their right to zip up the inside or outside and cut in the queue wherever they see fit. Damn I hate them.... ok rant over! I look forward to the normal CM road chaos returning, at least I had got use to that and kept ahead of the game Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlanetX Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 We are losing CM year by year - as more malls, restaurants, etc etc move in Siem Reap was voted number 10 city in the world by tripadvisor - LOL - Good LUCK Khmer440 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalbo123 Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 I'd say most people will drive back on Sunday 4th. You are right looked at the Agoda website for hotel rooms from dec. 31.jan - 2 jan. only in 30 hotels had rooms available, if you look at 3 jan.- 6 jan., more then 385 hotels have rooms... Back to normal! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laolover88 Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 The trouble, now, with CM is that it is actually quite small and the infrastructure is creaking. I watched on TV the chaos on the roads in Korat and Khon Khaen, but I am delighted to tell you that farther N and E the swarms have disappeared. It is delightfully cold; 12 degrees at 06.00. Laos is shrouded in mist and there is NoBody!! Have, however forbidden wife to drive to Khon Khaen or anywhere else on Sunday!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tywais Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 New year's Eve and New Year's day evening I heard sirens running up and down Hang Dong road regularly. Normally may be weeks or more to hear one from where I live. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rinrada Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 I was in Makro Hang Dong just an hour since. I actually thought the world was going to end. The cars were queueing all the way back to the lights and around the corner another 100m opposite Homepro in fact. The bike park was so full they were parking into the service delivery yard and I managed to get one of the last 5 trolleys. Inside it was heaving; I would normally have said bedlam; but you know the Thais, unflappable resolve. I tried to dart to grab a baguette and some bread only 20m from the entrance but with everyone coming to the checkouts it was a struggle. Three people around the baguette basket it felt like desperation and greed to get one. The fish area was the busiest I would say, I am not sure you could squeeze in to get a fish or prawns it was so chocked. people were leaving their trolleys in the aisles, parked in a line and going for their produce. if you want something from a shelf, you have to move a trolley. I even had the veggie weigher man telling me to get in the correct line,he got some verbal from me of course; my stress level was already too high. After the bread and chicken breasts I was outta there, in my haste to escape I got to the shortest queue and realised I hadnt even had the chicken weighed and ticketed. A few choice words of damnation and stress level 9 approaching I had to go all the way to the back; I did apologise to the old biddy for glancing her with the trolley into a pasta aisle but in the end I too had to abandon the trolley and take to foot. Eventually checked out quite easily and after spending only 220bt that was the wrong time to go. Its the same in England,the supermarkets will be shut for ONE day but everyone insists on stocking up for a month. what is it with people who think they are going to starve. I thought thats why they created the mama pot noodles? I just hope we get a massive power cut and water shortage; who stocked up on candles and water? TAKE 2 VALLIUM AND CALL ME IN THE MORNING Always in and of of Mak..Hang Dong...in fact only yesterday picked up the food for our annual New Year 1st Jan do ...followed by the Beer from Big C round the corner and found the place...not 2 busy.....When it gets too much (in Mak) just sit,relax and have a coffee/capucino or 2 and say hello to Jen the young lady who serves it up...best I have tasted in C Mai...Do agree however about the traffic. On the way in on the 1317 it looked like everyone was leaving CM (assume going to Hot springs )The whole journey of about 40 Kms was choc a block but fortunately we were going into town...so again not bad. Thais driving was as expected...push,swerve,tailgate,overtaking going up hills/crossroads as though their world is coming to an End (and no doubt for some it will)....Hom Hum....just got to go with the flow.....and great party last night.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MESmith Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Hom Hum....just got to go with the flow.....and great party last night.... Thanks for the invite 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moe666 Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 We are losing CM year by year - as more malls, restaurants, etc etc move in Siem Reap was voted number 10 city in the world by tripadvisor - LOL - Good LUCK Khmer440 who is stealing it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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