more traffic chaos - Sukhumvit road works

[NanLaew]

OK, I found the map again of the new Klang/3rd Road system. Supposed to take effect from today - has it anyone? It doesn't make much sense to me either, but it looks like they are completely blocking off the east-bound lane of Klang east of that junction.

Yes. Yesterday travelling east from 2nd Road along Klang towards Sukumvit you were obliged to either turn left or right onto 3rd Road instead of going straight ahead. Of course this also makes it very hard to reach BigC and when I got there the car park was unusually empty.

Other than to sabotage Big C Extra's and Foodland's customer base, any idea why they've done this at the Klang/3rd Road junction?

Yes, Guderian. As I said the other day, this was an ill conceived knee jerk reaction to the backup caused by their ill conceived shutdown of the left turn from Klang onto Sukhumvit. All of which, of course, along with the rest of the screwed up traffic flow changes, is a result of their ill conceived tunnel tea money project!

You mean the THREE YEAR ill conceived tunnel tea money project!

[KittenKong]

Other than to sabotage Big C Extra's and Foodland's customer base, any idea why they've done this at the Klang/3rd Road junction?

It wasnt obvious to me why it was done but I suppose that it is to reduce traffic build-up at the junction of Klang and Sukumvit where, I think, it is no longer possible to turn both right and left.

[Asiantravel]

It’s obvious no proper thought has been put into mitigating the impact of these road closures.

Just one small example is the way they are still allowing street parking along the eastern side of 3^rd road just before the the intersection with Klang. This means all the traffic which is now being diverted further along 3^rd road is funnelling down to a single lane just because of street parking taking up the other lane.

Opposite Krungsri bank there is a piece of undeveloped land which could have been cleared and leased by Pattaya City to use as a temporary car park for adjoining businesses and residents. They should then place a total ban on parking on that side of the road while Klang is closed off.

Edited February 26, 2015 by Asiantravel

[NanLaew]

Opposite Krungsri bank there is a piece of undeveloped land which could have been cleared and leased by Pattaya City to use as a temporary car park for adjoining businesses and residents.

Pretty sure that the owners of the empty plot would have magnanimously waived the leasing fee for the next 3 years out of their love and mutual respect for their fellow Pattaya residents.

Ahhh... just woke up. That was a strange dream, eh?

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

Yes. Yesterday travelling east from 2nd Road along Klang towards Sukumvit you were obliged to either turn left or right onto 3rd Road instead of going straight ahead. Of course this also makes it very hard to reach BigC and when I got there the car park was unusually empty.

Its seems a rather bizarre solution IMHO as this only makes Klang one-way (west) for a whole 260 m between the Third road traffic lights and the Big C Extra (Charoemprakiat/Arunothai traffic lights.

Earlier in the day, they had police directing traffic at the top end of Third at the Nua traffic lights... where they happily allowed buses coming in from Sukhumvit to make u-turns. I didn't go east on Nua but is this because they may have blocked the u-turn in front of the bus terminal to allow faster egress from Sukhumvit?

This is exactly what they've done. Found out today and had to divert clear across Nua to 3rd Road and come back to join the thousands heading for Sukhumvit to get to Nern Pub Waan. Fortunately I was on a moto, passing dozens of cars waiting at 3rd Rd to turn north or u-turn. What a disaster. They have installed the coloured plastic barriers, presumably filled with water. They are stacked really close together and run fully to the median ends so that not even motorcycles can get through. I assume the Bangkok buses will now turn later/earlier to a nearby soi on Suk and go the back way and into the bus station. Even more delays. Overall a disaster of epic proportions.

[jixuso]

[NanLaew]

It seems a rather bizarre solution IMHO as this only makes Klang one-way (west) for a whole 260 m between the Third road traffic lights and the Big C Extra (Charoemprakiat/Arunothai traffic lights.

Earlier in the day, they had police directing traffic at the top end of Third at the Nua traffic lights... where they happily allowed buses coming in from Sukhumvit to make u-turns. I didn't go east on Nua but is this because they may have blocked the u-turn in front of the bus terminal to allow faster egress from Sukhumvit?

This is exactly what they've done. Found out today and had to divert clear across Nua to 3rd Road and come back to join the thousands heading for Sukhumvit to get to Nern Pub Waan. Fortunately I was on a moto, passing dozens of cars waiting at 3rd Rd to turn north or u-turn. What a disaster. They have installed the coloured plastic barriers, presumably filled with water. They are stacked really close together and run fully to the median ends so that not even motorcycles can get through. I assume the Bangkok buses will now turn later/earlier to a nearby soi on Suk and go the back way and into the bus station. Even more delays. Overall a disaster of epic proportions.

Amazing considering that the intersection is so narrow that most buses need to make a 2- or 3-point turn.

Maybe they should enforce lane management instead and insist that buses don't double park and stay in a dedicated bus lane when moving.... nah... too hard.

[paz]

I live (not for long again) in East Pattaya.

First, I have watched the progressive closure of Klang crossing and then the crossing North of it.

Then, realized how Sukhumvit. now has no left turns or u- turns for like 4 Kms.

Then, the 're-organization ' of flow by railway road and crossings. In most cases I do not see a legal way of going from point A to B except by taking 40 minutes detour.

I've tried to read the maps posted above, but they don't make any sense to me. I only know I that I'm cut off, and to get hope i have to drive to strange, far away places.

I think the inmates are running the asylum. Very happy to leave to soon.

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

I live (not for long again) in East Pattaya.

First, I have watched the progressive closure of Klang crossing and then the crossing North of it.

Then, realized how Sukhumvit. now has no left turns or u- turns for like 4 Kms.

Then, the 're-organization ' of flow by railway road and crossings. In most cases I do not see a legal way of going from point A to B except by taking 40 minutes detour.

I've tried to read the maps posted above, but they don't make any sense to me. I only know I that I'm cut off, and to get hope i have to drive to strange, far away places.

I think the inmates are running the asylum. Very happy to leave to soon.

I know the feeling. I also feel like I'm barricaded in. The maps don't make any sense to me either. I know I'm using more fuel by double because of having to go to the u-turn to cross over and all the way to Nua to come back. Idiocy.

I'm also leaving Pattaya after I get back from a home country visit. I am looking at leaving Thailand, frankly, for this and many other reasons.

Edited February 28, 2015 by Kaoboi Bebobp

[johng]

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=466472140170695&fref=nf

unhappy Thais try to explain to Pattaya traffic manager that shutting all the roads causes everyone hardship

calls for a very simple solution open all roads as they where before and have extra volunteer traffic police manning the junctions at rush hour

( I assume let the traffic free flow at other times.)

[donkeykong]

New press release has a more detailed diagram to explain traffic flow...

[KhunBENQ]

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

It seems a rather bizarre solution IMHO as this only makes Klang one-way (west) for a whole 260 m between the Third road traffic lights and the Big C Extra (Charoemprakiat/Arunothai traffic lights.

Earlier in the day, they had police directing traffic at the top end of Third at the Nua traffic lights... where they happily allowed buses coming in from Sukhumvit to make u-turns. I didn't go east on Nua but is this because they may have blocked the u-turn in front of the bus terminal to allow faster egress from Sukhumvit?

This is exactly what they've done. Found out today and had to divert clear across Nua to 3rd Road and come back to join the thousands heading for Sukhumvit to get to Nern Pub Waan. Fortunately I was on a moto, passing dozens of cars waiting at 3rd Rd to turn north or u-turn. What a disaster. They have installed the coloured plastic barriers, presumably filled with water. They are stacked really close together and run fully to the median ends so that not even motorcycles can get through. I assume the Bangkok buses will now turn later/earlier to a nearby soi on Suk and go the back way and into the bus station. Even more delays. Overall a disaster of epic proportions.

Amazing considering that the intersection is so narrow that most buses need to make a 2- or 3-point turn.

Maybe they should enforce lane management instead and insist that buses don't double park and stay in a dedicated bus lane when moving.... nah... too hard.

The buses coming from BKK go all the way to Dolphin Circle to turn. This probably adds 20-30 minutes to route under current conditions.

I go to BKK and back a lot. This is going to hurt. Every day there's another reason to abandon Pattaya.

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=466472140170695&fref=nf

unhappy Thais try to explain to Pattaya traffic manager that shutting all the roads causes everyone hardship

calls for a very simple solution open all roads as they where before and have extra volunteer traffic police manning the junctions at rush hour

( I assume let the traffic free flow at other times.)

Didn't understand a word but the body language was definitely emotional. Glad to see local folks standing up and complaining face to face. Gives me hope.

Edited March 1, 2015 by Kaoboi Bebobp

[bkkjames]

I lived there for a year recently and have back over the last few weeks for meetings all over the city. I can only imagine what long weekends to come will bring.

[kbelyeu]

I live off Theppasit road and I am arriving Friday at 2pm from the airport. I will be traveling on Highway 7 and was thinking maybe I would bypass all this crap and exit on 36 to the Bira circuit track then down to Sukemvit.

Any suggestions?

Kurt

[bkkjames]

I live off Theppasit road and I am arriving Friday at 2pm from the airport. I will be traveling on Highway 7 and was thinking maybe I would bypass all this crap and exit on 36 to the Bira circuit track then down to Sukemvit.

Any suggestions?

Kurt

331 to hua YaI to jomtien 2nd road.....shhhh don't tell everybody

[patsfangr]

I have a specific question that I hope someone can answer for me. I live near the east end of Nernplubwarn. When going to any of Fascino, Numchai, or the "mid-size" Lotus that are located west of the RR, in the area between Nernplubwarn and Siam CC, I used to go across the tracks, and turn onto the small soi that connects those 2 roads, then into the soi that runs through to Sukhumvit.

Do the new road closures which prevent entry to Suk from either Nernplubwarn or Siam CC prohibit that? In other words, is it now impossible to access that small soi between Nernplubwarn and Suk from the east side of the RR? Are we forces to turn either left or right on one of the RR Bypass roads?

If that's the case, the only way to get to any of the 3 businesses I mentioned is from the southbound lane of Sukhumvit; which, as we all know, can only be reached from well north of Siam CC.

Has anybody driven the area discussed in the last week? If so, can you tell me if my "old route" to Numchai, Fascino, and Lotus is still open?

Thanks for any clarification you can provide.

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

^^^I do the route all the time. I'm in BKK at the moment so haven't gone since Friday. Your route was doable then, if you have a motorcycle. You just drive through the cones at the railway road.

[patsfangr]

^^^I do the route all the time. I'm in BKK at the moment so haven't gone since Friday. Your route was doable then, if you have a motorcycle. You just drive through the cones at the railway road.

I drive a car. So I'm blocked from accessing that area from the east?

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

^^^I do the route all the time. I'm in BKK at the moment so haven't gone since Friday. Your route was doable then, if you have a motorcycle. You just drive through the cones at the railway road.

I drive a car. So I'm blocked from accessing that area from the east?

Am not 100% sure but since Nern Pub Wan is not very busy these days, you easily could drive to the railway road and see. But I think they have cones. Again, I say, that was last week. Maybe they've have imposed the one-way status with NPW running one way from Suk.

[KhunBENQ]

Arrived yesterday,

Just came back from a scooter tour to Big C Extra.

Pattaya Klang was fully open both ways at corner with 3rd road.

No blockade, no signs.

Did I miss the news?

Or is it temporary?

Edited March 2, 2015 by KhunBENQ

[patsfangr]

^^^I do the route all the time. I'm in BKK at the moment so haven't gone since Friday. Your route was doable then, if you have a motorcycle. You just drive through the cones at the railway road.

I drive a car. So I'm blocked from accessing that area from the east?

Am not 100% sure but since Nern Pub Wan is not very busy these days, you easily could drive to the railway road and see. But I think they have cones. Again, I say, that was last week. Maybe they've have imposed the one-way status with NPW running one way from Suk.

If so, that has to really hurt the businesses in that little "box" bordered by Nernpluwarn (south); Soi Siam (north), Suk (west); and RR (east). But, of course, they are among many businesses being hurt by this disastrous disruption of traffic surrounding the tunnel project.

[Don Mega]

This morning you can turn left onto Siam CC from the bypass so I assume you can still get in that way to Tesco/facino etc etc.

[patsfangr]

This morning you can turn left onto Siam CC from the bypass so I assume you can still get in that way to Tesco/facino etc etc.

Yeah. That's only about an extra 5 kms added to the usual 5 km drive from my house!

Sorry, Don Mega. I know that you were just trying to help. But that kind of a detour is exactly what I'm hoping to avoid.

[Don Mega]

From the siamCC/bypass intersection to tesco carpark it would less than 1km so not sure how that adds 5km to your journey.

[patsfangr]

From the siamCC/bypass intersection to tesco carpark it would less than 1km so not sure how that adds 5km to your journey.

Sorry, Don Mega, I misread your note. I was thinking of the highway bypass road off of Rte 7, to the north of Siam. (Cleaning my glasses now!) :-)

You're right. If I can turn left onto Siam CC at the intersection with the RR bypass, there's no problem. I'll check it out. Strange, though. If they block west bound traffic from going across the tracks on Soi Siam CC; but allow this turn onto it west of the tracks; do they then block the access to Suk further down on Siam CC? I understood that it was not possible to enter Suk from Siam CC.

Oh well, I'll just have to check it, and report my personal experience.

[Don Mega]

siamCC at the bypass was all open in all directions this morning.

[petercool]

Did a long detour by the Water Board offices in torrential rain only to find that when I did the return journey from Big C, Siam Country Club was indeed open both ways at that last stretch from railway to Sukhumvit ....

[elfpattaya]

I have been informed (Thai wife ) that the east side has been opened up again i.e back to normal. no barriers on SCC, Nerplubwan and Khow Noi.