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[henrik2000]

Hi, say you self-drive your family car from Surin or Ubon to Pattaya. You want smooth sailing – no sightseeing this time, just steady proceeding on the quickest route hopefully without lots of overtaking and jams, and in a relaxed state of mind. It would be on a workday. You would be on route 24 like 8 and 11 a.m., arrival in Pattaya hopefully around 5 p.m.

Now: Where do you leave route 24 and turn south? I collected these opinions:

- take route 304 south, through Wang Nam Khiao, because it is nicely wide (recommended by a regular driver, but by no navigation system, I myself did it once)

- via Aranyaprathet (Google Maps navigation; one regular claims the roads are too small there)

- via Cambodia (Here navigation; no thanks)

- via Bangkok's eastern fringes (a regular driver + Sygic navigation)

What's your opinion? If you want to recommend a nice restaurant or coffee shop with Thai flavour along the way, I'd be interested too (but I know nice places in Wang Nam Khiao, even though 6 kms off the route) (of course the highway restaurants at the gas station are an option too) (wouldn't do pure sightseeing though).

Thanks!

Edited January 5, 2016 by henrik2000

[MJCM]

I use two routes from Buriram to Pattaya

Route 1: the 24 and the 304 (over the Korat "Mountain") and then on to the 331 and then via the 7 to Pattaya

Route 2: The Sa Kaeo route

The Sa Kaeo route (Route Number 33 and 359) is being widened and the last time I drove that road (2-3 months ago) it was almost completely 4 lane, so I think it must be finished by now (but hopefully a member who has driven that one recently will comment on that. The only slow part of that road is when turning of the 24 towards Watthana Nakhon, that is 2 lane, but not as busy as the 304.

There is another route which I have driven but that is all the way down to Chantaburi and then to Pattaya but I only did that as a "Holiday" trip

This is Route 1:

This is Route 2:

This is Route 3

Edited January 5, 2016 by MJCM

[MJCM]

About the restaurants.

The only one I can recommend is a Thai restaurant which was featured (and recommended) on channel 5 and 7, it's very near Wang Nam Khiao.

GPS Coordinates: N14.32441° E101.83361°

[Seizetheday]

I came back from Buriram last week. Took the first route, nearly all dual lanes apart from through the mountains. I believe the seecond route is mainly single lane.

[MJCM]

I came back from Buriram last week. Took the first route, nearly all dual lanes apart from through the mountains. I believe the seecond route is mainly single lane.

The first part of the second route is single lane but when you get to Watthana Nakhon it's almost all 4 lanes (last time when I drove it, it wasn't finished yet) towards the 304.

Edited January 5, 2016 by MJCM

[Jip99]

Take the Sakeo route as above.

Suggest Surin to Krasang X roads turn left through Plapplachai to Prakhonchai (avoids the 24). At Prakhonchai X roads head for Ban Kruat (left from the 24 or straight if via Plapplachai) and Lahansai turn left at 2nd traffic lights. This road has 2 further right turns and right at a T junction to Wattana Nakhon. From here it is dual carriageway all the way.

Follow MJCMs directions - soi Minibus (33/359) is complete and a fast dual carriageway.

Personally, I don't like taking the Sattahip road off the 304 and prefer to drive through Chachoengsao to the No 7 motorway.

I am 20 odd KM through Prakhonchai and Pattaya takes me under 4 hours. I am an hour or so from Surin.

[MTH]

Nice post MJCM!

Personally I prefer the 1st route, but do continue all the way on 331, crossing over 36 to Huai Yai, then west to the southernmost part of the bypass road along the train. Living in Jomtien it’s nice to circumvent the Pattaya traffic.

Basically only driving the 2nd route when we want to make a shopping stop at the Aranyaprathet border market.

[MJCM]

There is another route which shows up as an option when you ask Google.

That's via the 24, Highway 2 passes Saraburi, then Highway 9, passes Suvarnabhumi Airport and then Highway 7 to Pattaya

I have never ever taken this route as it's (IMO) a long way around and you also have to deal with Tollways and BKK Traffic.

This is route 4:

Edited January 5, 2016 by MJCM

[Jip99]

In fairness you miss central Bangkok traffic. It can get a bit congested on the number 9 road and as you approach Suvarnabhumi airport.

My sat nav trys to take me this way - but I don't think it realises I can go over the mountain around Sakeow/Buriram.

It is in fact dual carriage way all the way from just outside Surin (except for bits of the 24 yet to be finished).

Personally, I don't like that route as it can get very congested depending on the main flow of traffic - and on the 2 and the 1 there is a lot of lane weaving.

[MTH]

Took route 4 once a few years ago, but that was due to visiting friends that live along Highway 2. Otherwise I would never take that route, if just driving from A to B. It’s so much further than route 1 and 2 listed above and you do have to deal with some outskirt BKK traffic and a few tollbooths.

Will be driving down to Pattaya sometime later this week, if 359 now is 4 lane than we might take that route back, haven’t driven there for almost a year and that’s good news.

[Bredbury Blue]

We recently did a roadtrip from Bkk to Ubon pretty much by Route 2 (from Aranyaprathet we went via Buriram) and back pretty much by Route 1 (at Chachoengsao we turned to Bkk).

Route 2 is the way to go if you want it quiet and are not in such a rush - the 359 is brilliant, virtually nothing on a dual carriageway go through mainly scenic areas with very view villages.

Route 1 is busy dual carriageway and the big hill at wangnamkhiaw (?) is a little bit dangerous with all the slow moving traffic and idiots blind overtaking.

In conclusion I'd go via Route 2 and return via the faster busier Route 1.

[henrik2000]

Hi all, thanks for good suggestions (if not leading to *one* conclusion) and MJCM, thanks for the great maps. (Was just thinking, with a bit of photoshopping, one could show all 4 routes on the same map.)

[Mojomor]

Having driven all of them, 24 onto 304, then over the mountain of Khao Yai, and eventually 331 south of Cabin Buri is the best , fastest, and safest route. You will need to watch out carefully for the 331 exit off 304. If you are overtaking lorries etc, it is easy to miss. I don't use 36, but then I know the fast roads into Jomtien and Pattaya. Good luck.

[MJCM]

<snip> MJCM, thanks for the great maps. (Was just thinking, with a bit of photoshopping, one could show all 4 routes on the same map.)

No problem.

I think your idea of all 4 routes in 1 map is a good one and certainly doable but you will loose a lot of detail as the area is quite big and will most certainly not be good enough for navigation, even the maps I posted I wouldn't recommend for navigation but I posted them just to have an overview of the proposed route.

[henrik2000]

<snip> MJCM, thanks for the great maps. (Was just thinking, with a bit of photoshopping, one could show all 4 routes on the same map.)

No problem.

I think your idea of all 4 routes in 1 map is a good one and certainly doable but you will loose a lot of detail as the area is quite big and will most certainly not be good enough for navigation, even the maps I posted I wouldn't recommend for navigation but I posted them just to have an overview of the proposed route.

And as an overview the maps worked very well. Of course for navigating we will turn to our devices themselves and zoom in and out as needed (or curse Google Map's unsatisfactory auto zoom).

Edited January 6, 2016 by henrik2000

[KhunBENQ]

Nice post MJCM!

Personally I prefer the 1st route, but do continue all the way on 331, crossing over 36 to Huai Yai, then west to the southernmost part of the bypass road along the train. Living in Jomtien it’s nice to circumvent the Pattaya traffic.

Psst!

Don't tell to many secrets!

(it might even pay to go south to Hua Yai road and approach central Pattaya from the south).

I don't come from south eastern Isan but from central and mostly prefer 304 over any closer approach to Bangkok.

Last time I drove (more than a year ago as I used the plane a couple of times) there was only a total of about 20 km of 2-lane road on #304 left.

Maybe it has improved more in the meantime.

Is there much construction currently?

Thinking about using the car once again.

Edited January 6, 2016 by KhunBENQ

[MTH]

Nice post MJCM!

Personally I prefer the 1st route, but do continue all the way on 331, crossing over 36 to Huai Yai, then west to the southernmost part of the bypass road along the train. Living in Jomtien it’s nice to circumvent the Pattaya traffic.

Psst!

Don't tell to many secrets!

(it might even pay to go south to Hua Yai road and approach central Pattaya from the south).

I don't come from south eastern Isan but from central and mostly prefer 304 over any closer approach to Bangkok.

Last time I drove (more than a year ago as I used the plane a couple of times) there was only a total of about 20 km of 2-lane road on #304 left.

Maybe it has improved more in the meantime.

Is there much construction currently?

Thinking about using the car once again.

Yeah I think going the Hua Yai route would be great, even if living in central Pattaya.

Some years ago we used the 331 east/west connection to HW 7, but that road was only good for about the first year it was built, after that it became a washboard where speeds over 40-50 Km/h are pretty much impossible for most of it, at least traveling east, west could possibly be somewhat better.

We’ve also been taking 3240 off of 331, but getting from Maprachan to the bypass road is too congested these days.

Driving from central Isan to Pattaya, 304 would be my choice too.

304 has been about the same the last year or so, didn’t pay attention to any construction when we drove up to Isan now just before the New Year, and yes the two short stretches of 2-lane road are still there, all in all less than 20 Km.