Hundreds caught up in huge traffic jam in Samui

[rooster59]

Hundreds caught up in huge traffic jam in Samui

KOH SAMUI: On February 12th hundreds of people were caught up in a massive traffic jam from Maenam to Bophut.

Traffic from Maenam to Bophut was slow as usual thanks to the weekly walking street market however by 7pm traffic was backed up and at a standstill from Maenam all the way to the massive traffic jam in SamuiFishermans village traffic lights. By 8-30 the queue was backed up the Santi Buri resort west of Maneam and did not clear until gone 10pm.

One driver in the queue by Maenam Soi 5 told us “ it took us 30 minutes to get from Soi 5 to Soi 3 at this point we turned off and went home to get our motorbike, we were over an hour late for a dinner appointment, we have never seen traffic like it”.

Another driver, who came to a standstill by Santi Buri and hour later said “it took me one hour to get from Santi Buri to Soi 5, it is utterly ridiculous””.

So far no accidents have been reported, the cause of the queue has been put down to heavy traffic at a busy time of year on the island and the walking street market traffic.

Many residents have been complaining of heavy traffic on the roads especially around the Maenam Walking Street Market on Thursdays and the Bophut Walking Street Markets on Fridays, however the north coast of the island seems to suffer from heavy traffic between the two villages from around 4pm each day.

It is becoming clear that the islands ring road is struggling under the weight of increased traffic in high season, with no plans for a second ring road it seems there is no end in sight and queues will become ever more common place on an island never designed to cope with the amount of cars presently on the island.

Source: http://www.samuitimes.com/hundreds-caught-up-in-huge-traffic-jam-in-samui/

-- Samui Times 2016-01-13

[eggers]

It's symptomatic of numerous areas in Thailand where development of Condos,townhouses,residences, industrial & commercial premises, etc, occurs, without Provincial authorities assessing impact of developments on all aspects of infrastructure (power, water, drainage, roads, etc) & whether land use is appropriate, i.e. industrial v's residential or mixed use.

In essence, there is no urban planning by responsible Provincial authorities & the Prayut Gov't needs to address this issue as it is getting worse day by day.

Edited February 13, 2016 by eggers

[emilymat]

I like that "No accidents reported". Hardly surprising in stationary traffic.

[soalbundy]

5555 go on holiday and you get Bangkok instead.

[Assurancetourix]

It's symptomatic of numerous areas in Thailand where development of Condos,townhouses,residences, industrial & commercial premises, etc, occurs, without Provincial authorities assessing impact of developments on all aspects of infrastructure (power, water, drainage, roads, etc) & whether land use is appropriate, i.e. industrial v's residential or mixed use.

In essence, there is no urban planning by responsible Provincial authorities & the Prayut Gov't needs to address this issue as it is getting worse day by day.

Another crackdown in perspective ?

[slapout]

An island / area can only accomadate so many vehicles on the roadeways that are in place for residents and sevice to business and homes.

The tourists must be given good depenable public transport and the private vehicle count held at or below what the roadway can handle during normal and emergency situations. It would appear that Thailand is burdened with people held responsible (if they exist) for traffic flow are incapable of realizing this and neglect to preform to an acceptable standard, their job description. Another prime example of placing the wrong person in the wrong position and then to not correct the orginal mistake by replacement, continue to let the people, and business etc, suffer.

It should have been almost impossible to have such a large portion of the civil servernts doing jobs they have no education, training, nor intrest in

and accomplish so little improvement to the problems that need solved and corrected in order of importance. But ''murphys law'' has no better illistration than here as the ''what can go wrong'' starts on appointment, day one and is compounded every day the individuals show up to cobble up anoer problem.

[eggers]

It's symptomatic of numerous areas in Thailand where development of Condos,townhouses,residences, industrial & commercial premises, etc, occurs, without Provincial authorities assessing impact of developments on all aspects of infrastructure (power, water, drainage, roads, etc) & whether land use is appropriate, i.e. industrial v's residential or mixed use.

In essence, there is no urban planning by responsible Provincial authorities & the Prayut Gov't needs to address this issue as it is getting worse day by day.

Another crackdown in perspective ?

What do you mean "...crackdown in perspective"??

[tomwct]

This is typical Thailand. Roads and parking are not important. Build the Malls, shopping Centers, and Mega Stores and we'll

worry about everything else later. Another Parking Lot in Thailand without the parking! God Bless! Time to move off the island!

[tomyumchai]

It's symptomatic of numerous areas in Thailand where development of Condos,townhouses,residences, industrial & commercial premises, etc, occurs, without Provincial authorities assessing impact of developments on all aspects of infrastructure (power, water, drainage, roads, etc) & whether land use is appropriate, i.e. industrial v's residential or mixed use.

In essence, there is no urban planning by responsible Provincial authorities & the Prayut Gov't needs to address this issue as it is getting worse day by day.

im sure it was all assessed and approved shortly after the envelope crossed the desk, as happens all over the country.

Edited February 13, 2016 by tomyumchai

[eggers]

It's symptomatic of numerous areas in Thailand where development of Condos,townhouses,residences, industrial & commercial premises, etc, occurs, without Provincial authorities assessing impact of developments on all aspects of infrastructure (power, water, drainage, roads, etc) & whether land use is appropriate, i.e. industrial v's residential or mixed use.

In essence, there is no urban planning by responsible Provincial authorities & the Prayut Gov't needs to address this issue as it is getting worse day by day.

im sure it was all assessed and approved shortly after the envelope crossed the desk, as happens all over the country.

Yes, that's about the sum total of Thai urban planning!!

[soalbundy]

don't you just love these tropical paradise islands, which is what it was 30 years ago now it's Pattaya surrounded by sea

[sawadee1947]

Maybe the reason is that many people want to spend "Valentine's" on that island?

[Pinot]

It's symptomatic of numerous areas in Thailand where development of Condos,townhouses,residences, industrial & commercial premises, etc, occurs, without Provincial authorities assessing impact of developments on all aspects of infrastructure (power, water, drainage, roads, etc) & whether land use is appropriate, i.e. industrial v's residential or mixed use.

In essence, there is no urban planning by responsible Provincial authorities & the Prayut Gov't needs to address this issue as it is getting worse day by day.

Yeah, that pretty much nails it, yet the constant construction continues everywhere dispite the property bubble.

Thais are not going to do anything about it.

I see only one thing anyone can do. Never buy property in Thailand. At some point they may realize that the no one is going to buy into the next condo project.

[Ulic]

And to think some people endure that kind of traffic daily.

[HerbalEd]

I first went to Koh Samui 32 years ago, before the airport. And I went there for 4-6 weeks over the next 15 years.

I remember Chaweng beach only have a few bungalows and restaurants ... no KFC, Basking Robbits, etc.

Given what it is now ... and the massive crowding at Chaweng ... and now, even Bophut ... I will never go there again, nor to Phuket.

[samuijimmy]

It's just about always like that around Bophut/ Fisherman's Village on Friday evening street market...... a time to avoid! Not really anything new here....

Same on Thursday in Maenam after about 5 pm.....

Today around 1 pm I drove from Ban Por to Tesco area Chawang, I hardly believe how little traffic there was both there and back! Even Bophut traffic light was clear....

[khunPer]

It's just about always like that around Bophut/ Fisherman's Village on Friday evening street market...... a time to avoid! Not really anything new here....

Same on Thursday in Maenam after about 5 pm.....

Today around 1 pm I drove from Ban Por to Tesco area Chawang, I hardly believe how little traffic there was both there and back! Even Bophut traffic light was clear....

And now there is also Walking Street in Fisherman Village on Mondays – but yesterday it was an extra long queue from Maenam to Bophut traffic light (Fisherman Village); glad I was driving the opposite way – however, I've seen the long queue here before, starting just before Maenam Soi 1, can take half an hour to get the few kilometers to Bophut.

Edit: Did not notice before after hitting Submit, that last night the queue is said to have started about Santibury – that's longer than usual on a Friday...

Edited February 13, 2016 by khunPer

[robertson468]

The main traffic obstruction are the so called security personnel at both the Hotels and the Wharf who frequently stop traffic on the main road in favour of in going and out going traffic to their hotels, plus at the Wharf, the staff do not regulate the parking and people are driving in, unable to find a space and drive out again and on both occasions the security staff stop the flow of traffic on the main road, which has right of way. Hotel GMs and the local authority need to make sure the security staff are properly trained, which is not to stop traffic on the main road in order to let traffic from their location in and out.

[khunPer]

The main traffic obstruction are the so called security personnel at both the Hotels and the Wharf who frequently stop traffic on the main road in favour of in going and out going traffic to their hotels, plus at the Wharf, the staff do not regulate the parking and people are driving in, unable to find a space and drive out again and on both occasions the security staff stop the flow of traffic on the main road, which has right of way. Hotel GMs and the local authority need to make sure the security staff are properly trained, which is not to stop traffic on the main road in order to let traffic from their location in and out.

I have been thinking the same – but didn't comment, as I have to little knowledge of traffic jam reasons – and in between also just someone trying to make an u-turn...

[hobobo]

An island / area can only accomadate so many vehicles on the roadeways that are in place for residents and sevice to business and homes.

The tourists must be given good depenable public transport and the private vehicle count held at or below what the roadway can handle during normal and emergency situations. It would appear that Thailand is burdened with people held responsible (if they exist) for traffic flow are incapable of realizing this and neglect to preform to an acceptable standard, their job description. Another prime example of placing the wrong person in the wrong position and then to not correct the orginal mistake by replacement, continue to let the people, and business etc, suffer.

It should have been almost impossible to have such a large portion of the civil servernts doing jobs they have no education, training, nor intrest in

and accomplish so little improvement to the problems that need solved and corrected in order of importance. But ''murphys law'' has no better illistration than here as the ''what can go wrong'' starts on appointment, day one and is compounded every day the individuals show up to cobble up anoer problem.

How many drinks from the start of your post till the end? Somehow your spelling collapses... Enjoy!

[jacko45k]

Perhaps time to limit vehicles on the Island, should not be difficult on a small island.

[useronthenet]

Most places in Thailand, especially the tourist hotspots are becoming hellish on the roads. Traffic jams are now a commonplace, where journey times have increased significantly over the years, and can only get a lot more worse. Phuket is a classic example of mismanagement of the roads and highways, bringing the whole Island into one great big mess.

[maingmoom]

don't you just love these tropical paradise islands, which is what it was 30 years ago now it's Pattaya surrounded by sea

You don't even have to go back 30 years. I moved there 16 years ago before Tesco and Big C and any other big stores, and you could drive around the Island without even stopping once. Land was approximately 500,000 per Rai. In a short time land had reached 3 million baht a rai. Poor farmers and other Islanders suddenly found that by selling as little as one rai they could afford a truck and build a house..I lived there for 6 years and it was a beautiful Island. I could then see the way Samui was going and decided to move more north. I was on a visit there two weeks ago for 10 days and know now that moving out when I did, was the best thing I could have done.

[evadgib]

Temporary traffic lights supported by CCTV and suitable night time illumination are long overdue at the various obstacles that currently await unsuspecting visitors.

The authorities could also prevent much of the traffic related probs by providing reliable fixed price public transport for say 18hrs

(0800-0200?) a day along the entire ring road and the two loops @ Bang rak/Choeng Mon and Tong Krut/ Laen Sor.

From 01 Dec until 30 Apr the only pers cars allowed onto the ferries should be those that are registered to Samui addresses, thus eliminating the jams that typically occur seen between HM birthday & the back of Songkran each year.

Yeah I know-No Chance!

[ronaldo0]

don't you just love these tropical paradise islands, which is what it was 30 years ago now it's Pattaya surrounded by sea

You don't even have to go back 30 years. I moved there 16 years ago before Tesco and Big C and any other big stores, and you could drive around the Island without even stopping once. Land was approximately 500,000 per Rai. In a short time land had reached 3 million baht a rai. Poor farmers and other Islanders suddenly found that by selling as little as one rai they could afford a truck and build a house..I lived there for 6 years and it was a beautiful Island. I could then see the way Samui was going and decided to move more north. I was on a visit there two weeks ago for 10 days and know now that moving out when I did, was the best thing I could have done.

Moved her 8 years ago and now am done with the place.

I rent out my villa in bophut and stay in the south in my other villa. The difference in traffic is like night and day. I detest any time I have to go near bophut in the daytime !!

Before it was nice but now it is turning into Phuket and the building work keeps going ahead everywhere without a thought about electric or water demands !

[evadgib]

The main traffic obstruction are the so called security personnel at both the Hotels and the Wharf who frequently stop traffic on the main road in favour of in going and out going traffic to their hotels, plus at the Wharf, the staff do not regulate the parking and people are driving in, unable to find a space and drive out again and on both occasions the security staff stop the flow of traffic on the main road, which has right of way. Hotel GMs and the local authority need to make sure the security staff are properly trained, which is not to stop traffic on the main road in order to let traffic from their location in and out.

They also need a lesson in speed, time and distance. I had one a few days ago jump into my lane pointing a lollypop and beckoning a pickup wishing to join the road to proceed, allowing no chance for me to react and risking me being rear ended by a car too close behind.

My only choice in the time available was to ignore him which fortunately worked, the other driver opting against 'synchronized airbags'

Edited February 14, 2016 by evadgib

[Chaiwallah]

I was there 35 years ago when they just started building the road. Spent eight months enjoying the pristine natural beauty of Chaweng Beach. Sixty cents a day to rent a thatched bungalow on the waterfront . . . And the bungalow, the food and travelling expenses were free after the first month when I started working for the bungalow's owner "ha farang".

Edited February 15, 2016 by Chaiwallah

[mike324]

thais have no sense of urban planning, the roads are always too small and they simply don't know how to calculate anything

[TheLobster]

Those traffic lights at Bophut seem to have a life of their own, sometimes I go there during the day and they are on a 'night time' setting of flashing but no sequence, when this happens during the day it can cause chaos.

[Beng]

Greed versus sensible development 10:0.