Why the incredible traffic congestion in Pattaya?

[NanLaew]

Is it the same people who are insisting Pattaya is dead who are now bothered by the traffic congestion?

Of course not allowing busses to transfer 5-10 people would be a solution but how to enforce such?

How to enforce that?

They found a solution to that merely 30 years ago in Spain, where in tourist towns no tourist buses are allowed within the city borders.

And merely 20 years ago, Pattaya had EXACTLY the same plan and spent a fortune building what is locally know as 'Duck Square', located behind Big C at the Sukhumvit end of Pattaya Tai. That was where the tour buses were supposed to unload their passengers for onward travel to their local destinations in town by baht bus or the few minivans they had back them. Then 'Mike' built Mike Department store and said he wasn't having any of that and built a parking lot behind his emporium.Once the precedent was set, it all went tits up and every bus trooped into town and (whatever preceded) City Hall rolled over.

It's somewhat ironic that the bus parking stand behind Mike's on Second Road is virtually empty at all hours of the day and night.

[NanLaew]

And where does the occasional innocent tourist who rents a car here or even Chinese family who have brought their own vehicle with them get to learn about this laissez faire system which you so strongly support (other than here on TV of course) ....................before it’s too late for them?

Probably the same place where you and all the other advanced driving Reginald's get your shocking road accident statistics from. The bloody internet!

And after about 8 years of driving in China (with a Chinese driving license after passing a Chinese driving test) don't get me started on Chinese drivers either. Those lot invented laissez faire.

[Pattaya46]

And I also noticed a significant increase in incidents involving drivers jumping red lights

in particular buses turning right towards jomtien at the corner of South Pattaya Road and second road.

I don't understand what you mean here? Turning right at red light would made you cut 2nd Rd where traffic come from Jomtien. It would be very dangerous and I never saw that happened. And not mentioning it would be done just in front of a police post!

Yes indeed! And that is exactly what was happening every time I passed through that junction at the time I made my original post. Like I said each time I saw it happen everybody had revved up their engines and had actually set off so the buses that were swinging around to the right were running the red light by a long margin as the traffic going down second road had to come to a sudden stop

Sorry Asiantravel, but I think you are wrong somewhere on that

As I said, I never saw that happened, and I walk by this crossroad nearly every day for many years. I even see this crossroad from my terrace!

I stayed a few minutes looking at it yesterday evening, and again this morning; there is just too much traffic coming from Jomtien to allow anyone to jump the red cutting 2nd Road, except maybe at 4am

[balo]

I'm surprised by the heavy traffic on Sukhumvit today, we were planning a trip to Satahip but had to turn the car around , the queue were almost at standstill. Maybe the "thai holidays" are over this weekend ?

Edited May 1, 2016 by balo

[OMGImInPattaya]

I'm surprised by the heavy traffic on Sukhumvit today, we were planning a trip to Satahip but had to turn the car around , the queue were almost at standstill. Maybe the "thai holidays" are over this weekend ?

May 1st is International Labour Day...a Thai national holiday so yes, this is a three-day weekend for many Thais.

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

^^^Yup. Just got home on the moto to the Darkside after some of the worst traffic ever, equal or worse than the experiences that begat this thread Even Soi Siam was backed up half a klick trying to join the Suk flow, and Suk backed up southbound far north of Nua as well as northbound. Nern Pub Wan backed up 2 km eastward. Soi Yume was bumper to bumper both sides between Nua to Klang. It was like a double-barrelled rush hour.

[emilymat]

Here's the answer to the traffic problems on beach road.

[patsfangr]

I'm surprised by the heavy traffic on Sukhumvit today, we were planning a trip to Satahip but had to turn the car around , the queue were almost at standstill. Maybe the "thai holidays" are over this weekend ?

May 1st is International Labour Day...a Thai national holiday so yes, this is a three-day weekend for many Thais.

And, sad to say, Balo, it will continue at least through next weekend. Labor Day is today, May 1, but is "celebrated" tomorrow in terms of most businesses being closed. Three days later, Friday is "Coronation Day", and yet another 3-Day weekend. So, obviously, many Thais will fill in those 3 days between holidays with vacation days, resulting in a constant traffic snafu through next Sunday. Then we SHOULD see a return to a more normal traffic load for a while.

Meanwhile, I'll continue to avoid approaching the RR tracks from my home territory well to the east. Traffic here on the Darkside, while a bit heavier than normal, moves steadily, once more than about 1 km east of the RR.

[Don Mega]

I dont find the traffic to be all that bad.

[balo]

OK I forgot about the Labor Day , this afternoon soi Chaiyapruek from Suk down to the beach was a complete madness. Avoid the beach area if you use a car. And maybe just avoid the beach for a few days unless you want to share it with thousands of Thai families on "picnic".

[johng]

Traffic on sukhumvit was was backed up almost to bahn amphur this afternoon thats about 10km from the south pattaya tesco lotus where we spent few hours, coming back at 9.30pm the traffic was still backed up almost to the floating market ! The traffic congestion is definitely getting worse.

[DrTuner]

Saw a traffic jam at least 5km long heading back to BKK on highway 7 an hour ago. Must be just like home for the BKK hordes.

[KhunBENQ]

Could someone please open a new thread when there is no congestion in Pattaya

Planning to drive to Pattaya by car in the next few weeks.

Seriously: don't expect anything to get better in the future.

More and more mass tourism.

More and more Chinese "entertainment'' places to be build.

Terminal21 and whatever comes next.

t.b.c.

This place will suffocate from traffic.

[Don Mega]

Could someone please open a new thread when there is no congestion in Pattaya

Planning to drive to Pattaya by car in the next few weeks.

Seriously: don't expect anything to get better in the future.

More and more mass tourism.

More and more Chinese "entertainment'' places to be build.

Terminal21 and whatever comes next.

t.b.c.

This place will suffocate from traffic.

I did a foodland/makro run from soi khao noi this morning. traffic was sparse.

[KhunBENQ]

Good news.

In the past I used to arrive on Sunday afternoon and leave early morning (8:30h out of town) on a Monday or so.

I drive as little as possible by car within Pattaya and be back at the hotel parking lot before noon.

For a few unforeseeable exceptions it worked out.

[Seizetheday]

Good news.

In the past I used to arrive on Sunday afternoon and leave early morning (8:30h out of town) on a Monday or so.

I drive as little as possible by car within Pattaya and be back at the hotel parking lot before noon.

For a few unforeseeable exceptions it worked out.

Most mornings are ok, I live on the darkside, when I go to Central I make sure I'm there at opening time, do my shopping, have lunch, very rarely have trouble with the traffic.

[Seizetheday]

Traffic on sukhumvit was was backed up almost to bahn amphur this afternoon thats about 10km from the south pattaya tesco lotus where we spent few hours, coming back at 9.30pm the traffic was still backed up almost to the floating market ! The traffic congestion is definitely getting worse.

It's bad today, had to forgo my full English down the Pig and Whistle because the traffic was so bad.

[Don Mega]

Good news.

In the past I used to arrive on Sunday afternoon and leave early morning (8:30h out of town) on a Monday or so.

I drive as little as possible by car within Pattaya and be back at the hotel parking lot before noon.

For a few unforeseeable exceptions it worked out.

I should mention. Makro open at 6am. Iam there when they open, I do foodland before that.

But I wake at 3am weekdays for my job so an "early" foodland/marko run on the weekend is not an issue.

Edited May 2, 2016 by Don Mega

[KhunBENQ]

Wow, you are an earlier bird than me

I usually watch the door to open at BigC extra

[Don Mega]

Wow, you are an earlier bird than me

I usually watch the door to open at BigC extra

I gotta say it sucks to wake at 3am on the weekend.

[OMGImInPattaya]

Traffic on sukhumvit was was backed up almost to bahn amphur this afternoon thats about 10km from the south pattaya tesco lotus where we spent few hours, coming back at 9.30pm the traffic was still backed up almost to the floating market ! The traffic congestion is definitely getting worse.

It's bad today, had to forgo my full English down the Pig and Whistle because the traffic was so bad.

Your heart thanks you!

[DrTuner]

Some might not know Google Maps has a real-time traffic display: https://goo.gl/q2Ppey

The data seems to come from the Android phones people have on them. I use it frequently and have found it fairly accurate.

Edited May 2, 2016 by DrTuner

[DrTuner]

Had to visit lotus, it's utter mayhem out there, suk is a war zone. Flee if you can.

[balo]

Today been same same , so just decided to leave the car at home. Most Thai kids will be back to school next week so life will get back to "normal".

Edited May 2, 2016 by balo

[1FinickyOne]

May Day May Day -

holiday on Sunday for may 1st pushed to Monday may 2nd - means a 3 day weekend for May Day...

[Don Mega]

May Day May Day -

holiday on Sunday for may 1st pushed to Monday may 2nd - means a 3 day weekend for May Day...

You only just discovered this well after 7pm Thailand time....

Wow.

[Rimmer]

Multiple posts removed because one person has to swear saying a link does not work, further it works fine

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

It would have been instructive to see a satellite image of downtown Pattaya today. The satellite image would have shown nothing but car rooftops outlining the entire road network, from major road to the back sub-sois. I was in it on 3rd Road, Soi Kopai 10 down to Thep, then left onto Thep, then south on Thep 6 to South Road then Pattaya Tai 16 through the back sois to Arunotai. I've never before seen a backup on the little road leading to Arunotai and all along Arunotai to Klang. Everywhere it was door handle to handle, bumper to bumper, mirror to mirror.

I'm thinking of staying in Bangkok for the rest of the holiday week. At least there I can take the BTS/MRT.

[Seizetheday]

It would have been instructive to see a satellite image of downtown Pattaya today. The satellite image would have shown nothing but car rooftops outlining the entire road network, from major road to the back sub-sois. I was in it on 3rd Road, Soi Kopai 10 down to Thep, then left onto Thep, then south on Thep 6 to South Road then Pattaya Tai 16 through the back sois to Arunotai. I've never before seen a backup on the little road leading to Arunotai and all along Arunotai to Klang. Everywhere it was door handle to handle, bumper to bumper, mirror to mirror.

I'm thinking of staying in Bangkok for the rest of the holiday week. At least there I can take the BTS/MRT.

One wonders, all the money that is being spent on the tunnel, if a flyover had been built, what other improvements could have been made to improve the traffic flow with the left over money.

[Orac]

I'm surprised by the heavy traffic on Sukhumvit today, we were planning a trip to Satahip but had to turn the car around , the queue were almost at standstill. Maybe the "thai holidays" are over this weekend ?

May 1st is International Labour Day...a Thai national holiday so yes, this is a three-day weekend for many Thais.

And, sad to say, Balo, it will continue at least through next weekend. Labor Day is today, May 1, but is "celebrated" tomorrow in terms of most businesses being closed. Three days later, Friday is "Coronation Day", and yet another 3-Day weekend. So, obviously, many Thais will fill in those 3 days between holidays with vacation days, resulting in a constant traffic snafu through next Sunday. Then we SHOULD see a return to a more normal traffic load for a while.

Meanwhile, I'll continue to avoid approaching the RR tracks from my home territory well to the east. Traffic here on the Darkside, while a bit heavier than normal, moves steadily, once more than about 1 km east of the RR.

I believe it is worse than that - Coronation Day is Thursday but the govt has given Friday as an extra day so it runs into the weekend. Next Monday is Royal Ploughing Day so some people have that as a day off as well (Govt offices i think that were open today).