4 Lanes, better roads around Buriram

[urleft]

Thx, yes that was something I wanted to know since the toll booths opened. What about the toll booths on the way back ? Same same ?

I didn't get on north 7 so can't give you a experienced answer.  I would guess the same as inbound, but TIT. 

[mike]

I understand that they will start to charge as from April. No idea how much for the short stretch from the 36 down but I was told that Bangkok / pattaya will go up from 60 to 100.

Mike

[iammike]

I drove on 304 going to Patts, the traffic was moderate on a Sunday, there is about 15 KM of 2 lane thru the mountain, very rough road and a lot of places no passing possible.  But it eventually evens out so going south I would still consider 304.  However, another factor to consider is that there were 6 police checkpoints between Nang Rong and Kabin Buri (did not encounter any the rest of the way). 

However, as I past Kabin Buri the North bound lane was being resurfaced and that traffic was backed up for over a kilometer.  With that in mind I would opt for coming back via Sa Kaeo.  The traffic on 33 was very light and fast moving on a Wednesday, but maybe 5 km of road work.  And in reality there is only about  3 KM stretch once you hit 2 lane where you can't pass.  There was 1 or 2 police checkpoints (looking for registration) and 2 Army checkpoints. 


If the Kabin Buri resurfacing moves southbound I would recommend Sa Kaeo (not sure how you would find out).


And another FYI, if you take 3420 to 36 to 7 just North of Patts, once you get on 7 you have to stop at a toll booth and get a coupon, however, at the final toll booth the cost was zero.

We arrived in Pattaya and what urleft wrote is still accurate except that the resurface of the Northbound lane near Kabin is almost finished, just a small stretch left, but now they are starting on the other direction with a long stretch (2-3 km) already being 1 lane only with the road dug up. Fortunately traffic was light.

Mountain ?road? is indeed very rough especially after ?Wang nam khaew?. 

One more thing, on the 7 coming into Pattaya everyone was keeping to the speed limit (90km on that stretch) so there must be speed cameras setup???

[iammike]

Back home again.

We Left Pattaya at 5am this morning (4 days ahead of our scheduled checkout (Hotel was very surprised) and we got home around 11:40, with a couple of stops so that's not that bad for 475 KM's

Toll way from Pattaya (Nr 7) to the Exit (36 -> Rayong) is Free (NO idea for how long), and again everyone (on the 7) was keeping to the speed limit (90kmh) so I guess there are speed camera's on that stretch (haven't seen one, but will wait for the bill to show up @ home )

Traffic was oke, only the 331 till the flyover to the 304 was a bit heavy with lots of trucks but fortunate as this is a Sunday No early morning rush near BoWin and Amata Complex.

Up the Mountain the traffic was oke, the 1st part is definitely the hardest part with very bad road surface, but when that is complete it's smooth sailing. Traffic on the 24 was very very light, could keep the cruise control on for most of the time, and from Nang Rong to Prakhonchai it was on all the time. !

[Starman]

Isn't route 7 a Highway and therefore the speed limit is 120?

[iammike]

You are correct, but on that stretch that I have done (from sukhumvit till the exit to the 36 <->) there are a lot flashing signs with 90 on it, and I think that must be the effective speedlimit there. Most of the traffic was only doing 90 both times I have driven it.

[CO-CO]

Back home again.

We Left Pattaya at 5am this morning (4 days ahead of our scheduled checkout (Hotel was very surprised) and we got home around 11:40, with a couple of stops so that's not that bad for 475 KM's

Toll way from Pattaya (Nr 7) to the Exit (36 -> Rayong) is Free (NO idea for how long), and again everyone (on the 7) was keeping to the speed limit (90kmh) so I guess there are speed camera's on that stretch (haven't seen one, but will wait for the bill to show up @ home )

Traffic was oke, only the 331 till the flyover to the 304 was a bit heavy with lots of trucks but fortunate as this is a Sunday No early morning rush near BoWin and Amata Complex.

Up the Mountain the traffic was oke, the 1st part is definitely the hardest part with very bad road surface, but when that is complete it's smooth sailing. Traffic on the 24 was very very light, could keep the cruise control on for most of the time, and from Nang Rong to Prakhonchai it was on all the time. !

I can confirm that there are speed cameras on the Pattaya/Chachoengsao section of the 7   


Not sure if PKC was the final destination but that is only 394 km from Pattaya.


You may want to consider Lahansai/Yai Yam/Chorakhe Mak to avoid Nang Rong.

[iammike]

Co-Co,

Thanks, no PKC is not the final destination, we are another 20kms from Krasang.

Lahan Sai route, would mean taking the Sa Kaeo route ?

Will try that next time, but not keen in going back to Pattaya any time soon, we cut our trip short this time already, it?s fun for a couple of days, visit old friends and good to stock on supplies but not do frequently.

[CO-CO]

Co-Co,

Thanks, no PKC is not the final destination, we are another 20kms from Krasang.

Lahan Sai route, would mean taking the Sa Kaeo route ?

Will try that next time, but not keen in going back to Pattaya any time soon, we cut our trip short this time already, it?s fun for a couple of days, visit old friends and good to stock on supplies but not do frequently.

iammike..... sorry, I wrongly assumed that when you mentioned the mountain that you went via Sa Kaeo.


Although the road over the 'Korat' mountain is much better these days, it is a lot further if you then go via PKC to Krasang.


Taking 'soi minibus' (359/33) to Wattana Nakhon then left to Non Din Dang/Lahansai is my preferred route. Dual carriageway to Wattana Nakhon then a decent single carriageway after that.

[iammike]

@Co-Co

No problem.

We have done the ?Sa Kaeo/Non din Daeng? route before, but my wife (she even doesn?t do the driving ) prefers the ?Korat? route, because of a good restaurant near Wang Nam Khiao

That Sa Kaeo route I for sure will not do at night because of the ?desolation? of some parts of that route, but I wouldn?t drive the ?Korat? route at night either. The signage on that road (where the roadworks are) are TERRIBLE, We even had (some) trouble (during the day) to see where you have to go so bad was the signage.

Does anyone know why they are building (on the Korat mountain road) two tunnels ? These tunnels even aren?t going through the mountain but are just covered road section (2-300 meters long). Will go and see if I can find a picture in my Dash Cam footage.

[iammike]

Found the Dash Cam footage of the "Tunnel" that is being build.

[CO-CO]

Nookie will know.....

[urleft]

Came up from Bangkok this morning and was very pleasantly surprised to see them actively working to convert the last 10Km of 2 lane just N of Nang Rong to 4 lane.  IMHO they are really working hard to finish ASAP, they are well along in converting the two 2-Lane bridges to 4 lane.  And the work is being done along the entire area. 

I would think they can finish in the next 6 months, however at the pace they are working I would not be surprised if they finished in 3 month.

[urleft]

Went the Buriram airport this morning, very little 2 lane left. 

- .7 KM 2 lane a little past Ban Dan, but they are clearing the area obviously going to make 4 lane
- Then another stretch of 1.3 KM further up at a curve, did not see any signs of making  4 lane. 

So by then end of the year (probably June) there will only be about a kilometer of 2 lane on the way to Satuk.  Things are moving slowly.

Another trip to the Buriram airport today.  Things have improved as all 2 lane areas show widening efforts, but are still moving slowing. 

-  On the small 2 lane stretch just past Ban Dan, does not appear they have made any progress since my last posting.

- They are working the 1.3km stretch.  Unfortunately while the entire length seems to be on the move there is a two lane bridge that shows no modification efforts.  So even if they complete the 4 lane soon there will be a bottle neck.  It would seem lucky if they complete the work in the next 6 months.

[Prakhonchai Nick]

@Co-Co

No problem.

We have done the ?Sa Kaeo/Non din Daeng? route before, but my wife (she even doesn?t do the driving ) prefers the ?Korat? route, because of a good restaurant near Wang Nam Khiao

That Sa Kaeo route I for sure will not do at night because of the ?desolation? of some parts of that route, but I wouldn?t drive the ?Korat? route at night either. The signage on that road (where the roadworks are) are TERRIBLE, We even had (some) trouble (during the day) to see where you have to go so bad was the signage.

Does anyone know why they are building (on the Korat mountain road) two tunnels ? These tunnels even aren?t going through the mountain but are just covered road section (2-300 meters long). Will go and see if I can find a picture in my Dash Cam footage.

This is probably the answer to the tunnel
https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1032733-tunnel-linking-khao-yai-with-tap-lan-national-parks-to-be-open-temporarily-during-songkran/?utm_source=newsletter-20180408-0944&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=news