Road Trip to Phuket

[Adrianli]

If u have been to route 3 of MY east coast rd, Thai highway is much better than that!!! I was telling that to my fren, thai highway is so much better than MY federal highway roads!!!

 

My fren suggested that maybe it is the only highway connecting north n south thailand so it was well maintained.

 

No speed humps or potholes encounted, only speed strips at certain tight bends n entering city limits.

[Azrielsc]

I have driven in Bangkok as well as in North East Thailand numerous times and I have to say, Yes and No.

 

The highways linking towns outside of Bangkok are superb. Flat and straight, very few pot holes and along certain stretches, you have 5 lanes on each side! U can basically land a 747 with room to spare! How they stop pple from speeding in towns is by closing 4 of the 5 lanes using cones. So everyone has to filter to 1 lane for like 100metres before the road opens up again. Traveling on the right-most lane all the time is not advisable as well because the police WILL pull you over. That's why its so enjoyable driving along the highways because of the discipline of the Thai drivers. Only gripes about highway driving are, roads can be sandy and when they do road works, they literally tear up the roads and then u have to drive on the soil for a while. :)

 

Bangkok city driving is quite fun too. Lanes are slippery cuz of the worn down tarmac and the slopes are scary! The damn slopes are not gradual... sometimes when u drive too fast, its like taking a rollercoaster! U can feel your stomach in ur mouth when u go downhill too fast! Haha!

 

Cheers!

[Azrielsc]

Yes u are right that Issan province is one of the poorer provinces in Thailand. My fiance is also from Issan as well and she commented that that is very true. The ratio of well-to-do to poor is skewed by quite a bit! If u check around, the dancers/coyotes are usually from that area!

 

Cheerio!

[Saggi]

hey brother , dun say that..!! it is fun.. why pay such high road tax and keep our car in the parking lot..!!

 

Was chatting up with an italian guy sometime back and he say he and some young friend drove from italy to Turkey...!!wow..sharing his experience and they got accident..return a scrap car to his dad in his young day but those are the memories that one will not forget..!!!

 

and you can only do it while you are young.. you are not robbing anyone..!! (except the airlines !!hahah )..when you get older and busier.. you sure to appreciate this trip..!!

 

 

frankly i love the freedom of driving.. rest and stop ...change direction of plan whatever we like..never stick to plan..

 

guess what , i also drove my family to Koh samui and experience was great although the kids got sick after the return trip as the journey is too long..

and my wife say.. no more second time..!! hahahha...!! Man are still kind of man..!!! In my mind , i was already planning some..!! hahhaha..

 

 

 

So now I flew into some cities of Thailand..rent a car and drove around.. it fun...!!

almost drove past the border to Laos but the Thai highway officer say cannot pass.. so LL..!!

 

anyway , 2 wks time I will be in Phuket... it one of the last Thai city that i yet to visit ...but this time different... for honeymoon ..!! Wonder what to do there without my kids around..!! mummm.....

 

 

 

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Enroute to Phuket in the car, I told my fren that we r the two most stupid n crazy ppl to drive to Phuket where we could easily afford to fly over there. We r not the 1st n there will be more. He totally agreed wif me.

 

Looks like u guys will be the next group of stupid n crazy drivers going up there.

 

 

It will be a great bonding experience!!!

 

 

 

My wife told me that my fren n I should join the Amazing Race!!!

[Azrielsc]

They won't let u drive into Laos because the cars there are left-hand drive! I managed to get a visa as well as a car and driver for 900baht to drive me in and so that I can do my shopping.

 

I left my car at the Thai border too. Here's a photo :)

 

 

Did a day trip... Drove from Khon Kaen, to Udon Thani, then to Nong Khai and finally the Thai-Laos Border.

 

Cheers!

[Azrielsc]

And this was my chariot throughout my adventure in NE Thailand!

 

[Saggi]

brother...why cover up your handsome face..??!

you mean driver from Thai.. I thot their car cannot drive thru...??

 

but if from rental company.. i think maybe possible.. 900bath.. that quote reasonable.. how much it cost to rent in Koen Khen,... i got a Vios in Udon for B$1K..

 

thinking to travel up again end of the year..!!

[Saggi]

totally agreeded... sometime woman cannot accept facts...?!!

 

after your wife see the happening agogo bars in thailand, she may ban you from future roadtrips

[Azrielsc]

They do have left-hand rental cars with the Visa Agents. Just pay for "package" and you get Visa, driver and car! :) There are quite a few packages that you can choose from, from Day Trips to 3D/2N ones.

 

Vios for 1k baht is quite cheap in Udon. Khon Kaen is slightly more expensive at about 1400baht for a Vios. But that depends on where u get them and if u want comprehensive accident insurance as well.

 

Cheers!

[Poortraveller]

i read in last mth wheel asia ... there is this skipper who drove from sgp to laos leh ...

[Azrielsc]

If it can be done, then why not. I was stopped and asked to switch vehicles and it was alright for me to have a driver and a car to do a quick day trip to buy real cheap REAL whisky! S$100 for 8 bottles of Chivas, D, J and volka @ their duty-free shops!

[Comfy]

bro, u got buy any those kaya puffs and those tasty biscuits?? the downtown photo u got is one of my fav place to top up supplies(food).. missing those makan stuff i could get there...

[Adrianli]

Yup, bought a lot of local produce till no more RM. Went to atm further down n withdraw RM for trip back to SG.

 

But the sad thing is I dont like to eat such stuffs n they were all given to relatives n workplace colleagues. Leaving some for wife.

[Comfy]

ipoh alone i can stay 2-3 days just to eat.. hahahaa.. my grandma is over there.. those roast pork/ char shiew is different from here lor... those fat fat bean spouts are so crunchy.. the old school roast goose.. damn... now hungry liao... and not forgetting hor fun.. now i don't tell anyone i driving there.. cause my boot not big enough to put stuffs i wanna bring back.. custom officer always give me a weird look when he saw the boot...

[Gilbertaue]

Hi Adrianli,

 

Good write-up and very indepth. I've done this road trip 16 times now and it always has its small adventures!

 

Just two small tips for people:

 

1. When driving up into Thailand, just before the Malaysian customs (in Bukit K. Hitam) you will see small coffee shops on the left. These people specialize in filling out Thai car and passport forms for you. Also they sell the insurance that you need. It is all legitimate so don't worry. You pay about RM3 for the car form to be filled and 1RM for your immigration form to be filled. If you buy the insurance from them, the total for a 4 person car should come to about RM30. Coffee you pay extra. It is very quick and efficient and you don't have to fill it in yourself.

 

2. The drive to Phuket through Krabi looks shorter than anything else, but its not. Driving up toward Surathani and then turning West is much faster since between Surathani and Phang Nga they have a "highway". Also, noth of Krabi roads get a bit windy which you don't have if you take the more northern passage.

 

But again: Great write-up!

[Adrianli]

Thks but wow, 16 times!!! Why need to travel 16 times???

 

Watz ur travelling time n route like? Any other short cuts???

[Gilbertaue]

We used to go there for Christmas every single year. Started when I was 1! First time we did it was in 1980! Since then we have done it as a family 14 times and with my "new" family (now married) done it twice.

 

As far as I know that is the only short-cut. There is another shortcut within the East-West Highway that I mentioned. it basically cuts a "loop" by simple driving 'straight' if you know what I mean. But that shortcut is a very small road. If you buy a good South Thailand map you will see a number of "shortcuts". Try at your own risk! Haha... That's why I said: Every trip was a new adventure!

 

Last time was really funny: I tried a new shortcut and got lost as all of a sudden we hit a huuuge highway - with no cars - and it was not on the map even! It was really surreal. My wife then had a glorious idea: She stepped out of the car, with the map and waved down a old country grandpa on his motorbike.... in the middle of nowhere. And she starts talking to him in english and shows him the map. I couldn't help laughing... needless to say, she did not get much information out of him.

 

When we did the trips in the early 80s, it took us close to 26hrs. Now I break it up:

 

6hrs to Penang and stay the night; then leave early morning the next day. 1 1/2hrs to BKH and then about 5hrs to Phuket via the main highway.

[Genie47]

Total 12hrs on the road. Not bad.

 

I hope I can convince my wife. I am not too keen to take up Tiger Airways again. My youngest cannot qualify for infant prices anymore. The break in Penang should be a good breather.