Korat to Hua Hin by car

[caller]

Can anyone help?

I've hired the car - even driving from Bkk (Wireless Rd) to Korat for a couple of days then onto the bride to be's village - should be fun (got the immodium packed)!

But will eventually be heading to HH from Chumpuang via Korat, is anyone able to give me a route to avoid going through Bkk, or is it worth heading on the express way?

I don't care if the mileage is longer, just looking for the easiest driving route, maps don't always show you that!

Thanks.

[VincentD]

Just jump on the expressway.

Korat - Saraburi - Bangkok - just keep going straight on and up the tollway. Traffic gets a bit messy around the turnoff to the port, and also on the Rama 9 bridge, but after that it's not too bad all the way to HH.
My personal preference is the expressway going over the Rama 6 road, but from where you're coming it's a bit out of the way, and you'll still get stuck on the Rama 9 bridge.

Plus, you won't get lost, and the traffic on most of the other routes will drive you round the bend anyway. I've tried most of the variations including some back roads, and I'd say that's your best bet.

[dr dave soul monsta]

The journey back to HH as your are heading to ransit follow highway 9 west junction from bang pa in just past the old carlsberg brewery to Rama II road heading for samut sakorn this is far easier than using the express way and cuts out the need to enter BKK

[caller]

Thanks guys, I'll look into those routes!

Can't imagine I would miss a brewery!!!

[Guess]

Neither of these options avoid Bangkok which I believe that is what you wanted. I have done the journey without touching Bangkok but its complicated but worth it I believe. I will give you details tomorrow when you have checked the map. It is not much further either.

As fot he Bangkok route its is much quicker and safer to trave through the centre of Bangkok on the elevated expressways. The only real hold up is the bridge but then you have the shitty Highway 35 to contend with which can be dangerous especially for anyone not very experienced in driving in Thailand.

[caller]

Thanks Guess - I'm a Thai road novice!

I might not get a chance to check the routes in detail before I get to LOS, but 5 days in Bkk first so time to gen up. So I'd apppreciate your idea as soon as you're ready. I have to confess the express road seemed a safer way to get through Bkk if that the way I have to go! Especially as I can pick it up on the road from Korat easily enough.

Caller

[Guess]

OK Caller here goes. I am not sure where your starting place is but if you are going via Korat I will start from there.

Get on Highway 2 and head towards BKK.
Go past Sara Buri and about 10KM or so later you will get to a major junction with the highway 329. You need to take a right. Its a few years since I was there so I forget what kind of junction but if I remember correctly is was under construction anyway. You need to take highway 329 west towards Suphan Buri (about 70 KM).

Just before you get to Suphan Buri you will hit the bypass (highway 340). Turn left and head south towards BKK again. Soon after you need to turn right on highway 357 (the western part of the ring road. after about 4 or 5 KM take a left onto highway 321.

It sounds complicated but not. Around Suphan Buri always look for sogens to Kanchanburi and Nakhon Pathom (whic is where you are really heading)

Highway 321 will take you right down to Nakhon Pathom (about 80KM).

You will eventually hit Highway 4 (Petchkasem). Turn right towards Ratchburi. Stay on that road past Ratburi, Petburi and eventually Hua Hin.

It can be a bit shitty in the Petburi area where they are widening the raod but that is unavoidable unless you fancy about 10KM of dirt tracks.

What always help is to train the missus as to what the little white blocks at the side of the road are telling you. The appear every KM and tell you, on the side you are approaching from, the distance to the next place and place at the end of that road. Often on the front the highway number is printed. It is all in Thai of course. I did have one Thai tell me that they were memorials for a dog that had been run over. Don't believe it or any poppycock about sightings of ghosts in the area.

Happy travelling.

PS if you need an overnight stopover, Kanchanburi is not far off the route and is one of the most beautiful provinces in Thailand.

[caller]

Thanks Guess,

Actually starting the journey in Chumpuang. I'll look at your route along with the others - I was hoping to avoid Bkk if I could.

Thanks to all - next stop Bangkok!

[Gin tonic - no lime]

Dr Dave, I like the highway 9 west junction from bang pa in route too, did the thru BKK on the elevated freeways once, and ended up having to stop a taxi to guide me to where I wanted to go!! .... it wasn't cheap, as I forgot to bargain first! Got BKK to Yasothon, ~650km, down to 7 hours (BUS WAS 9 1/2!!!)

If you want an exciting ride on that "jet like" LAMBRETTA try Chiang Mai - Mai Hong Son - Tak.... I'm pretty sure you'll have you fill of corners for a long while!! (1860 some on the first under 300 km leg!!) the road surfaces are pretty good in general with a few construction areas and broken / rough pavement areas to contend with.

[Guess]

Thanks Guess,

Actually starting the journey in Chumpuang. I'll look at your route along with the others - I was hoping to avoid Bkk if I could.

Thanks to all - next stop Bangkok!

I could not find Chumpuang on the map, perhaps you could me a clue. I was just going by the fact that you said you would be going via Korat which I assume meant the city rather than somewhere in the province.

The route I detailed completely misses BKK whicjh is what you asked for. Any other route would take you even further of course.

[caller]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for all the advice. I'm actually sitting in an internet cafe in Bkk (cheaper than the hotel) with a road map on my lap.

Guess, Chumpuang (Chum Phuang) is NE of Korat to the west of highway 2. Its a few K's NE of Phimai.

Well, it seems staightforward to avoid Bkk although my map (michelin)doesn't show highway 357!

But I can see what you had in mind.

When I'm done, I'll get around to posting a reply about how I got on.

Now all I have to do is get myself from Wireless Road to Korat on Thursday!!

The fiancee is very nervous!!!

[Guess]

They do change the numbers sometimes and sometimes the cartographers get it wrong.

Getting from Wireless Rd to Korat, easy. Get up to Asok. Get on the northbound underground (not sky train) to Bang Sue. Get a train. If you're not afraid to die then just get the skytrain to Mo Chit and get a bus.

Take plenty of proper food with you. The food in Korat will give you the trots for weeks.

One of my greatest experiences in Thailand was to drive along Highway 2 at 150Km per hour with a view of Korat in my rear view mirror.

[VincentD]

Caller

get the Thinknet mapmagic map of Thailand. The bilingual edition is only 299 baht and it comes with a CD-ROM that allows you to load it on a computer, zoom functions, etc. Really great value for money. Plus, you'll find your highway 357

http://www.thinknet.co.th/

Wow, Guess

That's quite a route you've plotted. Turn off the main road after Saraburi, through Phachi (major railway station), through Bang Pahan, u-turn across the Asian Highway, on to Suphanburi, Nakhon Pathom, Ratchaburi, Petburi and finally Hua Hin.

I have to agree it does bypass Bangkok, but it does add another 80 km to the total journey, and a lot of the roads are single lane with a fair amount of heavy trucks and farm vehicles.

I'm very familiar with the back roads there, and it would not take a lot to get lost. In fact, I passed through Bang Pahan just last week. The roads are still in fairly good condition, but with the recent rain you have to be careful of the ocassional pothole beginning to appear.

Caller, in my opinion, stick with the well-travelled roads. Help (and public transport) is within shouting distance. Not so with these roads, should anything happen.

And drive at 100 kph max. Mr.T has given the traffic police some nice new shiny radar guns; you'll find one spot on the way between Bangkok and Saraburi is frequently monitored. (I know, I have a radar detector..)


Drive safe.

[caller]

Thanks VincentD.

Well, the journey north is tomorrow! And I'm now all fully prepared, if a bit nervous (of getting out of Bkk)!

By the way, Chumpuang is east of highway 2. It must have been dark in the internet cafe when I said west!

Guess, I have to take my own food, which my lovely lady will cook for me!! Hope she can manage beans on toast!!

Anyway, all being well, will be in HH on the 22nd!

Caller

[Jockey]

Thanks VincentD.

Guess, I have to take my own food, which my lovely lady will cook for me!! Hope she can manage beans on toast!!

Caller

Maybe you should prepare or could help Jamie in his research: http://www.huahinafterdark.com/forum/vi ... php?t=3361