Best route to Buri Ram

[Skallagrim]

Going to hire a car again and drive up to Buri Ram area(and before some Cheap Charlie, or somebody afraid of their own shadow advices against it), - yes I know that driving in this country has certain risks and that it is possible to take the bus at lower cost. ;)

 

So what is the best route?

 

Last time we had Teeruks sisters husband as guide, and we got there fine. But teeruk does not seem to have a clue where her own village is. And I sure as hell cant remeber, I just drove where I was directed to drive, it was night and raining like hell as well... :(

[Braveheart]

Buy a fucking map!

[Skallagrim]

Buy a fucking map!

 

I allready know how to fuck B)

 

It

[Braveheart]

OK then find a TG who's head is useful for something other than a place to put her hat.

[Skallagrim]

OK then find a TG who's head is useful for something other than a place to put her hat.

 

Oh she can do much more than that with her head

 

But it

[Braveheart]

I always tell them not to talk with their mouth full, I don't want to choke the little darlings. Thye never listen though and all I end up hearing is hhrrmmppph. We best get off this topic or I will have to give myself a warning and either move or lock the thread.

[LaaMok]

So what is the best route?

 

Well if you are hiring a car the best route would be road... he he

 

On a serious note, I am thinking of going buriram, is it possible to drive or do the roads get too shite excuse me french.

[Skallagrim]

Well if you are hiring a car the best route would be road... he he

 

On a serious note, I am thinking of going buriram, is it possible to drive or do the roads get too shite excuse me french.

 

The roads are actually excellent all the way. Been up there before but it was night driving both ways, and driving to fast to really notice where I was going. Once you are out of the Pattaya area, traffic was light as well. The only concern I had was when crossing the mountains...trucks going slowly up hill, and ramming down like a runaway train downhill, and very tight turns, and there was fog and rain as well..

[rabbitoh]

I posted this on another board,its for directions to surin.but you go past the buriram turn off this way.

Also i wrote this about 3 years ago and not sure if the roads have changed.

 

 

 

 

 

i have driven 2 different ways..the way i use to go was basically straight up from pattaya driving through kabinburi going to surin..distance wise this is the quickest way..driving to surin can take anywhere between 5-8 hours..my last time on that road it did take us about 8 hours...the problem with this road is most the way its only one lane..you seem to get stuck at traffic lights for an eternity(even though theres no cars coming the other way :banghead)and the other hurdle for this road is just after kabinburi you have to go up a huge mountain and if you get stuck behind a lorry your screwed ..scenic wise its a beutiful drive ..but the inconsistancy of the time has put me off going this way..

 

now when i drive to surin although the the way i go now is probably about 100km's longer than the other way..i find it just as easy driving on the bangkok-chonburi freeway..when your on the freeway..just follow the signs to bang pa in...until you see saraburi..this turn off is on the other side of the airport..when your on the way to saraburi follow the signs to nakhorn (korat)about 50 or so km's before korat..you will see a huge lake on the left hand side(can't miss it)just after the lake(within 10 km's)you will see a turn off for chok chai..turn at this turnoff and you will by pass korat and end up on the other side..

 

when you get to chok chai..this is where the first way i posted and this way meet..you will see the sign to ubon..

 

not sure how long it would take but either way will probably take you between 5 to 8 hours..

 

ps..sorry the reason i go the 2nd way now is between pattaya and the turnoff just before korat is all 2-3 lane freeways

[Volsfan]

Oh my god that is painful. Going up through BKK and Saraburi adds about 2 hours to the drive. This is the route that will absolutely be the fastest way there. Start heading out of Pattaya toward BKK. Take the first road that heads to the Motorway (36) but do not get on it. Cross over it and then take the first road to the left. Forgot the number but it is on the map. Take this till it ends at 339 and then turn left. Take 339 north until it becomes 304 north and then turn right on 159 toward sa keo. Follow that all the way across to 33. Take 33 until you get to Whattana Nakhom and then turn left on 3198. The signs will say Buriram. Take that to 3393 and turn left. Take that to 3148 (i think but that number might be wrong. just follow along on a map) and turn left. Take that to 348 and turn left. You are now on the south edge of Buriram province. Once you cross the mountain you have a couple of options. Continue straight on 348 takes you to Nang Rong and Hwy 24. Take 2075 (i think) takes you to Lahansai (wifes home) and from there you will be on 224 which goes to Surin also.

 

Almost all of that 339/304 is 4 lane. 159 is 2 lane, but straight and wide and good road and very easy to pass the few cars that are on there. 3393/3198/348 are all very good secondary roads with ample passing opportunities.

 

Soon, you will be able to bypasss some of that by taking Hwy 7 east from the Motorway where they are building the new bridge and flyover. That road goes directly to 339 and cuts another 30 minutes. You can definitely return that way followng the signs to the port off of 339. My best time from Lahansai to my apartment in Pattaya is 3:45 and I was flying. Night time also.

 

One thing I might suggest if you have a PDA is to get a GPS and then check the torrent sights for MapKingAsia. Great GPS tracking program for pda and laptop. Good luck, and don't let anyone try and talk you out of driving. I have driven all the hell over Buriram and Korat both, and 99% of the roads are in pretty good shape. The only one I will recommend against is 304 north of 159 where it crosses the mountains. Nasty winding road that goes on forever and is full of Thais with a death wish as they come barreling down the thing on the wrong side trying to pass the shitload of trucks that are very, very slowly moving across it. Never again for me will I take that one.

[Skallagrim]

Finally something usefull. Yeah, got a PDA with built in GPS...and have some pretty good maps for it as well. Yeah those mountains are a pain. Crossed them at night in heavy fog...

Driving in Thailand...well it's a breeze compared to other places I have been driving...and going trough life scared of everything...thats not a Sanuk...

[Volsfan]

Make sure you let us know how it turns out. By the way, where i put 3148 i think the road is actually 3483. But again, could be wrong.

[Eneukman]

Oh my god that is painful. Going up through BKK and Saraburi adds about 2 hours to the drive. This is the route that will absolutely be the fastest way there. Start heading out of Pattaya toward BKK. Take the first road that heads to the Motorway (36) but do not get on it. Cross over it and then take the first road to the left. Forgot the number but it is on the map. Take this till it ends at 339 and then turn left. Take 339 north until it becomes 304 north and then turn right on 159 toward sa keo. Follow that all the way across to 33. Take 33 until you get to Whattana Nakhom and then turn left on 3198. The signs will say Buriram. Take that to 3393 and turn left. Take that to 3148 (i think but that number might be wrong. just follow along on a map) and turn left. Take that to 348 and turn left. You are now on the south edge of Buriram province. Once you cross the mountain you have a couple of options. Continue straight on 348 takes you to Nang Rong and Hwy 24. Take 2075 (i think) takes you to Lahansai (wifes home) and from there you will be on 224 which goes to Surin also.

 

Almost all of that 339/304 is 4 lane. 159 is 2 lane, but straight and wide and good road and very easy to pass the few cars that are on there. 3393/3198/348 are all very good secondary roads with ample passing opportunities.

 

Soon, you will be able to bypasss some of that by taking Hwy 7 east from the Motorway where they are building the new bridge and flyover. That road goes directly to 339 and cuts another 30 minutes. You can definitely return that way followng the signs to the port off of 339. My best time from Lahansai to my apartment in Pattaya is 3:45 and I was flying. Night time also.

 

One thing I might suggest if you have a PDA is to get a GPS and then check the torrent sights for MapKingAsia. Great GPS tracking program for pda and laptop. Good luck, and don't let anyone try and talk you out of driving. I have driven all the hell over Buriram and Korat both, and 99% of the roads are in pretty good shape. The only one I will recommend against is 304 north of 159 where it crosses the mountains. Nasty winding road that goes on forever and is full of Thais with a death wish as they come barreling down the thing on the wrong side trying to pass the shitload of trucks that are very, very slowly moving across it. Never again for me will I take that one.

 

Thanks for that volsfan.

 

I may be doing the same trip in February and the route you recommend is what was recommended on Secrets. A couple of comments on the route numbers though. I don't see a Route 339 on my map but is I assume it's the short stretch of road between Route 7 and Route 304. I don't see a Route 159. According to my map, the road you're talking about is Route 33 all the way. From Watthana Nakhon the next roads are, as you say 3198 and 3393. There seems to be a short cut from 3393 to 348 on 3486.

 

For Buriram City, at Nang Rong, turn right on to Route 24, then left on to Route 218 (or 219).

 

It is posible to keep on 304 until you reach 24 but I've been warned against driving that route, especially after dark.

 

I got MapMagic and it's fucking crap - definitely not recommended. (not just my opinion either ) I'll check out MapKing Asia though.

 

Alan

 

Oh my god that is painful. Going up through BKK and Saraburi adds about 2 hours to the drive. This is the route that will absolutely be the fastest way there. Start heading out of Pattaya toward BKK. Take the first road that heads to the Motorway (36) but do not get on it. Cross over it and then take the first road to the left. Forgot the number but it is on the map. Take this till it ends at 339 and then turn left. Take 339 north until it becomes 304 north and then turn right on 159 toward sa keo. Follow that all the way across to 33. Take 33 until you get to Whattana Nakhom and then turn left on 3198. The signs will say Buriram. Take that to 3393 and turn left. Take that to 3148 (i think but that number might be wrong. just follow along on a map) and turn left. Take that to 348 and turn left. You are now on the south edge of Buriram province. Once you cross the mountain you have a couple of options. Continue straight on 348 takes you to Nang Rong and Hwy 24. Take 2075 (i think) takes you to Lahansai (wifes home) and from there you will be on 224 which goes to Surin also.

 

Almost all of that 339/304 is 4 lane. 159 is 2 lane, but straight and wide and good road and very easy to pass the few cars that are on there. 3393/3198/348 are all very good secondary roads with ample passing opportunities.

 

Soon, you will be able to bypasss some of that by taking Hwy 7 east from the Motorway where they are building the new bridge and flyover. That road goes directly to 339 and cuts another 30 minutes. You can definitely return that way followng the signs to the port off of 339. My best time from Lahansai to my apartment in Pattaya is 3:45 and I was flying. Night time also.

 

One thing I might suggest if you have a PDA is to get a GPS and then check the torrent sights for MapKingAsia. Great GPS tracking program for pda and laptop. Good luck, and don't let anyone try and talk you out of driving. I have driven all the hell over Buriram and Korat both, and 99% of the roads are in pretty good shape. The only one I will recommend against is 304 north of 159 where it crosses the mountains. Nasty winding road that goes on forever and is full of Thais with a death wish as they come barreling down the thing on the wrong side trying to pass the shitload of trucks that are very, very slowly moving across it. Never again for me will I take that one.

 

Thanks for that volsfan.

 

I may be doing the same trip in February and the route you recommend is what was recommended on Secrets. A couple of comments on the route numbers though. I don't see a Route 339 on my map but is I assume it's the short stretch of road between Route 7 and Route 304. I don't see a Route 159. According to my map, the road you're talking about is Route 33 all the way. From Watthana Nakhon the next roads are, as you say 3198 and 3393. There seems to be a short cut from 3393 to 348 on 3486.

 

For Buriram City, at Nang Rong, turn right on to Route 24, then left on to Route 218 (or 219).

 

It is posible to keep on 304 until you reach 24 but I've been warned against driving that route, especially after dark.

 

I got MapMagic and it's fucking crap - definitely not recommended. (not just my opinion either ) I'll check out MapKing Asia though.

 

Alan

[Volsfan]

The road number may be 359. Cuts across from 304 to 33 near sa keo. Saves about 30 minutes from going from 304 to 33. The road to 348 is 3486. I remember that now.

 

304 past 33 is a death road that I will never drive again. I would strongly recommend against it.

 

339 is the road number from sattahip to up north of where 7 runs into it and then it joins with 304 and becomes it. it may not show as 339 on the map. could be that number is wrong to. I am in alaska and don't have a map handy.

 

Good luck.

[layow]

DON'T catch a bus

 

DEATH RIDE :No2:

[StrangerInaStrangeLand]

Google maps is nice. Right click to select 'to' or 'from' destinations. Click on the blue 'route' line and drag to change the route. It gives you time and distance, but the time is pretty optimistic, holidays in particular require special planning.

 

http://maps.google.c...363579&t=h&z=12

 

About buses, much cheaper, can be painless, but also miserable. Recommend valium. Actually I recommend valium for all trips to 'the villiage' but not so much if you're driving.

Edited July 10, 2009 by StrangerInaStrangeLand