Crossing Kukwang junction in rush hour

Hi,

I'm thinking of moving closer to Amphoe Muang from Tha Sala but need to think about how easy it is to get around. I hear it's getting busier all the time, and I'm used to living somewhere that's not got a lot of traffic.

It's quite possible that my nursery-run will take me from one end of Pattanakaan-Kukwang road up near the bend at Tha Pae, down through Kukwang, and possibly as far as Tesco.

How hideous is that likely to be at 7:30-8:00am and 4:30-5:30pm? Snarled up and annoying, or plain sailing? this will be in the car - I'll not plan on using the bike until I get a better feel for driving the bike in town.

Actually...is there a songthaew that passes this way? From Tha Pae, past Nakarin and to Ocean, or even all the way to Tesco?

Thanks for any info,


Mark...

The traffic gets pretty bad at those times and Kukwang can be a pig - I go through there everyday. If you're going all the way down to the Tesco end, there is the back road which is pretty much empty. From ThaPae, turn left at Kukwang and then right at the cement works.

Not too sure about songtaews. I know white ones go from opposite Robinsons past Tesco to Watanon where I used to live.

I only ever go into town at weekends, and the staggered junction just before Ocean and the entry into Ocean car park seem to be the real snarly points. I hoped things might flow better before Ocean opened it's doors.

But I know the cement works, so the shortcut is very cool. So thanks for that :)

I know the white songthaew from Ocean to Tesco (and beyond). It's really the first leg of that journey that's an unknown. The Tha Pae and Tha Sala songthaews seem to head off the main road just before Nakarin and hit Ratchadamnoen around Thung Talaad. I'm hoping for something that travels through Kukwang, even if a change to the white songthaew is required to go the rest of the way.

My wife saw a dark blue songthaew between Tha Pae and Nakarin today and said she thought that one used to do the journey we need when she caught it years ago.

Many thanks for the info though!


Mark...

..... and as you get past Ocean, you've also got the weekend market which brings that road to a standstill.

There are several Song Taews that cross that intersection, but unless you have anything specific to do at Ocean, why bother...

It would be much faster to jump on the Song Tawes that turn right after Siam Nakhon Thani and pass AMC. That way is not as crowded on Saturdays.
If you go on the bike during (rush hour) you will find that the traffic will flow very nicely. There are several short cuts that you can go on but they tend to just let you drive faster but use more time (Thai Short Cut).

I would suggest that you ride your bike down there and have a look. You can always turn off the main road at the pet shop, head towards Liqor hotel and then turn left before it. It will take you to Plug and Play, go through the small streets and voila, you will be at ocean before you know it.
On a bike going to Tescos, I would continue in the morning and on pay days on the small roads behind Ocean. PM for more details or try it yourself.
Good luck...

Admin wrote:..... and as you get past Ocean, you've also got the weekend market which brings that road to a standstill.

No too much as a problem as I won' be doing the nursery run on weekends.

Snowflake wrote:There are several Song Taews that cross that intersection, but unless you have anything specific to do at Ocean, why bother...

I will need to take a 2 year old to nursery every weekday. We are looking at a house that on Pattanakaan-Kukwang out towards Tha Pae, and the nurseries we are looking at are opposite Ocean and one down near Tesco. I don't want to take a 2 year old on a bike in rush hour traffic at first, and neither will my wife. I don't want to have to drive the car everyday either - it will be cheaper and more flexible for my wife or me to have the choice to be able to go on the songthaew some days. I'm considering options and have asked about alternative nurseries in the Family pages on this forum.

Thanks for the information though.

Sorry, the morning run should be very simple, but the afternoon pick up will be a bit of a devils ride... You might get lucky but you might get stuck as well, if you know what I mean...

I drive through there every morning and I have never had any problems. I come from Nakharin towards ocean (the tire shop on the right hand side there (Tire Plus))...

In the morning it is smooth sailing, but I have to warn you that if you are just to late in the afternoon you might get stuck for 10 min.. Nothing really bad... Traffic flows nicely (for me atleast)...

Good luck... Remember, it is not so bad... AND there are songtaews going all the way to ocean,.,.,. you just have to find them, walk to the main road and ask the buggers that stop...

PS. going home in a song taew will not be easy as there are about 40000 students going home at the same time, get the car, safe, comfortable and fast!

Snowflake wrote:Sorry, the morning run should be very simple, but the afternoon pick up will be a bit of a devils ride... You might get lucky but you might get stuck as well, if you know what I mean...

Sure - I appreciate there isn't a guaranteed answer to these sorts of questions. And I can sit in traffic for 10 mins. I just didn't want every journey to be the same as Saturday lunchtime traffic.

AND there are songtaews going all the way to ocean,.,.,. you just have to find them, walk to the main road and ask the buggers that stop...

Good to know songthaews do pass by Nakarin, but I hadn't thought that we would be some of the last people on. They're likely to be a bit full aren't they...

PS. going home in a song taew will not be easy as there are about 40000 students going home at the same time, get the car, safe, comfortable and fast!

Good point about the students. But the songthaew does give us options other than me doing all of the driving.

That's really helpful information. Thanks very much for that :-)

Good luck!