Pattaya Tunnel

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daherk

Pattaya Tunnel

Post by daherk »

Well did the infamous Pattaya Tunnel open yesterday as scheduled? Has anyone zipped through it yet? How about a report, thanks.
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Gaybutton
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Re: Pattaya Tunnel

Post by Gaybutton »

This morning I drove through the tunnel for the first time. Last night it rained heavily and was still drizzling when I drove through. The interior of the tunnel was dry - no standing water. So far, it seems fine to me, although I still think it was built in the wrong place and should have been a bridge.

It's two lanes each direction. However, if you are trying to pass through the tunnel and an accident happens in there, you could easily end up blocked and stuck until traffic can be cleared. Despite that, at least so far I see no reason to avoid the tunnel, although you can if you prefer not to enter.

Intersections that had been blocked off at Pattaya Klang are now open. All the construction barriers are gone. This was the first time in more than 3 years this area of Sukhumvit appeared normal.

I don't know yet if the tunnel will be effective in relieving traffic problems because this morning there was hardly any traffic on Sukhumvit in the first place. The only relief I can imagine at this point would be traffic going northbound, trying to go to Bangkok. Northbound, when you exit the tunnel you're only a couple hundred meters from the entrance to Rte. 7 and you'll be in the correct lanes to enter.

The only way I can see to find out if the tunnel will really relieve traffic problems will be during heavy traffic times, such as holidays or rush hour.
daherk

Re: Pattaya Tunnel

Post by daherk »

Thanks GB, us Jomtien boys only travel North for our frequent visits to BPH!
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Re: Pattaya Tunnel

Post by Gaybutton »

Image

Image

At the top you can see one of the blowers, just under the lights, to keep exhaust out of the tunnel.

Down below, along the red and white stripes, you might just barely be able to make out one of the small drain holes.


These two photos of the tunnel interior were sent to Pattaya One by a reader. See: http://pattayaone.news/en/pattaya-tunne ... lief-many/
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mahjongguy
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Re: Pattaya Tunnel

Post by mahjongguy »

daherk wrote:Thanks GB, us Jomtien boys only travel North for our frequent visits to BPH!
Geez, ain't that the truth!

So far this year I've been to visit the lovely dentists at BPH sixteen times. :|
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Re: Pattaya Tunnel

Post by 2lz2p »

GB
This morning I drove through the tunnel for the first time. Last night it rained heavily and was still drizzling when I drove through. The interior of the tunnel was dry - no standing water.
This was also my experience when I drove through about 8:50am (North bound) this morning. Here is a link to a video of the tunnel on Thaivisa:

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/99 ... t-12213341

As to comments about trips from Jomtien to BHP - I've done my share - I keep telling people that whenever I am going further North on Sukhumvit that my car automatically wants to turn into BHP :D .
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Re: Pattaya Tunnel

Post by Gaybutton »

2lz2p wrote:Here is a link to a video of the tunnel on Thaivisa
In case anyone is actually interested, the video was the southbound direction.
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Re: Pattaya Tunnel

Post by Undaunted »

I used the tunnel today for the first time, what a difference it makes.
"In the land of the blind the one eyed man is king"
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Re: Pattaya Tunnel

Post by Gaybutton »

If you have your own transportation in Pattaya, most likely that means either a car or motorbike. No problem for cars using the tunnel, but motorbikes are prohibited. Signs making it clear that motorbikes are not to use the tunnel are prominently posted.

Police are stationed at the tunnel entrances and issuing 1000 baht fines for motorbikes attempting to use the tunnel.

If you use a motorbike, just stay on Sukhumvit, but don't try to use the tunnel.

See: http://www.pattayamail.com/news/motorcy ... nel-185499
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