It wasn’t that long ago that Pratamnak Road and the surrounding streets used to a pleasant place to drive. How things have changed.
With the proliferation of condos and hotels springing up like mushrooms, the amount of traffic has increased to the point when even the short journey from Pratamnak Soi 5 to the Royal Cliff Beach Resort can take up to a half-hour.
The seemingly endless roadwork on Pratamnak Soi 6 means buses are pushed a street over, attempting to navigate a very small soi, blocking traffic. Residents complain that drivers act like the street is their private property and treat the public as trespassers.
This huge coach cut off the motorbike, which had to brake suddenly, which caused the truck behind to run into it. Luckily it was all minor, but a fine example of traffic chaos in the area.
The worst spot is at the top of Soi 5 where it meets Pratamnak Road. On Oct. 5, for example, traffic refused to yield to two buses trying to turn onto the larger road. Eventually, the drivers just pushed their way onto Pratamnak, creating chaos with both lanes blocked for several minutes.
Even a mirror placed on a corner pole has not helped, as large trucks parked at a Family Mart block any view of cross-traffic.
