Travelling by road in Thailand can be quite an adventure - especially once you get out into the countryside. There's a very relaxed attitude, for example, towards putting up signs to warn of roadworks - one of the reasons why driving at night is not usually recommended.
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| A two lane highway reduced to one (and a bit) |
Most of the problems with the roads are caused by the huge amounts of rain we get in the monsoon season. Bridges seem to be a particular weak point - and from time to time you're not entirely sure the temporary replacement bridge will hold the weight of your vehicle.
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| Having done a thorough assessment of the bridge strength (by jumping up and down on it), we cross... |
Other roads, further into the hills, are just dirt roads anyway - and can become treacherous if there has been a lot of rain - our recent South Wales Baptist College team experienced one of these.
You do occasionally see the evidence of the dangers of these roads - such as this wreck which the Thai police leave out on show by a notorious mountain pass as a warning to others.
Despite the dangers, however, the best part about driving on Thai roads is some of the other interesting sights that you see regularly. With the unusual wildlife, the fantastically old vehicles, and the constantly amazing ability of local folk to cram more people and goods into a single car, a Thai road trip is never dull!
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| Yes, it's an elephant - with the mahoot riding on the cab of the lorry. |
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| Let's put the whole Sunday School in the back of the pick-up! |
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| Vintage, maybe - but it still makes it up and down the mountains |
