Extension of the Highway #7 right into Pattaya cuts travel time from Bangkok significantly
On March 31, 2010 the long awaited Extension of Highway #7 right into Pattaya Klang (Center) has been officially opened for public usage.
The highway extension allows seamless highway travel from Bangkok City or from Bangkok International Airport right into the heart of Pattaya Center.
This extension will cut travel time to/from Bangkok / Airport by approx. 15 minutes and save 8 km of distance. In times of high density traffic or even traffic jams, the time savings may even be higher.
Two years earlier, the government already finished the new bypass roads along the railway lines, running parallel to Sukhumvit Road.
Therefore, when travelling between the Siam Royal View Pattaya village to Bangkok or the International Airport, it is now possible to avoid Sukhumvit Road and the route through small villages. By using the bypass road and the new highway extension, the chance to encounter any congestion is practically down to zero, no matter what time or day.
The long awaited extension of the highway #7 has been under construction for 5 years. The main reason for long duration of the project were legal issues caused by land disputes and village acceptance issues.
See also this report with pictures from Pattayadailynews: