Captain Slash » Pattani http://www.captainslash.com The Happy Biker Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:16:41 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Pattani To Songkhla http://www.captainslash.com/pattani-to-songkhla/ http://www.captainslash.com/pattani-to-songkhla/#comments Wed, 04 Mar 2009 04:38:56 +0000 admin http://www.captainslash.com/?p=318 The route 42, 409, 4072, 4085, 4070, 4007, 4001, 4113, 408, 43, 408

Total distance 259 km

It was actually not raining when I got up and the roads were dry for a change, I took the 42 out of town and after about 30 km took the 409, about 10 km later I took a right onto the 4072 and rode to Saba Yoi. Here it was a left onto the 4085 and about 20 km later where the 4085 meets the 4070 I take a right onto the 4070 for about half a km then its a right onto the 4007

This road only shows as a thin red unnumbered road on my map so it could turn to dirt or anything but to start off with its a good surface

I am just inside Yala Province again now and this road runs close to the Malaysian border in places

The road has narrowed now and theres a few potholes here and there


The road now becomes the 4001 part way along it


As the day progresses so does the weather, it was very cloudy to start with but now its getting sunny and a lot warmer


I reach the 4113 and turn left and ride to Ban Prakob

At Ban Prakob theres a new border crossing being built, I was told it will open in two months time

This is looking at the Malaysian side, all finished and a nice shiny new road

This is the Thai side and an unsurfaced road back to the 4113

This poor fella was in his death throes in the road, A stick was used to put him on the grass


Is this the only PTT station selling 95 benzine? no gasohol available here

I check in at my hotel then its time to eat, this sign caught my eye

That was one lovely lasagne, the first one since I was last in Chiang mai

Todays ride went to plan, no rain today meant that I got to follow my exact route, in Songkhla I meet the first Westerner that I have seen for ten days, I guess the deep south isnt exactly a tourist hotspot right now

]]> http://www.captainslash.com/pattani-to-songkhla/feed/ 0 Sungai Kolok To Pattani http://www.captainslash.com/sungai-kolok-to-pattani/ http://www.captainslash.com/sungai-kolok-to-pattani/#comments Tue, 03 Mar 2009 16:51:37 +0000 admin http://www.captainslash.com/?p=315 The route 4057, 4084, 4136, 42, 4061, 3002, 410

Total distance 208 km

It was time to vacate this very wet, one 7-11 town, it rained all night again but was actually not raining as I left. I filled up with fuel and took the 4057 heading east, about 2 km up the road it started hammering down again


The above three photos are roadside views, none of them are paddy fields, just flooded because of the virtually non stop rain

I notice for about a length of 50 metres loads of spiders hanging from the electric cable, none are showing the slightest sign of life, probably all drowned

I stop to put my balaclava on as the rains really stinging my face, lots of the locals are taking shelter in these waiting stops. I dont blame them but I cant face sitting here all day waiting for it to stop

At the 4057s finish I turn left onto the 4084 according to my map and take this road riding straight to the centre of Narathiwat, its rained the entire journey so far and here its even harder. I stop for breakfast then take the 4136

The 4136 goes close to the coast in places, I dont see any one on the beach today. The 4136 reaches the 42 and I take this towards Pattani, about 30 km before Pattani I take a left onto the 4061 then another left onto the 3002 to ride to the Pattani Dam(quite why I wish to see any more water I dont know)

Not surprisingly the Pattani dam is completely full and water is being released at the sluice gates

I take the 410 to Pattani, the rain eases off now and is only a slight drizzle into town

I check into the Palace Hotel at 200 Baht

A fairly comfortable bed

Everything is hung up to drip dry, the Airhawk seat cushion has hooks which means its easy to hang it up on bungees from the furniture to let it dry out.

For the first time since I left Hat Yai over a week ago I find a big supermarket selling western food, here its a Big C and I enjoy a KFC tonight. I also manage to find gasohol 91 here as well, again for the first time since Hat Yai. Quite why its so scarce down in the south I dont know, 95 benzine on the other hand is easy to come by

Followed by a Swensens

Todays route wasnt what I really wanted to ride, the plan was at Narathiwat to turn inland and explore a few roads before taking the 410 to Pattani but considering the atrocious weather I altered my plans. Hopefully tomorrow will be better as I hope to get to Songkhla but certainly not by the direct route, If things go to plan I will be very close to the Malaysian border at one point as theres some interesting looking roads inland

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