The first highway in Thailand was built with American assistance in 1957. Route 2 connected the Satthathip naval base with the airfields in the Isaan Plateau. The road was later extended to the Laotian border. The all-weather surface allowed military convoys to transport war material even during the monsoon season. The US air campaign against Laos, South Vietnam, Cambodia, and North Vietnam would have been impossible without this supply route. The dual carriageway has faded into obscurity with the end of the Vietnam War and other highways are link Thai cities and port. The most important is Route 7 to Pattaya and the Eastern Seaboard.

For years this road ended at a barrier some 20 kilometers from the resort on the Gulf of Siam. Traffic was detoured back onto Sukhumvit. Thai police preyed on motorists exiting off and heading toward the highway. The most famous speedtrap was the one on the Bangkok-bound section after the International School. The police stopped cars for a variety of violations; speeding, passing without a signal, no seatbelts, bad lights, out-of-date permits. 200 baht was the regular fine. Farangs got off with 500. A 1000 if they were in a hurry. I was stopped once with only 100 baht in my pocket. The tam-luat waved me on my way, disgusted that I had nothing more.

This snare will probably become extinct with the opening of the new extension of the Chonburi-Pattaya Motorway will open before the end of March. Traffic will skirt Naklua and Banglamung, easing congestion on Sukhumvit. The completion of this bypass will delight developers keen to exploit the pastoral farmland along the route. Once the roadsigns and lane dividers are finished, the project will be turned over to the Highway Department and Thai drivers can compete for the dubious honor of having the first accident on the motorway.

I give it a day.

Sam Royalle is betting on less than four hours.

It’s a good bet too.