This article needs additional citations for verification .(May 2017) |
National Highway 401 | |
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ทางหลวงแผ่นดินหมายเลข 401 | |
Route information | |
Length | 287.682 km [1] (178.757 mi) |
Major junctions | |
West end | Amphoe Takua Pa |
Nakhon Si Thammarat | |
Southeast end | Ban Tha Pae |
Highway system | |
Highways in Thailand |
Highway 401 is a national highway in Southern Thailand. It starts from the west coast of the Thai-Malay Peninsula at an intersection with Phetkasem Road (Highway 4) near Amphoe Takua Pa, Phang Nga Province.
The route runs eastward through Surat Thani Province to the east coast, then southward to Nakhon Si Thammarat Province. It ends at Ban Tha Pae, about 10 km north of Nakhon Si Thammarat town. Highway 4012 then connects Ban Tha Pae to Nakhon Si Thammarat town.
Route 401 is the main road that connects Surat Thani and Nakhon Si Thammarat. It starts near Amphoe Takua Pa as a two-lane single carriageway. Running eastward, it passes through Phanom, Ban Ta Khun districts to Phunphin district. Then it widens to a four-lane dual carriageway and continues to Surat Thani, Amphoe Kanchanadit. It enters Nakhon Si Thammarat province at Amphoe Khanom, but does not pass the town of Khanom. It, then, goes southward pass Amphoe Sichon, Amphoe Tha Sala and ends at Ban Tha Pae, about 10 km north of Nakhon Si Thammarat. Total length is 287.682 km. Of this, 23.628 km is in Phang Nga Province, 186.458 km in Surat Thani Province and 77.596 km in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province. [1]
Most of the route is asphalt. However, a short section from Phun Phin till the start of the Surat Thani bypass is concrete. Almost all of the four-lane section is divided highway, with the exception of short sections at Ban Ton Reang and Ban Tha Pae.
From Amphoe Phunphin to Amphoe Khanom, the route crosses many hills. The highest is Khao Hua Chang, a few kilometers before the intersection with Route 4014. About 1 km east of Khao Hua Chang, the route expand to six lanes, with the outermost lane for slow vehicles such as trucks. Between Amphoe Sichon and Ban Tha Pae, it's mostly level. At Amphoe Tha Sala, the route runs very near the coast (10–50 m) for about 2 km. This is the only section of Route 401 that runs adjacent to the sea.
The section of Route 401 between the intersection with Route 4008 near Amphoe Phun Phin and the intersection with Route 4103 near Ban Tha Pae was once heavily used as a main access route to Bangkok for the lower southern provinces. However, when a new section of Route 41 between Phunphin and Thungsong was finished, the majority of traffic has moved to the new route.
There are two bypasses on Route 401, around Surat Thani (10.282 km) and Tha Sala (4.27 km). [1]
Most of the road from Phunphin to Takua Pa is now viewable on Google Street View, the first long-distance countryside road in southern Thailand to be recorded.
Location | Ban Tha Pae–Nakhon Si Thammarat |
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Length | 8 km (5.0 mi) |
Route 4012 starts at Ban Tha Pae, at exactly the point where Route 401, and runs south to Nakhon Si Thammarat town. [2] In the 2016 highway realignment included 4012 as part of Route 401.[ citation needed ] It is four-lane asphalt, two in each direction separated by a median.
Originally, the route passed through Fort Vachirawut. This was inconvenient because at night only vehicles with permission cards could use the route. Vehicles without permission used routes 4016 and 4013 to avoid Fort Vachirawut.
A new 4012 roadway was constructed about 1 km east of Fort Vachirawut. The newer route allows 24-hour access by all vehicles. The new route is usually known to locals as Thanon Om Kai (Fort-devious Road).
Surat Thani, often shortened to Surat, is the largest of the southern provinces (changwat) of Thailand. It lies on the western shore of the Gulf of Thailand. Surat Thani means 'city of good people', a title given to the city by King Vajiravudh ; Surat Thani is therefore the sole province in Southern Thailand for which the native name is in the Central Thai language.
Phang Nga is one of the southern provinces (changwat) of Thailand, on the shore of the Andaman Sea to the west and Phang Nga Bay to the south. Neighboring provinces are Ranong, Surat Thani, and Krabi. To the south is the Phuket Province, connected by the Sarasin Bridge.
Surat Thani is a city in Amphoe Mueang Surat Thani, Surat Thani Province, southern Thailand. It lies 651 km (405 mi) south of Bangkok. It is the capital of Surat Thani Province. The city has a population of 132,040 (2019), and an area of 68.97 km2 (26.63 sq mi). The city's population density is 1,914 inhabitants per km2.
Phunphin is a district (amphoe) in Surat Thani Province in the south of Thailand. Tha Kham is the principal town of the district. In 2014, the population was 73,067.
Kanchanadit is a district (amphoe) in Surat Thani Province, south Thailand.
Takua Pa is a district (amphoe) in Phang Nga Province in south Thailand.
Southern Thailand, Southern Siam or Tambralinga is a southernmost cultural region of Thailand, separated from Central Thailand region by the Kra Isthmus.
Phanom is a district (amphoe) in the southwest of Surat Thani Province of southern Thailand.
Khiri Rat Nikhom is a district (amphoe) in western Surat Thani Province, southern Thailand.
Khanom is the northernmost district (amphoe) of Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, southern Thailand.
Ban Na San is a district (amphoe) of Surat Thani Province, Thailand.
Khura Buri is a district (amphoe) in Phang Nga Province in the south of Thailand.
Kapong is a district (amphoe) in Phang Nga Province in south Thailand.
Highway 41 starts at intersection with Route 4 in Chumphon Province. It goes southward passing through Surat Thani Province and Nakhon Si Thammarat Province. It ends at Phatthalung Province joining Route 4 again.
Sichon is a district (amphoe) of Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, southern Thailand.
Nopphitam is a district (amphoe) of Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, southern Thailand.
Tha Sala is a district (amphoe) of Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, southern Thailand.
Highway 44 is part of land bridge project running across the Kra Isthmus. It starts at intersection with Phetkasem highway in Krabi Province, running northeast, and ends at intersection with Highway 401 in Surat Thani Province. It roughly follows the route that a centuries-discussed Thai Canal might follow, if ever built.
Highway 403 is a road in Thailand that is divided into 3 sections. The first section starts at Amphoe Mueang Nakhon Si Thammarat. It goes south-westward and join Route 41 at Suan Pak junction. The 2nd section starts at Chong Khao junction. It goes westward to Amphoe Thung Song, then goes southward and join with Route 4 near Amphoe Huai Yot. The 3rd sections starts at Amphoe Mueang Trang. It goes south-westward and ends at Amphoe Kantang
The Thai highway network follows the left-hand traffic rule of the road. The network is the twin responsibility of the Department of Highways, and the Department of Rural Roads, under the oversight of the Transportation ministry of Thailand. Public highways are also called public roads, especially when part of urban streets. The network spans over 70,000 kilometers across all regions of Thailand. Most are single carriageways. Dual carriageways have frequent u-turn lanes and intersections slowing down traffic. Coupled with the increase in the number of vehicles and the demand for a limited-access motorway, the Thai Government issued a Cabinet resolution in 1997 detailing the motorway construction master plan. Some upgraded sections of highway are being turned into a "motorway", while other motorways are not being built from highway sections.