Open road ahead – tourism board gives tips to travellers going it alone

Jon WhitmanPublished: 15:53, 12 October 2022| Updated: 16:27, 12 October 2022

233 1 minute read

Open road ahead – tourism board gives tips to travellers going it alone

A new self-drive tourism manual for ASEAN contains need-to-know information on driving in each country, as well as suggested tour routes, available for free download here.

The guidebook was collectively produced by the 10 ASEAN countries. In Thailand, the Department of Tourism was the main coordinator.

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Yuthasak Supasorn, the Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor, said the manual for ASEAN’s self-drive tourists had everything they needed to know about driving there.

“We hope it will serve to inspire people to explore the many diverse cultures, attractions, and landscapes of this fascinating region… at their own pace, along their own routes.”

There are sections on visa and entry requirements, traffic law, Covid-19 and dos and don’ts, along with emergency contact numbers and useful links.

Tours are suggested for each country and cross-border routes cover major highlights and second-tier destinations.

Open road ahead - tourism board gives tips to travellers going it alone | News by Thaiger — Mae Hong Son is a remote, mountainous province in northern Thailand, bordering Myanmar. Ethnically diverse, it is home to hill tribes including the Shan and Hmong.

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There are 25 suggested routes within Thailand, including…

An Adventure-Packed Trip at the Andaman Sea (Krabi-Satun-Phang-Nga)
Road-a-Palooza to Southern Isan! (Buri Ram-Surin-Si Sa Ket)
Mae Hong Son-Chiang Mai Loop and Sea of Mist (Mae Hong Son-Chiang Mai)
The Route of Dharma and Nature (Chiang Mai-Chiang Rai)
View the Mountains and Drive Straight to Prachuap (Phetchaburi-Prachuap Khiri Khan)
Wander through the Embrace of the Mountains (Nakhon Ratchasima-Nakhon Nayok)

There are also around 20 suggested routes that link the kingdom with Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia and Myanmar.

Cambodia Chanthaburi-Battambang, Aranyaprathet-Tonle Sap-Angkor Wat-Angkor Thom, and Sea of Trat-Sea of Cambodia.
Laos Udon Thani-Vientiane-Luang Prabang, Ubon Ratchathani-Southern Lao PDR.-Khone Phapheng-Liphi-Wat Phou, Nakhon Phanom-Mukdahan-Savannakhet-Thakhek, and Loei-Luang Prabang.
Malaysia Hat Yai-Sadao-Kuala Lumpur-Melaka, Satun-Padang Besar-Perlis-Langkawi, and Hat Yai-Pattani-Yala-Betong-Pengkalan Hulu-Penang-Kedah.
Myanmar Tak-Mae Sot-Myawaddy, Chiang Rai-Mae Sai-Chiang Tung-Sipo, and Ranong-Myanmar Island.

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Jon Whitman

Jon Whitman is a seasoned journalist and author who has been living and working in Asia for more than two decades. Born and raised in Glasgow, Scotland, Jon has been at the forefront of some of the most important stories coming out of China in the past decade. After a long and successful career in East sia, Jon is now semi-retired and living in the Outer Hebrides. He continues to write and is an avid traveller and photographer, documenting his experiences across the world.