Highway 36 (Thailand)

National Highway No. 36 (Kathing Lai-Pluak Ket) commonly known as the Bypass Pattaya-Rayong is a six-lane concrete highway. It was constructed to shorten the travel distance between Laem Chabang and Rayong City via bypassing Pattaya, Sattahip District, Ban Chang District, and the Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate. This route has been designated as part of Asian Highway 123.

National Highway No. 36 begins at a junction with National Highway No. 3 (Sukhumvit Road) at the Krating Lai Intersection in Bang Lamung District, Chonburi Province, and terminates at National Highway No. 3 at the Pluak Ket Intersection in Choeng Noen Subdistrict, Mueang Rayong District, Rayong Province, covering a total distance of 57 kilometres (35 mi).^[1]

Previously, the Chonburi–Pattaya bypass formed part of this national highway; it branched off from National Highway No. 3 (Sukhumvit Road) at the Nong Mai Daeng Interchange, passed the Bangkok–Chonburi Motorway at the Khiri Nakhon Interchange, and rejoined the route at the Pattaya (Pong) Interchange, covering a total distance of 76 kilometres (47 mi), though the route has since been extended to the Central Pattaya Interchange.

Currently, the section between the Nong Mai Daeng Interchange and the junction leading to Bang Saen Beach is designated by the Department of Highways as National Highway No. 361 (Chonburi Bypass), while the section between the Bang Saen Interchange and the Central Pattaya Junction forms part of Motorway No. 7 (Bangkok–Chonburi Road). Consequently, National Highway No. 36 now comprises only the section between Krating Lai and Pluak Ket, a route under the jurisdiction of the Chonburi 2 Highway District and the Rayong Highway District.