As many as 130,000 people are expected to leave Bangkok by public bus today, heading for their home provinces to celebrate the Songkran festival, which begins tomorrow.
Chatchaval Promtham, acting managing director of state-run Transport Company, said today that the company has arranged for 6,000 buses and vans, to accommodate the large number of travellers.
Passengers with advance bookings on the northern, north-eastern and eastern routes can board their buses at Gate 2 of Bang Sue railway station, with the first bus leaving at 6pm. Passengers are advised to arrive at the station early, to avoid traffic congestion, he said.
It is reported that 77,759 people left Bangkok on Transport Company’s buses yesterday, while 45,538 other passengers travelled to Bangkok. 3,537 buses were deployed for the two days.
The highway police have been mobilised around the clock along the Asian highway for northbound traffic and along the Phahonyothin Road for the northeast-bound traffic.
Special lanes will be opened when traffic becomes congested, especially from 6pm this evening, to increase out-bound traffic capacity, as today is the last working day before the long holidays.
Motorists travelling to the northeast are advised to use the M6 motorway, which is accessible at several points, beginning at KM90 marker on Phahonyothin Road, or at the Ban Na-Kaeng Khoi elevated road.
Manote Chaosuan, chief of Nakhon Sawan highway office, said officials are now coordinating with Nakhon Sawan police to cope with the heavy traffic heading north.
Traffic lights on out-bound lanes will be switched to green and all U-turns will be closed, if necessary, to facilitate traffic flow this evening and tomorrow.
