Bangkok worst in SE Asia for traffic jams: survey

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Bangkok worst in SE Asia for traffic jams: survey

By   JIRAPAN BOONNOON 
THE NATION 

 

File photo
 

BANGKOK suffers the traffic jams in Southeast Asia, followed by Jakarta and Manila, according to a survey by Uber and BCG. 

 

The survey reported that ride-sharing could help reduce traffic congestion and increase space for car parking.

 

Siripa Jungsawat, general manager of Uber Thailand, said the firm conducted the survey about traffic jams in Bangkok during September and October this year. The report found that on average Bangkok drivers get stuck for a total of 96 minutes per day – 72 minutes in a traffic jam and a further 24 minutes finding a parking spot. Taken on an annual basis, vehicle owners spend around 24 days per year stuck in traffic.

 

The survey ranked Bangkok as the worst for traffic congestion among countries in Southeast Asia, followed by Jakarta, Manila, Hanoi and Kuala Lumpur. 

 

The survey also said that 82 per cent of Bangkok residents believe that a ride-sharing service like Uber could be a useful substitute for car ownership.

 

Traffic jams in Asean’s city roads cost 2 per cent to 5 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) per year in each of the countries taking into account the time wasted as well as its impact on the cost of transport. Moreover, about 80 per cent of air pollution in Asia was caused by road transport.

 

The survey, conducted in September-October 2017, covered approximately 300 commuters per city. The commuters surveyed ranged across all types of transportation. The surveys covered Hong Kong, Singapore, Taipei, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta, Manila, Hanoi and Surabaya.

 

According to the firm’s analysis, additional traffic infrastructure is not the only way to solve the problem of traffic jam. The firm believes ride-sharing is another alternative. The firm has encouraged vehicle owners who drive in Bangkok to utilise ride-sharing services in order to reduce congestion, traffic jams, wastage of time and lost opportunities from being stuck in traffic.

 

Uber is a ride-sharing provider with services in five areas – Bangkok, Chiang Rai, Khon Kaen, Pattaya and Chon Buri. The company is, however, not a legal ride-sharing service provider in Thailand. It is awaiting passage of a new law to support its services.

 

Meanwhile, Supakorn Sittichai, smart-city director at Digital Economy Promotion Agency, said the Thai government had recognised the need to provide traffic solutions and develop urban zones so residents could enjoy a better life in all aspects. The government has already made efforts to address the issue in various cities such as Phuket in order to promote the use of digital technology as a tool to solve the urban problem and provide a platform to solve the problem in the country.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/Corporate/30331056

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-11-07

[George Bowman]

[Get Real]

Surprised?

[overherebc]

A lot caused by lack of thought and disregard for other car users.

My local main street has 4 lanes in each direction and on any given day only two can be used because of double parking and no lane discipline.

Double park to save a 10 metre walk.

One or two cars double parked causing following vehicles to move into the next lane and things back up to the traffic lights where cars get stuck in the crossroads causing delays to the other roads etc.

Plus if you 'car share' people will start to think you don't have a nice car and how much of a loss of face is that????

[ExpatOilWorker]

" survey by Uber and BCG"

 

"Uber is a ride-sharing provider with services in five areas – Bangkok, Chiang Rai, Khon Kaen, Pattaya and Chon Buri. The company is, however, not a legal ride-sharing service provider in Thailand. It is awaiting passage of a new law to support its services."

 

This is a fake an bias survey designed to change the ride-share law in favor of Uber. TV should be ashamed of posting it as news.

[anon789561]

yes, the traffic is a nightmare in bkk. that's a city built bit by bit without much planning. even the bloody expressways are a car park during rush hour. so live near a bts or mrt. will make life alot easier if you need to get around the cbd

[toolpush]

Jakarta is far worse than Bangkok

[overherebc]

17 minutes ago, toolpush said:

Jakarta is far worse than Bangkok

That was my first thought. One guy I know goes regularly for work and reckons it's by far worse than BKK.

[yellowboat]

38 minutes ago, toolpush said:

Jakarta is far worse than Bangkok

It is faster walking in both places.  

 

Before the BTS and subway, use to stay on the river or klong.  Those were the only two ways to avoid traffic bank in the day.    

[Ossy]

Floods and, now, traffic jams . . . can the Bangkokians complain about anything else? Traffic jams have only 2 causes . . . 1) a lack of planning, i.e. people sat round a table and giving serious thought to an issue, and 2) Too many people, which without adequate birth control, is only going to get worse.

 

Flit upriver . . . that's what I'd do . . . blooming obvious.

[AgMech Cowboy]

BS! No way is Bangkok worse than Jakarta.

[Hong Bong Dynasty]

I'm surprised that Ha Noi is # 4. I think Sai Gon is far worse in all of Viet Nam.

[Stargeezr]

I thnk India cities are close to the top of the list as well.  The traffic was worse before the

elevated expressways were built. Used to be 2 hours from Nana Hotel to Don Muang

airport.

Geezer

[overherebc]

Getting back from Pattaya to BKK many years ago it was almost a full day on a Sunday. Through Chonburi was bad and then when you reached to the area where Central is/was on BangNa it became almost a dead stop.From there to Suk' could take longer than Pattaya to Central.

[baansgr]

Personal experience, I find Manila a lot worse with no real alternative, at least BKK has MRT, BTS, M/C taxis, klong taxis

[LennyW]

Manila is far worse every day!

[ExpatOilWorker]

3 hours ago, overherebc said:

Getting back from Pattaya to BKK many years ago it was almost a full day on a Sunday. Through Chonburi was bad and then when you reached to the area where Central is/was on BangNa it became almost a dead stop.From there to Suk' could take longer than Pattaya to Central.

I remember that. The bus would also often stop for fuel at Bang Na road, but it was often a much needed toilet break at that point.

[Bangkok Barry]

21 hours ago, toolpush said:

Jakarta is far worse than Bangkok

 

I agree.

[overherebc]

5 minutes ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

I remember that. The bus would also often stop for fuel at Bang Na road, but it was often a much needed toilet break at that point.

Also used to be a very large thai wooden house style restaurant somewhere along that road that was good for a beer, fried rice and a P break. I suppose the elevated tollway was a big factor in that place disappearing.

[bulldogtwo]

Kind of hard to believe really. I've been in Manila traffic, for hours. Bangkok traffic at least, usually moves. Manila traffic, you can be stopped and not move an inch for some long periods of time. You are usually better off walking. Personally, I'll take Bangkok traffic over Manila any day. Further more, the traffic in Bangkok is easier to avoid by using other modes than in Manila

[MaeJoMTB]

51 minutes ago, bulldogtwo said:

Kind of hard to believe really. I've been in Manila traffic, for hours. Bangkok traffic at least, usually moves. Manila traffic, you can be stopped and not move an inch for some long periods of time. You are usually better off walking. Personally, I'll take Bangkok traffic over Manila any day. Further more, the traffic in Bangkok is easier to avoid by using other modes than in Manila

Manila wins ....... 2 hours to travel 10Km from the bus station to the outskirts is normal.

[Stocky]

On 08/11/2017 at 1:32 PM, toolpush said:

Jakarta is far worse than Bangkok

Agreed. What's worse is you've little option but to use the roads in Jakarta, first phase of the MRT is still at least 2 years away from completion.

[observer90210]

I think for the regular Bangkok commuters, they won't need the costly survey to make an idea for themselves !!...With or without Manila...sorry guys.

Edited November 13, 2017 by observer90210

[wakeupplease]

On 11/8/2017 at 5:34 AM, Happy enough said:

yes, the traffic is a nightmare in bkk. that's a city built bit by bit without much planning. even the bloody expressways are a car park during rush hour. so live near a bts or mrt. will make life alot easier if you need to get around the cbd

 

Don't talk silly they have planned 19 coups haven't they, but thinking about it maybe you are right

[gk10002000]

It was never great, certainly not good.  For a while there I thought the BTS made a big difference.  But it doesn't seem to have been too long before more and more cars showed up. Got to come up with a better Urban model.  Maybe need like a cell or modular design.  Have smaller cities that have all the everyone needs, so they don't have to get to the other side of one big city to work.  I have worked in California for over 20 years.  I never had to commute because as  contractor I had the luxury of just renting somewhere near where the job was.  But I would chuckle that if the people going southbound would exchange houses with the people going North bound,  well,...  I wonder if some sort of house swapping service would be viable.   Most people tend to get attached to their places and belongings, I get it.  But two hours each way every day

[LazySlipper]

I sincerely believe that if the BIB kept their hands off the timers things would go a lot more smoothly.

 

Every time I see one with his hand on the button there seems to be a traffic jam.