Bangkok turns into ghost town for the holidays

By The Nation

 

Photos by Rachanon Intharaksa

 

Once or twice a year, many major roads in Bangkok will be unusually quiet and empty as you see in these pictures, which were taken on Saturday morning.

 

Many Thais leave the capital city to celebrate New Year with their families upcountry. And many upcountry people who work in Bangkok return to their hometowns during the festive season.

 

Public holidays for New Year in Thailand starts from December 29 until January 1.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30361329

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-12-29

Amazing 

Temporarily solves the smog problem

The best time to go to Bangkok .

28 minutes ago, keith101 said:

The best time to go to Bangkok .

You make me think

Just for fun looked for flights tonight and tomorrow.

Easily available.

But no, even the 90 km to the airport would wrack my nerves.

Edited December 29, 20187 yr by KhunBENQ

Yea, It is wonderful, that is why I stay home

It's time to count who and how many are really Bangkok natives .

This is the only time I enjoy Bangkok.  Too bad the smog is such <deleted>. 

1 hour ago, Assurancetourix said:

It's time to count who and how many are really Bangkok natives .

Even Bangkok natives could go to other provinces to visit relatives. Anyway it was really busy here near central Westgate in Bangyai.. too many people around.

The pics must have been around 7:02 am when many streets on a Sat morning are dead. I just went through the worst traffic in a cab about 1pm from Rama 4 past Cental World to just past Platinum mall and it was absolutely insane. I never saw traffic ever like this in BKK!!  The taxi driver was saying the same thing. The BTS is extra packed and so are the malls like Paragon. This story is complete BS.

where are the 50 million tourists that TAT say are visiting Thailand?

Edited December 29, 20187 yr by CeeGee

1 minute ago, CeeGee said:

where are the 50 million tourists that TAT say are visiting Thailand?

I would imagine they don't all come the same day. 

It has been soulless since junta mania was forced on everyone.   Now it just looks it.

50 minutes ago, CeeGee said:

where are the 50 million tourists that TAT say are visiting Thailand?

At Siam Paragon. Insane today.

13 minutes ago, yellowboat said:

It has been soulless since junta mania was forced on everyone.   Now it just looks it.

Nonsense, do you even live in BKK?

yeah they are down here in Hua Hin now. Crazy busy.

I am sure they are stuck in traffic on the road to Korat, which is the same way I will be driving in a few hours.  Ah damn 

1 hour ago, ThaiSauce said:

I am sure they are stuck in traffic on the road to Korat, which is the same way I will be driving in a few hours.  Ah damn 

Where are you going to ?

 

As I like to repeat , thai people don't know secondary roads which are all the year nearly totally vierge of vehicules.

I like to drive on these roads which have often a  better asphalt than main roads and nearly no other vehicles .

But also less petrol and 7/11 stations .

But if you have a truck like mine an Isuzu 3 liters and automatic gears I can do 1,200 km with the 74 liters of Go in the tank ; so no need to stop somewhere;

only to go to the toilets and drink something but never alcool, of course.

Great! Best time to go! Next year I'll go to BKK and avoid the drunken karaoke on the loudspeaker featuring the absolute worst singers in Thailand party! ???? 

13 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

Nonsense, do you even live in BKK?

Probably has never gone once.

I hear the ghost howling all day long, it's the labrador from the neighbours which they left in their garden while on holiday for many days....poor dog, i wonder if it has food and water.

Well in my little city in central Thailand, we have many visitors from BKK or some where.  Very busy!  I never travel when there are public holidays.  Just seems silly to me, to get on the roads that are acting like parking lots.  With all of the drunks, bad driving skills and stress.  I leave my travel for when everybody is at work.

Well I never - the Capital city has suddenly become a "town"

4 hours ago, fruitman said:

I hear the ghost howling all day long, it's the labrador from the neighbours which they left in their garden while on holiday for many days....poor dog, i wonder if it has food and water.

water and feed it

my neighbours killed their dog this way

In AA, we have a name for New Years Eve.

 

We call it "Amateur Night"

 

And mostly, we stay home.

 

I noticed a few photo's saying similar things during the weekend. However, I was trying to get from Siam Paragon to Lower Suk on Saturday evening around 7pm and both the BTS and taxi queues were very busy and the roads almost at a standstill in the rain.