Songkran Revellers Start Leaving For Home

[webfact]

Songkran revellers start leaving for home

BANGKOK, April 9 -- Workers and holidaymakers on Saturday began leaving the capital and heading upcountry to celebrate the Songkran festival, Thailand’s traditional New Year, with relatives and friends, as police plan to impose stricter traffic control next week in a bid to lessen road accidents nationwide.

Songkran revelers began to queue up at Bangkok’s Mor Chit bus station to buy tickets to ensure that they would be able to celebrate the annual water splashing festival with their relatives and friends, which officially starts from next Wednesday to Friday.

State-run Transport Company limited has announced that it would increase its daily bus services from Bangkok to upcountry by about 1,900 buses between April 8-12 from the normal 3,500 buses daily. Approximately 1,400 extra buses heading for the capital would be available between April 14-18.

National police chief Pol Gen Wichean Potephosree on Friday presided over the dispatching of highway police, tourism police and Bangkok police who will supervise and enforce stricter traffic measures between April 11-17, especially on drink-and-drive drivers, with the goal of lessening road accidents from the corresponding period of last year.

Gen Wichean also instructed them to help safeguard people’s homes from burglary, as many people would leave their houses empty next week.

On the part of highway police, about 2,000 police and over 4,000 volunteers would set up 62 checkpoints nationwide to help direct traffic during the period, as well as help repair malfunctioning vehicles on roads and highways.

Celebrants in Bangkok are expected to turn up in full force in several areas, including at the park near the Bangkok Metropolitan Headquarters, in front of CentralWorld department store, as well as Silom and Khao San roads. Realising this, Bangkok police have banned trucks carrying water and revelers from entering these areas between 11am-10pm from April 13-15.

A total of 176 checkpoints will be set up on these road, where violators will face a maximum fine of Bt500, police said. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-04-09

[dumball]

I am always amazed how they can willy nilly turn a 1/2/3/ day holiday into 1/2 weeks without a care or a jot for anyone else , just pack up and go . When they return they will likely complain they have no money , when nI was working , if I did that there would be no job/customers on my return , what a joke .

[TheVinylMan]

I am always amazed how they can willy nilly turn a 1/2/3/ day holiday into 1/2 weeks without a care or a jot for anyone else , just pack up and go . When they return they will likely complain they have no money , when nI was working , if I did that there would be no job/customers on my return , what a joke .

Ohhh get over it for christ sake........... its only the same as the farang christmas / new year holidays.

[Greyman]

Yes, only wetter, and warmer, with less presents and stuffing.

[bangon04]

"On the part of highway police, about 2,000 police and over 4,000 volunteers would set up 62 checkpoints nationwide to help direct traffic during the period, "

Oh that's what those checkpoints are for - I always wondered.......

[Guest]

I am always amazed how they can willy nilly turn a 1/2/3/ day holiday into 1/2 weeks without a care or a jot for anyone else , just pack up and go . When they return they will likely complain they have no money , when nI was working , if I did that there would be no job/customers on my return , what a joke .

A miserable party pooper. I guess you spend Xmas and New Year just like Scooge!

[slapout]

"On the part of highway police, about 2,000 police and over 4,000 volunteers would set up 62 checkpoints nationwide to help direct traffic during the period, "

Oh that's what those checkpoints are for - I always wondered.......

I want to know who is delivering the chairs, drinks, snacks, umbrellas, etc for the 6000 at the 62 checkpoints to direct traffic. Expect a pedestrian jam, leading to a traffic jam.

[dumball]

'pauln' timestamp='1302389394' post='4346558']

'dumball' timestamp='1302355704' post='4346064']

I am always amazed how they can willy nilly turn a 1/2/3/ day holiday into 1/2 weeks without a care or a jot for anyone else , just pack up and go . When they return they will likely complain they have no money , when nI was working , if I did that there would be no job/customers on my return , what a joke .

A miserable party pooper. I guess you spend Xmas and New Year just like Scooge!

[/quote

Taking time off for a holiday period is one thing , abusing this by extending to suit oneself is yet another , the way and manner in which it is enjoyed is a personal choice , to get pie-eyed and disrupt others enjoying them selves is just because that is YOUR choice , does not make it a good celebration, for every one except you of course .

As to the other misinformed poster , it is definitley NOT the norm in most countries to extend a holiday period to suit you , lack of attendance on the days prior/post gives you the privilege of forfeiting your holiday pay .

Scrouge the pooper was my title in a previous life , please do not confuse the audience .

[janverbeem]

I am always amazed how they can willy nilly turn a 1/2/3/ day holiday into 1/2 weeks without a care or a jot for anyone else , just pack up and go . When they return they will likely complain they have no money , when nI was working , if I did that there would be no job/customers on my return , what a joke .

Ohhh get over it for christ sake........... its only the same as the farang christmas / new year holidays.

With that difference that they take those farang new year holidays,the chinese new year holidays and 53 other public holidays aswell.Not to forget 2 free days a month which counts up to another 24 days a year.I always wondered how a country can advance if there are almost as much holidays as there are working days.