Bkk Traffic Chaos Yesterday!

[Buff-horns]

Triple blow paralyses city traffic

Published on December 09, 2005

Three major events plunged Bangkok into nightmarish traffic yesterday. Traffic across much of the city came to a virtual standstill, owing to preparations for today’s opening of the Siam Paragon shopping mall on Rama I road, a graduation ceremony at the Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Centre (Bitec) in Bang Na, and a mob of farmers descending on Silom road.

As lumbering trucks wheeled in and out of the shopping mall’s entrance, obstructed by cranes, traffic along Sukhumvit Road ground to a halt. The gridlock was at its worst around noon when many vehicles got trapped in logjams for one or two hours.

The line of vehicles, immobilised for kilometres, reached as far as the Bang Na intersection, where matters soon took a turn for the worse due to the graduation ceremony being held at Bitec.

Lt-Colonel Vittaya Sukasem, in charge of traffic at the Pathum Wan police station, said construction at Siam Paragon had been impeding the flow of traffic on Rama I road since mid-November, but that the situation might improve today because trucks would no longer be obstructing traffic.

However, he asked shoppers to use the city’s mass-transportation system to the mall because the parking spaces at Siam Paragon and nearby Siam Discovery, which could accommodate 4,800 cars, might not meet demand.

“Seventy traffic policemen will be stationed along the road and outside the four gates of the malls in order to direct traffic on the opening day,” he said.

Traffic lanes on Rama I road will be made one-way, allowing only vehicles from the direction of Rajprasong intersection.

The FM91 traffic radio station reported that the logjam affected roads and streets in the areas of Phaholyothin, Victory Monument and Vibhavadi-Rangsit.

It also reported congestion on Silom road, where a group of farmers gathered outside Bangkok Bank’s headquarters with some 1,000 pickups blocking roads.

Only two traffic lanes could service vehicles and the ensuing gridlock along Silom road had repercussions on Rama IV, Rajdamri, Phloenchit, Sukhumvit Soi 62, New Phetburi, Ratchadaphisek and Rajdamnoen roads, all the way to the Thon Buri side of the city.

More than 7,000 commuters called the station, expressing their distress over the congestion.

A graduation ceremony at Bitec in Bang Na paralysed the inbound Bang Na-Trat lanes all day long. The line of vehicles from Bang Na Intersection stretched to kilometre eight, where many vehicles were stuck on U-turn bridges following accidents by cars ahead.

The congestion also affected traffic on Srinakarin and Samut Prakan roads.

Further major traffic upheavals are expected today in several parts of the city.

The grand opening ceremony of Siam Paragon today is expected to cause traffic jams in the Rama I road and Siam Square areas.

FM91 has also warned of jams around Lumpini Park, because of the crowds expected to attend Sondhi Limthongkul’s “Thailand Weekly” programme.

Areas around bus terminals may also experience severe jams as people head out of the city for the long weekend.

Chatrarat Kaewmorakot

The Nation

[terdsak_12]

Yes it was a nightmare yesterday around Bang-Na. Wondered what was going on.

[OldAsiaHand]

Today (Friday) Siam Paragon is opening at six next door to the Siam Centre and Sondi is staging an anti-Thaksin 'talk show' in Lumpini Park to be attended by mobs of disgruntled teachers at five-thirty.

God bless us every one.

[cobra]

... plunged Bangkok into nightmarish traffic ...

How can you tell I find it nightmarish most of the time.

[terdsak_12]

It's just as bleedin bad today!!!!