BANGKOK SHUTDOWN
Car use down; fewer Skytrain, subway riders
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- Traffic was light in Bangkok yesterday, as residents avoided travelling or stayed home following the kick-off of the anti-government Bangkok Shutdown campaign, while most commuters turned to rail and other public transport.

Half the normal number of sedan car trips, normally totalling around 1.2 million runs a day, were made on city streets yesterday, said deputy National Police chief Pol Lt-General Ruengsak Jarit-ek.

A large number of commuters turned to marine transport in canals and on the Chao Phraya River.

Twenty conventional and air-conditioned city bus routes have been altered to avoid seven rally stages set up by the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC).

More than 4,000 non-traffic and military policemen have been assigned to traffic-direction duty in addition to those on regular duties at Bangkok police stations. Police said contingency traffic plans could be adapted on an hourly basis depending on the situations, adding that the busiest of all seven protest stages was the one at the five-way Lat Phrao Intersection.

Police also advised motorists to avoid Rama VIII Bridge, which had been blocked by protesters, by using elevated roads and heading to the Pin Klao or Krung Thon bridges.

Caretaker Transport Minister Chadchart Sittipunt, writing on his Facebook page, denied allegations he halted Bangkok-bound trains transporting anti-government supporters from the South. He said there were other means of transport for them and many trains needed to travel at slower speed over newly repaired tracks.

BTS Group Holdings, the operator of the BTS Skytrain network, said the number of passengers on Monday was lower than expected.

Anat Arbhabhirama, adviser to the board of directors, said traffic at morning rush hour was lighter, but rose at 10am-11am. Still, it was lighter than the BTS has experienced during previous mass rallies.

Ronachit Yaemsaard, deputy governor of the Mass Rapid Transit Authority, which owns the MRT network, said the number of commuters was lower than usual for a Monday morning. He said some avoided travelling into the inner city area where protesters had laid siege to several intersections.

Bangkok Metro, the MRT operator, has increased the number of security guards at stations connected to the BTS and near protest sites.


-- The Nation 2014-01-14

Fewer travels made in Bangkok on Monday; ARL & boat services see more passengers

BANGKOK, 14 January 2014 (NNT) – The road blocks at 8 spots in Bangkok beginning yesterday have resulted in fewer travels overall by people, although usage of the Airport Rail Link and boat services increased.

Transport Ministry Permanent Secretary Thiraphong Rodprasoet said there were fewer travels made by members of the public and buses routes had to be adjusted in response to the road blocks by the demonstrators on Monday. The 8 roadblock sites included Ratchaprasong Intersection, Pathumwan Intersection, Asok - Phetchaburi Intersection, Suan Lum - Silom Intersection, Ladphrao Intersection, Victory Monument, Rama 8 Bridge and Chaeng Watthana Rd.

According to the permanent secretary, the number of bus passengers dropped by 30% to around 2 million, from the usual number of 3.1 million passengers per day. The number of Don Mueang Toll Way users dropped 46% to 51,000 trips, from the normal figure of 80,000. The number of Expressway users dropped 50% to 300,000 vehicles, from the normal figure of 600,000. The number of suburb trains passengers, before midday, dropped 40% to 8,000 persons, from the normal figure of 15,000. The number of subway trains users --230,000 trips-- was considered normal, although the number of passengers before 9 am was lower than usual. The number of BTS users --700,000 trips-- was considered normal, although the number of passengers before 9 am was smaller than usual.

The number of Saen Saeb Canal boat users rose 20% to 60,000 persons, from the normal figure of 47,000. The number of Chao Phraya ferries users increased 40% to 50,000 trips, from the normal figure of 35,000. The number of Airport Rail Link users increased 20% to 48,000 trips, from the normal figure of 40,000.

Real-time information about the status of transportation routes can be acquired at www.mot.go.th and hotline number 1356.

-- NNT 2014-01-14

The protests are an evironmental success: cleaner air and more people wanting to go camping...

On the bright side a few days with a lot less traffic gives time for a lot of the smog to clear. Well done Yingluk.

The protests are an evironmental success: cleaner air and more people wanting to go camping...

awesome day for bicycling and walking around the city.

On the bright side a few days with a lot less traffic gives time for a lot of the smog to clear. Well done Yingluk.

well done Yingluk?

Wonder where some of that traffic went?

Right now, Chiang Mai has a large increase in cars and vans bearing Bangkok license plates. The Royal Flora-Ratchaphruek Gardens here in CM, had record numbers of visitors yesterday (Monday-shutdown day), again with Bangkok plates filling the parking lots. Seems not everyone in Bangkok greeted this shutdown with open arms.

On another note, more than 2.2 million Thais living abroad have registered to vote in the Feb. 2 election. Those are Election Committee-reported, substantiated numbers, not fluff. That might actually represent a greater percentage than all of the anti-government protesters participating in the current shutdown, and they are not even inside the country.

Perhaps better to pay people to stay at home, then no need to put money into transportation, and more tourist will come? ( )

"Anat Arbhabhirama, adviser to the board of directors, said traffic at morning rush hour was lighter, but rose at 10am-11am. Still, it was lighter than the BTS has experienced during previous mass rallies."

Looking at the photo of BTS station from yesterday, I think Mr. Anat might not be telling the truth to support Thaksin.

IMHO, the number of BTS users must have gone up at least 3 times, judging from facck book photos from friends.

So its possible for Thai to stay 1 day without shopping ? I can't believe it !

'Caretaker Transport Minister Chadchart Sittipunt, writing on his Facebook page, ... said there were other means of transport for them [protestors from the south] and many trains needed to travel at slower speed over newly repaired tracks.' No wonder he's a minister. He meets the absolute minimum prerequisite of being able to answer questions with aplomb, whilst having little concern about sounding ludicrous.

There is something to be said for protests, then...

Well, the protesters did what no one else in Thailand could do and that is get rid of the traffic gridlock.

On the bright side a few days with a lot less traffic gives time for a lot of the smog to clear. Well done Yingluk.

Could well be the first good thing she has done to help the country....