Frustrated About Traffic In Bangkok

[thurien]

16 hours ago, Phatbeets said:

My main point is the sentence highlighted in bold. anything to say about that?

 

that is nothing but your private statement - wrong in itself, too: Not everybody in BKK (literally) owns a car, I venture to say "not even a simple majority.."

[3421abc]

On the bright side there are a lot of metro lines being built hopefully it will aliviate the traffic in a few years. 

[Xaos]

Phuket

Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk

[ujayujay]

Ahem...yeah...its a Megacity. Whats the Question?

[bberrythailand]

it could only be in BKK, my tuk tuk friend, etc...

 

A post from a champion !

 

how can anybody not totally insane imagine living in Bkk forever...

 

 

 

[bberrythailand]

19 hours ago, Phatbeets said:

^ No question was asked -  Its just my assessment of an aspect of the city which sucks to the point that it became predominant for me.

 

And you need that long ? Maybe you if could start thinking faster and your life could be better...

 

 

[bberrythailand]

3 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

A strange post. You say that you love Bangkok and told your boss (told? Not asked? Really?) to prepare for you to transfer to Bangkok, and then rant at the pollution and traffic. Did you know from your previous visits that it be quite hot as well? Or did you miss that, as well as not realising how busy and polluted the roads are before asking to be transferred there.

 

He needs time to realize...

 

Soon he will know more about his girlfriend and will come here ranting about how bad Thai women are...

 

 

 

[bberrythailand]

13 hours ago, Phatbeets said:

^ So because he is a tuk tuk driver he is evil uh? lol ... yawn... he is my oldest friend in BKK and I trust him more than a lot of people and thats why I consider him a friend.

 

No doubt about the valid arguments you bring "impulse" but I find the traffic more fluid and the air cleaner in Saigon and pretty sure they have less

road accident compared to BKK (which isnt hard of course). The way they use their horn is particularly annoying but thats another story..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maybe not bad but certainly as smart as his friends...

 

Oh ! Incredible ? How do you know that Vietnamese are bastards using their horn ? Have you been living there 10 years to be able to understand ?

 

:-)

 

 

 

 

 

[JohnLick]

18 hours ago, Crossy said:

And GC will be convenient for the Red Line when it opens (2020 ish), quick and easy commute into town.

 

We live even further out near Chiang Rak, I drive in to town (Chatuchak area) every morning. Luckily my job allows me to skew my work day so I leave home at 5.45, in the office by 6.30, leave 3.30-3.45 home 4.30-4.45.

 

Still horrible... 18 days a year ... 6 months over 10 years

[Phatbeets]

Good to see a lot of interesting posts on page 2 -> I'll definitely take a closer look on some mentioned recommendations.

Is there a public road map regarding the intended transport lines extensions?

 

And lol at the obsessed triple posting raging dork on page 3, go have another beer buddy, everything’s gonna be alright 

[Thian]

No idea what kind of job/business you're going to do as an expat but i know plenty other expats who live in a house/condo from the company. They also get other benefits for working in Thailand.

 

Why not tell the company that you're a German who don't like to live in stinky condo's in Saphan Kwai? It is possible to do that but that's all for the career only...It's more fun to live in a house in green surroundings and have a dog and bicycle.

 

But like everywhere it's all about the price of it, just tell them you'll forget about your new Benz + driver if they rent a nice house for you..So at night you can relax, have a bbq or swim in the pool/bike around.

 

I live in BKK for more than a decade but still have not seen it all, far from that. The centre is nice for malls/restaurants but that's all. The same malls are also in the subs though.

Nice parks are not in the centre but there are condominiums or moobaans who have nice private parks.

 

[Crossy]

2 hours ago, Phatbeets said:

Is there a public road map regarding the intended transport lines extensions?

This thread is worth a look, maps, timescales, opinion.

 

 

[Crossy]

3 hours ago, JohnLick said:

Still horrible... 18 days a year ... 6 months over 10 years

One has to offset quality of life outside work against commute time. Back home in the UK many people spend a lot longer going to work in central London packed like sardines into the trains and tube.

 

I'm no city-boy, we live among rice fields and trees with a 1/2 acre garden, but still within easy striking distance of the city, when (if) I retire we have no intention of moving house.

[Thian]

1 hour ago, Crossy said:

One has to offset quality of life outside work against commute time. Back home in the UK many people spend a lot longer going to work in central London packed like sardines into the trains and tube.

 

I'm no city-boy, we live among rice fields and trees with a 1/2 acre garden, but still within easy striking distance of the city, when (if) I retire we have no intention of moving house.

The best option imo is to have a small condo right next to office and a nice house somewhere in the subs or further away.

 

Then work 4 days a week 10 hours a day and go back to the house.

[Crossy]

39 minutes ago, Thian said:

The best option imo is to have a small condo right next to office and a nice house somewhere in the subs or further away.

Whatever works for you, we are all different. I have a work colleague who does just that, but I like to go home to my good lady and my best friends (dogs).

 

As noted earlier, I'm lucky enough to be able to offset my day and I'm usually home early enough to have a swim in daylight before dinner. Of course it sometimes gets messed up when a client wants to call a meeting at 4PM (or later)

 

[blackcab]

3 hours ago, Crossy said:

One has to offset quality of life outside work against commute time. Back home in the UK many people spend a lot longer going to work in central London packed like sardines into the trains and tube.

 

There is a Japanese guy who works near our house a couple of days a week.

 

He flies into Bangkok from Japan then catches a helicopter from the airport which lands on the roof of his office. He flies home each night.

[Thian]

1 hour ago, blackcab said:

 

There is a Japanese guy who works near our house a couple of days a week.

 

He flies into Bangkok from Japan then catches a helicopter from the airport which lands on the roof of his office. He flies home each night.

I wonder why there aren't more helicopters in BKK...i rarely see one but have never seen one landing on a rooftop.

[blackcab]

2 hours ago, Thian said:

I wonder why there aren't more helicopters in BKK...i rarely see one but have never seen one landing on a rooftop.

 

Cost and lack of flexibility. You can't just land anywhere you fancy in Bangkok. As such you are pretty much limited to certain designated rooftops.  This cuts down on flexibility a lot.

 

You also need the permission of the building's authorised person to land. If you try landing on some random office block without permission you will probably find the roof access locked and nobody will be around with the correct key. As helicopters tend to drop off their passengers and then immediately leave, this could leave you baking in the sun while you try and make yourself known.

 

In addition, on a commercial flight a helicopter landing on a roof needs to be twin engined for safety reasons, which increases the cost substantially.

 

Because you pay for the entire flight time from the airport and back to the airport it doesn't really make sense to hire a helicopter to go from Sukhumvit to Sathorn either - however it's perfect if you are at the airport and then want to fly to work on a regular basis as everyone knows what is happening.

[Thian]

9 hours ago, blackcab said:

 

Cost and lack of flexibility. You can't just land anywhere you fancy in Bangkok. As such you are pretty much limited to certain designated rooftops.  This cuts down on flexibility a lot.

 

You also need the permission of the building's authorised person to land. If you try landing on some random office block without permission you will probably find the roof access locked and nobody will be around with the correct key. As helicopters tend to drop off their passengers and then immediately leave, this could leave you baking in the sun while you try and make yourself known.

 

In addition, on a commercial flight a helicopter landing on a roof needs to be twin engined for safety reasons, which increases the cost substantially.

 

Because you pay for the entire flight time from the airport and back to the airport it doesn't really make sense to hire a helicopter to go from Sukhumvit to Sathorn either - however it's perfect if you are at the airport and then want to fly to work on a regular basis as everyone knows what is happening.

There are plenty of superrich in BKK who own whole buildings. They also can easy afford a helicopter and a pilot, there must be some rule or law keeping the choppers out of the city.

 

Also the rivers could be used more efficiently and have better/faster ways of transport on them. 

 

 

[blackcab]

31 minutes ago, Thian said:

There are plenty of superrich in BKK who own whole buildings. They also can easy afford a helicopter and a pilot, there must be some rule or law keeping the choppers out of the city.

 

There is a 10 nautical mile restricted area centred on Victory Monument. Flying below 3,000 feet is not allowed without the permission of the Director of Civil Aviation (unless taking off or landing).

 

It is normal for helicopters to be given such permission, after all that is what helipads were invented for.

 

The helicopter would have to be twin engined, flying VFR with commercially qualified pilots with the correct type ratings.

 

Some aviation companies have a standing authority to fly in the congested area within specified parameters as it reduces repetitive application procedures. Such authority is a privaledge rather than a right.

[Gordons]

There's no doubt that the traffic is much worse than 2006. I've no issue with everyone owning a car if they want one. It's a free country, largely - indeed that what the name means. But the issue is using it to go down town, mainly to work. This is where improvement to public transport and cycle lane, car sharing etc is needed to reduce congestion dramatically - not to mention reducing the absurdity large volume of uneccesary taxis circulating constantly like vultures. 

[lamyai3]

On 8/15/2017 at 9:13 AM, blackcab said:

 

There is a Japanese guy who works near our house a couple of days a week.

 

He flies into Bangkok from Japan then catches a helicopter from the airport which lands on the roof of his office. He flies home each night.

I like his style. 

[mr3cho]

Six years ago, I moved to Bangkok.  Have had a car for 5 years.  

 

Traffic has steadily increase YoY. And the last 3 years has been insanity.  Tonight it took me 2.5 hours to drive 15km.

 

Nowadays, BTS and MRT platforms are at standing capacity during peak hours.  Siam and Asoke seem the worst.  Last month at Asoke mrt, it took me 45 mins to get a token and then get onto a train.  They are extending bts green, red and purple lines, but the choke points will still be at Siam and Asoke.

 

Some news headlines from last year:

 

5km in 4 hours.  (I was also in this mess)

https://www.khaosod.co.th/special-stories/news_31387

 

Ordered a pizza delivered to her car

https://www.khaosod.co.th/social-trend/news_33414

 

So, my question is, what happens when a city's infrastructure can no longer support the peak hour traffic?

 

 

[YT3k72Em]

On 8/17/2017 at 5:16 AM, lamyai3 said:

I like his style. 

Yeah, he can visit Thailand without ever stepping on the ground. That would be a good trick.

[AlexRRR]

Ahhhh I've stayed in BKK long enough to know a car is handy especially for supermarket trips other than that you can live with out one.

 

Dont think its prestige to own a car in BKK the reason i keep hearing is its way more comfortable sitting in your  air con car at traffic lights than standing in a bus all squashed up and more than likely a number of bus and train changes as well plus plenty of non air con buses too....current TGF spends 2 hrs getting home in the evening in her car she would need to change transport options at least 3 times in her trip home...

 

The one thing i like about the Thai gov is they build a road then just maintain it unlike here they build a freeway then 2 ys later start widing sections of it so for the next 10 ys there is forever work going which means you might as well go the normal road route unless you live out in the woods like i do...

 

And no the low salary Thai wont ever get to own a car they couldnt afford repayments might surprise you to know a lot actually earn a good income....

[brewsterbudgen]

On 8/13/2017 at 6:04 PM, InMyShadow said:

I live in bangkok. Love it and just a few minutes stroll from Nana bts.

If the bts stopped to function I would be on the first flight out

Any westerners driving around here needs their head examined.

Needing a car here automatically disqualifies bangkok as a livable city
 

Trying living in Bangkok with a young family and not having a car!

[gandalf12]

On 13/08/2017 at 9:45 PM, Phatbeets said:

^ So because he is a tuk tuk driver he is evil uh? lol ... yawn... he is my oldest friend in BKK and I trust him more than a lot of people and thats why I consider him a friend.

 

No doubt about the valid arguments you bring "impulse" but I find the traffic more fluid and the air cleaner in Saigon and pretty sure they have less

road accident compared to BKK (which isnt hard of course). The way they use their horn is particularly annoying but thats another story..

 

 

 

 

 

 

A lot of things obviously annoy you in Bangkok and that is understandable. You say you come from a city of 350k I would think that to be a sizable town not so much a city. Bangkok has an estimated 10 million, bit if a difference. If you want to live in Bangkok then you are going to have to accept it is going to present some problems. Accept that and you will be fine  

[Lakegeneve]

On 8/28/2017 at 9:44 PM, mr3cho said:

Six years ago, I moved to Bangkok.  Have had a car for 5 years.  

 

Traffic has steadily increase YoY. And the last 3 years has been insanity.  Tonight it took me 2.5 hours to drive 15km.

 

Nowadays, BTS and MRT platforms are at standing capacity during peak hours.  Siam and Asoke seem the worst.  Last month at Asoke mrt, it took me 45 mins to get a token and then get onto a train.  They are extending bts green, red and purple lines, but the choke points will still be at Siam and Asoke.

 

Some news headlines from last year:

So, my question is, what happens when a city's infrastructure can no longer support the peak hour traffic?

Driving in BKK is the definition of insanity! Why anyone would waste their time in a car if they have a metro option is beyond me.

Agreed that Sukhumvit MRT station at peak is a nightmare. I'm not sure why any BKK resident would not have a MRT card/BTS card even if they are a casual user for the exact purpose of avoiding being caught up in a long line for a token.

 

To answer your last query, the solution is more mass transit. People in Bangkok have to change their mind set regarding driving and accept that mass transit is the future.

 

Unfortunately, the expansion of the metro network has been much delayed, poorly intergrated and generally not well thought out. eg. lack of a single ticket, private operators not having enough funds to purchase new rolling stock leading to overcrowding etc.

 

That is why all new lines are being built with car parks at key stations. That a combination of paid street parking (not many cities in the world have free inner city street parking), traffic calming measures and most likely a charge for driving into the inner areas. None of those measures will reduce traffic, but implementation will slow down the increase in volume a little.

[Travel2003]

I lived 10 years+ in Bangkok, and most of it in Chatujak, near Central Plaza. 

Loved it.

Never had a car, so I always took public transportation, and mostly taxi.

Tried Tuk Tuk a few times because friends and family on vacation wanted it. They wanted to get out of the tuktuk after 10 minutes with breathing in exhaust. Must be "special" if one is spending hours in a tuk tuk.

Took bus a few times, but have since taken a flight whenever possible, since I relocated up north east.

 

The traffic in Bangkok is bad. Yes very bad.

However, try Jakarta, Saigon, All the cities around Metro Manila. They have much worse traffic.

Just have to plan our activities ahead when moving about in Bangkok.

 

Ohhh how I miss Bangkok (writing from Isaan).

 

 

[Thian]

8 hours ago, Travel2003 said:

I lived 10 years+ in Bangkok, and most of it in Chatujak, near Central Plaza. 

Loved it.

Never had a car, so I always took public transportation, and mostly taxi.

Tried Tuk Tuk a few times because friends and family on vacation wanted it. They wanted to get out of the tuktuk after 10 minutes with breathing in exhaust. Must be "special" if one is spending hours in a tuk tuk.

Took bus a few times, but have since taken a flight whenever possible, since I relocated up north east.

 

The traffic in Bangkok is bad. Yes very bad.

However, try Jakarta, Saigon, All the cities around Metro Manila. They have much worse traffic.

Just have to plan our activities ahead when moving about in Bangkok.

 

Ohhh how I miss Bangkok (writing from Isaan).

 

 

Sometimes i get very tired of BKK, but after going upcountry for 1 or 2 days i'm oh so happy to be back.

You have to live your own way in BKK, traffic is bad but on a motocy it's a lot better. And you better not plan things in BKK, just take it as it comes.

 

Even for shopping i never plan to buy something, i only buy if i see something i like and if the price is right. When you search an item you won't find it anyway or it's sold out.

 

The best thing here is that people don't stare at me like i was a monkey from the moon.

 

Bkk is full of surprises, i think i'll never know the whole city well, it's so huge and has so many hidden things you'll only find if somebody shows them to you.

 

I remember when i started driving motocy in BKK, boy was i scared for everything. Now it's my playground, i even don't get lost anymore. And dirty air is mainly around sukhumvit area...there it's best to use skytrains or metro.