Bangkok's 900 Days of Traffic Chaos - and It's Just Started!

Anything and everything about Thailand
Post Reply
fountainhall

Bangkok's 900 Days of Traffic Chaos - and It's Just Started!

Post by fountainhall »

If you are planning to drive anywhere near the Rama 4 intersection with Ratchadaphisek going all the way down to the intersection with Nanglingchee just before Narathiwat, be prepared for much worse traffic jams - they're already pretty bad - for the next 900 days or thereabouts. Yes, that's 900 days! This is likely to cause delays to traffic going to the Malaysia and Ibis Sathorn hotels, to Babylon as well as Sathorn itself and its various feeder roads.

The reason is the demolition of the bridge across Rama 4 leading to the Queen Sirikit Convention Centre as well as a flyover. Somewhat optimistically, an official from the BMA said
"We are also seeking cooperation from motorists to avoid the route while construction is under way"
Co-operation? This is going to lead to massive traffic chaos on lots of the roads in the area, and not just the major ones. Coming home this afternoon around 4:30pm, Rama 4 from Suriwong towards the motorway entrances was totally clogged and hardly moved. But then of course drivers can look forward to the relief that will eventually come - by about April 2021!

Image

https://m.bangkokpost.com/news/general/ ... ause-chaos
User avatar
Gaybutton
Posts: 21458
Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:21 am
Location: Thailand
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 1306 times

Re: Bangkok's 900 Days of Traffic Chaos - and It's Just Started!

Post by Gaybutton »

fountainhall wrote:This is likely to cause delays to traffic going to the Malaysia and Ibis Sathorn hotels
When I go to Bangkok from Pattaya I almost always drive my car. To avoid the massive traffic jams I leave Pattaya very early in the morning, never later then 5:00am and I return to Pattaya in the middle of the night, usually in the wee hours. That's the only way I've found to avoid nearly an hour delay just for traffic. I only very rarely encounter any appreciable traffic at those hours.

Once in Bangkok I park at my hotel and then for me it's the BTS, MRT, motorbike taxis, or walking. If I'm going somewhere that necessitates driving the car, I wait until rush hour traffic is over. There is still a lot of traffic, but usually at least tolerable by then.

I would imagine those of you who live in Bangkok or spend a lot of time there have alternatives, but since I only know my way around areas I'm familiar with, that's what I do.
fountainhall

Re: Bangkok's 900 Days of Traffic Chaos - and It's Just Started!

Post by fountainhall »

Do let us know if you find that the traffic is worse even at those early/late hours.
User avatar
Gaybutton
Posts: 21458
Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:21 am
Location: Thailand
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 1306 times

Re: Bangkok's 900 Days of Traffic Chaos - and It's Just Started!

Post by Gaybutton »

fountainhall wrote:Do let us know if you find that the traffic is worse even at those early/late hours.
I thought I had already done that when I wrote, "I only very rarely encounter any appreciable traffic at those hours."

I've been going and coming at those hours for years and at those hours there is traffic, but not enough to cause delay problems. When I go from Pattaya to Bangkok, if I leave to go any later than 5:00am, once I reach Bangkok I end up spending more time in traffic jams trying to get to my hotel than the time it takes me to drive from Pattaya to Bangkok.

Going back to Pattaya from Bangkok, I always take the Rt. 7 expressway. At those hours, for me any time after 11:00pm, once I get past Suvarnabhumi Airport, there is hardly any traffic at all other than just a few cars.
fountainhall

Re: Bangkok's 900 Days of Traffic Chaos - and It's Just Started!

Post by fountainhall »

Gaybutton wrote:I thought I had already done that when I wrote, "I only very rarely encounter any appreciable traffic at those hours.".
I fully realise that. But the closures have only just started and work will continue around the clock. So the traffic mayhem will be greater. I only wonder if on your next trips you find that the traffic is worse even at early hours as more commuters start earlier attempting to beat the worst of the jams.
User avatar
Gaybutton
Posts: 21458
Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:21 am
Location: Thailand
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 1306 times

Re: Bangkok's 900 Days of Traffic Chaos - and It's Just Started!

Post by Gaybutton »

fountainhall wrote:I only wonder if on your next trips you find that the traffic is worse even at early hours
I hope not. If that happens I'll post. I don't expect to be going to Bangkok again until mid December.
Post Reply