“Bangkok’s traffic,” said His Majesty to an audience of Thai ambassadors in August, 1995,
“makes foreign countries avoid investing here and deters foreigners from visiting.” The King
explained that the traffic problem had become a political problem and highlighted the fact that
the coalition partners, were working at cross purposes.

“These are exceptional comments, out of the ordinary,” said a former prime minister, referring
to how His Majesty had publicly intervened in the performance of the government.

“His Majesty’s concern for Bangkok residents and their plight over traffic is constant, and often
not displayed publicly,” said a senior city official. Even before he indicated that the government
needed to coordinate better, His Majesty often worked closely with city officials, going down to
details where necessary.

In July 1995, His Majesty indicated that U-turns ought to be banned on Srinakarin Road
during rush hours ; that overpasses should be built at Patanakan-Srinakarin and
Ramkhamhaeng-Rama IX crossroads. His Majesty also suggested that parts of
Vibhavadi Rangsit Interchange should be widened.

Bangkok City Clerk Prasert Samalapha, a key official who has worked on flood prevention
and traffic management for decades, says that His Majesty’s thinking on solving traffic and
flooding encompasses human, social and environmental factors. Mr Prasert, who was in charge
of water drainage when one of the worst floods devastated Bangkok in 1980, said that without
HisMajesty’s assistance, the floods in that year would have persisted.