Bangkokians are warning that their daily routines are being disrupted by the closure of several roads in three districts subject to extra security measures under the Internal Security Act.
The ISA has been imposed in Dusit, Phra Nakhon and Pomprap Satruphai since last Thursday and will be effective until Saturday, as the authorities try to deal with anti-government rallies.
Sections of 12 major roads have been closed to all vehicles.
Prae Padungsook, a Matthayom 4 (Grade 10) student at Mattayom Wat Makutkasat School, said she was late for her morning classes because the enforcement of the ISA resulted in several roads being closed, making traffic jams even worse than usual.
Travelling to school by public bus also took longer because the road closures forced drivers to use alternative routes. “Tuk Tuk and taxi drivers did not want to come close to the area where my school is located. I will try to get up earlier tomorrow,” Ms Prae said.
She added that teachers and the management of her school are discussing whether to temporarily suspend classes, as they did during the Pitak Siam Group rallies in November last year, which also led government to invoke the ISA.
A part-time female employee at Office of the National Water and Flood Management Policy in parliament said she usually gets to work at 8.30am but arrived one hour late on Monday.
The employee, who asked not to be named, said the number of roads currently shut because of the ISA appears to exceed the number that was closed during the Pitak Siam rallies.
She tried to search for online announcements of changes to public bus routes but did not find any, adding that this prevented her from planning her travel.
“If [the political situation] is really dangerous, we should be allowed to stay home from work. Closing roads but not giving information [on new public bus routes] only causes difficulties and makes people worry,” she said.
Onnuj Srisoi, a mother of three sons, said she usually hired motorcycle taxis to take her children to Matthayom Wat Benchamabophit School on Si Ayutthaya Road in Dusit, but now opted to walk them to classes instead.
Mrs Onnuj said roads that remained open to traffic in Dusit were “extremely congested” and she feared for the safety of her sons if they continued to travel by motorcycle.
“My sons and I have to start our daily morning routine earlier to ensure they arrive at school in time,” she added.