Commuters travelling into Bangkok on Monday are being urged to leave home several hours early in light of anti-government demonstrations that promise to gridlock the capital's main thoroughfares, caretaker Transport Minister Chadchat Sittipunt said on Friday.
Members of Thai Freedom rally at the King Taksin Monument on Friday to oppose the People's Democratic Reform Committee's plan to shutdown Bangkok by laying siege to the streets on Monday. (Photo by Panumas Sanguanwong)
"A trip will not take a couple of hours as it does now. It could be four or five hours. Commuters should make allowances for travel time,'' he said, after talks with transport officials.
"The Transport Ministry will do its best but the public should not expect a full service,'' he added.
The People's Democratic Reform Committee, led by Suthep Thaugsuban, has promised to block Bangkok's main roads and set up rally stages at seven locations across the city, including the Government Complex on Chaeng Wattana Road.
The 'Bangkok Shutdown' protesters plan to close all government offices and paralyse traffic in a tactic to force the resignation of the caretaker administration, but say they will open one lane on each occupied road for public buses and taxis.
On normal days, public buses run at an average speed of 12 kilometres per hour, but that could drop to five or seven km/h on Monday, the caretaker transport minister said.
The Transport Ministry expects serious traffic jams on Paholyothin, Sukhumvit and Rama IV roads and is calling for patience from drivers, he said.
People are being urged to leave their cars at home and use public transport or park their vehicles at 40 designated locations with space for 18,000 cars, before taking buses, trains or mass transit lines. The ministry's website - www.mot.go.th - will provide real time information on traffic and the parking sites.
Some bus routes will be adjusted while 12 extra U-turn locations will be introduced to roads on Monday at Vibhavadi Rangsit, Sukhumvit, Lat Phrao, Sathorn, Silom, New Phetchaburi, Rama IX, Rama IV, Ratchadaphisek, Rajavithi and Paholyothin roads and Ratchadamnoen Avenue, he added.
The BTS, MRT and Airport Rail Link will be more frequent on shutdown day, with shuttle buses to ferry passengers from parking areas to stations.
The State Railway of Thailand is to put on more trains from suburban areas to Bangkok. Trains from Pathum Thani province in the North, Nakhon Pathom province in the West and Lat Krabang in the East will run every 15 minutes, the caretaker minister said.
The Expressway Authority of Thailand will close six expressway exits at Silom, Hua Lamphong, Yommarat, the Victory Monument, Sukhumvit and Rama IV on Monday, Mr Chadchat added.
He recommended road users to check with the expressway agency before leaving home.