Anti-government protesters early Monday closed six main intersections in inner Bangkok plus normally busy Chaeng Wattana Road, but those who dared to drive into the city found the going fast and simpler than most Mondays.
Traffic was surprisingly light and work commutes were rapid on Monday morning, as anti-government protesters gathered and set up stages in different locations of Bangkok. (Bangkok Post photos)
It was earlier expected that the “Bangkok shutdown” operation, which aims to paralyse the capital and put pressure to force caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to resign, would slow or halt traffic completely.
Bangkok traffic cams showed little traffic on main roads and toll roads, probably because many residents and workers stayed home, either in support of the protests or in fear of massive traffic problems.
On social media, tweets to two major traffic radio stations @JS100radio and @fm91trafficpro said the drive to work Monday morning was smooth, and faster than usual.
One Twitter user posted to JS100radio that it took him just five minutes from Ratchayothin intersection to the Cultural Centre at around 8.30am, a drive usually requiring around 30 minutes at rush hour.
Authorities warned on Friday that commuters should add at least an extra hour for getting into inner Bangkok.
One user asked sarcastically, "Is this Monday?" because Ramkhamhaeng Road was so clear.
But not everything went smoothly by any means.
In addition to the planned roadblocks, protesters arrived about 9:30am at the headquarters of Thai Airways International on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road, and quickly went to work to block access.
They blocked the inbound frontage road, causing an almost instant backup of traffic on the north-south road, the main route to Don Mueang airports.
The Tollway above the road remained clear.
Buses of the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority were being allowed to pass some of the barricaded areas.
BMTA also rerouted some services to feed passengers to connections for the MRT underground or the BTS Skytrain services such as Lat Phrao intersection.
People also switched to other mode of transportation such as the boat services at Saen Saeb canal, another efficient alternative route that brings passengers to inner areas such as Asoke and Pratunam, close to Ratchaprasong intersection.
CentralWorld, a major Ratchaprasong mall, and three other complexes at the Siam Square area - Siam Discovery, Siam Centre and Siam Paragon - announced they will close on Monday at 8pm, two hours earlier than normal.
The protesters under People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) set up stages before dawn at or near the following intersections: Pathumwan, Ratchaprasong, Sala Daeng, Asoke, Lat Phrao, the Victory Monument and Chaeng Wattana.
Anti-government protesters gather at the Victory Monument on Monday morning. (Video by Apichart Jinakul)