Transport Co is preparing over 2,000 extra intercity bus services daily over the looming New Year break, when the number of passengers is expected to rise to 200,000 people a day.
Jirasak Yaovatsakul, president of the company, said the firm recently held a meeting with various agencies to discuss ways make traveling easier over the holiday. It is imperative that no passengers are left stranded due to poor connections, he noted.
The number of passengers leaving Bangkok for the provinces is expected range between 180,000 and 200,000 a day from Dec 27-30.
The company will arrange its buses, joint buses with private companies and vans for commuters.
The number of trips will increase from 6,195 a day on average now to 8,289 over the festive period, and the services will be able to accommodate up to 173,000 passengers a day, Mr Jirasak said.
On Dec 28 and Dec 29, an additional 800-900 buses will be deployed, he added.
From Jan 1-3, the company is preparing 8,416 return trips a day, as opposed to 6,132 trips at present, he said, adding the buttressed service will be able to handle up to 162,480 passengers a day.
According to Mr Jirasak, demand for return trips on public vans is likely to surge.
But each van can take only up to 14 people and many have been stripped of their operating as they have been in use for over a decade.
Consequently, Transport Co is now open for operators who have qualified vehicles to provide services on popular, he noted.
He said passengers who book advance tickets for first class and VIP buses travelling to the North and Northeast will be allowed to board the vehicles at the Department of Land Transport instead of only at Bangkok Bus Terminal in Chatuchak, which is expected to be crammed.
He said staff will also heighten safety measures for public transport. Vehicles' Global Positioning Systems (GPS) will be checked to ensure their speeds do not exceed 80 kilometres an hour. The company will also make sure two drivers are on board each bus covering distances over 400km. They will also be tested for alcohol and drug use, Mr Jirasak said.
Shuttle buses will run between the Bangkok Bus Terminal and BTS Skytrain stations.