About 200,000 Expected to Take Bus Rides out of Bangkok a Day during Songkran
The state-run Transport Company will increase its bus and passenger-van services by 3,000 to a total of some 9,000 trips per day from April 10-13, in order to accommodate a sharp rise in the number of passengers expected to travel out of Bangkok ahead of the long Songkran holidays period.
Transport Company’s managing director, Jirasak Yaowatsakul, on Monday said the increase in services would accommodate about 200,000 passengers a day.
For journeys back to Bangkok, the company will lay on about 8,100 trips a day from April 14-17, he added.
For the convenience of passengers, the company has suggested that travellers make advance bookings through its websitewww.transport.co.th, at counter services or via the 1490 call centre.
Earlier, the government warned that maximum penalties would be meted out to drunk and reckless drivers, as well as to motorcyclists without crash helmets, if they are involved in road accidents during the Songkran festival.
Hundreds of people are killed, with thousands more injured, during the annual Songkran holidays – and most of the accidents involve motorcyclists or drunk drivers.
Motorists and motorcyclists caught drinking and driving will also have their vehicles impounded.