Pratunam flyover to shut for 10 months, worsening gridlock
Bangkok motorists face heavier congestion after MRTA confirmed the Pratunam flyover on Phetchaburi Road will close from 10pm on April 24, 2026, until February 11, 2027, for MRT Orange Line underground works.
The notorious traffic congestion at Bangkok’s Pratunam intersection is set to worsen for much of the next year after the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand announced that the flyover on Phetchaburi Road will be closed to allow construction of the underground MRT Orange Line.
Kittikorn Tanpao, MRTA’s Deputy Governor for Engineering and Construction and project director for the Bang Khun Non–Thailand Cultural Centre section, said the work will involve removing the bridge approach, deck slabs, one span of columns and the supporting piles so the tunnel alignment can pass underneath, before the structure is reinforced and rebuilt to its original condition.
Round-the-clock closure begins April 24
Under the traffic plan, the Pratunam flyover will be closed from 10pm on April 24, 2026, 24 hours a day, until February 11, 2027. During the initial phase, motorists will still be able to pass through the junction only at road level, following traffic lights, with two inbound lanes and three outbound lanes remaining open on Phetchaburi Road.
MRTA said it had coordinated the plan with the Bangkok Metropolitan Police Bureau, the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning, and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration because the area already carries heavy traffic.
Five detours mapped out for motorists
To ease the impact, MRTA has recommended five main alternatives for drivers heading towards east Bangkok: the Si Rat Expressway via Yommarat, the Sri Ayutthaya Road route, the Ratchadamnoen Nok–Ratchawithi–Din Daeng–Rama IX corridor, the Boriphat Road route linking through Charoen Krung, Rama IV and Sukhumvit 42/Ekkamai, and the Bamrung Mueang–Rama I–Phloen Chit–Witthayu route.
Authorities said traffic police would also adjust signal timing around the works to help manage queues, while urging road users to allow extra travel time and avoid the area where possible.
Orange Line work continues to advance
As of the end of March 2026, the Bang Khun Non–Thailand Cultural Centre section of the Orange Line was 26.72% complete overall, including 29.19% for civil works and 7.86% for railway systems.
The Thailand Cultural Centre–Min Buri (Suwinthawong) section, where rail systems are now being installed, had reached 48.73%. MRTA’s published route alignment shows the west section running underground along Phetchaburi Road to Pratunam before turning towards Ratchaprarop Road.
