Traffic Jam to End all Traffic Jams

[Gadfly]

Even by Bangkok standards. Traffic going into Bangkok at a dead stop for at least one hour. Took the BTS at 9 pm and had to wait for a second train since the first was packed. I have seen that before, but never this late.

 

Only thing unusual on Thai TV is that the head of the commander-in-chief of the Thai armed forces needs to visit the U.S.

 

Maybe nothing at all, but if something is happening, the internet will go down soon here. Anything on the news????

[cavanami]

It could have been that a member of the Thai Royal Family was out and about. When they are moving by car, the police will completely shutdown the traffic system; cars, motorbikes and even people walking. I have been stranded in more then a few of these!

[Pom Michael]

I mentioned this in the Sukhumvit Shortcut thread - got stuck for 2 hours going just over 1 km on Sukhumvit last night (from 7:00 - 9:00 pm).

 

Did not see any police escorts either.

 

The traffic was bad Tuesday night also.

 

Guess I'm walking tonight.

[Flashermac]

Yesterday was Thai Veterans' Day. Memorials were held at Victory Monument, which really buggered things up on my way to work. Took me twice as long as usual to get there. But that late in the evening? Who knows.

 

I doubt that it was one of the royals in that area and that time, especially for that long. Police stop traffic so they can speed through, but it seldom takes more than 15 minutes. I ought to know, since I used to live a couple of blocks from the CP's newest palace.

 

p.s. I was at Ngamwongwan one day last year a saw traffic frozen solid. Then I saw why ... part of a flyover bridge had sort of collapsed!

 

 

[cavanami]

had a report that yesterday around 4PM, Suk was completely stopped. My friend was on a bus and got off at Ekkimai, got a Big Mac hamburger, ate it, walked back outside and the bus he had been on hadn't moved 1 meter!!! He then took the BTS

[ThaiHome]

Sukhumvit has been really bad this week. Monday, had a few beers in Soi 8 Pub, got in a taxi about 8:00PM and sat for full 15 minutes. Seem to be only Sukhumvit as once we got past Soi 3/4 light it cleared out to normal. Fare was 95 baht for what is usually about 65.

 

Last night, Suk was again at a dead stop, so went ahead and walked and got a taxi at Soi 2. Took normal time.

 

The problem seems to be the intersection at Soi 3/4 where cars have to funnel into the two lanes on right side of Suk. Going straight and staying on left clears up. Didn’t look like it was backed up trying to get on expressway, must be something further down Ploenchit.

TH

[Pom Michael]

They stared the EasyPass system - maybe that is the problem.

 

Edit - for entering the expressway at Soi 1. Before 3 lanes were open, now I believe one lane is only for EasyPass - but not sure if that lane is manned during rush hour.

 

But yes, this point has been a bottleneck for years - they need to make staggered toll booths there - or put the toll booths much farther up the ramp.

[ThaiHome]

I too thought the problem was a backup at the expressway entrance, but when I finally got there, there was little backup and it was not onto Sukhumvit/Ploenchit. The backup was on Ploenchit itself, looked to be all the way past Central World.

TH

 

PS. did see the started the Easy Pass yesterday. Need to get our office to buy some

 

[Gadfly]

Good, so I am not the only one who thought the traffic was really bad - even by local standards. You will occasionally see royal escorts out by Emporium or on Thonglor, but it is generally pretty obvious what is going on and saw no evidence of that last night. I am not sure what is was last night, but the explanations here make sense.

 

If this is something ongoing, I will need to stick to the BTS and not even bother looking for a taxi until much later in the night (meaning the few Fridays and Saturdays a month where I stay out much past 10 p.m. these days).

 

While we are on the subject of traffic, did see something rather humorous this morning. A motorcade of two heavy black vans with red lights, sirens blaring and police motorcycle escorts heading down Ploenchit towards the expressway pushing through traffic. Looked like someone serious was coming through. But then, when they get to the toll booth, each car stops for a moment and see you a hand reach out to pay the toll. Maybe they never saw that scene in the Godfather.

 

 

[RayRay]

A couple of years ago another person at work and I were finishing up getting ready to leave the office and head to Sukhumvit. Our office was in the Lad Phrao area. The other guy left by car and I had a last second phone call (and follow-up work) that kept me at the office an additional 45 minutes.

 

The first guy called me to let me know traffic was at a complete stand still and he was stuck on the off ramp from the expressway. With that knowledge I walked down to the MRT and took it to Sukhumvit. Despite spotting the other guy a 45 minute head start I made it to the bar and was on my third beer before he finally showed up.