KOH CHANG, THAILAND – Heavy post-Songkran traffic leaving Koh Chang and nearby islands caused vehicle queues stretching more than 1.5 kilometres at ferry piers.
Return wave after Songkran clogs ferry terminals
In Trat province, the end of the extended Songkran holidays saw large numbers of tourists departing from Koh Chang, Koh Kood and Koh Mak. This surge led to severe congestion at the ferry terminals serving the islands.
Authorities reported vehicle convoys of more than 1.5 kilometres as travellers gradually returned to the mainland. The situation intensified particularly at the departure points of the ferries, where limited capacity created bottlenecks.
Ao Sapparot Pier sees slow-moving traffic
On 14 April, reporters at Ao Sapparot Pier in Klong Son on Koh Chang observed a continuous stream of vehicles. From the early morning, cars moved only slowly towards the loading area.
The atmosphere remained busy as many visitors staggered their journeys home over the day. Despite this, the high volume of traffic resulted in sluggish progress on the approach roads to the pier.
Sharp rise in departures between 10 and 13 April
Local maritime authorities reported a noticeable increase in outbound traffic between 10 and 13 April. Police on Koh Chang estimated that more than 1,100 vehicles had already left the island the previous day alone.
The figures highlighted the typical post-holiday return wave, when many vacationers departed at the same time. The strain was felt most at the ferry berths, where infrastructure and loading capacity remained limited.
Police step in amid queue-jumping disputes
Pol Col Kridsada Minsaen, head of Koh Chang Police Station, described the day as the peak of the return rush, as many people aimed to be back before work resumed on 16 April. At times, the tail end of the vehicle queue reached as far as the checkpoint of Koh Chang National Park.
Following reports of queue-jumping and tense exchanges between drivers, police intervened to organise traffic and prevent conflicts. Their aim was to keep the line stable and allow processing at the piers to continue without escalation.
More ferries deployed and empty runs from the mainland
Authorities coordinated with ferry operators to increase frequency, including sending empty ferries from the mainland at Laem Ngob back to the island. This was intended to speed up loading and clear the backlog more quickly.
According to officials, the system was able to transport around 150 to 180 vehicles per hour under the expanded schedule. If no additional vehicles joined the queue, they estimated that the backlog could be cleared within roughly two hours.
Four Koh Chang Ferry vessels running at full capacity
Koh Chang Ferry Co. Ltd. confirmed that all four of its ferries were in service and operating at full capacity. Timetables and turnaround times were adjusted to cope with the high demand during the departure wave.
Such adjustments were seen as crucial when many travellers chose to leave within a short time window. Operators aimed to reduce waiting times and make the flow of vehicles and passengers more even across the day.
Laem Sok crowded as Koh Mak and Koh Kood empty out
At Laem Sok Pier in Mueang Trat district, similar scenes were reported as tourists returned from Koh Mak and Koh Kood. Operators there jointly transported more than 2,500 passengers from the islands.
The crowds were spread over several routes but still remained well above normal levels. For travellers, this meant longer waits and intense pressure on logistics and pier staff.
Boonsiri ferries report nearly 1,000 departures from Koh Kood
A representative of Boonsiri High Speed Ferries said that nearly 1,000 passengers had left Koh Kood in five sailings on the day in question. In comparison, visitor numbers on the island typically reached about 500 to 600 on normal weekends.
During the holidays, those numbers rose significantly, directly affecting the load on ferry services. The return journeys then tended to concentrate into just a few days as the end of the break approached.