KOH CHANG, THAILAND – Massive traffic jams formed at ferry piers as tourists left Koh Chang, Koh Kood and Koh Mak at the end of the extended Songkran holidays, with vehicle queues stretching over 1.5 kilometres in places.
Return wave after Songkran causes tailbacks
In Trat province, the end of the festival period saw a heavy outflow of holidaymakers, especially from Koh Chang, Koh Kood and Koh Mak. Ferry terminals became severely overloaded as departures intensified.
Authorities reported vehicle convoys of more than 1.5 kilometres as travellers gradually returned to the mainland. The situation was most strained at the ferry departure points, where capacity remained limited despite continuous operations.
Ao Sapparot Pier: Slow-moving traffic from early morning
On 14 April, reporters at Ao Sapparot Pier in Klong Son on Koh Chang observed a constant stream of vehicles heading towards the loading area. From the early morning hours, cars moved only slowly along the access roads to the pier.
The mood stayed busy but orderly as many visitors staggered their journeys home throughout the day. Even so, the high volume led to sluggish progress at the approaches to the terminal.
Significant rise in departures between 10 and 13 April
Local marine transport officials noted a marked increase in outbound traffic between 10 and 13 April. Police on Koh Chang estimated that more than 1,100 vehicles had left the island on the previous day alone.
These figures highlighted the typical post-holiday return wave, when many vacationers chose to depart at the same time. Bottlenecks at the ferry terminals, where capacity is constrained, were particularly affected.
Police intervene amid queue-jumping disputes
Pol Col Kridsada Minsaen, head of the Koh Chang police station, described the day as the peak of the return journey, as many travellers aimed to be back before work resumed on 16 April. At times, the last row of vehicles stretched as far as the checkpoint of Koh Chang National Park.
Following reports of drivers cutting in line and rising tensions in the queues, police stepped in to organise traffic and prevent conflicts. Their aim was to keep the line stable and ensure that boarding continued without escalation.
More ferries deployed and empty runs from mainland
Authorities coordinated with ferry operators to increase frequency, including sending empty vessels from Laem Ngob on the mainland back to the island. This was intended to speed up processing and clear the backlog more quickly.
According to official information, the system was able to transport around 150 to 180 vehicles per hour. If no additional cars joined the queue, officials said the congestion could be resolved within about two hours.
Four ferries running at full capacity for Koh Chang Ferry
Koh Chang Ferry Co. Ltd. confirmed that all four of its ferries were in operation and fully loaded. Timetables and turnaround times were adjusted to cope with the high demand during the departure wave.
These adjustments were considered crucial when many travellers chose to leave within narrow time windows. Operators sought to reduce waiting times and distribute the flow of departures more evenly.
Laem Sok sees crowds from Koh Mak and Koh Kood
At Laem Sok Pier in Mueang Trat district, similar scenes were reported as tourists returned from Koh Mak and Koh Kood. Operators there transported more than 2,500 passengers from the islands.
The crowds were spread across several services but still remained well above normal levels. For travellers, this meant longer waits and intense pressure on logistics and staff at the piers.
Boonsiri records 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 in a single day. In comparison, typical weekend visitor numbers on the island were usually around 500 to 600 people.
During the holiday period, numbers thus rose sharply, directly reflected in the load on ferry services. The return journeys often became concentrated into just a few days as the end of the break approached.