BANGKOK, THAILAND – More than 7.8 million public transport trips were recorded during the first three days of the Songkran holidays, while reported accident numbers fell significantly.
7.8 million trips in three days
According to the Transport Ministry, a total of 7,817,280 journeys were made on public transport systems from Friday to Sunday. This represented a slight decrease of 0.11 percent compared with the same period last year.
The figures came from the Transport Safety Operation Centre, which monitored travel flows during the holiday period. Officials reported generally stable to slightly adjusted traffic movements around Bangkok.
Rail carried the largest share of passengers
Rail transport accounted for the largest share of overall usage, making up 44 percent of total public transport journeys. Other modes of transport recorded smaller shares, but detailed breakdowns were not provided in the report.
The data underscored the central role of rail services during peak holiday travel. Authorities continued to track demand to manage capacity on main routes.
More traffic on main routes to Bangkok
On the twelve main inbound and outbound roads connecting to Bangkok, officials counted 3.19 million vehicles over the three days. This was an increase of 1.29 percent compared with the same period a year earlier.
The higher volume on these primary arteries suggested strong holiday travel activity. Traffic flows remained under close observation on all key approaches to the capital.
Less traffic on Bangkok expressways
In contrast, traffic on expressways within the capital declined. The number of vehicles on these routes fell by 6.86 percent to 3.87 million.
The shift indicated that more motorists used main highways rather than inner-city expressways. Bangkok’s overall traffic pattern thus showed diverging trends between city routes and intercity corridors.
Checks: Over 47,000 vehicles inspected
Nationwide safety inspections covered more than 47,000 public vehicles during the Songkran period. According to the authorities, no major defects were found during these checks.
Officials emphasised the scale of the inspection campaign as part of broader holiday safety efforts. The results pointed to generally compliant conditions in the public transport fleet.
Accidents down 30 percent, drivers urged to be cautious
Official agencies reported a 30 percent decrease in accidents compared with the previous year’s Songkran period. At the same time, they appealed to motorists to continue driving carefully and to strictly follow traffic rules.
“Drive carefully and strictly observe the traffic regulations.”
said authorities, urging road users to help sustain the downward trend in accidents.
Officials linked the improved statistics to heightened controls and sustained public awareness. They stressed that further caution on the roads remained critical throughout the remainder of the holidays.