PATTAYA, Thailand – As the Songkran travel exodus gets underway, Thailand’s Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) is urging motorists to plan ahead and use alternative routes to avoid heavy congestion during the peak holiday period.
Highway Police, under the direction of senior officials, have ramped up nationwide preparations to manage the surge in traffic between April 11–15, aiming to ease congestion, reduce accidents, and ensure safer journeys for millions heading home or traveling across the country.
Authorities said real-time traffic monitoring is being carried out through an extensive network of CCTV cameras, allowing officers to quickly respond to bottlenecks and manage traffic flow more efficiently.
To help disperse traffic, officials have recommended four major alternative routes covering the North, Northeast, East, and South, encouraging drivers to avoid main highways where possible and better plan their journeys.
Additional measures include the opening of special lanes on key routes to ease vehicle build-up, as well as the provision of rest areas at highway police service units nationwide, available for walk-in use without prior booking.
Motorists are also being advised to prepare thoroughly before traveling by checking vehicle conditions, including brakes and tires, getting adequate rest, and avoiding long, continuous driving without breaks.
Highway Police emphasized they will be on full duty throughout the Songkran period, with assistance available 24 hours a day via hotline 1193, as the country enters one of its busiest travel periods of the year. (TNA)
