BANGKOK, 11 April 2012 – More than half a million people have left Bangkok for the upcountry during the past long weekend, according to information from the country’s major provincial bus operator.
The Transport Company revealed that more than 500,000 travelers have taken on buses to various upcountry destinations between last Friday and Monday.
The company also stated that all who have left Bangkok are not back to town yet, while it forecasts that a daily average of 250,000 passengers will travel back to their hometowns during April 11th and 12th, to celebrate the Songkran festival.
With this estimate, the country’s major bus service provider is preparing to add more than 5,000 trips to its existing schedules to accommodate the surge in travelers’ demand during the upcoming Thai New Year holidays.
Meanwhile, the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) reported that around 600,000 people have chosen to ride trains back to their hometowns since April 5th, with no less than 120,000 travelers expected to leave Bangkok by the railway service each day, during Wednesday and Thursday.
Both the Transport Company and the SRT agreed that the surge in public demand for bus and train services has been driven by higher oil prices, which have forced many to leave their vehicles at home and opt for public transport during this holiday.
