Only 50,000 leave Bangkok on buses for Songkran
BANGKOK: Only about half the estimated number of people left Bangkok on buses for their home provinces for the traditional Songkran rush.
According to reports, an estimated 50,000 people left Bangkok following fears of the latest wave of Covid-19 infections.
Reports in the Bangkok Post said the state-owned Transport Company had prepared enough buses to carry 100,000 people.
Interprovincial buses and vans started shuttling people home, carrying 40,017 people in 3,443 trips, said Transport Company president Sanyaluck Panyawatthanalikit.
It urged customers to arrive at bus depots at least an hour or two ahead of their scheduled departure time to ease congestion.
Sanyaluck said the Mor Chit 2 terminal was particularly busy as buses to the north and northeast left from there.
The company has been giving out refunds for tickets cancelled in the wake of the Covid-19 resurgence. Customers can also postpone their journeys.
A full refund is being offered on interprovincial bus tickets booked for April 8 to 18.
About 4,160 tickets have since been refunded.
Those who bought their tickets using the state-sponsored aid schemes, such as Rao Chana or Mor 33 Rao Rak Kan, are not eligible to obtain a refund.
However, they are allowed to postpone their trips at least three hours before their scheduled departure.
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) is also offering a full refund for unused tickets reserved during the Songkran period.
SRT governor Nirut Maneephan said the full refund had to be claimed at least 24 hours before departure.
Again, no refund is being offered for tickets bought using the state-financed aid schemes, unless the purchase was made using a co-payment programme, in which case only a portion of the payment is refunded.
If, however, either the origin or destination is located in a Covid19 (maximum control) red-zone province, the rules are relaxed a little — refunds can be obtained at least one hour rather than 24 hours before departure.
About 7.3 million vehicles are expected to stream on to interprovincial roads until April 16.