Highway congested as holidayers start journey out of capital
The Asian Highway, which connects Bangkok and the northern and northeastern parts of the country, saw vehicular congestion on the first day of the long six-day holiday break on Friday.
In Ayutthaya province, north of Bangkok, traffic volume on the outbound lanes of the highway increased substantially as people from the capital and surrounding provinces were heading north to spend the long holiday.
The congestion started forming in the morning as several people were going on vacation while others were returning to their hometowns to spend time with families and friends.
A large number of vehicles on the road forced traffic to slow down in Bang Pa-in district of Ayutthaya. Roads connecting to the Asian Highway also saw increased traffic.
The long break starts on Friday (July 28), His Majesty the King’s birthday, and continues until Wednesday (August 2), the start of Buddhist Lent. The caretaker government on Tuesday designated Monday (July 31) as an extra public holiday to encourage travels upcountry.
