Why is the traffic in Bangkok so bad and can we avoid it at all?
There are but three things that are utterly unavoidable in life: death, taxes, and Bangkok’s notorious traffic. If you have lived in the capital city for any amount of time, one thing becomes abundantly clear, the gridlock traffic during commuting hours is sure to drive anyone crazy.
American humorist, Evan Esar (1899 to 1995), was known to comment on the relationship between a person and their car. In one of his humorous quotes, he mentions traffic as well as it was something that happened throughout history.
“The car was invented as a convenient place to sit out traffic jams.”
But before we dive into why traffic in Bangkok is so bad, let me paint a picture of how we got here.
How we got here
According to World Population Review, the population of Bangkok, as of 2024, sits at 11.2 million. In a city that stretches roughly 1,568 square kilometres, it’s a pretty tight fit. Now, if we were to add in the percentage of car ownership, we start to get a clearer picture of why Bangkok has become so synonymous with gridlock traffic.
Mahidol University’s Faculty of Engineering revealed in 2022 that Bangkok has over 10.67 million vehicles, a number that has most likely increased in the two years since then.
Additionally, personal vehicles account for over two-thirds of the preferred transportation modes in the city, distantly followed by public transport, walking, taxis, and buses. Given this, it is no surprise why traffic congestion here remains one of the worst in Southeast Asia, despite the substantial expansion of public transportation (Skytrains and buses) in recent years.
We haven’t even mentioned the PM2.5 dust pollution yet, which according to IQAir, has remained moderate to unhealthy for several years now. But for many, owning personal vehicles is the ultimate symbol of freedom. Having the free will to travel, commute, and drive anywhere, at any time will always be alluring.
This freedom undoubtedly comes with its own set of drawbacks, namely the traffic congestion that has swayed many drivers away from making laps around the capital in recent times. Let’s have a look at what causes the congestion in the first place.
Why the congestion in Bangkok?
Bangkok has long been a rapidly growing urban area in Thailand. As the Kingdom’s capital, it is also the centre of everything: businesses, condos, shopping malls, offices, tourist attractions, religious sites, and more. Many may consider the city’s expansion to be outgrowing its underlying infrastructure.
Bangkok’s growth and urbanisation in the past few decades have ultimately resulted in a heavy traffic bottleneck. The population and percentage of car ownership have overtaken what the roads could handle and with an urban population exceeding 10 million, it’s sure to get hectic at the best of times.
As the population expands northbound into Pathum Thani and Nonthaburi, the issues of congestion still linger due to insufficient public transportation coverage. Although the expansion of the MRT Purple and Pink Lines and the SRT Red Line have proved fruitful, they still do not provide extensive coverage for the inhabitants who rely on them for their daily commutes to work.
The main transportation modes for many in the city are still the motorcar and motorcycles.
Another issue that we face with the expansion of Skytrain lines is the construction period. Given the tight nature of many roads in the capital, construction does little except exacerbate the issues of traffic congestion.
Think of the BTS expansion near Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University, although upon completion, it will benefit many of Bangkok’s commuters daily however, the truth is, right now it only worsens the road congestion. A trip back home after work will keep you in your car for hours at a time.
We can also point fingers at the unstructured growth and inefficiency of urban planning in Bangkok. Evident in key areas such as Siam or Askoe, where you may notice that areas high in concentration of businesses or shopping areas are situated within the centre of Bangkok, often leading people to the same area.
Road networks in those areas are not necessarily equipped for smooth traffic flow, often being two or three-lane roads, and congestion inadvertently worsens with each new project erected within those areas. Expressways, although a great way to negate the traffic, still lead road users to the same congested, small city roads in most instances. Providing only a slight relief from the rush hour gridlock.
Now, if we add in the factor of public transportation (such as buses or taxis), and on-street parking, I’m sure you’ll begin to see why traffic gets so bad in Bangkok. But just how bad is it?
How congested is Bangkok?
INRIX 2023 revealed in 2023 that Bangkok is ranked 14th worst in the world for traffic congestion, with an average of 63 hours spent in traffic each year. To me, this number does not seem entirely far-fetched as I recall spending at least an hour and a half in public buses each day on my way back from work.
What time is rush hour?
Rush hour in Bangkok can be split into two different periods during the week. The first is between 7 to 9am, this is when everyone is making their way to work in the morning. Traffic also worsens during school terms. The second rush hour period is the afternoon rush from 4 to 7pm. This is when workers in the city and students are making their way back home after work and school.
Although these hours are not exactly concrete, it is generally when traffic in the city is at its worst. The roads are entirely packed and public transportation leaves little breathing room for its passengers.
It’s best to make your plans on the weekend, especially on Sundays as many have reported it to be the day with the lightest congestion.
Some may argue that road users may find some relief in between the morning and afternoon peak hours, the truth is, traffic congestion in Bangkok is generally around the clock.
If we were to eliminate the factor of commuters accessing the roads daily to and from work, there are still millions of people in the capital who rely on roads for their daily transportation needs. So it’s unlikely that we’ll ever be faced with empty roads throughout the day.
Additionally, Fridays, end-of-month periods, and rainy days only worsen the traffic woes in the city. I can only recommend that you plan ahead, and look for alternative routes and methods to negate using the roads during peak hours.
Worst roads for traffic congestion in Bangkok
| Road | Description |
|---|---|
| Sukhumvit Road | Connecting various districts, Sukhumvit Road is always busy, particularly around popular areas like Thonglor and Ekkamai, home to numerous shopping centres. |
| Rama 4 Road | Known for offices and businesses, including the One Bangkok mega project, Rama 4 Road experiences significant congestion during rush hours. |
| Phaholyothin Road | Serving as a vital link to nearby provinces and accommodating many public transport vehicles, there’s no surprise why traffic jams are persistent. |
| Ratchada Phisek Road | The development of real estate and shopping centres along Ratchada Phisek Road significantly contributes to heavy traffic congestion |
| Asok Montri Road | A central business area with plenty of offices, exposing the road bottleneck during commuting hours. |
| Srinakarin Road | Rapid development in the area has led to frequent traffic congestion, as it connects to Bangna Road, which also experiences heavy traffic. |
| Bangna Road | Significant growth in residential and commercial spaces causes daily heavy traffic due to major venues like Mega Bangna Mall. |
| Ladprao Road | Home to many communities and shopping centres, commonly congested during peak hours. |
| Sathorn Road | As a major road passing through major districts into central Bangkok, gridlock traffic during peak hours may be an understatement. |
| Phetchaburi Road | Connects different districts and accommodates large businesses, frequently congested, especially during morning and evening rush hours. |
Although this table won’t serve as the end-all and be-all guide in terms of the busiest roads in Bangkok, it should provide you with a rough framework for which roads you can at least try and avoid during peak commuting hours.
Of course, there are plenty of other areas which are equally busy, namely the touristy and nightlife-centric areas of Khaosan, Thong Lor, Ekkamai, and Royal City Avenue (RCA) which are just as busy on the best of days.
Surviving Bangkok’s traffic
Planning ahead
Now to the part that you are probably all waiting for. How to survive Bangkok’s notorious traffic? The first step would entail you having to plan ahead. Google Maps is your best friend when it comes to city commutes as it provides an aggregate reading of the traffic congestion level based on the number of devices in the area. It also gives you a rough timeframe of how long your commute will take.
So be sure to utilise it. If you prefer to plan a night before, Google Maps also provides a rough estimate of traffic congestion for the next day, although this may not always be accurate. But you can still plan your daily commute or trips around the rush hour congestion.
If Google Maps estimates that your travel will take 45 minutes to an hour, it’s good practice to leave slightly early just in case of any unexpected hold-ups. I always try to have a window of roughly half an hour during my commutes. After all, an hour early is always better than a minute late.
Also, be sure to make a habit of checking the weather. This may not be as applicable in winter or summer, where rain is scarce. But during the rainy season, you want to have the weather app on standby. If there’s a high chance of rain, you should prepare to leave a bit earlier as rain is sure to slow the flow of traffic right down.
Using public transport
One sure method of negating Bangkok’s gridlock traffic during rush hour is to use public transport. Skytrains such as the BTS, MRT and SRT offer great alternative methods of travelling in the city without getting stuck in traffic for hours.
Alternatively, you can also spice things up and opt for boat or ferry services along the Chao Phraya River or the Khlong Saen Saep Canal. Either of these options can prove to be more efficient compared to its four-wheeled counterparts, but beware, they also get pretty packed during rush hour!
Be understanding
I know how this sounds, being stuck in traffic can get to us all. Traffic in Bangkok is unavoidable and it’s important to understand that traffic is just part of living here. There are steps that we can take to negate its effects, but we can’t avoid it. So stay calm, and just take things one step at a time.
Bangkok’s traffic is deep-rooted within its infrastructural challenges. The breakneck speed of urban modernisation and development without clear city planning and zoning has seen many major shopping malls, office centres, and businesses congested in just a few key areas, creating a major traffic bottleneck.
Just as congestion in Bangkok is second nature to the city at this point, there are steps we could take to avoid spending an eternity stuck behind the rear bumper of the car in front. Familiarise yourself with key roads and congested areas of Bangkok, and take steps to either plan ahead or reroute, detour, and avoid those locations altogether if need be.
Alternatively, you could also use public transportation modes such as the Skytrain or the river boats. Fixing the traffic issue would require extensive development of road networks, public transportation, and city infrastructure, which won’t be done anytime soon.
But our hands are not tied, there are still workarounds that we can employ, freeing up some time for us all to spend elsewhere. After all, no one wants to be stuck in traffic forever.
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