View Full Version : the origin of u-turns and one-way streets in Bangkok?
A reader asks: "Your website on Bangkok is very comprehensive and useful. It has a wealth of information on almost anything remotely related to infrastructure that I have been consulting for nearly two years now. I am currently writing an article on the development of road junctions in Bangkok, but there is one issue that I cannot seem to resolve: the origin of u-turns and one-way streets in Bangkok? It seems like a fairly recent strategy to convert two way streets in one-ways, to alleviate congestion in the last decade or so. Yet, I cannot find any evidence in planning documents on who, what and when this occured. I would be more than glad to share my research which includes a map that I am currently working that illustrates the city through its junctions should you be interested. Should you have any reference to the origins of one-way streets or uturns, I would gladly welcome your advice... Thank you in advance for any assistance that youu may provide. "
The Enforcer!
19-10-04, 03:42 PM
Sorry, I genuinely thought it was all random.
The Enforcer!
You are close to it, The Enforcer, very close...... :p
Shows that you must have been living in Thailand for quite some time and know how things are working here.
*chuckle*
Nekochan
20-10-04, 01:30 AM
I do not have any reliable source, but I make my guess.
Most BKK roads were 2 way as in Europe. Until the growth of the city was out of control (and traffic became just really bad). One short term solution is to reduce turning conflicts which is one way system.
You can reduce congestion (not much), but this solution needs 2 pararell roads within a short distance plus a grid network.
It was working well on Ratchasima and Samsen, Yaowaraj and Charoenkrung.
Sukhumvit and Phetburi one way shceme was purposed in Feb 1984. I got this one right. The study was conducted by Chulalongkhon University. It was aimed at a short term solution, but it has been 2 decades. The problem is there are not enough pararell roads in pairs in N-S direction.
Sukhumvit and Phetburi (E-W)
Urupong and?
Ratchaprarop and Pleonchit
Nana and?
Asoke and? now it is 2 way.
And these N-S roads are too far apart.
About U Turn!!
Most Thai roads are main highways with median. You have no choice but to do a U turn. But you cannot do it since u turn is not allowed on highways (freeways in US?). They use interchange and there are not many years ago.
Uncontrolled land use post hugh problems when there are developments along highway routes. It turns to be communities just like those on Sukhumvit, Paholyotin, ..... but highways themself are not designed for that purpose ...... So, they add intersections and traffic lights and highways became urban roads!!
Some English transport engineers I met said most agencies here loved to build roads but they are just roads .... not network. BKK lacks road network connectivity (!) with secondary and local streets. So we have main roads (hugh very hugh) just like Nawamin or Ram Indra but not so many intersections (they say intersections are bad they need smooth flow!!)
Most main roads are connected to sois (Thai word) which are both secondary and local. They are too narrow to be good connectors and going nowhere (I call that centipede road planning!) No need for traffic lights ...... you do u turn and risk your life! (Ok!, flashing amber will do, but most motorists will not slow down)
Good land use planning will do, we had the first act in 1975!!
The Enforcer!
20-10-04, 08:26 AM
I think making Silom one-way southbound (Rama IV to Narathiwatratchanakarin) and Suriwongse one-way northbound (between the same two points) would ease congestion a lot!
The Enforcer!
Nekochan,
I have to say you gave a good description of the Bangkok road 'system' (?) and its inherent problems.
Thanks for this interesting summary!
Nekochan
23-10-04, 12:01 AM
Thank You Khun ncr.
At least 2BKK.com offers really FREE thoughts and no Thai agencies will be after you as long as all posts are in English!!
Originally posted by Nekochan
At least 2BKK.com offers really FREE thoughts and no Thai agencies will be after you as long as all posts are in English!! You want to say you would be censored or otherwise hassled if you posted the same in Thai language on a Thai webboard??? (I cannot see your message was all too critical of anything or anyone specific, anyway.)
Nekochan
24-10-04, 11:34 PM
......
No, they do not cencor you, but they do not listen.
A place like Pantip.com......
If you agree you are branded as pro TRT, otherwise you are pro DEM. There are some places for neutral side, but they are not many on the net today.
Agencies have their own agenda and budgets, it is likely they will go on some projects even some of them are not really that feasible. (or you go bankrupt)
Shinkansen to Korat!! Monorail on Lad Prao, you name a few.
New Nakhon Nayok City!! + motorway and high speed train!!
Wisarut
25-10-04, 12:20 AM
They Even PRESSURE SRT to cut down 10-11 rail services on the Eastern lien to PLEASE the vested itnerest who wantto sell more cars ... and many KMITL students and those who live alogn eastern railway track have despited such a policy ...
Initially, SRT has made more stop at Asok stop and Phayathai stop to connect wwith Skytrain and Subway whcih please many people ... btu the order to cut down the eastern railway service to plese the vested interest would be a big brow to the government ... I would not be surprised at all if they either narraowly survive from the public back lash during the upcomign genral electrion ....
airlana
21-03-05, 06:09 PM
Bangkok's one way traffic system was introduced Saturday 4 February 1984
Thousands of maps were distributed. Here's (http://www.members.optusnet.com.au/lanastar/bkk.htm) a copy of that original map.
I remember the confusion well. :)
airlana
22-03-05, 11:10 AM
The back of the map also has instructions copy here (http://www.members.optusnet.com.au/lanastar/bkkt.htm)
At the time a few enterprising taxi drivers [aren't they all] made extra income by quoting outrageous prices to get a short distance as the 'crow flies' from point A to point B.
The trip was actually a mini tour of Bangkok, courtesy of the one-way system.
It paid to be more informed than the driver, remembering that taxis were not metered in those days.
.
sabaisabai
23-03-05, 09:16 AM
Interesting map, thanks. Am I right in saying that the streets don't still follow the restictions shown in this map? For example, the road joining Victory Monument from the south is shown as south-bound only whereas it can now be plied in both directions.
How long was this one-way system maintained before some of the streets reverted back to two-way? Were there any major problems where it just didn't work? At first glance Victory Monument looks like it would be a traffic disaster area with the one-way streets pouring in from the east and west.
jpatokal
23-03-05, 09:36 AM
Interesting map, thanks. Am I right in saying that the streets don't still follow the restictions shown in this map? For example, the road joining Victory Monument from the south is shown as south-bound only whereas it can now be plied in both directions.
The strict form was scrapped long ago, but quite a few vestiges of the system still remain though. For example, Phetchaburi remains mostly eastbound (only a lane or two to the rest), and Rama I/Ploenchit/Sukhumvit remains mostly westbound (although the exact number of lanes going east changes every block or so...).
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