Traffic in Bangkok

What do you guys who live there think about the traffic situation in bangkok these days?

To me its improved enormously over the past 6 years. Has it really or is it me subconciously adjusting how and when i move around?

What other measures do you think would help reduce traffic jams there? I particulary like the timers at the lights...............2 minutes counting down seems a lot shorter when u can actually see it............... before 2 minutes seemed like a lot longer in the heat etc

[Aunty]

I first went to Thailand (BKK) in 1979. No motorways, no subways, no skytrain and bugger all skyscrapers too. Bangkok traffic in those days was a nightmare of biblical proportions, it was more like a scary ride at a theme park than driving on a rode, with road rules, like stopping at red lights, a matter purely of personal choice. Traffic today by comparison is a breeze and so well behaved!

Ironically Bangkok had more character in those days, an archetypal teeming city of the free-wheeling chaos of a much poorer SE Asia, it reminded me of Saigon which by 1979 was closed to outsiders along with Laos, Cambodia and China, strengthening its uniqueness as an experience. Now in many ways it's just another daughter of modernity, indistinguishable from any other of the world's modern cities. I guess that's the price of progress.

Anyone else subscribe to the theory that taxis cause the most jams? There seem to be more taxis than private cars at times!

[Aunty]

Anyone else subscribe to the theory that taxis cause the most jams? There seem to be more taxis than private cars at times!

Yes and busses sometimes don't help much either.

What do you guys who live there think about the traffic situation in bangkok these days? c

I have lived in Bangkok for eight years and have a house fairly near to the Bangkok Christian Hospital.

Except for the evening rush hours between 5-7pm ( especially on Silom Road) I have seen dramatic improvements in the traffic flow. When I first arrived here the traffic was just total chaos whilst now it appears to be organised chaos.

I disagree with you all. Bangkok traffic is as bad now as it always has been, often much worse. The WORST of Bangkok traffic is Sukhumvit since the sky train went up. I have had numerous times when I just could not get across Sukhumvit at important times. It's HORRIBLE. I have learned just to stay home until after 7.