Editing Bangkok (section)

==<span id="Transportation"></span><span id="Transport"></span>Transport==
{{Main|Transport in Bangkok}}
{{more citations needed|section|date=April 2021}}<!-- this first part before the Roads subsection-->
[[File:Highway interchange at night (35517755855) (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|alt=Night photograph looking down at a large elevated road interchange; many billboards along the roads|Streetlamps and headlights illuminate the Makkasan Interchange of the [[Thai expressway system|expressway]]. The system sees a traffic of over 1.5&nbsp;million vehicles per day.<ref>{{cite web|title=สรุปรายได้และปริมาณรถ: สิงหาคม 2555 (Revenue and traffic, August 2012) |website=EXAT website |date=4 September 2012 |publisher=Expressway Authority of Thailand |url=http://www.exat.co.th/statistics/10/12/ |access-date=11 September 2012 |language=th |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120923083010/http://www.exat.co.th/statistics/10/12/ |archive-date=23 September 2012 }}</ref>]]

Although Bangkok's canals historically served as a major mode of transport, they have long since been surpassed in importance by land traffic. [[Charoen Krung Road]], the first to be built by Western techniques, was completed in 1864. Since then, the road network has vastly expanded to accommodate the sprawling city. A complex elevated [[Thai expressway system|expressway network]] and [[Don Mueang Tollway]] helps bring traffic into and out of the city centre, but Bangkok's rapid growth has put a large strain on infrastructure, and traffic jams have plagued the city since the 1990s. Although rail transport was introduced in 1893 and [[Trams in Bangkok|trams served the city]] from 1888 to 1968, it was only in 1999 that Bangkok's first [[rapid transit]] system began operation. Older public transport systems include an extensive bus network and [[Water transport in Bangkok|boat services]] which still operate on the Chao Phraya and two canals. Taxis appear in the form of cars, motorcycles, and "''[[tuk-tuk]]''" auto rickshaws.

Bangkok is connected to the rest of the country through the [[Thai highway network|national highway]] and [[Rail transport in Thailand|rail networks]], as well as by domestic flights to and from the city's two international airports ([[Suvarnabhumi Airport|Suvarnabhumi]] and [[Don Mueang International Airport|Don Mueang]]). Its centuries-old maritime transport of goods is still conducted through Khlong Toei Port.

The BMA is largely responsible for overseeing the construction and maintenance of the road network and transport systems through its Public Works Department and Traffic and Transportation Department. However, many separate government agencies are also in charge of the individual systems, and much of transport-related policy planning and funding is contributed to by the national government.

===Roads===
[[File:0008871-สะพานกรุงเทพพาโนราม่า.jpg|thumb|alt=View of the Krung Thep Bridge at night with many skyscrapers in the background|[[Krungthep Bridge|Krung Thep Bridge]] spanning the [[Chao Phraya river]]]]
Road-based transport is the primary mode of travel in Bangkok. Due to the city's organic development, its streets do not follow an organized grid structure. Forty-eight major roads link the different areas of the city, branching into smaller streets and lanes (''[[soi]]'') which serve local neighbourhoods. [[List of bridges in Bangkok|Eleven bridges]] over the Chao Phraya link the two sides of the city, while several [[Controlled-access highways in Thailand|expressway]] and [[Thai motorway network|motorway]] routes bring traffic into and out of the city centre and link with nearby provinces. The first expressway in Bangkok is [[Chaloem Maha Nakhon Expressway]], which opened in 1981.
[[File:Phahonyothin Road, north of Ha Yaek Lat Phrao station.jpg|left|thumb|Traffic jams, seen here on [[Phahonyothin Road]], are common in Bangkok.]]
Bangkok's rapid growth in the 1980s resulted in sharp increases in vehicle ownership and traffic demand, which have since continued. In 2006, there were 3,943,211 in-use vehicles in Bangkok, of which 37.6 per cent were private cars and 32.9 per cent were motorcycles.<ref>{{cite web|title=Developing Integrated Emission Strategies for Existing Land-transport |url=http://cleanairinitiative.org/portal/system/files/articles-72628_Ch3.pdf |publisher=Clean Air Initiative |access-date=15 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130603110642/http://cleanairinitiative.org/portal/system/files/articles-72628_Ch3.pdf |archive-date=3 June 2013 }}</ref> These increases, in the face of limited carrying capacity, caused severe traffic congestion evident by the early 1990s. The extent of the problem is such that the Thai Traffic Police has a unit of officers trained in basic midwifery to assist deliveries that do not reach the hospital in time.<ref>{{cite news|title=In Bangkok gridlock, Thai traffic police double as midwives |url=http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jMfzhH0cMlYhkVxkytUzlBScCrDQ |agency=Agence France-Presse|date=17 April 2008 |access-date=22 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130527060147/http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jMfzhH0cMlYhkVxkytUzlBScCrDQ |archive-date=27 May 2013 }}</ref> While Bangkok's limited road surface area (8 per cent, compared to 20–30 per cent in most Western cities) is often cited as a major cause of its traffic jams, other factors, including high vehicle ownership rate relative to income level, inadequate public transport systems, and lack of [[transportation demand management]], also play a role.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Tanaboriboon|first=Yordphol|title=Bangkok traffic|journal=IATSS Research|year=1993|volume=7|issue=1|url=http://iatss.or.jp/english/research/17-1/pdf/17-1-02.pdf|access-date=15 September 2012|archive-date=16 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120616163811/http://iatss.or.jp/english/research/17-1/pdf/17-1-02.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> Efforts to alleviate the problem have included the construction of intersection bypasses and an extensive system of elevated highways, as well as the creation of several new rapid transit systems. [[Congestion pricing in Bangkok|Plans to implement congestion pricing]] were announced in 2024.<ref name="BP congestion pricing">{{Cite news |last= |first= |title=B40-50 congestion charge on inner-Bangkok streets |date=17 October 2024 |url=https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2885441/b40-50-congestion-charge-to-subsidise-b20-rail-fares |access-date=2024-10-20 |work=Bangkok Post |language=en}}</ref> The city's overall traffic conditions, however, remain poor.

{{anchor|Air pollution}}Traffic has been the main source of air pollution in Bangkok, which reached serious levels in the 1990s. But efforts to improve air quality by improving fuel quality and enforcing emission standards, among others, had visibly ameliorated the problem by the 2000s. [[Atmospheric particulate matter]] levels dropped from 81 micrograms per cubic metre in 1997 to 43 in 2007.<ref>{{cite news|last=Fuller|first=Thomas|title=Bangkok's template for an air-quality turnaround|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/23/world/asia/23iht-bangkok.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327141354/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/23/world/asia/23iht-bangkok.html |archive-date=2010-03-27 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=15 September 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=23 February 2007}}</ref> However, increasing vehicle numbers and a lack of continued pollution-control efforts threatens a reversal of the past success.<ref>{{cite news|author1=Thin Lei Win|title=Choked by traffic, Bangkok revs up to beat air pollution|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-bangkok-environment-pollution/choked-by-traffic-bangkok-revs-up-to-beat-air-pollution-idUSKCN18E0KB|access-date=15 February 2018|work=Reuters|date=18 May 2017|archive-date=16 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180216030616/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-bangkok-environment-pollution/choked-by-traffic-bangkok-revs-up-to-beat-air-pollution-idUSKCN18E0KB|url-status=live}}</ref> In January–February 2018, weather conditions caused bouts of haze to cover the city, with particulate matter under 2.5 micrometres (PM<sub>2.5</sub>) rising to unhealthy levels for several days on end.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-02-15/planning-a-vacation-in-bangkok-don-t-forget-your-pollution-mask|title=There's a New Contender for Title of Asia's Most Polluted City|last1=Chuwiruch|first1=Natnicha|date=15 February 2018|work=Bloomberg|access-date=15 February 2018|last2=Suwannakij|first2=Supunnabul|archive-date=21 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180221100221/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-02-15/planning-a-vacation-in-bangkok-don-t-forget-your-pollution-mask|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=City smog worsens to danger level|url=https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1412290/city-smog-worsens-to-danger-level|access-date=15 February 2018|work=Bangkok Post|date=15 February 2018|archive-date=15 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180215073734/https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1412290/city-smog-worsens-to-danger-level|url-status=live}}</ref>

Although the BMA has created thirty signed bicycle routes along several roads totalling {{convert|230|km}},<ref>Traffic and Transportation Department, p.&nbsp;154.</ref> cycling is still largely impractical, especially in the city centre. Most of these bicycle lanes share the pavement with pedestrians. Poor surface maintenance, encroachment by hawkers and street vendors, and a hostile environment for cyclists and pedestrians make cycling and walking unpopular methods of getting around in Bangkok.

===<span id="Bus services"></span><span id="Buses"></span>Buses and taxis===
[[File:Bangkok buses.jpg|alt=A partial view of a road with many vehicles, including buses, cars, taxis and motorcycles|thumb|Many buses, minibuses and taxis share the streets with private vehicles]]
Bangkok has an extensive bus network providing local transit services within the Greater Bangkok area. The [[Bangkok Mass Transit Authority]] (BMTA) operates a monopoly on bus services, with substantial concessions granted to private operators. Buses, minibus vans, and [[song thaeo]] operate on a total of 470 routes throughout the region.<ref>Traffic and Transportation Department, p.&nbsp;112.</ref> A separate [[bus rapid transit]] system owned by the BMA has been in operation since 2010. Known simply as the [[Bangkok BRT|BRT]], the system currently consists of a single line running from the business district at Sathon to Ratchaphruek on the western side of the city. [[The Transport Co., Ltd.]] is the BMTA's long-distance counterpart, with services to all provinces operating out of Bangkok.

Taxis are ubiquitous in Bangkok and are a popular form of transport. {{As of|2012|August}}, there are 106,050 cars, 58,276 motorcycles and 8,996 [[auto rickshaw|tuk-tuk]] motorized tricycles cumulatively registered for use as taxis.<ref>{{cite web|last=Transport Statistics Sub-division, Planning Division|title=Number of Vehicles Registered in Thailand as of 31 August 2012|url=http://apps.dlt.go.th/statistics_web/st1/bkk_Aug12.xls|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904061249/http://apps.dlt.go.th/statistics_web/st1/bkk_Aug12.xls|archive-date=4 September 2015|website=Department of Land Transport website|publisher=Department of Land Transport|access-date=16 September 2012}}</ref> Meters have been required for car taxis since 1992, while tuk-tuk fares are usually negotiated. [[Motorcycle taxi]]s operate from regulated ranks, with either fixed or negotiable fares, and are usually employed for relatively short journeys.

Despite their popularity, taxis have gained a bad reputation for often refusing passengers when the requested route is not to the driver.<ref>{{cite news|last=Sereemongkonpol|first=Pornchai|title=Bangkok's best taxi drivers|url=http://www.bangkokpost.com/feature/people/312301/bangkok-s-best-taxi-drivers|access-date=16 September 2012|newspaper=Bangkok Post|date=14 September 2012|archive-date=16 September 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120916052810/http://www.bangkokpost.com/feature/people/312301/bangkok-s-best-taxi-drivers|url-status=live}}</ref> Motorcycle taxis were previously unregulated, and subject to extortion by organized crime gangs. Since 2003, registration has been required for motorcycle taxi ranks, and drivers now wear distinctive numbered vests designating their district of registration and where they are allowed to accept passengers.

Several [[Ridesharing company|ride hailing]] [[super-app]]s operate within the city, including [[Grab (company)|Grab]] (offering car and motorbike options),<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-05-02 |title={:th}แกร็บเปิดตัวบริการ 'แกร็บไบค์ (วิน)' ในกรุงเทพฯ เพื่อความสะดวกรวดเร็วในการเดินทางในเมือง{:}{:en}Grab Launches GrabBike (Win) in Bangkok for Faster Rides and Greater Connectivity between Local Districts{:} |url=https://www.grab.com/th/en/press/business/%e0%b9%81%e0%b8%81%e0%b8%a3%e0%b9%87%e0%b8%9a%e0%b9%80%e0%b8%9b%e0%b8%b4%e0%b8%94%e0%b8%95%e0%b8%b1%e0%b8%a7%e0%b8%9a%e0%b8%a3%e0%b8%b4%e0%b8%81%e0%b8%b2%e0%b8%a3-%e0%b9%81%e0%b8%81%e0%b8%a3/ |access-date=2022-06-18 |website=Grab TH |language=en-US}}</ref> and [[AirAsia]] in 2022.<ref>{{Cite news |last= |first= |title=Grab sets out growth plans |work=Bangkok Post |date= 28 April 2022|url=https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2301510/grab-sets-out-growth-plans |access-date=2022-06-18 |archive-date=29 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220429042418/https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2301510/grab-sets-out-growth-plans |url-status=live |last1= Leesa-Nguansuk|first1= Suchit}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last= |first= |title=AirAsia pushes into ride-hailing race in Bangkok, rivalling Grab |work=Bangkok Post |date= 31 May 2022|url=https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2318766/airasia-pushes-into-ride-hailing-race-in-bangkok-rivalling-grab |access-date=2022-06-18 |archive-date=18 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220618144058/https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2318766/airasia-pushes-into-ride-hailing-race-in-bangkok-rivalling-grab |url-status=live }}</ref> The Estonian company Bolt launched airport transfer and ride hailing services in 2020. Ride sharing startup [[MuvMi]] launched in 2018, and operates an [[Electric vehicle|electric]] tuk-tuk service in 9 areas across the city.<ref>{{Cite web |title=MuvMi Offers New Service Areas – Enjoy A Trip around Rattanakosin Island |url=https://www.chula.ac.th/en/news/29782/ |access-date=2022-06-18 |website=Chulalongkorn University |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last= |first= |title=Post-Covid EV industry surge anticipated |work=Bangkok Post |date= 26 October 2021|url=https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2204179/post-covid-ev-industry-surge-anticipated |access-date=2022-06-18 |archive-date=18 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230418125925/https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2204179/post-covid-ev-industry-surge-anticipated |url-status=live |last1= Praiwan|first1= Yuthana}}</ref>

===Rail systems===
{{main|Rail transport in Bangkok}}
[[File:EMU A1 of BTS Skytrain.jpg|thumb|alt=An elevated train, painted in blue, white and a red stripe and with advertisements|A BTS train in Bangkok]]

Bangkok is the location of [[Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal]], the new main terminus of the national rail network operated by the [[State Railway of Thailand]] (SRT). The older terminus, [[Bangkok (Hua Lamphong) railway station]], which was the main station for Bangkok for over a century, remains in use. The SRT operates long-distance intercity services from Krung Thep Aphiwat, while commuter trains running to and from the outskirts of the city during the rush hour continue to operate at Bangkok (Hua Lamphong).

Bangkok is served by four rapid transit systems: the [[BTS Skytrain]], the [[MRT (Bangkok)|MRT]], the [[SRT Red Lines]], and the elevated [[Airport Rail Link (Bangkok)|Airport Rail Link]]. Although proposals for the development of rapid transit in Bangkok had been made since 1975,<ref>{{cite journal|title=Bangkok transport system development: what went wrong?|first=Wiroj|last=Rujopakarn|journal=Journal of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies|volume=5|date=October 2003|pages=3302–15}}</ref> it was only in 1999 that the BTS finally began operation.

The BTS consists of two lines, [[Sukhumvit Line|Sukhumvit]] and [[Silom Line|Silom]], with 59 stations along {{convert|68.25|km}}.<ref>{{cite web |title=Company's Profile |url=https://www.bts.co.th/eng/info/info-history.html |website=Bangkok Mass Transit System PCL Ltd. |access-date=30 July 2019 |archive-date=20 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220920215549/https://www.bts.co.th/eng/info/info-history.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The MRT opened for use in July 2004, and currently consists of two metro lines, the [[MRT Blue Line|Blue Line]] and [[MRT Purple Line|Purple Line]] with 53 stations along {{convert|70.6|km}}, and two [[monorail]] lines: the [[Yellow Line (Bangkok)|Yellow Line]] which opened in July 2023, and the [[Pink Line (Bangkok)|Pink Line]] that opened in January 2024. The Airport Rail Link, opened in August 2010, connects the city centre to Suvarnabhumi Airport to the east. Its eight stations span a distance of {{convert|28.6|km}}. The [[SRT Red Lines]] commuter rail lines opened in 2021, and consist of two lines, the [[SRT Dark Red Line]] and [[SRT Light Red Line]] with currently 14 stations along {{convert|41|km}}.

Although initial passenger numbers were low and their service area was limited to the inner city until the 2016 opening of the [[MRT Purple Line|Purple Line]], which serves the [[Nonthaburi]] area, these systems have become indispensable to many commuters. The BTS reported an average of 600,000 daily trips in 2012,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/BTS-Group-Holding-Plc-30176106.html|title=BTS Group Holdings – The Nation|access-date=24 September 2024|archive-date=3 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303231831/http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/BTS-Group-Holding-Plc-30176106.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> while the MRT had 240,000 passenger trips per day.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/New-BMCL-boss-eyes-boosting-commercial-revenue-30172472.html|title=New BMCL boss eyes boosting commercial revenue – The Nation|access-date=24 September 2024|archive-date=18 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181118164201/http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/New-BMCL-boss-eyes-boosting-commercial-revenue-30172472.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
[[File:MRT Pink Line at Samakkhi Station.jpg|thumb|alt=A pink line monorail train|The [[Pink Line (Bangkok)|MRT Pink Line]], one of the monorail lines in Bangkok]]

{{As of|2024}}, construction work is ongoing to extend the city-wide transit system's reach according to the [[Mass Rapid Transit Master Plan in Bangkok Metropolitan Region]], which consists of eight main lines and four feeder lines totaling {{convert|508|km}} to be completed by 2029.

===Water transport===
[[File:Lunch at Rongros, Bangkok (Jan 2021) - img 05.jpg|thumb|A [[Chao Phraya Express Boat]] on the [[Chao Phraya]] near [[Wat Arun]]|left]]

Although much diminished from its past prominence, water-based transport still plays an important role in Bangkok and the immediate upstream and downstream provinces. Several [[water bus]]es serve commuters daily. The [[Chao Phraya Express Boat]] serves thirty-four stops along the river, carrying an average of 35,586 passengers per day in 2010, while the smaller [[Khlong Saen Saep boat service]] serves twenty-seven stops on [[Saen Saep Canal]] with 57,557 daily passengers. [[Khlong Phasi Charoen boat service]] serves twenty stops on the [[Khlong Phasi Charoen|Phasi Charoen Canal]]. [[Long-tail boat]]s operate on fifteen regular routes on the Chao Phraya, and passenger ferries at thirty-two river crossings served an average of 136,927 daily passengers in 2010.<ref>Traffic and Transportation Department, pp.&nbsp;113–122.</ref>

Bangkok Port, popularly known by its location as [[Khlong Toei Port]], was Thailand's main international port from its opening in 1947 until it was superseded by the deep-sea [[Laem Chabang Port]] in 1991. It is primarily a cargo port, though its inland location limits access to ships of 12,000 deadweight tonnes or less. The port handled {{convert|11936855|tonne}} of cargo in the first eight months of the 2010 fiscal year, about 22 per cent of the total of the country's international ports.<ref>{{cite web|title=ท่าเรือกรุงเทพ |first=Sumalee |last=Sukdanont |date=July 2011 |publisher=Transportation Institute, Chulalongkorn University |access-date=19 September 2012 |url=http://www.tri.chula.ac.th/triresearch/bangkokport/bangkokport.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130305120205/http://www.tri.chula.ac.th/triresearch/bangkokport/bangkokport.html |archive-date=5 March 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=สรุปผลการดำเนินงานของกทท. 8 เดือน ปีงบประมาณ 2553 (ต.ค.52-พ.ค.53) |website=PAT website |publisher=Port Authority of Thailand |url=http://www.port.co.th/pat/topic7/stat_012.pdf |access-date=19 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121120152600/http://www.port.co.th/pat/topic7/stat_012.pdf |archive-date=20 November 2012}}</ref>

===Airports===
[[File:HS-TGA (15495092647).jpg|thumb|right|Suvarnabhumi Airport is home to flag carrier [[Thai Airways International]].]]

Bangkok is one of Asia's busiest [[Airline hub|air transport hubs]]. Two commercial airports serve the city, the older [[Don Mueang International Airport]] and the newer [[Suvarnabhumi Airport]]. Suvarnabhumi, which replaced Don Mueang as Bangkok's main airport after its opening in 2006, served 52,808,013 passengers in 2015,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.aci.aero/Data-Centre/Monthly-Traffic-Data/Passenger-Summary/Year-to-date|title=2015 Year to date Passenger Traffic|website=www.aci.aero|access-date=2016-12-10|archive-date=13 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180813170044/http://www.aci.aero/Data-Centre/Monthly-Traffic-Data/Passenger-Summary/Year-to-date}}</ref> making it the world's 20th [[List of busiest airports by passenger traffic|busiest airport by passenger volume]]. This volume exceeded its designed capacity of 45&nbsp;million passengers. Don Mueang reopened for domestic flights in 2007,<ref name="awst_20070101">"In With the Old", ''[[Aviation Week & Space Technology]]'', 1 January 2007.</ref> and resumed international service focusing on low-cost carriers in October 2012.<ref>{{cite news|last=Mahitthirook|first=Amornrat|title=Don Mueang airport reopens|url=http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/314973/don-mueang-airport-reopens|access-date=11 October 2012|newspaper=Bangkok Post|date=1 October 2012|archive-date=3 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121003233958/http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/314973/don-mueang-airport-reopens|url-status=live}}</ref> Suvarnabhumi is undergoing expansion to increase its capacity to 60&nbsp;million passengers by 2019 and 90&nbsp;million by 2021.<ref>{{cite news|title=Thai airport operator to spend $5.5 bln on expansion|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/thailand-airports-expansion-idUSL4N1983E9|website=Reuters Asia|date=16 June 2016|agency=Reuters|access-date=19 May 2017|archive-date=30 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161230085504/http://www.reuters.com/article/thailand-airports-expansion-idUSL4N1983E9|url-status=live}}</ref>