The big protest near the Siam Paragon shopping centre is expected to paralyse city roads today and over the next two days.

Acting governor of the Mass Rapid Transit Authority Yiemchai Chatkaew said the subway would have trains running out every 4.35 minutes, as it does in rush hours. Normally, a train leaves every five to seven minutes outside rush hours.

The MRTA expects crowds of passengers at Sam Yan and Sukhumvit stations, which are convenient for people going to the city protest.

Operators of the Skytrain, meanwhile, will set up special ticket booths and open emergency gates where passengers can travel without tickets then pay for fares at terminal points.

Dr Anat Abhabirama, an adviser to the Bangkok Transit System (BTS) board, said the Skytrain provides 289 trips a day and would not increase that amount today, as there have been less passengers during the current school holiday break.

"It's the same plan as the New Year countdown period, which we coped with successfully," Anat said.

It was also possible that the BTS would have fewer passengers if people avoided going to the area, he noted.

However, Anat said the People's Alliance for Democracy march to The Emporium shopping centre last Sunday caused a 20-per-cent jump in the number of BTS passengers, from the daily average of 230,000 people to 278,000 people.

Wiroj Nilayothin, a spokesman for the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA), said 30 public bus routes pass regularly in front of Siam Paragon.

"If the area is closed to traffic, the buses will take detours arranged by Traffic Police," he said.

Wiroj said it would be good if a traffic lane was left open for public buses at the gathering spot. Fortunately, public school students are on holiday, so there are not as many buses as normal.

Traffic Police commander Maj-General Panu Kerdlappol said the police would try not to close Sukhumvit to traffic. But, if there were many protesters blocking the road, police would have to divert cars to nearby roads. Traffic Police would be placed at each intersection to ease congestion.

"However, I predict that the traffic conditions throughout the city will be paralysed by this," he warned. 

Chatrarat Kaewmorakot

The Nation