Skip to main content

Bangkok congestion costs business for Thailand

A new study from Bangkok’s Kasikorn Research Centre reveals the extent to which the notorious traffic congestion of Thailand’s capital city costs the country’s economy. And the problem is getting worse. Research reveals that drivers in Bangkok spend 35 minutes longer in in traffic jams during 2016 than they did in 2015. According to the research, vehicle commuters saw an increase in costs of some US$172 million due to additional fuel use while stalled in congestion. This has a negative impact on business of
September 15, 2016 Read time: 1 min
Bangkok’s traffic jams are getting progressively worse according to research
A new study from Bangkok’s Kasikorn Research Centre reveals the extent to which the notorious traffic congestion of Thailand’s capital city costs the country’s economy. And the problem is getting worse. Research reveals that drivers in Bangkok spend 35 minutes longer in in traffic jams during 2016 than they did in 2015. According to the research, vehicle commuters saw an increase in costs of some US$172 million due to additional fuel use while stalled in congestion. This has a negative impact on business of close to $316 million, according to the research. The report suggests that far greater investment is required in transport infrastructure, both by developing new road links and expanding public transit, so as to tackle the city’s jams.

Related Content

  • India’s road to safety
    September 5, 2012
    India's growth rate is the envy of the world, and its infrastructure is rapidly improving, but its road safety record is the world's worst. Patrick Smith reports on a conference aimed at finding answers to the problems Ambling through the gardens and marble magnificence that is the Taj Mahal or gazing down on the city of Jaipur from the hilltop Jaigarh Fort is far removed from the world outside.
  • Shell’s John Read explains “adaptable bitumen” developments
    December 15, 2016
    Shell’s highly innovative bitumen and asphalt solutions are helping create future-ready urban road networks around the world to meet the needs of today and tomorrow. Shell’s general manager of bitumen technology, Professor John Read, takes a look at some of the company’s game-changing ideas. The next 30 or so years will see a significant transformation in the way we live. Whereas almost 75% of the world’s population lived in rural locations in 1950, around 75% will live in cities by 2050. The global popu
  • Putin orders doubling road-building in Russia by 2022
    November 21, 2014
    Russia looks set to accelerate its road building programme – Eugene Gerden writes The volume of road building in Russia should be doubled by 2022, according to a recent order of Russia’s president Vladimir Putin. He said, “We need a real breakthrough in road building during the next several years. These volumes should be doubled during the coming decade.”
  • Russian bypass projects under construction
    October 5, 2018
    The Russian government is starting a major programme of building bypasses around large cities during the current financial year – Eugene Gerden writes The Russian government is starting a massive programme of building bypasses around the country’s biggest cities during this financial year. The aim is to address the problems of traffic jams and speeding traffic on federal routes, according to recent statements by the Russian Presidential Administration and some senior officials from the Ministry of Trans