Bangkok sees New Year exodus

BANGKOK, December 30 (TNA) - Vacationers are considerably leaving Bangkok on planes, trains or buses for their New Year celebrations. Don Mueang Airport was packed with passengers on Tuesday morning, but authorities could manage their traffic well, while roads to the airport were not congested because most travelers arrived at passenger terminals by public transport. Suvarnabhumi International Airport Director Praphon Patthamakitsakul told journalists that more staffs, including interpreters of five languages and bomb experts, have been deployed at the Kingdom's main international airport around the clock from December 25, 2014 to January 5, 2015 to handle more travelers. During the period, the director said, he expects the number of passengers through the Suvarnabhumi International Airport to rise from 147,000 to 150,000 and the amount of flights from 840 to 903 daily. For Don Mueang Airport, the director estimated, the number of passengers should increase from 75,600 to 79,300 and flights from 572 to 580 daily during the same period. Meanwhile, the Hua Lamphong railway terminus in the capital was not congested on Tuesday morning as several travelers departed there late last week. However, the terminus is expected to serve 120,000 train passengers on December 30, compared with its normal traffic of 80,000-90,000 a day, prompting the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) to have deployed more trains and carriages to serve the growing traffic, especially on northern and northeastern routes. State-run Transport Company has provided more inter-provincial passenger buses at Bangkok's Mor Chit 2 terminal to serve all travelers heading for their home provinces or provincial tourist destinations. (TNA)