Contingency plan

January 7, 2014

Boat operators on the Chao Phraya River and Saen Saep canal will increase capacity on 13 January 2014 when anti-government protesters plan to shut down Bangkok, the Marine Department has confirmed.

This follows a request from the department to add more vessels and increase the frequency of express and canal boat services to assist travellers on Monday 13 January when several major city roads are due to be blocked by the demonstrators.

According to reports, additional boat services will be available at seven major piers that are expected to handle a huge increase in the number of commuters on the shutdown day. The seven piers are Nonthaburi, Sathorn, Pak Kret, Rama V, Rama VII, Kiakkai and Wanglang.

The department also has a contingency plan to create two temporary boat routes from Dao Khanong to Sathon and from Big C Rat Burana to Sathon. The Marine Department has also asked the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority to provide buses at the piers to convey passengers to nearby bus stops and Skytrain stations.