The first day of the Songkran 2025 holiday kicked off on Saturday, with tens of thousands of people travelling to their home provinces or holiday destinations across the country.
State Railway of Thailand (SRT) governor Veeris Ammarapala said Krungthep Apiwat Station was packed with travellers throughout the day, and the number of passengers on the first day was expected to exceed 117,000, with more than 81,000 departing.
The SRT increased train frequency and ensured staff were on hand to assist passengers amid the surge in travel demand, he said, adding police were also deployed to enhance safety at train stations.
Mr Veeris said a total of 90,347 people travelled by train on Friday, the eve of the Songkran holiday, with no passengers left stranded.
The southern route recorded the highest number of travellers at 31,036, followed by the northeastern route with 25,042, and the northern line with 17,603 passengers.
The remaining travellers used the eastern lines and the short-distance routes of Mahachai and Mae Klong.
Thakoon Intarachom, director of the SRT's train operations, said additional carriages were added to all routes, and train services can now accommodate up to 120,000 passengers per day.
At the Mor Chit bus terminal, around 120,000 passengers were expected on Saturday, said Chatchawal Porn-amorntham, acting executive manager of Transport Co.
To handle the increase, an extra fleet of 1,000 buses was deployed, he said.
Mr Chatchawal said a total of 106,337 people departed from Mor Chit on Friday, while 46,006 passengers arrived.
Meanwhile, traffic on Mittraphap Road heading toward Nakhon Ratchasima -- the gateway to the northeastern region -- was heavy and slow-moving, despite a section of the M6 motorway (Hin Kong–Korat) being opened to ease congestion.
Petrol stations along the route were also crowded with motorists refuelling and taking breaks from their journeys.
On Asia Road in Chai Nat's Manorom district, heading toward the northern region, traffic volume increased on Friday night.
However, it remained relatively smooth, with only minor congestion. Heavy congestion was reported in Nakhon Sawan's Phayuha Khiri district, where traffic from Phahon Yothin Road merged with vehicles from Asia Road, creating a bottleneck.
Authorities are urging all motorists to prioritise safety and obey traffic regulations.
