Bangkok schools welcome students to on-site classes on the first day, heavy traffic reported since early morning

Bangkok –

A heavy traffic jam was reported in Bangkok in the early hours of this morning, May 17th, on the first day of on-site school reopening nationwide.

A total of 437 schools under the jurisdiction of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) have prepared their readiness for the reopening under preventive measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Students must wear facial masks at all times and have their body temperature checked once they arrive at the institutions.

Social distancing is performed in class, in corridors, and while doing outdoor and indoor activities. Different lunch break times are arranged in different classes to prevent congestion.

Schools also reiterated to parents to regularly conduct a self ATK test and monitor if they have any suspicious symptoms every day before sending them off to school where they have to study in the room and do activities with a large number of people. However, mandatory testing for all students no longer takes place (at least in public schools) and a student will only be tested if they are ill with symptoms. 

According to the Thai Education Ministry, the goal is to keep children in school and not “shutdown” entire schools or classes for a single positive case of Covid-19 as had been done previously. This was especially true if the case was asymptomatic or the student was fully vaccinated.

As of 7:00 AM., FM91Trafficpro reported heavy traffic jams in many areas across Bangkok, especially on major inbound roads such as Phibulsongkhram Road, On-Nut/Pattanakarn Road heading to downtown Sukhumvit, Ladprao/Pradit Manutham Road, and U-turn sections on Bangna-Trad outbound.

About 549 BMA volunteer traffic officers were also deployed to cooperate with traffic police and municipal authorities to help manage heavy traffic in the morning before and after school every day.

Photo Courtesy: PR Bangkok

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Nop Meechukhun
National News Writer at The Pattaya News from September 2020 to October, 2022. Born and raised in Bangkok, Nop enjoys telling stories of her hometown through her words and pictures. Her educational experience in the United States and her passion for journalism have shaped her genuine interests in society, politics, education, culture, and art.