Trains will run uninterrupted from 6am to 8pm, promises BTS director
Bangkok's Skytrain system came to a complete halt for hours yesterday morning when redshirt protesters blocked the track with tyres. After much negotiating, the trains resumed running at 10am yesterday.
The Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTS), which operates the Skytrain, is planning to ensure the system can operate uninterrupted from 6am to 8pm.
"We plan to stick to this schedule from April 28 onward," BTS director Dr Anat Arbhabhirama said yesterday, though he did not rule out the possibility of an abrupt change.
Anat added that the BTS schedule might have to be changed if any emergencies arose.
"All decisions will be based on the grounds of safety," he said.
Shortly after 5am yesterday, red shirts stormed into the BTS Chidlom station voicing concerns that security officials might take the electric train to their rally site at the Rajprasong intersection and disperse them. They quickly blocked the track with tyres and jumped onto the lines, prompting officials to cut off the electricity. Police were then alerted.
Metropolitan Police Division 5 commander MajGeneral Anuchai Lekbamrung rushed to inspect the scene and negotiate with the redshirt leaders. By 9am, the tyres were removed and BTS officials checked the safety system before resuming the service again from 10am.
Before the resumption of the service, the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority sent out buses to help city commuters stranded due to the disruption in the Skytrain service.
Yesterday morning, city buses ran along the Wong Wian Yai-Silom, Onnuj-Asoke, Chatuchak-Victory Monument-Hua Lamphong and Phya Thai-Victory Monument routes.
Meanwhile, police said what the red shirts had done at the Childlom BTS Station yesterday was an illegal act and security would be boosted to avoid such incidents in the future.
Transport Minister Sophon Saram also vowed to sue the redshirt movement for disrupting the publictransportation system.
"Their actions have violated the rights of other people," Sophon said.
The redshirt leaders, however, are trying to distance themselves from this incident, saying that some illintentioned people might have caused the problem and passed the blame on to the red shirts.
Aree Krainara, the chief of redshirt guards, said he had not issued any orders about blocking the Skytrain services.
"We don't know who was behind this incident. We are looking into the case," he said.
Aree also vowed to instruct the redshirt guards to closely monitor the crowds to ensure that nobody is taking action on their own.
"Moves like this may hurt the redshirt movement," he said.