Songkran travellers start leaving for upcountry

BANGKOK, April 9 (TNA) -- Travellers for Songkran festival, Thailand’s traditional New Year, are starting to leave Bangkok for either holiday or visit relatives and friends in upcountry while the chief of Don Mueang Airport has advised that people should arrive the airport at least a few hours before departure. Phet Chan-Charoen, director of Don Mueang Airport, said he believes about 1.06 million air travellers would use the airport service between April 9 - 18, an increase of 20 per cent year-on-year, while there would be 675 flights daily, up 6 per cent from last year. Most passengers would leave Bangkok on April 9 and 10 while majority of them would return to the capital to resume work on April 16 and 17, said Mr Phet. People planning to travel by air should spare enough time for travelling to the airport because traffic in inner Bangkok could be extremely heavy during that period, he said. Mr Phet along with Pol Maj Gen Chartchai Tang-eiam, deputy chief of Immigration Bureau, on Friday jointly presided over the release of security officers responsible for providing security to passengers at the airport during Songkran. A security centre has been set up and officials will man the centre round-the -clock until April 18. (TNA)