In October 2017, the period of sorrow that had not yet faded returned to remind us that the Thai people had lost King Rama IX exactly one year ago. Although he is no longer with us, his far-sighted vision laid out many royal initiatives for the benefit of the people. One of the most significant acts of kindness for the people of Bangkok is his royal initiative to address traffic problems.

Solving the Problem by Increasing Road Surface Area


          During his reign, King Rama IX recognized the major issue faced by the people of Bangkok, who spent long hours on the roads, especially during rush hours. He saw that the roads in Bangkok were insufficient for the number of vehicles, and expanding the roads would help ease traffic flow. Thus, he provided various royal initiatives to address traffic issues, such as:


The Ring Road: A Gift from the King to the Thai People


          The ring road was a dream of King Rama IX, who wished to create it in his homeland. He had observed similar infrastructure in developed countries like Germany and England. When the 25th anniversary of his reign approached, the government of that time requested royal permission to construct a monument in his honor. However, he replied, "...Please, do not build a monument yet. Let's build a road instead, a ring road, because it has been a dream of mine for almost 40 years to create a ring road..."

          He accepted the gift by giving a valuable present to the people, recognizing that the ring road would significantly increase road surface area and alleviate traffic congestion for his citizens. In 1971, the groundbreaking ceremony for the Thailand Ring Road took place, and this road was named Ratchadapisek Road, a gift from the King to his people.


          Since then, after the first ring road was completed, several other ring roads based on his royal initiative followed, such as the Outer Ring Road, Kanchanaphisek Road, and the Industrial Ring Road or Phumipol Bridge 1 & 2, all of which have greatly alleviated traffic problems for his citizens. This is a remarkable act of kindness from a king who was a true developer, unmatched by any other.


Traffic Routes Around Siriraj Hospital: Alleviating Problems for Emergency Patients


           Borommaratchachonnani Road is another heavily congested road. King Rama IX personally experienced this issue when his grandmother was hospitalized at Siriraj Hospital, and he visited her daily. The narrowness and limited connecting routes around Siriraj prompted him to initiate a royal project to solve the traffic problem by adding more lanes, starting from Wong Sawang Road and connecting various roads to Charansanitwong Road. This led to the creation of the elevated Borommaratchachonnani Road project, which effectively addressed the traffic issues for those visiting Siriraj Hospital and alleviated congestion in the Thonburi suburban area.

Solving Problems by Assisting the People


            The royal initiatives to solve traffic problems by King Rama IX were not limited to construction alone. The essence of his problem-solving approach was for the people. Therefore, the hardships faced by citizens on the roads also needed to be addressed. The Traffic Police Initiative was born from this vision, where traffic officers would monitor and assist citizens on the roads to ensure safe travel.


             It is evident that King Rama IX's royal initiatives to address traffic problems stemmed from his compassion, aiming for his citizens to have improved travel experiences and safety on the roads. Even today, as we mark one year since his passing, the exemplary legacy he left for his people will forever remain in the hearts of the Thai people.

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