Impact of COVID-19 Measures on Mobility in Bangkok, Thailand

Abstract

Transportation is considered to be one of the main activities of daily life. The COVID-19 pandemic, which had its origin at the end of 2019, restricted the movement of the people due to its deadly impacts. Most governments also had a hand in limiting the mobility of the people through various measures and policies. Thailand was one of the first countries impacted by COVID-19, and transportation in Bangkok, the capital city, was greatly affected by both government measures and the COVID-19 disease. In this study, the number of passengers using the various modes of public transportation in Bangkok and the daily number of COVID-19 cases there are analyzed, and a correlation is found. In addition, the measures taken against COVID-19 are summarized to identify any impacts on Bangkok’s mobility and transportation. The mobility and transportation data include the passengers of the four modes of transportation: air, water, road, and rail. The findings show a moderate yet significant correlation between the number of passengers and the daily number of COVID-19 cases. This correlation was also amplified by the announcements and policies of the government.