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.