Factors Affecting Travel in the Bangkok Metropolitan Region

This study aims to explore the behavior of Bangkok Metropolitan Region residents when using transport and to examine the factors affecting their travel. The population comprise commuters residing in the Bangkok Metropolitan Region who use transportation in their daily lives. The data were collected through an online survey conducted between December 2021 and March 2022 from a sample of 618 commuters, selected by convenience sampling. The analysis is divided into three parts. In the first part, we explore commuters’ transportation behaviors using descriptive statistics, and in the second and third parts, using a multivariate analysis of variance, we examine the factors that influence travel in the Bangkok Metropolitan Region in terms of private cars use and number of transfers required on public transportation. The findings show that only a small percentage of people used public transport only; most people used private vehicles or both public and private transport. Commuters spent 36.24% of their monthly living costs on transportation. Furthermore, type of residence, whether a commuter took the bus, and income were all significant factors that influenced travel behavior. The results suggest that, in order to increase the number of public transportation users, public transportation charges should be lower than parking fees and vehicle maintenance expenditures, and the operation and amenities of buses must be enhanced to meet the passengers’ demands.