City officials made sure Khao San road was cleared of blockages and everything was in place to ensure revellers were safe before Songkran festivities kicked off on Friday.

Joining the officials was Pol General Adit Ngamjitsuksri, an adviser to the governor. He ordered vendors to remove their carts and fences that blocked people’s way and created bottlenecks.

Objects blocking small lanes off Khao San were also cleared, while a troop of motorlance (motorbike ambulance) was put on standby to facilitate the transport of people to the hospital in case of emergencies.

Also present were crowd-control police officers, who created a 400-metre one-way strip to ease the flow of partygoers. The strip opened at Chakrabongse Road and ended on Tanao Road. There were also four emergency exits.

Adit said that as of Friday, very few cases of drunken disorderliness were reported, and those who misbehaved were asked to leave the strip and rest up. He also ordered that the emergency exit sign pulled down by revellers earlier be reinstalled.

Suksan Kittisupakorn, BMA’s deputy permanent secretary, said officials were investigating complaints from vendors that they were made to pay fees for setting up stalls on the strip. Motorbike riders also complained they were told to pay parking fees at the entrance of Khao San.

Suksan said city officials are not allowed to demand fees from vendors or motorists and speculated that shop owners may be the ones demanding payment for the use of space outside their establishment.

However, he said, the public can call the BMA 1555 hotline or file a complaint on Traffy Fondue if they spot misbehaviour among BMA officials.