Transit tangle

Reliant on roads cut well before cars were commonplace, Bangkok was infamous in the mid-20th century for its colossal traffic jams. An ever-expanding road system has succeeded in speeding the flow over decades, with twisting and turning freeways adding to the Thai capital's increasingly futuristic look. Of course, this Southeast Asian hub hasn't fully conquered its congestion conundrum. With more than 10 million motor vehicles in Bangkok today—eight times more than the roads are rated for—jam-ups are still a fact of life here.