Four more rail projects to be approved this year

[webfact]

Four more rail projects to be approved this year

 

 

BANGKOK, 19th March 2018 (NNT) – Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith is confident the remaining four rail construction projects will receive cabinet approval this year. 

According to the minister, six rail construction projects are currently underway, including 1) the SRT Dark Red Line from Thammasat University's Rangsit campus in Pathum Thani Province to Maha Chai in Samut Sakhon Province, 2) the SRT Light Red Line from Sala Ya in Phutthamonthon district of Nakhon Pathom Province to Hua Mak Railway Station in Bangkok, 3) the MRT Yellow Line from Lat Phrao to Samrong Section, 4) the MRT Pink Line from Khae Rai to Min Buri, 5) the MRT Orange Line from Thailand Cultural Center to Min Buri, and 6) the MRT Brown Line from Khae Rai to Bueng Kum. 

Four more rail projects will be presented to the cabinet this year, said Minister Arkhom. 

The combined distance of the 10 routes is 464 kilometers. 

Once all projects are in operation, traffic congestion in the capital will ease considerably and people will be able commute between Bangkok and nearby provinces much more conveniently. 

 

-- nnt 2018-03-19

[AhFarangJa]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Once all projects are in operation, traffic congestion in the capital will ease considerably

That is strange, I remember a similar comment in 1999 when the Sukhumvit MTR was opened............Dejavu ......

[RichardColeman]

If they think the general Thai will give up their car for a multiple stop, multiple change train ride where they cannot honk their horn or express their ego they are in for a surprise. 

[leeneeds]

The management of traffic congestion, or miss management as it is currently,

serious consideration to odd and even number plates being allowed into the city on alternate days will help a little, 

Speculation on reduced congestion by running these lines can only be gauged after a survey of those passengers using the service.

[mok199]

laws do not work in Thailand...we need more options like rail ,smaller shuttle buses and urban park and rides...

[mike324]

1 hour ago, leeneeds said:

The management of traffic congestion, or miss management as it is currently,

serious consideration to odd and even number plates being allowed into the city on alternate days will help a little, 

Speculation on reduced congestion by running these lines can only be gauged after a survey of those passengers using the service.

I would say traffic is a lot better with the opening of these train lines. One of the major reason for traffic congestion is because car ownership is very high.

 

I do agree that the urban planning is very poor, to decrease congestion more bridges needs to be built to link two side of bangkok. The main bottle necks are at bridges during rush hour.

[Centrum]

5 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

If they think the general Thai will give up their car for a multiple stop, multiple change train ride where they cannot honk their horn or express their ego they are in for a surprise. 

I would guess that the majority of the passengers on the new trains used to take buses. Very few would be giving up their air-con vehicles to take a train.

[robblok]

5 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

If they think the general Thai will give up their car for a multiple stop, multiple change train ride where they cannot honk their horn or express their ego they are in for a surprise. 

I just wonder then who are those people filling up the BTS carriages. Its always real full.. just imagine if those people would use cars too.

[robblok]

9 minutes ago, Centrum said:

I would guess that the majority of the passengers on the new trains used to take buses. Very few would be giving up their air-con vehicles to take a train.

I think you would be mistaken, i know many of my neighbors that used to take the car into BKK now use the BTS as it saves a lot of time. I know because last year the purple line opened up here.. at first not a success because of the missing link. Once that was fixed it filled up nicely. It works so much better as cars it could almost compete with motorbikes (i like both MRT gives less stress)

[Cadbury]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Four more rail projects to be approved.

This really means four more "dream" rail projects have been approved.

In Thailand giving "approval" is a meaningless government term. How many "approvals" for high speed trains have been given so far?

1. Bangkok - Hua Hin                                                                    

2. Bangkok - Pattaya 

3. Bangkok - U-Tapao 

4. Bangkok - Chiang Mai

5. Bangkok - Nong Khai

6. Bangkok - Don Mueang

7. Bangkok - Suvarnabhumi

The only action seen to date has been a government and gala elite piss-up ground breaking ceremony at Nakhon Ratchasima. Since then absolutely NOTHING!

Talk and promises are cheap with this government. Except when it comes to buying military weaponry.

Edited March 19, 2018 by Cadbury

[PatOngo]

4 hours ago, mok199 said:

laws do not work in Thailand...we need more options like rail ,smaller shuttle buses and urban park and rides...

Hardly the point......the trough will be full, that is the point. Swill for the snouts!

[Lakegeneve]

These NNT puff pieces are a waste of time and rarely resemble anything close to factual news. They churn out this guff hoping that it generate an article or two.

 

Just look at last weeks effort;

 

1) the SRT Dark Red Line from Thammasat University's Rangsit campus in Pathum Thani Province to Maha Chai in Samut Sakhon Province, - yes delayed from last year

2) the SRT Light Red Line from Sala Ya in Phutthamonthon district of Nakhon Pathom Province to Hua Mak Railway Station in Bangkok,

3) the MRT Yellow Line from Lat Phrao to Samrong Section, - already under construction

4) the MRT Pink Line from Khae Rai to Min Buri, - already under construction since Dec

5) the MRT Orange Line from Thailand Cultural Center to Min Buri, and - started construction last June, already at 5% 

6) the MRT Brown Line from Khae Rai to Bueng Kum. - final design still not done, nor EIA. Doubtful to be approved before 2019. 

 

Meanwhile, no mention of the MRT Orange line west ext nor MRT Purple line south ext - both approved last year but subsequently delayed from being tendered last year due to a PPP change. Expected to be tendered in the next few months. 

 

In summary, 3 of the 6 projects mentioned are under construction already! 1 is still at least 1 year away from being approved. And 2 which have been approved last year and will be tendered soon are not even mentioned!

 

Another enlightening release from the NNT!!!

 

 

[Lakegeneve]

11 minutes ago, Cadbury said:

This really means four more "dream" rail projects have been approved.

In Thailand giving "approval" is a meaningless government term. How many "approvals" for high speed trains have been given so far?

1. Bangkok - Hua Hin                                                                    

2. Bangkok - Pattaya 

3. Bangkok - U-Tapao 

4. Bangkok - Chiang Mai

5. Bangkok - Nong Khai

6. Bangkok - Don Mueang

7. Bangkok - Suvarnabhumi

The only action seen to date has been a government and gala elite piss-up ground breaking ceremony at Nakhon Ratchasima. Since then absolutely NOTHING!

Talk and promises are cheap with government. Except when it comes to buying military weaponry.

Granted that this govt has been a mess on the HSR rail front and delayed all projects by a few years while also not guaranteeing network compatibility between the lines. (one Japanese, one Chinese and two unknown until tendered). 

 

However, some inaccuracies in your posted need correction. 4 on your list are actually the same project which has been approved;

 

2), 3), 6) & 7) Don Mueang to U-Tapao (Eastern HSR line) has been approved and will encompass the ARL extension to DMK. It has been said by MOT that the line will be tendered in the next 4 months, let's wait and see...

 

5) BKK to Nong Khai - actually this is only Bkk to Korat at this stage. The first contract for 3.5km was done in a blaze of glory last Dec (I like your "gala elite piss-up" characterisation), the 2nd contract for 11kms will apparently be issued in May. The rest of the line is divided up into 12 contracts (i.e.. 14 in total) which reportedly will all be issued by the end of 2018. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/Economy/30340504

 

Chiang Mai and Hua Hin are still some way off, although statements last week said that HH will be issued sometime in early 2019. 

 

Thus, by the end of 2018 we might have 2 HSR lines under construction......

[Cadbury]

20 minutes ago, Lakegeneve said:

2), 3), 6) & 7) Don Mueang to U-Tapao (Eastern HSR line) has been approved and will encompass the ARL extension to DMK. It has been said by MOT that the line will be tendered in the next 4 months, let's wait and see...

I agree, they might well be now but they were announced separately. Probably realised after an unusual flash of brilliance they could join them together.

 

20 minutes ago, Lakegeneve said:

BKK to Nong Khai - actually this is only Bkk to Korat at this stage. The first contract for 3.5km was done in a blaze of glory last Dec (I like your "gala elite piss-up" characterisation), the 2nd contract for 11kms will apparently be issued in May. The rest of the line is divided up into 12 contracts (i.e.. 14 in total) which reportedly will all be issued by the end of 2018. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/Economy/30340504

I was referring to the total link rather than the bits and pieces. For simplicity you understand.

 

20 minutes ago, Lakegeneve said:

Chiang Mai and Hua Hin are still some way off, although statements last week said that HH will be issued sometime in early 2019. 

If the speed with which they are building the BTS slow speed train extension from Mo Chit to Saphan Mai (4+ years to go about 10 kms) ) is anything to go by then the 670 km link BKK to Chiang Mai will be completed in about 270 years while the BKK - Hua Hin line should be operational about 2100.

[RichardColeman]

1 hour ago, robblok said:

I just wonder then who are those people filling up the BTS carriages. Its always real full.. just imagine if those people would use cars too.

They are probably the only ones that don't need to buy this to travel on them ....

[robblok]

1 minute ago, RichardColeman said:

They are probably the only ones that don't need to buy this to travel on them ....

Like i said here in my gated village quite a few neighbors have stopped going into BKK by car but use the MRT. So I know for a fact people get out of their cars. The MRT and BTS are highly successful in BKK.  (tad expensive for the average Thai)

[Lakegeneve]

1 hour ago, Cadbury said:

If the speed with which they are building the BTS slow speed train extension from Mo Chit to Saphan Mai (4+ years to go about 10 kms) ) is anything to go by then the 670 km link BKK to Chiang Mai will be completed in about 270 years while the BKK - Hua Hin line should be operational about 2100.

It's an apples and oranges comparison as you'll no doubt agree.

 

The BTS 19.5km Mo Chit to Khu Khut ext is probably the worst one to pick for your point. It will actually be built basically on schedule opening at the end of 2019 (construction stated Aug 2015). It is though worth noting that originally this was meant to start construction back in 2008! 

 

BTS 12.6km Bearing to Kheha SP started March 2012 and will finally open in Dec this year. Was originally due at the end of 2016. (Noting that Bearing to Sarong did open 1 year ago.)

 

MRT Blue line started in mid 2011 not long before the 2011 floods and that will only finally be open by 1st quarter of 2020. Original date was 2016!

 

Purple line opened 2 years later, BTS ext to Bearing opened 2 years later. Basically, all exts or new lines tend to open at least 1 year later than scheduled. 

 

We can't really say for HSR lines yet but you can definitely add 1-2 years to any construction timeframe. 

 

[Lakegeneve]

It's important to remember that the current network obviously still doesn't serve enough geographic ares of Bangkok to entice more drivers to use mass transit.

 

By the end of 2019, we'll have 3 more texts open into the far north to Lam Lukka, south to Samut Prakhan and east to Bang Khae which expands the reach significantly. By  2020 when the rest of the Blue line opens, the BTS lines will have more than 1m pax a day and the MRT Blue line will be up to 700k from it's current 300k. 

 

It is only when the MRT Orange line, MRT Pink line and MRT Yellow lines are completed by 2023 that we can say Bangkok will have a proper network that most residents can access. Even then there will still be other texts under construction to expand the network.

 

Current network expansion is at least a decade behind where it ideally should be.

 

 

You can read more here about the network plans (bottom of page 44), 

 

 

One thing to remember is that 

Edited March 19, 2018 by Lakegeneve