Call for investors as Phuket’s light rail, Patong tunnel projects hit B52.9bn

The Phuket News

 

Wilairat Sirisoponsilp (centre, left), Deputy Director-General of the Ministry of Transport’s Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP), announced the news today (June 1). Photo: PR Dept

 

PHUKET:-- Phuket’s long-awaited light-rail-project and the Patong tunnel project are now both in the stages of seeking investors to join as Public-Private Partnership (PPP) figures, Wilairat Sirisoponsilp, the Deputy Director-General of the Ministry of Transport’s Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP), announced today (June1).

 

Ms Wilairat revealed the news this morning at a meeting held at Phuket Provincial Hall, led by Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong.

 

The investment needed for the light-rail project now totalled B39.406 billion, Ms Wilairat said.

 

Full Story: https://www.thephuketnews.com/call-for-investors-as-phuket-light-rail-patong-tunnel-projects-hit-b52-9bn-67337.php#LTIYH3KR1uso8xAp.97

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2018-06-01

glancing at the title I thought it said "investigations", not "investors".

 

investigations come later.

 

40 billion baht for the light rail project! It'll take a long time for any investors to see any return. In the unlikely event this project ever gets under way I'd rather invest in the local BMW and Benz dealers!

40 Billion THB. Let's say one would expect a break even after 25 years. And let's ignore running and other costs that will be added on top. How much is a fair fare? Surely much lower than a Taxi. 300THB from Airport to Chalong? Then it would require about 15000 people taking this train for this trip every single day. For comparison: 41000 people arrived daily in 2016 at Phuket Airport. And as soon as you have at least one other person traveling with you, it might make more sense to grab a Taxi instead because the train wont get you all the way to your hotel and with the taxi you pay one price no matter how many people.

 

I'm all for proper public transportation systems for Phuket, we really really need some. But so far they haven't been able to implement a proper bus network. A rail system is even more complicated. What's going on with the Phuket Smart Bus stuff anyways? I have seen their buses 3 times in the past weeks but they were always empty. No idea where they stop or how one would buy a ticket.

2 hours ago, eisfeld said:

40 Billion THB. Let's say one would expect a break even after 25 years. And let's ignore running and other costs that will be added on top. How much is a fair fare? Surely much lower than a Taxi. 300THB from Airport to Chalong? Then it would require about 15000 people taking this train for this trip every single day. For comparison: 41000 people arrived daily in 2016 at Phuket Airport. And as soon as you have at least one other person traveling with you, it might make more sense to grab a Taxi instead because the train wont get you all the way to your hotel and with the taxi you pay one price no matter how many people.

 

I'm all for proper public transportation systems for Phuket, we really really need some. But so far they haven't been able to implement a proper bus network. A rail system is even more complicated. What's going on with the Phuket Smart Bus stuff anyways? I have seen their buses 3 times in the past weeks but they were always empty. No idea where they stop or how one would buy a ticket.

re: the number of potential users, do not forget that there would be lots of locals doing shorter trips. We don't really know details of route and travel times and fares yet, but I hope they would be attractive.

 

re: smart bus, there is whole thread about that already, and they have a decent web site with all the details if you want to know.

Only black money could be used for these projects....

On 6/2/2018 at 4:56 AM, arithai12 said:

re: the number of potential users, do not forget that there would be lots of locals doing shorter trips. We don't really know details of route and travel times and fares yet, but I hope they would be attractive.

 

re: smart bus, there is whole thread about that already, and they have a decent web site with all the details if you want to know.

 

"re: the number of potential users, do not forget that there would be lots of locals doing shorter trips" - don't forget they could easily force EVERYONE to use it, thus, making it a great investment.  ?