Trams coming to "Smart City" Khon Kaen - and fares won't exceed 20 baht

 

Picture: Daily News

 

The long awaited tram project in Khon Kaen will begin construction in June.

 

Residents of the north eastern city will, however, have to wait two more years until the project is finished. 

 

Daily News said that fares would not exceed 20 baht. 

 

The project has its design roots in local organizations without the need for state help. 

 

State help comes in the form of finance in joint ventures with foreign investors. 

 

Artists' impressions showed Khon Kaen referred to as a "Smart City". 

 

Source: Daily News

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2019-02-08

9 minutes ago, webfact said:

Residents of the north eastern city will, however, have to wait two more years until the project is finished

everyone will be long dead from air pollution by then.

Why is it described as a tram project?

I thought trams used the ground-level road itself. Surely the image looks like an overhead railway?

5 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

Why is it described as a tram project?

I thought trams used the ground-level road itself. Surely the image looks like an overhead railway?

I would call it a skytrain.....a bts in Thailand....

55 minutes ago, fruitman said:

I would call it a skytrain.....a bts in Thailand....

 

1 hour ago, bluesofa said:

Why is it described as a tram project?

I thought trams used the ground-level road itself. Surely the image looks like an overhead railway?

I don't think anyone in the local administration really know what they are doing at this point. Sounds like someone up high had an idea, some pretty pictures were drawn, and voila! The end result will probably be a dozen new air-conditioned songthaews that cost the community 2m baht a piece. ????

Given the Thais predisposition to try and run red lights at train crossings I would assume a proper tramway would be totally unworkable unless the tram rails and hence routes were fenced off from the public. Scooter wheels and recessed tram rails would make for some interesting scenes.

Smart City?...Khon Kaen?......don't think so!

1 hour ago, Katipo said:

 

I don't think anyone in the local administration really know what they are doing at this point. Sounds like someone up high had an idea, some pretty pictures were drawn, and voila! The end result will probably be a dozen new air-conditioned songthaews that cost the community 2m baht a piece. ????

This is not a local admin project, the people behind it are local business men who have contributed to the project.   I know one of the guys behind the project and it has only been delayed due to 'Bangkok businesses' wanting to be involved.   This appears to now have been resolved and the project is set to proceed.

Not wise to use a western marketing tactic unless they can back it up...dubious at best....I have been stuck in KK traffic trying to get thru the city

 

 

3 hours ago, bluesofa said:

Why is it described as a tram project?

I thought trams used the ground-level road itself. Surely the image looks like an overhead railway?

Just read another article that cannot be cited due to TV rules that the "tram project" is called an "open-system" reliant on Thai technology versus a "closed-system" reliant on foreign technology like that used in Bangkok.

So by definition the light rail transit line being street level or elevated is irrelevant.

8 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

Just read another article that cannot be cited due to TV rules that the "tram project" is called an "open-system" reliant on Thai technology versus a "closed-system" reliant on foreign technology like that used in Bangkok.

So by definition the light rail transit line being street level or elevated is irrelevant.

Ah, is that because they haven't decided yet?

4 hours ago, bluesofa said:

Why is it described as a tram project?

I thought trams used the ground-level road itself. Surely the image looks like an overhead railway?

There are trains, and they are quite heavy

Then there is lightrail, which is what is says, light trains, metro, using its own separate tracks but also operating on street level.

Then there are trams, which are normally operating on street level, but also on its own separate tracks.

Mostly even lighter, narrower and smaller as normal trains.

The KK plans are tram rolling stock on lightrail tracks.

8 minutes ago, hansnl said:

There are trains, and they are quite heavy

Then there is lightrail, which is what is says, light trains, metro, using its own separate tracks but also operating on street level.

Then there are trams, which are normally operating on street level, but also on its own separate tracks.

Mostly even lighter, narrower and smaller as normal trains.

The KK plans are tram rolling stock on lightrail tracks.

OK, have I understood this correctly - it's going to operate at street level?

A couple of years ago they started doing construction on a bridge a kilometre or so South of the new bus station. No idea what they were actually trying to do but after a year without completing anything, they then started to construct a flyover at the same bridge. This has been going on for the best part of a year so if the new project is expected to take 2 years that will make 4 years of bl**dy roadworks just up from where we have our house.

 

I'll be particularly interested to see how the new system will cope with the flyover, will they make it all the same height from start to finish or will the passengers be in for a roller-coaster experience when it passes over the flyover? 

1 hour ago, bluesofa said:

Ah, is that because they haven't decided yet?

It's likely that the government wants to avoid paying royalties for foreign tech closed-system rail by trying to develop tram open-system tech so it can be marketed by the government throughout other Thai-designated Smart cities.

45 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

It's likely that the government wants to avoid paying royalties for foreign tech closed-system rail by trying to develop tram open-system tech so it can be marketed by the government throughout other Thai-designated Smart cities.

Thanks for your informative replies. I had no idea there open systems and closed systems.

Smart city from the 70s ????

It would be "Smart" to raise it a lot higher to clear the smog.