Orange Line completion first of dozen delayed projects scrutinised

[webfact]

Orange Line completion first of dozen delayed projects scrutinised

By THE NATION

 

Saksayam

 

The Transport Ministry will on Friday (September 20) present the council of economic ministers with details on completing the western section of Bangkok’s Orange Line mass transit route.

 

The details cover civil works and the installation of an electrical system on the Min Buri-Bang Khun Non section. The project will cost Bt120 billion.

 

The western segment runs between the Thailand Cultural Centre and Bang Khun Non.

 

The Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand project would be developed on a public-private partnership (PPP) basis.

 

Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob said the project, if approved, would be forwarded to the Cabinet soon.

 

There are 11 mass transit projects in the ministry’s 2018 Action Plan awaiting Cabinet approval:

 

• Civil works on the southern extension of the MRT Purple Line between Tao Poon and Rat Burana (worth Bt77 billion)

• Phase 3 of the Laem Chabang Deep Sea Port (Bt84 billion)

• Maintenance-repair-and-overhaul facilities for U-tapao International Airport (Bt10 billion)

• Double rail tracks for Jira-Ubon Rachathani (Bt37 billion)

• Double rail tracks for Khon Kaen-Nong Khai (Bt26 billion)

• Double rail tracks for Hat Yai-Padang Besar (Bt8.1 billion)

• Double rail tracks for Pak Nam Po-Denchai (Bt62 billion)

• Double rail tracks for Chumpon-Surat Thani (Bt24 billion)

• Double rail tracks for Surat Thani-Hat Yai-Songkhla (Bt57 billion)

• Double rail tracks for Denchai-Chiang Mai (Bt59 billion)

• Procurement of new aircraft for Thai Airways International (Bt150 billion).

 

Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak said the economic ministers want to speed development of the delayed mass transit projects.

 

He said measures to boost exports and tourism would also be presented to the council in the next two weeks.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/business/30376432

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2019-09-20

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[mok199]

Double tracking is great on busy portions, but do they really have enough train traffic to warrant the cost..

[Cadbury]

 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

There are 11 mass transit projects in the ministry’s 2018 Action Plan awaiting Cabinet approval:

It is noteworthy that it is the 2018 Action Plan that still has to be approved. They haven't turned over their calendar page to realise it is almost 2020. And Somkid says in all seriousness he wants to speed things up. Oh dear! 

Is there really any hope for this incompetent Prayut led government?

Some big ticket items there especially the Thai Airways aircraft purchase. And all for a total bargain price of about 600 billion baht.

[Classic Ray]

5 hours ago, mok199 said:

Double tracking is great on busy portions, but do they really have enough train traffic to warrant the cost..

Improving rail travel will allow residential and industrial development in the hinterland of the rail tracks, as happens in every other country.

[Lakegeneve]

6 hours ago, mok199 said:

Double tracking is great on busy portions, but do they really have enough train traffic to warrant the cost..

Over half of these double track projects were approved by the Dems back in 2010 and have been subjected to ongoing delays with the changes of govt in 2011 and then May 2014. Each new govt did a review and thus caused these delays. However, in the last 2 years more of the nationwide double tracking program have been completed and approved.

 

The main problem with the slow travel times on the rail network is that it is mainly all single track around the nation and that most of the network wasn't upgraded for a 40-50 year period. Trains thus travel slowly on old track - derailments on the Namtok line were almost weekly until parts of it were upgraded. Trains also have to wait at passing loops while another passes leading to cascading delays if one service is late. In the same period, rural roads were expanded, then duplicated and in many cases whole new highways were built.

 

It's a no brainer to invest in the logistic infrastructure of the nation. It has good health and environmental benefits as well.

[mok199]

8 hours ago, Lakegeneve said:

Trains also have to wait at passing loops while another passes leading to cascading delays if one service is late.

.when the subdivision has a total of 10 trains a day and a total of 30 sidings, double track is a waste of money...spend the money on better rail beds and bridges etc....2 nd class trains wait for 1st class, and sometimes a container train ..the engineer always makes up the time( speeds) .

Edited September 20, 2019 by mok199

[mok199]

9 hours ago, Classic Ray said:

Improving rail travel will allow residential and industrial development in the hinterland of the rail tracks, as happens in every other country.

We are talking about ''double tracking''...which is a subdivision of double track ...Thailand does not need double track, they have enough sidings to accommodate trains ''meeting each other''...as for improvments ...buy some new equipment and improve the bridges and railbeds.....single track is fine in thailand