Pattaya: Transport is in a mess and 80% agree with monorail scheme set to start in 2024

[webfact]

Pattaya: Transport is in a mess and 80% agree with monorail scheme set to start in 2024

 

Image: INN

 

A public hearing in Pattaya was told that 80% of residents agree with plans to build a monorail to alleviate the resort's dire traffic and transport problems. 

 

The monorail would meet the proposed High Speed train at the station to the east of Sukhumvit Road. It would then travel along the motorway and along Sukhumvit before heading towards the sea. 

 

It would then be built along Sai 2 road and wind up at Bali Hai port. 

 

There would be around 13 stations spaced 650-700 meters apart. Building is expected to start in 2024.

 

The latest hearing was the third of its kind and was designed to gauge public opinion and assess environmental impacts. 

 

Image: INN

 

A proponent of the monorail Pongthawee Lertmanyawit said that 80% of Pattayans agreed that the scheme was good and were in favor of proceeding. 

 

City Hall deputy official Kiatsak Sriwongchai who chaired the meeting said that the huge growth of Pattaya as both a tourism and economic center had brought dire traffic problems.

 

These highlighted the need for improved public transport provision and improved systems for private cars. 

 

Source: INN

 

 

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Images: INN

 

Images: INN

 

[bluesofa]

17 minutes ago, webfact said:

A public hearing in Pattaya was told that 80% of residents agree with plans to build a monorail to alleviate the resort's dire traffic and transport problems. 

I'd suggest that 'alleviate' needs to be replaced with 'exasperate', going on City Hall's abysmal handling of all other projects.

 

[darksidedog]

50 minutes ago, webfact said:

A public hearing in Pattaya was told that 80% of residents agree with plans to build a monorail to alleviate the resort's dire traffic and transport problems. 

Just because they were told that, does not necessarily make it true. Any I have ever discussed this with have ridiculed the idea, so I would love to know where their figures came from.

[ThreeEyedRaven]

"It starts at Pattaya High-speed Rail Station." 

If you needed any evidence that this is all a pipe dream, I believe you have it right there. 

[Justgrazing]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

before heading towards the sea

Is it meant to do that or are they anticipating brake issues already ..

[JusticeGB]

5 minutes ago, ThreeEyedRaven said:

"It starts at Pattaya High-speed Rail Station." 

If you needed any evidence that this is all a pipe dream, I believe you have it right there. 

The high speed railway which has not yet been built and is still having to have an Environmental Impact Study. 

[redwood1]

 And how many baht buses cruise 1st and 2nd road 24/7 ???

 

And how long do you have to wait for a baht bus on 1st or 2nd road ???

 

And how much does a baht bus cost ???

 

Case Closed......

[Bender Rodriguez]

will it still be needed with ZERO tourists?

[redwood1]

Question.....If the monorail is so super-duper why wait till 2024 to build it ??......

[jacko45k]

I don't get this.... does this suggest all those who were previously blocking the Pattaya streets will get out of their cars and use this monorail? Also that tourists will no longer need the baht bus so they will be off the roads? I know it won't stop me using my bike, especially if traffic is lessened. 

I always felt road issues were caused mostly by Thais driving into town and out, large tourist coaches and cement trucks..... they are going to get on a monorail? 

[redwood1]

Even if the high speed train is built....And huge numbers of tourist come to Pattaya using the high speed rail.....Unless your hotel is right on the monorail route.....Tourist will still need a baht bus from the high speed rail station to get them and their luggage from the station to their hotel...

 

So there is a loss of a bunch of potential riders right there... 

[DrTuner]

Thailand seems incapable of creating underground transportation. Instead you have to have these fugly concrete elevated rails blocking the view. They just love their concrete. 

[smudger1951]

Pattaya City Council members and planners must have all have dream to make Pattaya look like "Tomorrowland" the movie. Most visitors still appreciate a nod to the charm and beauty of a tradition Thailand. 

[HarrySeaman]

Second Rd isn't wide enough for the amount of traffic at times.  What will it be like when half the width of Second Road is taken up by the monorail supports? 

 

Then there are the stairs needed for passengers to get to to monorail - kiss the sidewalks goodby just like in Bangkok for the BTS.

 

The whole idea of a monorail is simply ludicrous.  It takes about 5 seconds to think of something much better but apparently the city officials can't think outside the box except for how to get more kickbacks.

 

An electric people transporter system consisting of small electric buses that only stop at stations where customers are waiting would be less expensive and more useful, especially since it could be used on all the major roads such as Beach Rd, Second Road, Pattaya North/Central/South, Soi Buakhao, etc.  It could be based on small electric buses having perhaps a dozen seats but tall enough for passengers to stand.  A 10 Bt coin or an electronic card or FID chip system like used for the Bangkok BTS and subway systems would eliminate all the crew needed except for the driver.  This system would be much less expensive to implement, easily expandable, and move more passengers for a lot less money.

 

[Oldie]

6 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

Thailand seems incapable of creating underground transportation. Instead you have to have these fugly concrete elevated rails blocking the view. They just love their concrete. 

With all the floods here this needs to be a kind of submarine. 

[cardinalblue]

The cement trucks will be assigned the last 2 cars of the monorail....

 

to start displaying a generic survey result is about 15 years behind what is NEEDED today....

 

this propaganda is just to appease the complaining public....using the word “start” allows them to be completed “up to them”

 

so Thai....

[kingofthemountain]

28 minutes ago, redwood1 said:

Question.....If the monorail is so super-duper why wait till 2024 to build it ??......

During all these years untill the supposed start of the building (Which probably

never will come anyway, fortunately) they can form a lot of comitees and launch

a bunch of studies, all perfects ''make up'' to fill the usual pockets with tons of money

[onebir]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

There would be around 13 stations spaced 650-700 meters apart.

That seems a bit on the close side... I'm pretty sure bus stops in some places are further apart!

[DrTuner]

34 minutes ago, Oldie said:

With all the floods here this needs to be a kind of submarine. 

Works fine in Singapore. Rains a bit there, too. Of course they might have discovered the invention made a few millenia ago: drains.

Edited August 21, 2020 by DrTuner

[bluesofa]

14 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

Works fine in Singapore. Rains a bit there, too. Of course they might have discovered the invention made a few millenia ago: drains.

Singapore's a different culture.

They have a responsible work ethic and no corruption.

[Destiny1990]

Ready in 2040...

[darksidedog]

Jumping around a bit between threads, I came back to this one and the image showing was the last picture in the news story. For a moment I thought I was  seeing a Covid Hot Spot map.

[Swedenlars]

Hurry up. I'm over 60 years old. Hope I will get at least a free ride on my birthday when they open it in 40 years.

[Burma Bill]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Building is expected to start in 2024.

and finished in 20.......... ??????????

[phantomfiddler]

Pattaya presently has the absolute best public transportation system I have ever encountered. A few seconds wait and away you go, at an extremely reasonable cost. If it ain,t broke don,t fix it ! From where I am sitting it would appear that someone in high office is trying to destroy Pattaya, it,s charm, it,s roads, it,s entertainment, sad ????

[Geoffggi]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

A proponent of the monorail Pongthawee Lertmanyawit said that 80% of Pattayans agreed that the scheme was good and were in favor of proceeding

I have spoken to quite a few residents and none including myself & my wife were aware of any survey being carried out, must be a selective audience who were surveyed ................LOL

[bkk6060]

I hope it never happens can't see a reason why they need it.

[geisha]

1 hour ago, HarrySeaman said:

Second Rd isn't wide enough for the amount of traffic at times.  What will it be like when half the width of Second Road is taken up by the monorail supports? 

 

Then there are the stairs needed for passengers to get to to monorail - kiss the sidewalks goodby just like in Bangkok for the BTS.

 

The whole idea of a monorail is simply ludicrous.  It takes about 5 seconds to think of something much better but apparently the city officials can't think outside the box except for how to get more kickbacks.

 

An electric people transporter system consisting of small electric buses that only stop at stations where customers are waiting would be less expensive and more useful, especially since it could be used on all the major roads such as Beach Rd, Second Road, Pattaya North/Central/South, Soi Buakhao, etc.  It could be based on small electric buses having perhaps a dozen seats but tall enough for passengers to stand.  A 10 Bt coin or an electronic card or FID chip system like used for the Bangkok BTS and subway systems would eliminate all the crew needed except for the driver.  This system would be much less expensive to implement, easily expandable, and move more passengers for a lot less money.

 

While I do agree with mono rails in places like Nice, where the city planners spent years perfectioning  the plans and building it. In Nice it took thousands of cars off the roads, making some roads into beautiful green spaces and parks or pedestrian roads. Only ambulance and police are allowed to use these roads , and the monorail goes to the airport too ! A huge success. Cheap to use too. But I do not believe that Thailand and Pattaya are capable of doing it, you have to rethink everything, pavements ,bus stops , build parkings etc. As the above post says, small electric buses running continually would be more practical. Limiting the baht buses to other routes and reducing the number of them. No wonder the pollution problem is so bad now, completely unbreathable in high season, and dangerous. If the municipality has the money, then they should lay down the law and get the city cleaned up, all those ramshackle shops and bars tidied up, it’s not a question of making the place *sterile* but a minimum of decency, like being able to cross the road safely, and putting more police on crossings ( yes, no joke!) and while they’re at it , tackle the problem of filthy baht buses and invest in electric buses, and fixed prices for taxi routes, as it seems that no way can they get the meters working !

[geisha]

Sorry, I put mono rail in my above post ( concerning Nice) where I meant Tram lines. 

[Oldie]

14 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

I hope it never happens can't see a reason why they need it.

Not so long ago they tried a bus system. Perhaps the monorail can use the signs for the bus stops that are often still standing around...