Yellow Line extension gets green light from environment board

By The Nation

 

 

Bangkok’s elevated MRT Yellow Line monorail extension has passed its environmental impact assessment (EIA), paving the way for negotiations to resolve a problem in the joint venture project.

 

Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob said the environment board on Monday passed the EIA for the two-station extension, linking Lat Phrao with Ratchayothin Skytrain station on the Sukhumvit (Green) Line.

 

The project is owned by the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA), which is currently negotiating to amend its joint venture agreement with concessionaire Eastern Bangkok Monorail (EBM).

 

However, MRTA is still negotiating with EBM over compensation for Bangkok Expressway and Metro Plc (BEM), which says the extension will impact revenue from its MRT Blue Line.

 

Meanwhile BTS has confirmed it will fully invest in the Yellow Line extension, with construction and expropriation costs estimated at Bt3 billion-Bt4 billion. But BTS has rejected calls that it should compensate BEM, insisting the MRTA must first negotiate an agreement.

 

Due to open in October, the 30.4-kilometre Yellow Line will run north-south from Lat Phrao to Samrong and link with four other routes – MRT’s Blue and Orange lines, the Airport Rail Link, and the BTS Green Line – improving connections across the network.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30401838

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2021-01-26

 

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Why is the above photo of a 20 year old 3 car conventional sky train and not of a Yellow Line Monorail train? The line is only partially opening from  Samrong to Patthanakarn (Hua Mark Airport Link Station) in October and certainly not the extension which is the subject of this article.

Update: The second wave of Covid-19 is going to delay the opening of both Yellow line monorail and Pink Line Monorail from October 2021 to April 2022 instead.