Thailand Unveils 77 Billion Baht Light Rail Plans for Four Cities

[snoop1130]

 

The Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) has launched ambitious plans to introduce a light rail system in Phuket, Chiang Mai, Nakhon Ratchasima, and Phitsanulok, with a total budget of 77 billion baht.

 

According to the MRTA Deputy Governor, Wittaya Phanmongkol, the estimated costs break down as follows: Phuket at 35 billion baht, Chiang Mai at 30 billion baht, Nakhon Ratchasima at 7 billion baht, and Phitsanulok at approximately 5 billion baht. Detailed project models and investment options are being prepared for submission to the Office of the Commission for the Management of Road Traffic.

 

The MRTA plans to start the bidding process for these projects in 2026, with completion expected by 2027. Construction is slated to commence around 2028.

 

Additionally, the MRTA is advancing the development of the Brown Line, a 22-kilometre route connecting Khae Rai in Nonthaburi to Lam Sali (Bueng Kum) in Bangkok. This 42-billion-baht project is under review, with a 20-baht flat fare policy being considered. Bidding for this project is expected in 2025, with construction beginning in 2026 and operations starting in 2029.

 

Since its inception 32 years ago, the MRTA has launched four electric train lines covering nearly all of Bangkok—spanning a total distance of approximately 150 kilometres—and is working on extensions, including the challenging Orange Line's western section, which will traverse central Bangkok, historic areas, and cross the Chao Phraya River.

 

The MRTA also plans to transfer plots of public land managed by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to private contractors starting this year.

 

File photo for reference only

 

-- 2024-08-23

 

 

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[MarkBR]

Intrigued by why less money is being spent on Chiang Mai versus Phuket(89,072)?  Any ideas.  Chiang Mai is larger in terms of population (200,952).

[Will B Good]

2 minutes ago, MarkBR said:

Intrigued by why less money is being spent on Chiang Mai versus Phuket(89,072)?  Any ideas.  Chiang Mai is larger in terms of population (200,952).

 

 

Less corruption so not as much bunce required?

 

 

 

[phetphet]

7 minutes ago, MarkBR said:

Intrigued by why less money is being spent on Chiang Mai versus Phuket(89,072)?  Any ideas.  Chiang Mai is larger in terms of population (200,952).

Perhaps after budgeting to give everyone THB10,000, there is not much left in the pot.

[DrPhibes]

1 hour ago, MarkBR said:

Intrigued by why less money is being spent on Chiang Mai versus Phuket(89,072)?  Any ideas.  Chiang Mai is larger in terms of population (200,952).

Property bought up to do this.  Compared to CNX, Phuket is very expensive.

[TedG]

Great idea.  

[worgeordie]

Just the other day they were saying the 30 Baht health care might  have to be closed ,or changed

because  it was running short of money ,health and education ,have to come before projects 

civilian or military ,guess there's not a lot of kickbacks in the health sector ,so let's do projects,

and buy crap military stuff ,.....

 

regards worgeordie

[dinsdale]

 

Tis a pity the image is completely wrong IMO. I believe the article is about light rail aka trams.

[MarkBR]

1 hour ago, DrPhibes said:

Property bought up to do this.  Compared to CNX, Phuket is very expensive.

A nice rational answer.  This makes sense.

[NorthernRyland]

This is never going to happen in Chiang Mai. You need transportation to get the light rail and once you're in the city you still need transportation because the city is not walkable and it's too hot to walk anyways (really only tourists walk in CM and they stay inside the city anyways ).

 

I could think of a very few scenarios where this could be useful and even so it would require parking at the train stops outside the city or it would be totally useless.

 

This isn't just me, I see Thai people even less interested in trains when they have personal cars.

[Pond Life]

Nice idea, but I don't expect to see it in CM or Phuket in my lifetime. 

[hotchilli]

13 hours ago, MarkBR said:

Intrigued by why less money is being spent on Chiang Mai versus Phuket(89,072)?  Any ideas.  Chiang Mai is larger in terms of population (200,952).

Maybe has something to do with the length of the rail system...[just a guess]

[bradiston]

What about Pattaya? Yes, yes, I know, whataboutist, but seriously?

[tandor]

14 hours ago, MarkBR said:

Intrigued by why less money is being spent on Chiang Mai versus Phuket(89,072)?  Any ideas.  Chiang Mai is larger in terms of population (200,952).

maybe we're not getting out new Airport after all.

[DrPhibes]

Just ran across this and there were several recent articles in BKK Post which I can't attach or quote.  Anyone ever wonder about the structure at the 2nd ring road Tanawan park (the park with the lighthouse adjacent to 7/11 near Mee Chok plaza) is for?  They have put in newer high tension electrical transmission lines in that area in the last couple of years.

[retarius]

I worry a bit about Thailand's investment in rail. I live in the North East and am eagerly awaiting the Chinese Shinkansen which is supposed to speed us up to Korat or Nong Khae in a physics-defying 30 seconds flat. I have heard it is to be downgraded to 50 kph max, and note that the track is only for one train. One thing I have learned about trains (good and bad) in my 40 years of expat living is that rail systems need to be "joined up". Britain oddly, broke their joined up system into a thousand pieces when they privatised British Rail and ruined an averagely good train service. My observations of Thais is that they have many strengths but joining ups things is not really their forte. Personally I'd rip out all existing track and scrap the trains and then hire a Chinese or Japanese guy to re-design the system from top to bottom. 

[NorthernRyland]

2 hours ago, DrPhibes said:

Just ran across this and there were several recent articles in BKK Post which I can't attach or quote.  Anyone ever wonder about the structure at the 2nd ring road Tanawan park (the park with the lighthouse adjacent to 7/11 near Mee Chok plaza) is for?  They have put in newer high tension electrical transmission lines in that area in the last couple of years.

 

where are they going to run tracks on those roads though? Everything is built right up to the road already so unless they replace an entire lane for the tracks I don't see an option. Traffic is bad enough on those roads and they could spare removing a lane.

[trainman34014]

21 hours ago, MarkBR said:

Intrigued by why less money is being spent on Chiang Mai versus Phuket(89,072)?  Any ideas.  Chiang Mai is larger in terms of population (200,952).

All Bull anyway.  Lived around Chiang Mai for 20 years and this has been mooted every one of those years but it never happens.   Indeed; Wife says it was first 'planned' another 20 years before that !

[TheAppletons]

17 hours ago, Pond Life said:

Nice idea, but I don't expect to see it in CM or Phuket in my lifetime. 

 

  Oh, you definitely won't see it in your lifetime.  The OP stated construction wouldn't begin until 2028.  

[DrPhibes]

8 hours ago, NorthernRyland said:

where are they going to run tracks on those roads though? Everything is built right up to the road already so unless they replace an entire lane for the tracks I don't see an option. Traffic is bad enough on those roads and they could spare removing a lane.

Your assuming ground level rail instead of elevated or underground rail which makes more sense.

[nahkit]

5 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

All Bull anyway.  Lived around Chiang Mai for 20 years and this has been mooted every one of those years but it never happens.   Indeed; Wife says it was first 'planned' another 20 years before that !

About as real as the light rail system they were building in Khonkaen back in 2018. Still, I'm sure the relevant parties did well out of the feasability study.

[NorthernRyland]

1 hour ago, DrPhibes said:

Your assuming ground level rail instead of elevated or underground rail which makes more sense.

That makes no sense for CM. This must be a pipe dream of some politicians. Hopefully they never start this project and tear up miles of road which will never get completed.

[StreetCowboy]

On 8/23/2024 at 10:01 PM, NorthernRyland said:

This is never going to happen in Chiang Mai. You need transportation to get the light rail and once you're in the city you still need transportation because the city is not walkable and it's too hot to walk anyways (really only tourists walk in CM and they stay inside the city anyways ).

 

I could think of a very few scenarios where this could be useful and even so it would require parking at the train stops outside the city or it would be totally useless.

 

This isn't just me, I see Thai people even less interested in trains when they have personal cars.

If public transit worked in the tropics, places like Singapore would do it.

[DrPhibes]

5 minutes ago, StreetCowboy said:

If public transit worked in the tropics, places like Singapore would do it.

Guess you've never taken the MRT trains in Singapore.  A major transportation service.

[StreetCowboy]

13 minutes ago, DrPhibes said:

Guess you've never taken the MRT trains in Singapore.  A major transportation service.

Back in the day, I found Singapore a pleasant place to walk around.  Last time I was in Dubai, I was surprised how pleasant my walks were.  
People are realising that car-driven urban sprawl is not a good use of the world around us, and our neighbours can demonstrate alternative models.  When Thai people could not afford cars, Chiang Mai did not need transit, and we could park outside the pub.  Autonormativity is killing cities, and killing people.

[stoner]

1 hour ago, StreetCowboy said:

1 hour ago, DrPhibes said:

Guess you've never taken the MRT trains in Singapore.  A major transportation service.

Back in the day, I found Singapore a pleasant place to walk around.  Last time I was in Dubai, I was surprised how pleasant my walks were.

 

nobody cares that you like to walk. you tried to make a point then when shown wrong you totally avoided addressing the point the poster was making. 

 

1 hour ago, DrPhibes said:

1 hour ago, StreetCowboy said:

If public transit worked in the tropics, places like Singapore would do it.

Guess you've never taken the MRT trains in Singapore.  A major transportation service.

 

[NorthernRyland]

1 hour ago, StreetCowboy said:

If public transit worked in the tropics, places like Singapore would do it.

curious, what does tropics have to do with it? I'd just rather ride my motorbike than some light rail. Only if I had a daily commute to work I would use it. Oh, if it went to the airport I would use it 1-2 times a year. Hardly worth it.

[StreetCowboy]

3 minutes ago, stoner said:

 

nobody cares that you like to walk. you tried to make a point then when shown wrong you totally avoided addressing the point the poster was making. 

 

 

I don’t think so.  Singapore has a tropical climate.  Chiiang Mai climate is not hotter.  Singapore has a mass transit system.  Singapore is ok to walk around.  People who object to Transit in Chiang Mai because it is hot are talking nonsense.  
 

Was that Blunt enough for you?

[NorthernRyland]

21 minutes ago, StreetCowboy said:

Singapore is ok to walk around.  People who object to Transit in Chiang Mai because it is hot are talking nonsense.

Walking in CM sucks and this is from a person who hikes miles in mountains when I'm in USA. You'll be covered in sweat and very few roads have sidewalks.  It's ok in the winter (Singapore is still hot probably then?) but even so there's not much walkable area except a few zones. Everyone uses a motorbike for a reason.

[safarimike11]

On 8/23/2024 at 5:06 PM, snoop1130 said:

 

The Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) has launched ambitious plans to introduce a light rail system in Phuket, Chiang Mai, Nakhon Ratchasima, and Phitsanulok, with a total budget of 77 billion baht.

 

According to the MRTA Deputy Governor, Wittaya Phanmongkol, the estimated costs break down as follows: Phuket at 35 billion baht, Chiang Mai at 30 billion baht, Nakhon Ratchasima at 7 billion baht, and Phitsanulok at approximately 5 billion baht. Detailed project models and investment options are being prepared for submission to the Office of the Commission for the Management of Road Traffic.

 

The MRTA plans to start the bidding process for these projects in 2026, with completion expected by 2027. Construction is slated to commence around 2028.

 

Additionally, the MRTA is advancing the development of the Brown Line, a 22-kilometre route connecting Khae Rai in Nonthaburi to Lam Sali (Bueng Kum) in Bangkok. This 42-billion-baht project is under review, with a 20-baht flat fare policy being considered. Bidding for this project is expected in 2025, with construction beginning in 2026 and operations starting in 2029.

 

Since its inception 32 years ago, the MRTA has launched four electric train lines covering nearly all of Bangkok—spanning a total distance of approximately 150 kilometres—and is working on extensions, including the challenging Orange Line's western section, which will traverse central Bangkok, historic areas, and cross the Chao Phraya River.

 

The MRTA also plans to transfer plots of public land managed by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to private contractors starting this year.

 

File photo for reference only

 

-- 2024-08-23

 

 

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Great, but when are they going to fix the roads?