Subway train service will start running next april

[george]

Subway train service will start running next April 13

Disabled catered for, no toilets planned

Supoj Wancharoen

Bangkok's first subway train service will definitely begin operation on April 13 next year.

The governor of the Mass Rapid Transit Authority (MRTA), Prapat Chongsanguan, confirmed the launch date yesterday.

Building of subway tunnels and stations was finished but for minor work, while the manufacture of the trains and operating facilities was 63% completed, only slightly behind schedule.

``We are confident the service will start on April 13, 2004. People will initially ride for free for a period that has yet to be decided,'' Mr Prapat said.

``The system will be fully operational from Aug 12 next year.''

The first train would be delivered by air from the Siemens factory in Vienna in late September. By April 13 there would be 11 trains and 19 by Aug 12 next year.

Fares would range from 14 to 36 baht but would be discounted by 15% for the first year of service.

Mr Prapat said access for the disabled _ whether deaf, blind or in wheelchairs _ would be assured at stations throughout the 20-km subway system, from Hua Lamphong to Bang Sue.

Stations would have elevators and escalators, with ramps and guidance aids for the disabled.

However, no decision had been made yet on the installation of public toilets because US security staff had warned they could pose a crime risk, the MRTA governor said.

-- Bangkok Post 2003-06-20

[george]

Bangkok Subway Operator Plans To Launch IPO April Next Yr

BANGKOK (Dow Jones)--Bangkok Metro Co., or BMCL, the operator of Thailand's first subway system, will likely launch its initial public offering in April next year, said its major shareholder, Ch. Karnchang PCL (CK.TH) Wednesday.

Plew Trivisawavet, Ch. Karnchang's President, said BMCL will sell a 25% stake to the public.

The subway operator has appointed Merill Lynch Phatra Securities as its financial adviser for the IPO.

BMCL said it plans to sell 97.5 million shares to the public to raise between two billion baht ($1=THB39.96) and THB4 billion.

The company had previously said it will use the funds to refinance its debt and expand its business.

The company also plans to sell a 20%-25% stake to strategic partners before its IPO, he said.

The stake sale to partners will likely be concluded by the end of this year, he added.

BMCL has a 25-year concession to operate the upcoming 20-kilometer subway in Thailand's capital. The commercial run is set for Aug. 12, 2004.

CH. Karnchang, a Thai construction firm, holds a 65.5% stake in BMCL, while Bangkok Expressway PCL (BECL.TH) owns a 15% stake and Krung Thai Bank PCL (KTB.TH) and Thai Military Bank PCL (TMB.TH) own 10% and 5%, respectively.

--Dow Jones 2003-10-29

[Rinrada]

Some more ino with pictures

How often will the trains run? every 4-6 minutes and every 2-4 minutes during rush hour

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How fast will they go? 35 km/hr

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What is the passenger capacity? more than 40,000 passengers per hour per direction

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How much will it cost? 108.148 billion baht (about US$ 2.75 billion) The ratio of investment between public and private sectors is 80:20. The public sector will pay for construction and private sector will pay for the trains.

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How much do the workers who work on the construction site make? 175 baht (about US$4) a day - from Manager Sunday, March 10, 2002

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How many passengers is the system expected to carry a day?

Initial estimates: Year 2002-3: 404,880 passengers/day

Year 2010: 631,837 passengers/day

Year 2020: 836,268 passengers/day

Update: December, 2000 - OCMLT estimates daily passengers would be about 300,000 passengers a day instead of 400,000 (based on the experience of the Bangkok Skytrain).

Update: May, 2001 - Prachachart Thurakij reports on May 24-27, 2001 that the estimated number of daily passengers will be 270,000-280,000.

Update: October 17, 2001 - "BMCL currently estimates a daily ridership of 237,000 for the subway for the first year of operations, down from original projections of 430,000."

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Is there an official Bangkok Subway webpage? Yes. It is located at http://www.mrta.or.th. Also see links.

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What other subway can the design of the Bangkok subway be compared with?

The Bangkok subway will be similar to the one in Singapore with doors along the platform to save on air-conditioning, prevent accidents and suicides, and prevent hazardous chemicals from easily circulating through the system in the event of a terrorist attack.

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What will the stations be like? The stations will be 20 meters deep, be about 18-25 meters wide and 150-200 meters long, depending upon location. The rails will be on either side of the platforms, except at some places that will require multi-level tunnels (e.g. Silom Station). Some construction photos are here.

Most tunnels will run side by side, but under Rama 4 Road, which is covered by elevated roads, they will run one above the other.

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Will any of the stations have a special design?

Two stations will have special design:

1. Hualampong station will have a museum detailing railroad mega projects in Thailand starting with the first railroad cars imoprted by Rama V.

2. Queen Sirikit (Convention Center) Station will be a completely designed with traditional Thai-style decor.

From Siam Business Weekly (AKA Siam Turakij) (Vol. 7, No. 334, May 6-12, 2001): So far, BMCL found that they can make a commercial development in ONLY 9 stations. The other 9 either have very little space left or MRTA will turn them into a museum.

The following stations will not have commercial development for the following reasons:

1) Hua Laphong (museum)

2) Silom (narrow space for interchange station)

3) Bon Kai (narrow space)

4) Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (Thai design inside)

5) Asok (narrow space for interchange station)

6) Rama IX (narrow space)

7) Lad Phrao (park and ride)

8) Mochit (narrow space for interchange station)

9) Kamphaengphet (narrow space and the weekend market)

http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/Subway/

[tomy]

We are confident the service will start on April 13, 2004. People will initially ride for free for a period that has yet to be decided

AHH! human genius pig