Off topic and off the top of my head. 113 Hualamphong to Minburi? 514 Minburi to Si Phraya 168 Victory Monument to Ramkhamhaeng? 519 Can't remember Suan Siam? to Silom? via Sri Nakharin Road. Get yourself a bus map. They're essential for the non ไทย reading bus-traveller.

Happy riding ('cos there ain't gonna be no more significant railway development in the next 10 years.)

A Bus Map? Where do I get one of those? TAT? Hotels etc?

The "mega projects" are among the most juicy bones in Thailand (look at the new airport).

Therefore, and because of their relentless greed, you can expect many gvts before to see any concrete poured.

The saga of the "mega projects" started by the end of 2004, with Thaksin.

At that time it was grandiose : 500 billions THB, and hundred of km of mass transit lines.

Then... then... Thaksin 2. Still lot of amusement. He made a meeting with foreign embassadors and gave them... a CD ! With, allegedly, all the details. Yes ladies and gentlemen a CD. And he asked for proposals within one month...

At that time, the foreigners started to understand that Thaksin was a joke. But that's another topic.

Then... rallyes. Thaksin 3 (care taker). Other problems to care about, obviously.

Then... pouf... the Coup. Too bad.

The Junta started to toy with the idea. But with a mere 150 billions THB. And very long negociations with the Japanese.

Then... elections. And Thaksin 4 (oops sorry, Samak 1).

And now it's back to square one : 500 billions THB. And thousands of km of new train lines. "a plan to expand dual railway tracks from 3 700 to 7 400 kilometres." (read here).

And still, not a word on who will finance, and how.

Mega projects ? Mega laugh. And mega shame.

That was televised too. Looked like children running a lemonade stand.

It was quite funny to see one of them in the audience walking up to the microphone asking for an English version of The CD, to everyone's disappointment, there were none. Which leaves you thinking that it was all a show.

Here

http://homepage.mac.com/witpim/iblog/B1029...7040/index.html

was a proposed map of the entire Bangkok underground system. It looks very similar to the London 'tube' map. Imagine, just imagine, if we had an underground like this? No more traffic woes. Pigs will be flying over blue moons in a frozen hel_l before this is ever thought of again!!

FURTHER DELAY TO PURPLE LINE BID

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/02/14...ss_30065306.php

The only reason why they are delaying the bid is to buy themselves some time to strike a deal with a contractor that will enable them to skim their usual 15% of the contract value.

Nothing else.