Airport Link A Failure Says Chuwit

[Lite Beer]

Chuwit declared the failure of Airport Link

By Sodchuen Limkriangkrai.

BANGKOK, 22 May 2011 (NNT)- Rak Prathet Thai party leader, Chuwit Kamolvisit made a statement at a press conference held at Airport Link Terminal at Makkasan station about the failure of airport link construction campaign which required 2.6 billion baht of budget, and that the period of payback would take over 634 years to break even.

Moreover airport link is isolated with less numbers of passenger using Airport link services. According to Mr Chuwit, the management system is inefficient with no security administrator, which does not meet International standards.

The Rak Prathet Thai Leader supported his statement with pictures from different zones in Airport Link, in addition with analysis from Siemens Company, which stated that the possibility in expanding the airport link could only be 25-30 kilometers, therefore, politicians who included the airport link plan to their campaigns in expanding to pattaya, were unlikely to be successful. For the solution to the matter, the private business company’s management is essential rather than management system of State Railway of Thailand. Additionally, they will also have to provide ticket with promotions, between the hotel airlines or selling tickets in advance at special prices.

-- NNT 2011-05-22

[Chalky]

Personally, I enjoy using the City Line of the aiport link to visit the family in outer Bangkok. Two short MRT and City Link rides (yes, the small walk from Petchaburi to Makkasan is an annoyance) and I still get where I want to be 30 minutes quicker and about 100 Baht cheaper than if I caught a taxi.

I agree with Chuwit's comments but this is hardly something new here, more likely a little political grandstanding.

[nowork114]

I used airportlink once when arrived to swampy 7pm on Friday coz by TAXI it would take at least 2 hrs from there to Sathorn. The ride from Airport to Petachaburi was OK although no storage for luggages in the train (like riding a BTS with large suitcase). The transit to BTW is pain in the arse - no moving stairs and only one elevator, with one 15 Kg check in luggage and a computer bag it was sort of OK but couldn't imagine arriving from US with two pieces. The service would be excellent (as I live just at a BTS station) but it would have to be properly planned and managed... but again THIS IS THAILAND

Edited May 22, 2011 by nowork114

[KKvampire]

so pay the 150 bht for the Express airport link and get plenty of luggage space

[Buchholz]

BANGKOK, 22 May 2011 (NNT)- Rak Prathet Thai party leader, Chuwit Kamolvisit made a statement at a press conference held at Airport Link Terminal at Makkasan station about the failure of airport link construction campaign which required 2.6 billion baht of budget, and that the period of payback would take over 634 years to break even.

need to add another digit to that construction figure... which mean another digit to the break-even years.

The total cost of the project is estimated at Baht 25.9 billion

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BQQ/is_4_45/ai_n13659215/

and when did this begin?

The key airport link contract was signed in January 2005, and construction began in July 2005.

http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/bangkok-airport-express-to-change-city-travel.html

and who claimed responsibility for the entire airport complex (including the Rail Link)?

Bangkok Airport, Thaksin's Pet Project

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aNCBRg3T4mpQ&refer=asia

Well done.

[animatic]

It is a well built transit system, if you look at it as parts.

As a complete system it is a abysmal failure.

Access is ridiculous based on PURPOSE:

Moving people and bags to and from airport; it is singularly bad at this.

You need to do a change over that was not designed by someone

who actually has ever done this with bags somewhere else.

Why is there a 100 metter run through what ever weather is there any day to make this transfer?

Was one station attached to one Puyais area, and the other one to the Puyai next to him who insisted on the same thing, so they both had face. But neither could agree to JOIN the two in a working system....It made not difference to them, they each had a station to control.

It stops short of the actual airport, so you need change yet again to another form of transport. The escalators are not tuned to move people with baggage, typical usage for an airport.

It doesn't connect to other mass transport systems in any kind of symbiotic way.

I have ridden systems that successfully implemented why this one is INTENDED to do.

There are plenty of well designed and long term working systems to have model this on, they obviously never bothered to visit them.

Hard to imagine I would agree with Bangkoks retired King Of PImps, nut he is perfectly right on this one.

Edited May 22, 2011 by animatic

[RickBradford]

Chuwit was on great form -- he had a bunch of storyboards made up, and as he made each point in his rant, he hurled them away, endangering the watching journos.

Incidentally, he put the budget at 26bn baht, not 2.6bn, which makes a difference -- the bigger figure is repeated on several sites, equates to US$30 million per kilometre, which seems a bit steep.

Other analyses are also critical of the project, with this hilarious quote: "Permanent secretary for transport Supoj Saplom admitted the problems and lack of facilities stemmed from the operation's substandard design."

But don't worry ... "the SRT has set aside a budget of 646 million baht to improve and build facilities and signposts at all stations within this year."

[bendejo]

You have to wonder why Chuwit is taking an interest in this. We can only guess.

When these kind of things are planned part of the research is to see what other places are doing. I would have thought they'd have checked out what they did with the rail link in Kuala Lumpur, which is pretty well done.

I never figured out the lack of easy connection between where the Bangkok rail link ends and other rail systems -- how could they not see this?

[scorecard]

It is a well built transit system, if you look at it as parts.

As a complete system it is a abysmal failure.

Access is ridiculous based on PURPOSE:

Moving people and bags to and from airport; it is singularly bad at this.

You need to do a change over that was not designed by someone

who actually has ever done this with bags somewhere else.

Why is there a 100 metter run through what ever weather is there any day to make this transfer?

Was one station attached to one Puyais area, and the other one to the Puyai next to him who insisted on the same thing, so they both had face. But neither could agree to JOIN the two in a working system....It made not difference to them, they each had a station to control.

It stops short of the actual airport, so you need change yet again to another form of transport. The escalators are not tuned to move people with baggage, typical usage for an airport.

It doesn't connect to other mass transport systems in any kind of symbiotic way.

I have ridden systems that successfully implemented why this one is INTENDED to do.

There are plenty of well designed and long term working systems to have model this on, they obviously never bothered to visit them.

Hard to imagine I would agree with Bangkoks retired King Of PImps, nut he is perfectly right on this one.

Plus more, I have used the city link numerous times from the airport to the city end because my condi is very close by, less then 5 minutes walk and I never have check-in bags - Singapore office for the day.

Almost every time I approached the ticket window at the airport there were tourists asking questions because they were suddenly realizing there were two services, not just an airport - city line.

Most times the ticket staff could speak almost zero English so no clear answers. Or the ticket staff could speak English but the explanation was so poor that the passengers were still totally confused.

End result, regular users, Thai and foreigners, having to explain to the first timer tourists about the options and help them to decide which service to use.

[kuffki]

I think the concept was great, but as usual hardly any planning or consideration went into the project.

Its great that people can avoid the traffic, however it defeats the purpose if one has to then catch a taxi to get home or to hotel.

it should be linked to other BTS stations or have a connecting train to change to get to other stations.

From the airport, one has to take the link 150 baht, then try to catch a taxi in BKK busiest place and pay just as much if not more for the taxi and spend an unlimited time in traffic, so why would people use it if the time spent in the taxi is pretty much the as getting taxi from the start.

Same goes for going to the airport, one needs to take a taxi and then the link, so really its a hassle with hardly any saving and no convenience at all

[JAG]

Wow, 5 posts in and the usual suspects are blaming Thaksin!

[kuffki]

Wow, 5 posts in and the usual suspects are blaming Thaksin!

Well since it was under his initiative and approval, who else should be blamed? The president of South Africa?

[letitbe]

Wow, 5 posts in and the usual suspects are blaming Thaksin!

Well since it was under his initiative and approval, who else should be blamed? The president of South Africa?

no surely Mr T cannot do any wrong it is no good because he is not in charge and what would have been a wonderful project has been spoilt by current government If only he was back in charge all would be well he will

Make all rich within 6 months how can anyone complain about that

Totally solve drug problem immediately he lands their will be no drugs and surely that is a good thing

Give evert student not only a free computer but free car to go to collage

Walk on water

And if you dont believe any of that please take it up with your local red leader who will be happy to educate you

[jfchandler]

So what exactly what Chuwit proposing... the article above doesn't really say....

As a local transit line ala BTS, IMHO, it works fine...and I always find the local service busy with mostly Thai and some farang passengers...and it's reasonably priced.

But as an airport to BKK rail service supposedly geared toward international airport passengers, it's pretty poorly implemented in any number of ways, including those listed above.

Unfortunately, as is too often the case here, whomever made the project planning and implementation decisions must have had their heads stuck way far up their ****ses....

Don't forget a month or two back, there was the news report here about the SRT having to shut down the express line trains for some days because a brush part on the rail cars was wearing out incredibly fast (apparently due to a design defect in part of the line approaching the airport) and they weren't able to keep up with getting needed replacement parts...

And then lately, there's been the problems with the BTS Silom and Sukhumvit lines that have been caused by the new signaling system testing on the On Nut-Samut Prakan line extension that's supposed to open in a few months (after having mostly been completed for years).

Are you beginning to detect some pattern here?

[animatic]

You have to wonder why Chuwit is taking an interest in this. We can only guess.

When these kind of things are planned part of the research is to see what other places are doing. I would have thought they'd have checked out what they did with the rail link in Kuala Lumpur, which is pretty well done.

I never figured out the lack of easy connection between where the Bangkok rail link ends and other rail systems -- how could they not see this?

He owns or controls land where the needed repairs will HAVE to be done to make it functional.

[jfchandler]

I thought maybe he was thinking of converting them into rolling "massage parlors"... Maybe the staff dressed in stewardess uniforms, etc etc... You get the idea.

[Ponbkk]

I had an opportunity with two carry ons on arrival to try the A/P link to Makassan and onward about a month back. They turned out to be a bit too haevy, actually ... There was low volume at Makassan (few to follow) and I thought the directions (signs) to get to the MRT were insufficient. Yes, the walk to the MRT was very long. The walk was also dangerous. There doesn't seem to be any sort of extra pedestrian control cross streets and through a busy crowded almost always gridlocked intersection, and the usual survival to the biggest (cars stop for trucks, poedstrians stop for cars, ... ) applies here as well.

I didn't notice if there were special taxi unloading areas for those who might arrive there to catch a train to the airport ???

It seems the airport link is another we put things we think we should only where we can because that's all we can do. What is the problem?

[dddave]

I have to wonder if Animatic has ever actually ridden the Airport Link to the airport since he cites two oft repeated myths: first, that the system is somehow unconnected to the airport and requires ancillary transportation to get there...absolutly untrue!!! The Rail Link terminates in the airport terminal on the basement level with nearby escalators and elevators to both departures and arrivals.

Second: that it fails to link-up with any other of the mass transit lines "in a symbiotic way". Well, the link to Phiya Thai is easy and convenient with the glaring exception of no "DOWN" escalators; an inexcusable ommision.

[samurai]

... therefore, politicians who included the airport link plan to their campaigns in expanding to pattaya, were unlikely to be successful.

Did Chuwit named no names? Or is nnt to polite to interfere with other politicians campaigns?

[moe666]

No down escalators on the Paris rail link to airport.

[samurai]

Wow, 5 posts in and the usual suspects are blaming Thaksin!

Well since it was under his initiative and approval, who else should be blamed? The president of South Africa?

Thaksin wasn't around since awhile, but on a long trip to other locations, including, believe it or not, a shake hands with a former president of South Africa.

[whybother]

How many cities have cheap and functional airport link trains? They are all expensive. They all take you to a central point in a city. Which means you still need to take other public transport (NOT designed for travelers with large suitcases) or catch taxis to continue. None of them take you to your end destination.

The Airport Link is no different.

IMO, the problem with the express service is the lack of taxi access at Makkasan. There is basically only one access point and that is into one of the most congested roads in Bangkok ... and you can only go in one direction. With better taxi access (ie connections to Petchaburi Rd near Suk Soi 3 or easier access from Rama 9/Ratchada) the express service would be a much better alternative to taking taxis to or from the airport.

[tomyummer]

And the biggest travesty of them all......where's my Thailand Elite private lounge at the stations??

[Payboy]

... therefore, politicians who included the airport link plan to their campaigns in expanding to pattaya, were unlikely to be successful.

Did Chuwit named no names? Or is nnt to polite to interfere with other politicians campaigns?

Perhaps he dropped a hint per the usual practice - persons whose names begin with one of the letters between A - Z.

[supaprik]

And the biggest travesty of them all......where's my Thailand Elite private lounge at the stations??

get used to it, soon we wont have any lounges ANYWHERE.....

[aussiebebe]

I didn't know politicians were supporting an extension of the Airport link to Pattaya - now that's a great idea. Imagine that...flying into to Swampy and getting a direct train to Pattaya. For once I'm impressed by Thai politics, shame it will never happen.

[toybits]

I love using the Airport Link (regular line with stops at all stations). I seriously doubt Chuvit has even tried using this mode of transportation. He is probably chauffeured to and from the airport and has no idea how meer mortals like us commute.

Pure Grandstanding. Look at ME. I'm better than them Kind of Sh_T.

[baboon]

It is not as good as it could be,sure,but it is hardly a failure.Certainly beats sitting in a taxi for 2 or 3 hours going nowhere.

[samurai]

... therefore, politicians who included the airport link plan to their campaigns in expanding to pattaya, were unlikely to be successful.

Did Chuwit named no names? Or is nnt to polite to interfere with other politicians campaigns?

Perhaps he dropped a hint per the usual practice - persons whose names begin with one of the letters between A - Z.

Makes me now wonder if theses politicians really say it that way, or if that is just re-wording by the news papers to avoid any defamation suits or keep a non-partisan 'we don't want blame anybody' position.

Who came first up with this "a persons whose names begin with the letters ..."? It seems to be a recent trend.

I can hardly imagine that Chuwit followed that fashion and really named no names.

Or its just an empty point he made about the "failure" as some other comments here suggests, so he cannot really blame anyone but seeks attention as the one who exposes failures.

Its a good headline, but where is the beef?

[Lancelot]

I travel light and have ridden it a couple of times from the airport to BKK and I liked it. Its also great for the Thai workers that klive in BKK but work at the airport.

If they extended the line to Pattaya, I'd be even more impressed