Suvarnabhumi Airport Rail Link Seeks 1.8 Billion Baht For Cash Flow

[webfact]

Airport Rail Link Seeks 1.8 Billion Baht for Cash Flow

The Airport Rail Link has submitted a request to the Cabinet, asking for 1.86 billion baht to increase the company's cash reserves to 2 billion baht.

Deputy Governor of the State Railway of Thailand Pakorn Tungjedsakaow, who is also the acting president of the Airport Rail Link reported that the Public Debt Management Office has already submitted a request to the Secretariat of the Cabinet, asking for 1.86 billion baht in additional budget to cover the company's operating costs.

Pakorn said that the issue is being considered along with other related agencies and they expect the request to be passed along to the Cabinet for its consideration on September 27.

The budget request is consistent with the previous government's plan to raise the Airport Rail Link's registered capital from 140 million baht to 2 billion baht, as was decided on April 12 this year.

If approved by the current administration, the first loan package of 410 baht will be integrated into the company's 2012 fiscal year budget.

At the moment, the company is more than 7 billion baht in debt.

Currently, the Airport Rail Link's City Line has about 37,000 riders daily, and generates about 1.14 million baht per day.

The company is considering running more trains, and shortening the interval time between trains, which is now 15 minutes, to accommodate the increasing number of riders, especially during rush hours.

-- Tan Network 2011-09-20

[sprq]

37,000 riders daily, probably the vast majority commuters, not travellers. One more proof that just about any high-frequency suburbs-to-inner-city rail line can make a profit, even if it's poorly planned with too few stations, like this line.

[Soutpeel]

If approved by the current administration, the first loan package of 410 baht will be integrated into the company's 2012 fiscal year budget.

.....not going to buy much Somtam with THB 410 are you....

[rjhklein]

I think they are not doing there marketing very well. It is too hard to find it in the airport. Perhaps they should start indicating it better over there first before asking additional funds.

It definitely beats the crappy taxis when going into the city.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

If approved by the current administration, the first loan package of 410 baht will be integrated into the company's 2012 fiscal year budget.

.....not going to buy much Somtam with THB 410 are you....

They're going to start tackling the ARL's 7 billion baht in debit by loaning them 410 baht per year... Now how many years will that take???

[WilliaminBKK]

Would it be crazy short term to incent taxi drivers to drop off pax at the station? say 25 baht. Depending on the traffic so many taxi drivers don't want to make the journey to the airport.

[moe666]

Never had a problem getting a taxi to airport yet.

[wintermute]

I think they are not doing there marketing very well. It is too hard to find it in the airport. Perhaps they should start indicating it better over there first before asking additional funds.

It definitely beats the crappy taxis when going into the city.

Is going down the escalator really that difficult? Most of the subway connections to the airport throughout the world are located downstairs.

[Briggsy]

Is it running reliably according to the scheduled frequencies?

[tig28]

Never had a problem getting a taxi to airport yet.

+1

In fact -- just the opposite.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I'm thinking the poster you're commenting on was mainly referring to the issue of signage and directions to the ARL...for someone who's already in the airport terminal...

I've used the airport line several times, and of course know how to access it at the airport... But for someone new or unfamiliar with the terminal, they don't have much in the way of directional signage to guide arriving flight people to the ARL... They do have some, but it's not very prominent or visible...

And I've never seen any marketing or promotional stuff in the airport for the ARL.... except for actually down in the basement near its ticket counters and gates.... Perhaps the airport honchos are trying to avoid pissing off the taxi mafia, and limo ripoffs, and various other transport touts who would see money being taken out of their pockets.

I think they are not doing there marketing very well. It is too hard to find it in the airport. Perhaps they should start indicating it better over there first before asking additional funds.

It definitely beats the crappy taxis when going into the city.

Is going down the escalator really that difficult? Most of the subway connections to the airport throughout the world are located downstairs.

Edited September 21, 2011 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[webfact]

Duty-free Shop to Open at Airport Rail Link Makkasan Station

The Airport Rail Link stations are looking to add a duty-free store at Makkasan station in hopes of generating more revenue.

Deputy Governor of the State Railway of Thailand Pakorn Tangjetsakao, as president of the SRT Electric Train, the operator of Airport Rail Link, said his company is revising terms of reference and conditions for a commercial lease of areas at eight Airport Rail Link stations in accordance with the policy proposed by Deputy Transport Minister Kittisak Hattasongkroa.

Pakorn said his company is planning to allocate an additional area of 1,300 square meters on the third floor of Makkasan Station for a duty-free store.

The area will therefore be divided into a duty-free store and a commercial zone.

He went on to say that his company is reviewing laws and regulations covering a lease for a duty-free store and has sought to consult from the Airports of Thailand and the Customs Department.

Duty-free operators are generally required to have a bonded warehouse and secure logistics system in order to prevent loss of goods and track movements of goods in their control.

Pakorn noted that duty-free stores at the Airport Rail Link stations would be operated under a lease contract, not a concession contract with the airport.

-- Tan Network 2011-09-21

[ES1]

I think they are not doing there marketing very well. It is too hard to find it in the airport. Perhaps they should start indicating it better over there first before asking additional funds.

It definitely beats the crappy taxis when going into the city.

Is going down the escalator really that difficult? Most of the subway connections to the airport throughout the world are located downstairs.

Yea, a 'subway' is just so hard to find in an airport. Hard to know if it's on arrivals or departures level....

[tartempion]

37,000 riders daily, probably the vast majority commuters, not travellers. One more proof that just about any high-frequency suburbs-to-inner-city rail line can make a profit, even if it's poorly planned with too few stations, like this line.

Where does it say they are making a profit?

It says the ARL has 7 billion debt for sure.

A train every 15 minutes (20 minutes outside peak hours) is NOT a high-frequent suburbs-to-inner-city rail line.

No word on the numbers using the express line, intended for airline passengers.

Oh, they are going to increase frequency, they must read Thai Visa website to gain marketing ideas.