EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Transport agency gets expanded role

Chularat Saengpassa

The Nation

Chula Sukmanop at a public hearing on Red and Green lines in November 2012. His office is expected to play a key part in the government's logistic infrastructure development scheme.

BANGKOK: -- The Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP) has been tasked with playing a significant role in the government's logistics infrastructure investment, of which the four high-speed train projects are the highlight.

Aside from the designing, the OTP will see itself involved with project implementation in the initial stage as well as the shaping of national traffic and transport management in the provinces where the train stations would be located, according to Chula Sukmanop, director-general of the office.

"We've been asked to come up with traffic management plans in big cities like Nakhon Ratchasima and Phitsanulok. These cities need plans to accommodate the higher number of commuters and cargo transportation," he said in an interview.

The OTP was established with the responsibility to submit policies, formulate transport and traffic plans, and work out transport safety measures that are consistent with the master plan so as to bring about unity of the national transport and traffic policy. However, for years, its role has been limited to policy formulation, leaving the implementation to national and local governments.

A bigger role was envisioned at a time when the State Railway of Thailand's poor financial and management situation were considered non-supportive of the investment.

Of the total budget of Bt2.27 trillion, 64 per cent will fund 31 rail-related projects. Four high-speed train projects will see more than Bt400 billion in investment, taking seven years to complete.

According to Chula, the designing and environmental impact assessment (EIA) of the four projects are being undertaken at the same time, to meet Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's plan to put all the four routes under auction within the third quarter of this year. The nationwide public hearing was kicked off today, starting in Phitsanulok and Chiang Mai for the Bangkok-Chiang Mai route. Public hearings for the other routes (Bangkok-Nong Khai, Bangkok-Rayong and Bangkok-Hua Hin) will follow.

While the government will borrow and invest in the tracks, carriages could be opened up for bidding under the public-private partnership (PPP).

According to Chula, a foreign consulting firm is now working on the possibility of creating an organisation to operate the high-speed trains. This organisation will enjoy some autonomy like Thai Airways International and Airports of Thailand, for flexibility in investment and operations. In the next stage, this organisation could be listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand.

For now, all three routes, except Bangkok-Rayong that will be supervised by the SRT, will be under the OTP's care.

"Once all the routes are completed, they would be supervised by the new organisation," Chula said.

The chief does not anticipate much problem in land expropriation and EIA of the projects, given that the routes would be built on existing SRT land. The rights over the land would be transferred to the new organisation, while the government would assume Bt100 billion worth of the SRT's debt in return. Any problem in the EIA would concern the Bangkok-Chiang Mai route, which will require tunnels to allow straight tracks and high speed.

In provinces with train stations, feeder systems would be planned.

The Bang Sue train station in Bangkok will be upgraded to become a hub for the high-speed train system. According to Chula, this requires an improvement in the transport and traffic system in the capital.

In 2019, six new electric train lines will be completed. Bangkok will be then connected by 10 electric train lines. Bidding for the Pink Line is scheduled for this year. The OTP has studied a single ticketing system for all 10 lines. Over the next 10 years, public transportation is expected to serve 55 per cent of commuters, and 45 per cent by personal vehicles. At present, 55 per cent is by personal vehicles.

"Commuters' behaviour has changed. Many car owners now board the BTS, which promises quicker and more certain services," he said.

Coming with the new train lines is an overhaul of the bus routes. Public buses would be geared towards housing estates to train stations.

"The traffic map must be changed, given that no new road can be constructed given the high land expropriation cost. What we can do in Bangkok is to build shortcuts, tunnels and bridges, all just to facilitate traffic flows," he said.

-- The Nation 2013-01-21

"The OTP has studied a single ticketing system for all 10 lines."

WOW... I'm impressed. How about doing something about it too, before all the new lines implement their own systems?

Abolish the first buyer car scheme.... That'd be a start

They are planning, gearing up, expanding, completing, studying, and they are investing. These Thais. They are right on top of it! Boy oh boy, these Thais. They are something else. Man oh man, these Thais!

Greece here we come. When your outgo exceeds your income your upkeep will be your downfall.

Greece here we come. When your outgo exceeds your income your upkeep will be your downfall.

This government and Thailand will not experience the economic problems of Greece. Even after the monies recently borrowed by the government for flood management projects etc. the forecast national debt expressed as a percentage of GDP is around 50%. There are laws in place stopping the government from having a national debt greater than 60%. The Greece current national debt to GDP percentage = approximately 174%.

You were saying?

Farting higher than your arse allows includes the risk that your arse takes over your brain. (Free translation from Moliere (Bourgeois gentilhomme))

Hope the plans for the capital, buiding shortcuts etc , don't involve filling in any drainage canals or mean that the much vaunted F1 Grand Prix circuit will not be ready in 2014 !

Good luck to this guy , mammoth task ,given the amounts of money and political interests invoved.

How do these four high-speed lines link to the Chinese high-speed freight-line from Southern-China to Singapore ? Answer ... they don't.

How do they involve the SRT, given that they will run over SRT-owned land, in the main ? Answer ... they don't yet (except Bangkok-Rayong).

What SRT track-doubling plans will be superseded, and therefore cancelled ? Pass ...

Will they hit the 2015 or 2018 target completion-dates ? Erm ... not on current plans, even before slippage, 2013 + seven years = 2020 !

But at least we know what meal-packs will be available to purchase on-board !

Roll up! Roll up!......... it's auction time again!

"The chief does not anticipate much problem in land expropriation and EIA of the projects, given that the routes would be built on existing SRT land."

With lots of SRT land being in hotspots in cities this seems to be a bit of wishfull thinking. Especially the suggestion that EIA on SRT land should not be 'much of a problem' seems a interesting 'tunnel vision' which allows the exclusion of effects outside the tunnel

Admirable presentation from another 'committee' and if they would just get another carriage on every running train you could ease the traffic even further. But simple logic does not go hand in hand with grander plans. At least the rail platforms so far have been built to accommodate another 3-4 carriages but it is still crowded even at 9:00pm and midday with barely standing room only, apart from peak hours where lines form and miss one or two trains. Okay Thailand has accepted the rail and left the cars behind so do something about it. You want less people in the road, add more carriages and yes, continue the expansion of the links but a high speed to where? And for why? Bangkok is a disaster of choked polluting single occupant cars who ignore any protocol on road rules. Rail is a sensible answer if logic of having police control traffic lights is still allowed.

Edited January 22, 201313 yr by Locationthailand

About the train system,...

You know sometimes the rail road barriers close, although the traffic lights are green for the car drivers, for example at that Vibhavadi Rangsit section, it happens sometimes. There are green lights, so you naturally drive through, but the railroad barriers went down. I was scared at times like that, what if I got trapped directly in the middle of the rail road track, because those railroad barriers close although you have a green traffic light turned on, what would have happened???

Bottomline is Thailand gives a crap on Public transportation development.

Edited January 22, 201313 yr by MaxLee

Greece here we come. When your outgo exceeds your income your upkeep will be your downfall.

This government and Thailand will not experience the economic problems of Greece. Even after the monies recently borrowed by the government for flood management projects etc. the forecast national debt expressed as a percentage of GDP is around 50%. There are laws in place stopping the government from having a national debt greater than 60%. The Greece current national debt to GDP percentage = approximately 174%.

You were saying?

But but but.. i don't have any clue about economics but it is PTP/Thaksin- the country will be bankrupt in 2 years despite Korn saying the economy was in great shape. Obviously our TVF Alan Greenspans know more though.