Japan group to build train system in Bangkok: report

[webfact]

Japan group to build train system in Bangkok: report

TOKYO, November 4, 2013 (AFP) - A Japanese consortium will build an urban transit system in Bangkok, as part of Japan's drive to expand exports of railway infrastructure to the rest of Asia, a report said Sunday.

East Japan Railway, trading house Marubeni and electronics giant Toshiba have landed the deal, at an estimated price of around 40 billion yen ($405 million), the business daily Nikkei reported.

Under the deal, ordered by Bangkok Metro Public Co., the consortium will construct a new 23-kilometre (14-mile) rail line in the Thai capital, the daily said, adding the rail operation is set to start in 2016.

The Japanese group will supply 63 train cars and build the power grid, signals and rail yards as well as 16 stations for the project.

It will also provide maintenance services under a 10-year contract and about 20 technicians with operational expertise will be stationed in Bangkok, the report said.

Japanese railway operators are expected to broaden their reach overseas by joining forces with heavy-industry manufacturers and trading houses to promote comprehensive services, Nikkei said.

East Japan Railway will aim now to win a contract to build a high-speed train line between Malaysia and Singapore, the report said.

Another Japanese train operator, Central Japan Railway, has already provided technology for renovating the automatic train control system of Taiwan's super-express train service, Nikkei said.

Meanwhile, Tokyo Metro, which runs an intricate subway network in the Japanese capital, has been cooperating in an urban train project in Hanoi, the daily said.


-- (c) Copyright AFP 2013-11-04

[frankthetank]

I guess that it won't be the first railway Japan has had built in Thailand!

Edited November 4, 2013 by metisdead
Oversize font reset to normal.

[hansgruber]

Did they factor in the corrupt payments in that budget?

Can't help feel Japan will get scolded on this deal.

[Dararasmi]

[Ricardo]

Hope (that all goes) Well !

[Chao Lao Beach]

Is it to extend the MRT?

[Sayonarax]

Made in China not up to par?

[Guest]

Which line are they going to build? A news report with no information of use.

[Just1Voice]

In the "other paper" where this story ran, one person made the comment: "Thank God it's not the Chinese!" I immediate thought was: "No, Thank God it's not the Thai building it."

[rfukata]

makes a lot of sense to develop the metro system network first and then study possible high speed options.

[Commander Tamson]

If Yingluck's high speed rail dream is ever to become a reality, then likewise it should be the Japanese who build it. The Thai corruption brigade have to tread warily around the Japanese - the country has too much to lose by upsetting them.

[fire and ice]

Whilst 4 tillion yen roughly equals US$405 million - but I think they left a zero off both these figures.

Edited November 4, 2013 by fire and ice

[isaanpaul]

I guess that it won't be the first railway Japan has had built in Thailand!

And there are enough farang to help them.

[Estrada]

This is confusing, they must be referring to the Purple Line Bang Yai – Bang Sue extension which is the only one at 23km to be completed by 2016. If so, then this contract must be for the M&E, rolling stock and 10 years operation and not the main civil works.

[Lakegeneve]

This is confusing, they must be referring to the Purple Line Bang Yai – Bang Sue extension which is the only one at 23km to be completed by 2016. If so, then this contract must be for the M&E, rolling stock and 10 years operation and not the main civil works.

Indeed you are correct. Unusually poor reporting from AFP to not even bother to specify the line.

The BMCL (operator of the MRT subway) won the 30 year concession contract in September from the MRTA for electrical & systems installation, operation & maintenance of the Purple line for 83 billion baht. Also the supply the rolling stock - not that they have done much on that front with the subway (large debts have meant no money for extra trains).

The Purple LIne civil works are around 85% done. The original opening of early 2015 was pushed back due to the 2011 floods by a year to 2016 but recently the MRTA is now stating that it will not open until 2017. We'll have to see.

The 1.2 km ext of the Blue Line from Bang Sue to Taopoon should open in 2015.

More on the Purple Line and other new metro lines/ exts updates at this thread, http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/406991-the-new-skytrain/page-10

http://www.mrta-purpleline.com/main?lang=en

[zakk9]

Presumably, this line will have a different technical standard, different rolling stock and a different ticketing system from the other lines. Standardisation is boring

[Lakegeneve]

Presumably, this line will have a different technical standard, different rolling stock and a different ticketing system from the other lines. Standardisation is boring

No, yes no.

You general point is a good one but you have missed the mark. Obviously, the rolling stock will be different, the article says so and nearly all current rolling stock on the 3 metro systems is Siemens - save for 7 CNR untis on the BTS (with 5 more arriving for the Bang Wah ext opening on 5 Dec). The technical design of the line and stations is very good.

Ticketing wise, as the BMCL who operate the subway have the concession then obviously it will be compatible with the MRT subway. The general point about a lack of integrated ticketing - or a common ticketing platform - is a good one as it has been promised since 2007. It is however moot as it is going to be implemented by 2015 (it was an election promise) and it is finally progressing.

I'm an advocate for one govt agency/operator being responsible for planning, building and operating all lines rather than the private concessionaire model that we currently have with 3 different operators and numerous govts agencies. It has lead to many of the problems that we have experienced on the ticketing front, limited rolling stocks (indebted operators not having funds to purchase new stock) and a lack of dysfunction & integration with planning and implementation of new lines/exts.

That being said BKK is doing better than comparable sized SE cities like Jakarta (just started building their 1st line), HCMC (slowly building a 1st line) or Manila. After years of delays, finally a bunch of new lines will open by the end of the decade and then further expansion will take places there after.

Edited November 4, 2013 by Lakegeneve

[yankee99]

Made in China not up to par?

Not sure where its made but the transit system in guangzhou china is of the highest standard and puts bkk to shame

[yankee99]

Whilst 4 tillion yen roughly equals US$405 million - but I think they left a zero off both these figures.

Agreed!

[zakk9]

Presumably, this line will have a different technical standard, different rolling stock and a different ticketing system from the other lines. Standardisation is boring

No, yes no.

You general point is a good one but you have missed the mark. Obviously, the rolling stock will be different, the article says so and nearly all current rolling stock on the 3 metro systems is Siemens - save for 7 CNR untis on the BTS (with 5 more arriving for the Bang Wah ext opening on 5 Dec). The technical design of the line and stations is very good.

Ticketing wise, as the BMCL who operate the subway have the concession then obviously it will be compatible with the MRT subway. The general point about a lack of integrated ticketing - or a common ticketing platform - is a good one as it has been promised since 2007. It is however moot as it is going to be implemented by 2015 (it was an election promise) and it is finally progressing.

I'm an advocate for one govt agency/operator being responsible for planning, building and operating all lines rather than the private concessionaire model that we currently have with 3 different operators and numerous govts agencies. It has lead to many of the problems that we have experienced on the ticketing front, limited rolling stocks (indebted operators not having funds to purchase new stock) and a lack of dysfunction & integration with planning and implementation of new lines/exts.

That being said BKK is doing better than comparable sized SE cities like Jakarta (just started building their 1st line), HCMC (slowly building a 1st line) or Manila. After years of delays, finally a bunch of new lines will open by the end of the decade and then further expansion will take places there after.

Thank you for the correction. Still, even with compatible ticket systems, the situation remains that one has to exit one system before entering another, unlike most other large cities where there are only one ticket control to pass regardless of the number of train changes. The Asok/Sukhumvit station is already a chaos because of this, and it will only get worse unless they find a way to connect the two stations physically and without ticket control.

[Lakegeneve]

^ completely agree with you zakk. Hopefully, once we finally get a common ticketing platform, the MRTA and operators will then look at building extra links between stations within the ticketed area thus avoiding the need to use two ticket barriers. However, most likely the two private operators will still want pax to use their own ticketing barriers as a more accurate way to calculate pax between lines and thus cost sharing revenue under a common ticketing system.

The obvious solution for Asoke and Sukhumvit is to build an underground link with escalators going directly up to the side of the BTS station entering within the ticketed area (within the station). Another solution could be to completely changed the station zone to include all the current pedestrian interchange area as being within the ticketed area. However, that would mean for some significant retrofitting of the station designs and probably be more costly than the former option.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I'm an advocate for one govt agency/operator being responsible for planning, building and operating all lines rather than the private concessionaire model that we currently have with 3 different operators and numerous govts agencies. It has lead to many of the problems that we have experienced on the ticketing front, limited rolling stocks (indebted operators not having funds to purchase new stock) and a lack of dysfunction & integration with planning and implementation of new lines/exts.

No "lack of dysfunction" here...

Thailand is, after all, the Hub of Dysfunction when it comes to transportation planning.

[ginjag]

I guess that it won't be the first railway Japan has had built in Thailand!

And there are enough farang to help them.

Sorry work permits needed.

[ginjag]

Which line are they going to build? A news report with no information of use.

Crying shame it is not a direct line from DON.M BKK airport-to Swampy BKK..

[doctorproc156]

Which line are they going to build? A news report with no information of use.

Crying shame it is not a direct line from DON.M BKK airport-to Swampy BKK..

The SRT Dark Red Line to DMK started construction in April! It will probably be done by 2016, but who knows really.Construction picture as of Oct 2013 credits to marut on SSC.

More pictures and information here: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=904602&page=190

[Lakegeneve]

I'm an advocate for one govt agency/operator being responsible for planning, building and operating all lines rather than the private concessionaire model that we currently have with 3 different operators and numerous govts agencies. It has lead to many of the problems that we have experienced on the ticketing front, limited rolling stocks (indebted operators not having funds to purchase new stock) and a lack of dysfunction & integration with planning and implementation of new lines/exts.

No "lack of dysfunction" here...

Thailand is, after all, the Hub of Dysfunction when it comes to transportation planning.

Indeed, cheers. Somehow that changed from 'lack of integration '- clearly in the amorphous mass that is an excuse fro my brain!

[Lakegeneve]

Which line are they going to build? A news report with no information of use.

Crying shame it is not a direct line from DON.M BKK airport-to Swampy BKK..

The SRT Dark Red Line to DMK started construction in April! It will probably be done by 2016, but who knows really.Construction picture as of Oct 2013 credits to marut on SSC.

More pictures and information here: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=904602&page=190

The ARL was always planned to be extended to DMK via the new Bang Sue Terminal as an Express Service ie. BKK Airport to DMK airport with stops at Makkasan (CAT), Phaya Thai and Bang Sue Terminal. The tender for this will go out later this year or early next. Expect a 4 year construction timetable.

The SRT Dark Red Line suburban line - which the above poster mentioned - will also stop at DMK but it will only run between Bang Sue and Rangsit. It is not being built as a link between the airports. Eventually it will be extended south to Hualumphong, WWY and all the way to Mahachai.

You can find info about both of these lines and the future metro line with a map here, http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/406991-the-new-skytrain/page-10

Also, Skyscraper City Forums in Thai as linked or the 2Bangkok.com forum for detailed info in english.

[Lakegeneve]

Oh and the reason why Japanese firms won the sub contracts for this work is that the indebted BMCL which has the contract to finish and operate the Line appears to have obtained a loan from the Japanese govt.

The project will be paid for with a yen loan worth 79 billion yen, provided by the Japanese government, Kyodo News agency reported.

[doctorproc156]

So these are how the purple line trains built by Japan's JR East are going to look like:

Source: http://news.mynavi.jp/news/2013/11/06/311/ (Japanese)

http://www.railjournal.com/index.php/asia/bangkok-purple-line-em-contract-signed.html(English)

[ggold]

Did they factor in the corrupt payments in that budget?

Can't help feel Japan will get scolded on this deal.

I think you will find that the Japanese company paid a very nice commission to the Bangkok Metro Public Co to secure the contract! As the Japanese don't have a problem paying such commissions to gain access to lucrative contracts. ah so! lol