Five dual-track railway lines proposed for quick construction: Thailand

[webfact]

Five dual-track railway lines proposed for quick construction
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, June 6 - State Railway of Thailand (SRT) governor Prapas Chongsanguan has called on the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) to help speed up the environmental impact assessment for five dual-track railway lines so the projects can be undertaken more quickly.

Mr Prapas said he met with the NCPO which inquired about the railway projects of the past government.

The SRT and the NCPO agreed that the double-track railway projects should be accelerated as they would play important roles in national logistics, he said.

The NCPO also questioned him about obstacles hindering the projects and he replied that environmental impact assessment should completed more quickly up for quick implementation.

Mr Prapas said that accelerating the environmental impact assessment would not result in a negative impact and that the country would benefit from the quick construction of dual-track railways.

Negative environmental impacts could be prevented with scientific solutions, he said. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2014-06-06

[BSJ]

The country doesn't have the money for this! I am somewhat taken aback that they would bother with "environmental impact assessment" in the first place given the right of way already exists and wondering if there is any benefit from dual track running outside of Bangkok. The cost of trackage/signalling/grade separation is substancial. Signalling to Western standards that is.

Single track with crossing loops works well if the system is bough up to date.

[noitom]

They questioned him about the obstacles to the project. His response did not address the question as written by the Thai press in the above article. He says environmental "could be" prevented with "scientific solutions." Well what does he mean by this scientific solutions and that environmental issues "could be" prevented. But he doesn't provide a business like response or the Thai reporter just ignored getting at the truth.

[EricBerg]

SRT does not have a good record on running things they already have. Let them first deal with their problems and keep the trains running and on the tracks. Costs for double tracks are huge.

..."the country would benefit from the quick construction of dual-track railways." How? Modernising the equipment would be useful and soon will be necessary. The average age of the locomotives is about 40 years(!). Accidents happen quite often. The company has not shown it can run a normal service incuding safety on the tracks.

[UbonRatch]

The guy must have a "Death Wish" ...

(Well he looks like Bronson to me, anyway)..

[englishoak]

Good luck with that Bronson

[coma]

Thailand and an "environmental impact assessment" ?

[ramrod711]

Double tracking, equipment upgrades and proper maintenance are all necessary. High speed rail is not, you don't haul freight on high speed rail. Auntie can not board HSR to sell her goods in the next village. After last year, when there were more than 120 derailments, it seems to me that you improve what you have, or abandon it.

[richabb1]

Talk of duel line freight systems is a start and much more logical than hi speed passenger systems. just a little more on loading and unloading berths also goes hand in hand.

[chainarong]

I think the powers that be will be sadly disappointed after an investigation , firstly, it will indicate that dual gage isn't cheap (Double signalling) latest CTC signal traffic control , the ruling grade will have to be at 1in150 , so that standard gage freighters are not coasting up n down like a roller coaster ride because of load and length, proper level crossing signals and boom gates , the freighters would be need to use speeds up are around 90/100 kph , rail lbs/ Kilos at least a 120 lb rail, for heavy axel loads, the list is endless, proper rolling stock, with at least five thousand HP Loco's , the passenger is basically light , but will need tilt tec,, airbag suspension and all the bells a whistles , not cheap at all and it will take a long time to complete. not quick like the headline says, this mind set is dangerous, it is very important the project is done properly or not at all. Major contractors in this field of construction will quickly point this out.

[UbonRatch]

Major contractors in this field of construction will quickly point this out.

Or not, if they are Thai !

[rametindallas]

This is the kind of infrastructure improvement that will benefit all Thais. Single tracks are slow as trains need to be sidelined (for hours) to allow other trains to pass. The trucking interests have been blocking this for decades. This will reduce the trucking firms to short-haul and free up highways (make them less congested, safer, last longer too). Everyone knows that rail, properly done, is a hundred times more efficient than trucks and will make businesses more profitable, efficient, and competitive in a global market. High Speed Rail going halfway to each destination, as imagined by Thaksin's PTP, was never going to be profitable much less benefit the country's industry. Projects to make Thailand inviting to industry, to keep the jobs coming for future Thais, is the kind of infrastructure investment Thailand needs. Funding of something REAL should be no problem as bonds could be sold to finance it. For those who don't like the project because it will be managed by SRT, should focus on making SRT viable and not slagging on worthy people proposing worthy projects.

[AleG]

SRT does not have a good record on running things they already have. Let them first deal with their problems and keep the trains running and on the tracks. Costs for double tracks are huge.

..."the country would benefit from the quick construction of dual-track railways." How? Modernising the equipment would be useful and soon will be necessary. The average age of the locomotives is about 40 years(!). Accidents happen quite often. The company has not shown it can run a normal service incuding safety on the tracks.

Most of the accidents, AFAIK, are derailments due to decrepit rail lines; replacing the rails should be a priority, it would be foolish to invest in new rolling stock to run the new trains on rotten rails.

Edited June 6, 2014 by AleG

[joshstiles]

quick construction = safety violations and over sights = more accidents = more people die

GOOD PLAN

GOOD TALK

LET'S DO IT

LET'S BUILD IT

GET YOUR SANDALS ON

[lomatopo]

Thought bubble: "Note to self, must stop drooling over the 15% skim on this whopper."

See former Transport Permanent Secretary's (and former chairman of the SRT board) Supoj Saplom "unusual wealth", surprised the second floor didn't give way when he moved ~ 1 billion baht upstairs to avoid the floods.

From 2010, forget who was in charge then

Bhum Jai Thai bolstering Transport Ministry permanent secretary's oversight

Watcharapong Thongrung

The Nation February 2, 2010 12:00 am

The Bhum Jai Thai Party intends to strengthen the oversight ability of the Transport Ministry's permanent secretary in the area of rail development.

The move is a bid to ensure the scheduled bidding of many projects worth hundreds of billions of baht can start this year. The Cabinet today will be asked to approve a new board of directors for the State Railway of Thailand (SRT). Transport Ministry permanent secretary Supoj Saplom will chair the board, replacing deputy permanent secretary Tawalyarat Onsira, who resigned recently, said a ministry source.

The source said Newin Chidchob, de-facto leader of the Bhum Jai Thai Party, was behind the move.

"Supoj has been tasked with overseeing the entire railroad-development plan, which covers the Mass Rapid Transit Authority and the SRT. This will ensure the ministry can open bidding for the projects under the Thai Khemkhaeng (TKK) stimulus package," the source said.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Bhum-Jai-Thai-bolstering-Transport-Ministry-perman-30121619.html

Suspect "oversight" has a different meaning here.

Edited June 6, 2014 by lomatopo

[aussieinthailand]

Fix what is in place and properly maintain it, and no job's (contracts) for family or friends, total transparency, good luck with that...

[cooked]

The country doesn't have the money for this! I am somewhat taken aback that they would bother with "environmental impact assessment" in the first place given the right of way already exists and wondering if there is any benefit from dual track running outside of Bangkok. The cost of trackage/signalling/grade separation is substancial. Signalling to Western standards that is.

Single track with crossing loops works well if the system is bough up to date.

CropperCapture10.jpg

Outside of Bangkok? Maybe you never sat in a train for hours waiting for another 'express' to pass the other way. Not only in bangkok.

[prakhonchai nick]

So where are thse proposed 5 dual track lines situate?

[ratcatcher]

So where are thse proposed 5 dual track lines situate?

Did you not look at the map posted earlier by BSJ ?

Edited June 6, 2014 by ratcatcher

[khwaibah]

So where are thse proposed 5 dual track lines situate?

Did you not look at the map posted earlier by BSJ ?

dddddt.jpg

He is still trying to remember the words to the Thai National Anthem.

[rickirs]

I hope the double track program includes the Mae Klong Line (Bangkok to Samut Sakorn). There is adequate ROW but a lot of low lying lands and waterway crossings. Current track conditions are poor and a great many watercrossings need upgrading. This line is an accident waiting to happen.

[Ulic]

Lots of issues about competency but a much better idea/plan than pie in the sky useless high speed rail.

[robblok]

The country doesn't have the money for this! I am somewhat taken aback that they would bother with "environmental impact assessment" in the first place given the right of way already exists and wondering if there is any benefit from dual track running outside of Bangkok. The cost of trackage/signalling/grade separation is substancial. Signalling to Western standards that is.

Single track with crossing loops works well if the system is bough up to date.

CropperCapture10.jpg

It is millions... not billions like the rice program. So this is quite affordable and dual track would help a lot. Not a high speed train but normal dual track. It would help and might even get less trucks on the roads.

[kuiburi]

Renew the railsystem and trains totally .

Building something new is often less costly then renovate the old .

The old trains would make a very nice arteficial reef .

[Bazt]

The country doesn't have the money for this! I am somewhat taken aback that they would bother with "environmental impact assessment" in the first place given the right of way already exists and wondering if there is any benefit from dual track running outside of Bangkok. The cost of trackage/signalling/grade separation is substancial. Signalling to Western standards that is.

Single track with crossing loops works well if the system is bough up to date.

CropperCapture10.jpg

It is millions... not billions like the rice program. So this is quite affordable and dual track would help a lot. Not a high speed train but normal dual track. It would help and might even get less trucks on the roads.

It's estimated at 324,700 million =324.7 billion

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[chainarong]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Renew the railsystem and trains totally .

Building something new is often less costly then renovate the old .

The old trains would make a very nice arteficial reef .

You have to have a ruling grade for standard gage ,so that's a problem right from the beginning, West OZ did a dual gage through the Darling Ranges Perth , Northam, 100klm and it took two years, you also need a better ground formation and culverts installed on the per-way , I worked on this project , one company went broke.

[332]

I can hear the all the local Benz dealers rubbing their hands together with glee already.

[lomatopo]

It is millions... not billions like the rice program. So this is quite affordable and dual track would help a lot. Not a high speed train but normal dual track. It would help and might even get less trucks on the roads.

Not sure if you are high, or just confused between baht and some other currency?

Just one, single dual-track project of 106 Km was budgeted at 11.348 BILLION Baht, and that was two years ago.

BANGKOK, 11 July 2012 - The cabinet yesterday approved the State Railway of Thailand (SRT)’s proposal to build a double-track railway from the eastern province of Chachoengsao to Kaeng Khoi in Saraburi, estimated to be worth 11.3 billion baht.

[sandyf]

The country doesn't have the money for this! I am somewhat taken aback that they would bother with "environmental impact assessment" in the first place given the right of way already exists and wondering if there is any benefit from dual track running outside of Bangkok. The cost of trackage/signalling/grade separation is substancial. Signalling to Western standards that is.

Single track with crossing loops works well if the system is bough up to date.

CropperCapture10.jpg

They started laying the second track on the BKK to Rayong line a couple of years ago. Goes past my house and I know it is done as far as Pattaya.

[lomatopo]

I can hear the all the local Benz dealers rubbing their hands together with glee already.

If anything will drive the requirement for 5,000 and 10,000 baht notes it is projects like this.