Govt Approves 210 Km Three-Airports Rail Link

[Lite Beer]

Govt Approves 210 Km Three-Airports Rail Link

By Khaosod Eng.

BANGKOK - The Thai military government has approved the construction of a 210 kilometre rail link that would connect Bangkok's two airports with another airport in Rayong province.

The project is the extension of the current rail link that runs between Suvarnabhumi Airport and downtown Bangkok, said Air Chief Marshal Prachin Chantong, Minister of Transport and a member of the Thai military junta.

Under the new plan, the rail link will also include Don Mueang Airport in northern Bangkok and U Ta Pao Airport in Rayong province, east of the capital city, ACM Prachin explained. Though lesser known than Bangkok's two airports, U Ta Pao is frequented by chartered flights carrying mostly Russian passengers to the nearby resort town of Pattaya.

According to ACM Prachin, the construction will be divided into two phases: the 20-kilometre rail link between Phayathai BTS Station and Don Mueang Airport will be built first, followed by the 190-kilometre railway between Lat Krabang Rail Link Station and U Ta Pao Airport.

Read More: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1416568835&section=13&typecate=06

-- Khaosod English 2014-11-21

[khwaibah]

Sound idea IF they have the money.

[chainarong]

Is this a light rail project or are we going to have concrete pylons into the sky, costing mega heaps in concrete money , the concept is there, question is the patronage ,has any studies, research been done , Thailand's love affair with the car proved the downfall of the one to swampy, plus shoddy workmanship and poor design , so make sure that all the I are dotted and the T crossed or is this another white elephant in the making and some hair brained idea that just materialized out of thin air

[pomchop]

Maybe a good start would be to link DMK and BKK first? Not sure of the advantages of adding in Rayong if it's charter flights for Pattaya.

Why would charter pax need a rail to DMK or BKK??

[jonw8uk]

190km to U Ta Pao, thats some serious cash......

with little benefit that I can see

The DM link makes sense

[whybother]

Is this a light rail project or are we going to have concrete pylons into the sky, costing mega heaps in concrete money , the concept is there, question is the patronage ,has any studies, research been done , Thailand's love affair with the car proved the downfall of the one to swampy, plus shoddy workmanship and poor design , so make sure that all the I are dotted and the T crossed or is this another white elephant in the making and some hair brained idea that just materialized out of thin air

Light rail is for urban environments. This will be a continuation of the current airport link.

The only downfall of the current line is the lack of maintenance and the infrequency of the "express" trains. Other than that, it's been a huge success.

I wish they would put these trains between all Thailand's major cities.

[Jessi]

U Ta Pao is in Chonburi Provence on the border with Rayong. Might be a good idea if they check the location first.

[whybother]

U Ta Pao is in Chonburi Provence on the border with Rayong. Might be a good idea if they check the location first.

Check for yourself. They know where it is.

https://www.google.co.th/maps/@12.666188,101.0126891,12z?hl=en

[inwardglee]

Chonburi and Rayong will be integrated into Bangkok by fast, safe, comfortable and environment friendly transport. Pattaya will change positively by that!

[doctorproc156]

190km to U Ta Pao, thats some serious cash......

with little benefit that I can see

The DM link makes sense

It's obviously going to connect with Pattaya, Sri Racha and Rayong townships as well, it isn't just for U tapao airport. This is the high speed rail system that is supposed to connect Trad to BKK.

[dddave]

If the clever commentary of TV's sultans of negativity had been around for the proposals to build the MRT, the BTS and it's extensions, or any of the elevated highways that have helped cope with the chronic traffic congestion strangling this nation, they would be issuing the same smug deprecations, ridiculing the enterprise and vision such ideas represent.

The Bangkok-Rayong corridor has already evolved into a megalopolis, a simple bus ride south on the Bangkok-Trad highway shows this unmistakably. While the resident xenophobes can only focus on sharing space with Russians, the real truth is that such a rail line would serve huge communities of Thais in it's stops along the way, just as the Airport Rail Link freed the residents of Lad Krabang and Samut Phrakan from two hour bus rides into the city.

Within a short time of being built, whole new communities will grow along it's length, and jobs will come with them and Thailand will be stronger for it.

Will there be attendant problems?? Sure there will., In any nation on earth, large and ambitious infrastructure changes cause massive social changes as well but twenty years from now, this project has the potential to have the same game changing, positive affect on the southeast corridor that the BTS has had for Bangkok.

Now, if only they would include the newly announced but as yet un-located Northern and Northeast Bus Terminal into the equation...that would be just about perfect.

[Greer]

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Is this a light rail project or are we going to have concrete pylons into the sky, costing mega heaps in concrete money , the concept is there, question is the patronage ,has any studies, research been done , Thailand's love affair with the car proved the downfall of the one to swampy, plus shoddy workmanship and poor design , so make sure that all the I are dotted and the T crossed or is this another white elephant in the making and some hair brained idea that just materialized out of thin air width=32 alt=coffee1.gif>

It's not a light rail system, it is the continuation of the existing Airport Link, which works fine. "The downfall of the one to swampy..." - what downfall - it works well and is popular - not just for travel to/from the airport, but also for stops at stations along the way - HUGE numbers of commuters use the station near my home every day.

Maybe a good start would be to link DMK and BKK first? Not sure of the advantages of adding in Rayong if it's charter flights for Pattaya. Why would charter pax need a rail to DMK or BKK??

Maybe another good start would be to read the article - this is exactly what they will be doing. The link to Rayong is not exclusively for air pax - it will be used by many others as a simple, efficient and relatively inexpensive way to travel between Bangkok and Rayong and stops in between.

If the clever commentary of TV's sultans of negativity had been around for the proposals to build the MRT, the BTS and it's extensions, or any of the elevated highways that have helped cope with the chronic traffic congestion strangling this nation, they would be issuing the same smug deprecations, ridiculing the enterprise and vision such ideas represent.

The Bangkok-Rayong corridor has already evolved into a megalopolis, a simple bus ride south on the Bangkok-Trad highway shows this unmistakably. While the resident xenophobes can only focus on sharing space with Russians, the real truth is that such a rail line would serve huge communities of Thais in it's stops along the way, just as the Airport Rail Link freed the residents of Lad Krabang and Samut Phrakan from two hour bus rides into the city.

Within a short time of being built, whole new communities will grow along it's length, and jobs will come with them and Thailand will be stronger for it.

Will there be attendant problems?? Sure there will., In any nation on earth, large and ambitious infrastructure changes cause massive social changes as well but twenty years from now, this project has the potential to have the same game changing, positive affect on the southeast corridor that the BTS has had for Bangkok.

Now, if only they would include the newly announced but as yet un-located Northern and Northeast Bus Terminal into the equation...that would be just about perfect.

VERY well said!

[ratcatcher]

Maybe a good start would be to link DMK and BKK first? Not sure of the advantages of adding in Rayong if it's charter flights for Pattaya. Why would charter pax need a rail to DMK or BKK??

Maybe a good start would be to link DMK and BKK first?

"...the 20-kilometre rail link between Phayathai BTS Station and Don Mueang Airport will be built first,..."

What a good idea pomchop.

[Commerce]

Maybe a good start would be to link DMK and BKK first? Not sure of the advantages of adding in Rayong if it's charter flights for Pattaya. Why would charter pax need a rail to DMK or BKK??

The advantages are obvious. Generals are rubbing their hands together, in graft anticipation.

[DP25]

Maybe a good start would be to link DMK and BKK first?

What a great idea!

If you had read the article, you would have realized that is the plan already

Not sure of the advantages of adding in Rayong if it's charter flights for Pattaya. Why would charter pax need a rail to DMK or BKK??

The purpose is integrating the massive urban and industrial corridor between Bangkok and Pattaya in to the mass transit system.

Edited November 22, 2014 by DP25

[SoilSpoil]

It might be a lot cheaper to convert the airport link, both rails and trains, in BTS compatible trains or vice versa. Don Muang is only a few km from BTS Mochit. The infrastructural hardware is already there. Just cross the Vibhavadi Road.

[NCC1701A]

so how long will it take to get from soi cowboy to walking street?

[sandmike]

Longer than an ST, but not as long as an LT .... ;-)

[bangkokfrog]

I am not saying that this is not a good idea, but is interesting to see how a dictatorship works. Big infrastructure plans approved in days with no need for pesky things like proper costings,feasibility studies, environmental impact reports and community consultation.

[whybother]

so how long will it take to get from soi cowboy to walking street?

A short time.

[DP25]

It might be a lot cheaper to convert the airport link, both rails and trains, in BTS compatible trains or vice versa. Don Muang is only a few km from BTS Mochit. The infrastructural hardware is already there. Just cross the Vibhavadi Road.

Maximum speed of the BTS trains is 80 km/h versus 160km/h for the Airport Rail Link. The BTS trains aren't suitable for traveling all the way to Pattaya and there is no point in replacing them with faster (and I assume much more expensive) ARL trains.

[mike324]

190km to U Ta Pao, thats some serious cash......

with little benefit that I can see

The DM link makes sense

Connecting to U Tapao is a joke! Why not just straight to Pattaya city! that would generate more cash.

[mike324]

What Thailand also needs is to integrate BTS, MRT, and Bus systems with fare reductions if you use two or three systems within X amount of time. Like how they do it in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore.

Since they outsource all these to different agencies and private companies, this is hurting the citizens in the long run. Basic efficient transportation such as MRT/BTS are still too expensive for the low income.

[kaobang]

190km to U Ta Pao, thats some serious cash......

with little benefit that I can see

The DM link makes sense

Connecting to U Tapao is a joke! Why not just straight to Pattaya city! that would generate more cash.

of course the airport link will stop in Pattaya.i wish north,central,and south Pattaya

and then to Sattahip and U-Tapao

but i dont believe that until it starts

Edited November 22, 2014 by kaobang

[DP25]

190km to U Ta Pao, thats some serious cash......

with little benefit that I can see

The DM link makes sense

Connecting to U Tapao is a joke! Why not just straight to Pattaya city! that would generate more cash.

U Tapao is farther away from Bangkok than Pattaya. The train can pass through Pattaya and Jomtien on the way to U Tapao.

[mike324]

190km to U Ta Pao, thats some serious cash......

with little benefit that I can see

The DM link makes sense

Connecting to U Tapao is a joke! Why not just straight to Pattaya city! that would generate more cash.

U Tapao is farther away from Bangkok than Pattaya. The train can pass through Pattaya and Jomtien on the way to U Tapao.

Perhaps I jump the gun too quickly, I guess they will most likely stop in Pattaya, I don't see the demand at U Tapao. Hardly any flights going in and out. Most foreign expats working in Industrial Zones have drivers or they drive themselves. It doesn't hurt to plan, I think they should go to Pattaya first and expand the section to U Tapo at a later time.

[kriswillems]

U Ta Pao ? Really? It's mainly a military airport, the civil part of the airport is really small.

It will be very convenient for the army that will have his own rail connection between 2 military airports : Don Meuang and Utapao.

So, the poor soldiers will not get stuck in the traffic jam. Also very convenient for the army top that lives near Don Meuang.

I don't think there's enough place on Sukhumvit or around to let the train pass Sri racha or Pattaya, unless it will pass far away from the city center (near the bypass road).

I think we've to be realistic - the part to Utapao will mainly be used by the army.

Edited November 22, 2014 by kriswillems

[kaobang]

190km to U Ta Pao, thats some serious cash......

with little benefit that I can see

The DM link makes sense

Connecting to U Tapao is a joke! Why not just straight to Pattaya city! that would generate more cash.

U Tapao is farther away from Bangkok than Pattaya. The train can pass through Pattaya and Jomtien on the way to U Tapao.

Perhaps I jump the gun too quickly, I guess they will most likely stop in Pattaya, I don't see the demand at U Tapao. Hardly any flights going in and out. Most foreign expats working in Industrial Zones have drivers or they drive themselves. It doesn't hurt to plan, I think they should go to Pattaya first and expand the section to U Tapo at a later time.

the 2 or 3 times i was there..it was packed with russian and chinese tourists..going back home

and the bangkok airways passengers

[kriswillems]

Don't forget the army owns Don Meuang and they rent it out.

Same goes for Utapao.

The army doesn't own Savanaphum.

[BritTim]

I am not knocking the idea of improving connections between Swampy and DMK, but I am not sure how much benefit there would be to a connection through Phayathai. I assume, even a through express would stop at Phayathai with a journey time around 40 minutes. The current transfer bus generally takes under an hour because it follows a more direct route. Is knocking 10-15 minutes off the transfer time worth the investment? Recall that the BTS green line extension to Saphan Mai will deal with most of the commuter needs in that direction.