Stock Image of Monorail (Digital 3D image)

The MRTA (Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand) will ask the cabinet for approval on a joint monorail plan. The project would be a co-investment between the private firm and the government to bring the Lat Phrao-Samrong and Khae Rai-Min Bury monorail projects to life.

Work is set to begin on the two monorails, which are being called the Yellow Line and the Pink Line, in 2017. After discussing investment plans, the MRTA decided a PPP (Private Public Partnership) would be the best resolution. A private company will oversee the train procurement, electrical system, service operation and the maintenance of the facility. Meanwhile, the government will oversee the civil engineering work.

Under the arrangement, the private firm would undertake the majority of the risks as it will procure the trains and oversee service fares.

MRTA’s initial plan was to acquire the trains and allow a private company to oversee the service. However, the proposal has been revised. The government prefers the PPP arrangement as it will save the state money.

The new investment plan will be forwarded to the Transport Ministry in early May. The transport minister will then seek cabinet approval. The construction of both monorails is expected to cost approximately 62.8 billion baht.

-- 2015-04-07

Large infrastructure is good for Thailand on so many levels.

Radid transport has great potential for the country..

A disaster waiting to happen, monorails to carry large amounts of people are a failure in just about every where they have been tried. One still running is in Malaysia and they still have problems trying to keep it running even after many tears. Other countries have had to replace them with conventional systems.

They should stick to conventional or light rail systems.

Oh no, Thailand, don't build a design which is compatible or interchangeable with one of the existing designs, don't save money through economies of scale. And be sure to create a completely new payment card system, so everyone can have three (or more) cards to load...

Monorail, schmonorail...will they ever learn?

Rapid transit is only effective if it is affordable to enough people to change the dynamics of travel.

Infrastructure projects are indeed important on many levels, but roads, water projects, and power.. Mostly upcountry, would lead to better wealth distribution and continued economic growth.

Oh no, Thailand, don't build a design which is compatible or interchangeable with one of the existing designs, don't save money through economies of scale. And be sure to create a completely new payment card system, so everyone can have three (or more) cards to load...

Monorail, schmonorail...will they ever learn?

It makes sense as Srinakarin road is still very congested. The yellow line monorail is only to replace the 145 Airconditioned bus service from Samrong to Morchit. Passenger numbers do not warrant a more expensive system as on the Green Line. The payment card system to be implemented by next year and operated jointly by BTS, MRTA, BMTA, SRT Airport/Citilink and the Government will allow you to travel seamlessly on all rail and bus systems in Bangkok.

It is likely that BTS will when the operation Contract for both contracts, but I am keeping an eye on CP Group who also want to get in on some of the other operation contracts.

so, who is going to get richer with the delivery of the brown bags??

they need to use the KISS method, keep new systems compatably with the current systems.

the Thai. way, use a product or system that is sure to fail. just look at all the first rate buses that are in use, death traps.

Monorail! They tried that in Springfield in the USA were Homer Simpson lived and it was a big FAIL!

Jesus walked on water, thais can monorail

The Thais will never pull this off.

Do not bother with monorail!

Set up a factory to produce flying cars and personal helicopters.

Oh no, Thailand, don't build a design which is compatible or interchangeable with one of the existing designs, don't save money through economies of scale. And be sure to create a completely new payment card system, so everyone can have three (or more) cards to load...

Monorail, schmonorail...will they ever learn?

I agree 100%, BTS system is tried and tested - use what you know works, give yourself flexibility to swap rolling stock across lines to cater for varying passenger loads, save money on inventory repairs and maintenance (Oooops, sorry, TIT - budget for repairs and maintenance goes to "other places..."), save money on staff training, allow flexibility of labour movement for trained staff to float between lines to cover leave and sickness entitlements, I could go on - but unless "The General" is reading it is just a waste of my internet bandwidth and time ...

The monorail around central Sydney was a failure and has been torn down

The pink route follows Chaeng Wattana Road which is extremely busy. It will pass the Government Complex Buildings, several shopping Malls, large hospitals, and hotels. It will cross the future extensions to the northern Red, Green and inter airport lines and connects to the almost completed Purple line.

So I would have thought it would justify light rail instead of Monorail.

The monorail around central Sydney was a failure and has been torn down

The pink route follows Chaeng Wattana Road which is extremely busy. It will pass the Government Complex Buildings, several shopping Malls, large hospitals, and hotels. It will cross the future extensions to the northern Red, Green and inter airport lines and connects to the almost completed Purple line.

So I would have thought it would justify light rail instead of Monorail.

2020 BKK.jpg

The monorail around Sydney was a failure because it didn't connect well with other forms of transport, car parking, shopping or entertainment precincts.

Light rail - heaven forbid. My comment on that last time I was in Sydney was "some bureaucrat looked at the tangle of buses, taxis, delivery trucks and private cars jostling for space on geaorge street and said 'I know! Let's put a train down the middle of that!"

Light Rail on Chaeng Wattana would just kill lots more people - remember that Thais can't handle a level crossing when they know that they are crossing a railway track - can you imagine what they would do with a light rail coming down on top of them????

No! No! No! - put it up above the mess, or underground never on street level.

Cynics might observe that they have enough trouble keeping trains upright when they are running on two rails let alone balancing on one!