Min of Transport to quicken MRT Purple Line launch

[Lite Beer]

Min of Transport to quicken MRT Purple Line launch

BANGKOK, 26 July 2015 (NNT) – The Ministry of Transport has decided to quicken the launch of Metropolitan Rapid Transit Purple Line, as the construction is nearing completion.

According to Transport Minister Air Chief Marshal Prajin Juntong, the opening of the MRT Purple Line will be either in April or May 2016, instead of August 2016 as previously planned.

During his trip to Japan in April, ACM Prajin discussed the Ministry of Transport’s plan to reschedule the inauguration of the new MRT route with the Japanese company which undertakes the construction of carriages. The firm agreed to speed up their work to meet the new time frame.

The first batch of three trains is expected to reach the country in September for a test run in December. However, ACM Prajin said the Mass Rapid Transit Authority was still non-committal about the plan, since the operation of the trains also depends on readiness of the safety system and personnel.

The 23-kilometer MRT Purple Line runs from Bangkok’s Bang Sue District to Bang Yai District in Nonthaburi Province. Its launch is aimed at facilitating residents who have to commute between the suburb province and Bangkok and vice versa.

-- NNT 2015-07-26

[djjamie]

I wonder if they do feasibility studies before these potential expansions?

Seems this line will be more popular than the current airport link and will reduce traffic congestion as well as allow reduced travel times for its citizens when going to work and back.

[rubl]

Although this line may help reduce traffic along Viphavadi-Rangsit Road I wonder what the ticket price will be. Also the MRT line from BangSu to HuaLamphong can be very crowded during rush hours. That may only increase if the trains on that line do not run with a higher frequency or with an extra carriage added.

[Crossy]

There is no way in heaven or earth that the Purple Line will be open in May 16, it's pushing things to be ready for August.

@rubl, Purple goes nowhere near Viphavadi-Rangsit, the construction we are seeing along there is the Red Line, BangSue-Rangsit, slated to open in 2018.

[henry15]

The purple line will be very succesfull; The station en parking lots at Bang Yai are immens. The first station have an entrance at the new Central Westgate shoppingmall who will open this august, this will be the biggest shoppingmall in Thailand.

Every station between Bang Yai and Kae Rai junction have carparks with direct entrance to te BTS.

[little mary sunshine]

Great,fast transportation. Hope they expand the system even more

[bangkokfrog]

The purple line will be very succesfull; The station en parking lots at Bang Yai are immens. The first station have an entrance at the new Central Westgate shoppingmall who will open this august, this will be the biggest shoppingmall in Thailand.

Every station between Bang Yai and Kae Rai junction have carparks with direct entrance to te BTS.

If this is true, then the planners should be congratulated. I have long been amazed at how little parking is available for BTS / MRT interchange.

(I am assuming of course that the parking is going to be either free or at a reasonable cost to encourage people to leave their cars outside the city.)

[Crossy]

There are indeed very large parking lots available for PL users.

Parking is unlikely to be free (MRTA like to make money) but the system is arranged so users of the railway pay a reduced rate for parking (much like the current Park&Ride on the MRT).

You will also be able to use your stored value card to access the parking so no mucking around with cash.

[luckizuchinni]

The purple line will be very succesfull; The station en parking lots at Bang Yai are immens. The first station have an entrance at the new Central Westgate shoppingmall who will open this august, this will be the biggest shoppingmall in Thailand.

Every station between Bang Yai and Kae Rai junction have carparks with direct entrance to te BTS.

The carparks are something dearly needed elsewhere, too. I was pleasantly surprised to see them on the Purple line.

I am not too far from the BTS terminus in Phasi Charoen, and I pass it when driving to the Sathorn/Silom area, but I never take the BTS because of no parking. I do plan on trying out the Purple line when it opens, though, because parking will be easy.

[greenchair]

And I remember the days when people in sala daeng, protested to thaksin government to stop the first bts train being constructed. He pushed it through amidst harsh criticism.

I bet many people would like to forget his governments resolve to get this transport system up and running.

Really, it is one of the best things to happen in Thailand.

Thaksins promise to fix the traffic problem in Bangkok may come to be a reality after all.

[halloween]

I can only hope the MRTA holds fast and refuses to open to the public until thorough testing is done. Politicians pushing for early opening certainly wont accept the blame if things go pear-shaped.

[MiKT]

There is no way in heaven or earth that the Purple Line will be open in May 16, it's pushing things to be ready for August.

@rubl, Purple goes nowhere near Viphavadi-Rangsit, the construction we are seeing along there is the Red Line, BangSue-Rangsit, slated to open in 2018.

To right Crossy, not a chance of opening so early. KR Edited July 26, 2015 by MiKT

[Estrada]

This is BS as the MRTA just announced that it will be officially opened on December 5th 2016. The Transport Minister knows that there is no way that speeding up the delivery of the trains is going to help open the track earlier, as the are a lot of unfinished M&E work to be completed. The first test runs are likely to be in August as previously stated. He is being pressurized from above to complete the job and has given up trying to explain to his bosses why it cannot be ready in April 2016.

[rubl]

And I remember the days when people in sala daeng, protested to thaksin government to stop the first bts train being constructed. He pushed it through amidst harsh criticism.

I bet many people would like to forget his governments resolve to get this transport system up and running.

Really, it is one of the best things to happen in Thailand.

Thaksins promise to fix the traffic problem in Bangkok may come to be a reality after all.

Did you just grant the current government permission to start with a few more Bangkok lines and with rail links as that surely helps a lot of people?

BTW you should refresh your memory a bit.

The BTS Silom line with SalaDaeng station was opened in 1999. The first 'Thaksin' government started in 2001. The "Thaksin's promise" made while Minister of Interior to the PM Chavalit government was from 1996 or 1997, included "within six months", didn't include either his resignation in three months nor the start of the 1997 economical crisis. The last did solve Bangkok's traffic problem for a few years though.

[luckizuchinni]

And I remember the days when people in sala daeng, protested to thaksin government to stop the first bts train being constructed. He pushed it through amidst harsh criticism.

I bet many people would like to forget his governments resolve to get this transport system up and running.

Really, it is one of the best things to happen in Thailand.

Thaksins promise to fix the traffic problem in Bangkok may come to be a reality after all.

The Skytrain was inaugurated in 1999, and Thaksin did not come into power until 2001.

[rubl]

This is BS as the MRTA just announced that it will be officially opened on December 5th 2016. The Transport Minister knows that there is no way that speeding up the delivery of the trains is going to help open the track earlier, as the are a lot of unfinished M&E work to be completed. The first test runs are likely to be in August as previously stated. He is being pressurized from above to complete the job and has given up trying to explain to his bosses why it cannot be ready in April 2016.

Not my line of business, but trying to understand I would assume (maybe incorrectly) that test runs in August 2015 should not require the official opening to be 16 months later. Also as far as I know there's no real new, leading edge technology involved with this Purple Link. All mature and proven.

Maybe someone in this field can provide some insight?

[Pib]

During his trip to Japan in April, ACM Prajin discussed the Ministry of Transport’s plan to reschedule the inauguration of the new MRT route with the Japanese company which undertakes the construction of carriages. The firm agreed to speed up their work to meet the new time frame.

And it will probably come at an increase in contract price/paying for overtime work conveniently not mentioned in the NNT article.

[sammygood]

as long as the right people got informed on time to start buying property where the line would be built, than this brings a lot of happiness to the people

[bangon04]

I can only hope the MRTA holds fast and refuses to open to the public until thorough testing is done. Politicians pushing for early opening certainly wont accept the blame if things go pear-shaped.

There are only 2 auspicious dates each year when major projects can have their official opening. One is December 5th and the other is August 12th. Nobody can change this.

If the MRTA is smart they can have a soft opening on any other day of the year.

[damian]

Bang on bangon04.

Aug 12 2016 IS the set date. No earlier although there will be the usual demo runs for the pollies etc. And the first one if these will be Dec 5 this year.