Three more skywalks for Bangkok commuters in 18 months

[Lite Beer]

Three more skywalks for Bangkok commuters in 18 months

Bangkok will have three more skywalks with length of 245-1,700 metres to facilitate commuters travelling on rail, road, and water transport systems.

This was revealed yesterday by Mr Thaweesak Lertpraphan, director of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s Traffic and Transportation Department.

He said construction contracts for the three skywalks are now under review before signing with three contractors.

The first skywalk project will be built from Bang Wa sky train station to Taksin pier and Phetkasem road covering a length of 245 metres. This skywalk will be 3.5 metres wide and will link the rail and the water transport systems. Construction cost is estimated at 70 million baht.

The second skywalk will be built to link the extension of BTS Bang Na train station and Udomsuk station covering a total distance of 1,700 metres. Construction cost is 450 million baht and will take 15 months to complete. The skywalk will be four metres wide.

The third skywalk will link Surasak station with Taksin bridge station. This skywalk will be 700 metres long and six metres wide. Construction time is 14 months, starting end of this year, at the cost of 557 million baht.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/three-more-skywalks-for-bangkok-commuters-in-18-months

-- Thai PBS 2015-10-10

[Xonax]

The Skywalk from Bang Na to Udomsuk station is only necessary for visitors to Bitec and the future Bangkok Mall, so let those businesses pay the full cost.

[Prbkk]

The Skywalk from Bang Na to Udomsuk station is only necessary for visitors to Bitec and the future Bangkok Mall, so let those businesses pay the full cost.

Indeed. As always, a blurred line between public expenditure versus private profit.

[Sarathi]

Some mistake here.

Bang Wa station to Taksin Bridge would be about 15 kilometers.

Bang Wa to Petchkasem would be about 245 meters.

[ozyjon]

If it's paid with foreign money why not start

putting more roads/trains underground

[HerbalEd]

If it's paid with foreign money why not start

putting more roads/trains underground

What the connection with foreign money? How would that work? Please explain.

[rubl]

The Skywalk from Bang Na to Udomsuk station is only necessary for visitors to Bitec and the future Bangkok Mall, so let those businesses pay the full cost.

Indeed. As always, a blurred line between public expenditure versus private profit.

Of course a company should be happy to be allowed to finance infrastructure in order to be allowed to settle down in a city. Why should the city pay for making it easy for workers to go work at a new company? Why should the city pay for getting crowds coming to the city to spent money?

Methinks, there's a bit more than just 'public expenditure' and 'private profit'. For example how does London finances it's infrastructure, or PhomPhen, Singapore?

[PaPiPuPePo]

Wow, three skywalks in only 18 months?! So it must take about 100 years to build a highway or mall then, right? Right?

[Si Thea01]

Some mistake here.

Bang Wa station to Taksin Bridge would be about 15 kilometers.

Bang Wa to Petchkasem would be about 245 meters.

Is Taksin bridge and Taksin Pier the same? It says Bang Wa Railway Station to Taksin Pier (not bridge) and Phetkasem Road. As far as I can see it is the third project that makes mention of Taksin bridge, not the second, it says linking ​Surasak Station with Taksin Bridge Station. ​Only asking as I'm not familiar with the area.

[mydee]

Wow, three skywalks in only 18 months?! So it must take about 100 years to build a highway or mall then, right? Right?

Wrong

Compared to Australia Thailand has achieved wonders in infrastructure development lately. It took the Australian Government about 60 years to duplicate the Hume Highway linking Sydney and Melbourne. Intercity Railway infrastructure trackwork has been allowed to deteriorate so that the maximum speed between Sydney and Melbourne is about 30 mph in parts. The Capital city Canberra took about twelve years. An integrated public transport system such as Bangkok is a figment of most Australians imaginations.

[Thian]

Great! We need more connections between rail and waterways. Also the riverboats have to be improved a lot! Nobody speaks english, writes english and it's not clear which boat goes where for a foreigner.

So instead of cleaning up the sidewalks we now go up in the air on skywalks. Well i don't mind, i like skywalks, skytrains and riverboats.

Anything is better then Thai pavements or the way we get treated there.

[Si Thea01]

The Skywalk from Bang Na to Udomsuk station is only necessary for visitors to Bitec and the future Bangkok Mall, so let those businesses pay the full cost.

Indeed. As always, a blurred line between public expenditure versus private profit.

Of course a company should be happy to be allowed to finance infrastructure in order to be allowed to settle down in a city. Why should the city pay for making it easy for workers to go work at a new company? Why should the city pay for getting crowds coming to the city to spent money?

Methinks, there's a bit more than just 'public expenditure' and 'private profit'. For example how does London finances it's infrastructure, or PhomPhen, Singapore?

Like it does in Oz, through taxes. However, large businesses building their outlets or large shopping complexes are required to provide all infrastructure, including road upgrades, traffic signals etc., but they still get some assistance in the form of rebates ( Tax) and allowances from local government, all of which tend to come from the public coffers. If they didn't receive subsidies, they would never build.

I don't imagine any of us really know what goes on behind closed doors and who receives what and for what but there are many offerings to governments, it is how big business does business. Has anyone ever seen a poor politician? They even allow developers to run for council office and guess who benefits when council (as a whole) approves projects from which the elected developers profit. Corruption in the open and the public put up with it. That's how stupid the voters are but what other choice is there?

Edited October 11, 2015 by Si Thea01

[SABloke]

1 700m = 450 million Baht....700m = 557 million Baht. :blink:

[jaywalker]

... Has anyone ever seen a poor politician? ...

Nope.

[PaPiPuPePo]

Wow, three skywalks in only 18 months?! So it must take about 100 years to build a highway or mall then, right? Right?

Wrong

Compared to Australia Thailand has achieved wonders in infrastructure development lately. It took the Australian Government about 60 years to duplicate the Hume Highway linking Sydney and Melbourne. Intercity Railway infrastructure trackwork has been allowed to deteriorate so that the maximum speed between Sydney and Melbourne is about 30 mph in parts. The Capital city Canberra took about twelve years. An integrated public transport system such as Bangkok is a figment of most Australians imaginations.

So compared to the neglected and crumbling infrastructure in Aus (and the US) Thailand, having nearly none 30 years ago, has built two BTS lines and a subway. If that's wondrous to you maybe your expectations have been lowered to near-zero.

In Seattle USA they've spent 20 years bickering about how to solve its horrendous traffic problems including the light-rail project (moribund) and the viaduct (finally getting under way). So, three wrongs make a right, eh? That's seems to be the usual counter-argument around these parts.

Thai man rapes 12-y.o. daughter—"B-b-but the UK and US are the worst countries for rape in the world!".....Oh wait, that's reported rapes......

Another shooting in BKK----"B-b-b-but the US has daily gun massacres!"

I guess it's all good then....

[mydee]

No It doesn't make it right merely puts it in perspective and counters your sneer. And, by the way there is no meaningful comparison between cross country rapes and murders. We are talking about levels infrastructure development and appropriate completion dates. By way of contrast raising the time it atkes to complete projects in other countries provides a valid benchmark.

Wow, three skywalks in only 18 months?! So it must take about 100 years to build a highway or mall then, right? Right?

Wrong

Compared to Australia Thailand has achieved wonders in infrastructure development lately. It took the Australian Government about 60 years to duplicate the Hume Highway linking Sydney and Melbourne. Intercity Railway infrastructure trackwork has been allowed to deteriorate so that the maximum speed between Sydney and Melbourne is about 30 mph in parts. The Capital city Canberra took about twelve years. An integrated public transport system such as Bangkok is a figment of most Australians imaginations.

So compared to the neglected and crumbling infrastructure in Aus (and the US) Thailand, having nearly none 30 years ago, has built two BTS lines and a subway. If that's wondrous to you maybe your expectations have been lowered to near-zero.

In Seattle USA they've spent 20 years bickering about how to solve its horrendous traffic problems including the light-rail project (moribund) and the viaduct (finally getting under way). So, three wrongs make a right, eh? That's seems to be the usual counter-argument around these parts.

Thai man rapes 12-y.o. daughter—"B-b-but the UK and US are the worst countries for rape in the world!".....Oh wait, that's reported rapes......

Another shooting in BKK----"B-b-b-but the US has daily gun massacres!"

I guess it's all good then....

[Happy Grumpy]

The Skywalk from Bang Na to Udomsuk station is only necessary for visitors to Bitec and the future Bangkok Mall, so let those businesses pay the full cost.

They're paying 20% of it, in envelopes.

[llz]

On 10/10/2015 at 8:18 AM, Xonax said:

The Skywalk from Bang Na to Udomsuk station is only necessary for visitors to Bitec and the future Bangkok Mall, so let those businesses pay the full cost.

 

From what I read on wikipedia (thai version), the ground floor of the Bangkok Mall would be the new bus terminal replacing Ekamai as from 2021 ; this could justify some public funding.

[siam2007]

11 hours ago, llz said:

 

From what I read on wikipedia (thai version), the ground floor of the Bangkok Mall would be the new bus terminal replacing Ekamai as from 2021 ; this could justify some public funding.

 

 

Which would perfectly make sense as it is a huge area in a very strategic location. There is a reason why already nowadays plenty of Minivans depart from the Suk / Bangna-Trat intersection. The only major inconvenience is indeed that it is not directly connected to a BTS station, and even with the skywalk in place, it is still a 700-800 Meters walk