Thailand sets $4.5B for 5 new railways

BANGKOK -- Thailand's post-coup government said Tuesday it would invest 165 billion baht ($4.5 billion) to build five railways, including one that will link Bangkok to the country's new international airport.

The five railways, to be built over the next five years, were part of ambitious public works projects under the government of deposed premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont, who was installed by the military following the September coup that ousted Thaksin, said details of the five railways would be hammered out by early next year.

Finance Minister Pridiyathorn Devakula also said the government would welcome both domestic and foreign investors to finance the railway projects.

"The projects will be financed by both local and overseas investors, with a majority of investments to be coming from Japan Bank for International Cooperation," the finance minister said, referring to the state-run bank.

Bangkok's existing mass transit system has three lines -- two above ground, and one underground -- totaling 75 kilometers of tracks. Together they carry almost 630,000 passengers a day.

Of the five planned railway projects, the government would build a new train line linking Bangkok to Suvarnabhumi airport, located 25 kilometers east of the capital.

The new airport, with an annual passenger capacity of 45 million, opened in late September.

Source: Agence France-Presse - 8 November 2006

Apart from the airport link, is there any news on the routes for these new lines?

Are we talking cross country, or new mass transit lines in Bangkok?

The new routes are shown on the Bangkok Post website here.

Long long overdue. The sooner the better. The state of transport in the capital is pitiful and chaotic. This move when completed will benefit millions.

The new routes are shown on the Bangkok Post website here.

It's a pity these government guys can't get their heads together and finance and finish what they've already started instead of planning miles and miles of new routes.

The skytrain BTS system that is now structurally complete from Saphan Taksin to Petkasem Road (over 5km), only needs to have stations built (I say "only' but I realise they do cost an awful lot of money) and tracks laid with signals etc.

So far they can only afford to go to Taksin Road in Thonburi. That alone will save tens of thousands of commuters the trouble of using antiquated ferries to cross the river. Ridership should increase dramatically whenever the stations are opened and running. Sometime in the next couple of years at the rate they are going.

I won't even mention the airport line.

The new routes are shown on the Bangkok Post website here.

It's a pity these government guys can't get their heads together and finance and finish what they've already started instead of planning miles and miles of new routes.

The skytrain BTS system that is now structurally complete from Saphan Taksin to Petkasem Road (over 5km), only needs to have stations built (I say "only' but I realise they do cost an awful lot of money) and tracks laid with signals etc.

So far they can only afford to go to Taksin Road in Thonburi. That alone will save tens of thousands of commuters the trouble of using antiquated ferries to cross the river. Ridership should increase dramatically whenever the stations are opened and running. Sometime in the next couple of years at the rate they are going.

I won't even mention the airport line.

Here here, rears in gear please

The new routes are shown on the Bangkok Post website here.

*sigh* sorry to have missed it yesterday, but the Post link is already a dead one...

not having any luck finding the route map elsewhere..

anyone?

to mr victor meldrew et al

The five rail routes are an extension of the Blue Line from Bang Sue to Hua Lamphong, the Purple Line from Bang Yai to Bang Sue, the Red Line from Rangsit to Bang Sue, the Green Line from Bangwa to Saphan Mai, and the Light Green Line from Prannok to Samut Prakan.

taken from the nation newspaper business section as of today 9-11-06