Cabinet approves Gold Line monorail
THE Bt3.8-billion Gold Line monorail project for western Bangkok along the Chao Phraya River was given the green light by the Cabinet yesterday, with the line expected to be in service in 2018.
The elevated monorail line is 2.7 kilometres long, stretching from the BTS Green Line’s Krung Thonburi station and running through four stations to Prachathipok via Klong San.
The line will connect to the Purple Line’s extended route to Bangkok’s southern zone (Tao Poon-Ratchaburana) in the area adjacent to Wat Anong Kham Ram.
The Cabinet also instructed Krungthep Thanakom Co, a majority-owned enterprise of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), to study in more detail the possible impacts of the rail line. The concern is that it could hide the scenery of Rattanakosin Island in 25km radius in accordance to a restriction of the Cabinet’s resolution in 1994, said Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan, who chaired yesterday’s Cabinet meeting.
Prawit, who is also defence minister, said the Cabinet did not set a deadline for the study. Once it is completed, the company can submit its finding to the Cabinet for further consideration.
Apart from easing traffic in Thon Buri, the Gold Line is likely to benefit many buildings and shopping complexes located nearby. One of them is the IconSiam riverside shopping mall and condominium project of Siam Piwat, Magnolia Quality Development and Charoen Pokphand, which previously expressed interest in partial development of the Gold Line. IconSiam, on Charoen Nakhon Road, is set to open next year.
The Gold Line project, which will be under development by the BMA, is expected to produce an internal rate of return of 28.5 per cent, according to a study by the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning.
Moreover, the line is expected to save travelling time and fuel costs equivalent to Bt830 million a year after 2018 and Bt2.42 billion a year after 2038. The forecast is based on 47,000 riders per day in the first phase after 2018 and 81,000 riders per day in the next phase after 2023.
If it goes ahead as planned, the first 1.8km phase of the project will cost Bt2.51 billion and be completed in 2018. The second phase of 0.9km worth Bt1.33 billion will be completed in 2023 and will connect with the Purple Line extension.
The Gold Line monorail will use an automated guideway transit (AGT) system and each carriage can carry about 80 to 100 passengers, or 4,000 to 12,000 passengers per trip per hour.
