Thailand to revive Phasi Charoen canal boat services in Bangkok
Thailand’s Transport Ministry plans to revive boat services on the Phasi Charoen canal, piloting School and Taxi Boat routes to ease Phet Kasem Road traffic and link with Bang Wa station.
- Thailand's Transport Ministry is reviving boat services on Bangkok's Phasi Charoen canal with two pilot schemes: a "School Boat" and a "Taxi Boat."
- The primary goals are to ease traffic congestion on Phet Kasem Road, create a new travel option, and connect with the Bang Wa public transport station.
- The "School Boat" will provide safe and affordable transport for students, while the "Taxi Boat" will focus on connecting tourists to canal-side attractions.
- The project also aims to stimulate the local economy and promote water-based tourism along the canal.
Thailand’s Transport Ministry is preparing to revive water transport on the Phasi Charoen canal in Bangkok through two pilot schemes, “School Boat” and “Taxi Boat”, aiming to create a new travel option, ease congestion on Phet Kasem Road, connect with Bang Wa station and support canal-side tourism and local economic activity.
Deputy Transport Minister Sanphet Bunyamanee outlined the plan during an inspection of the Phasi Charoen canal route, conducted to assess its potential, review project feasibility and check infrastructure readiness before pushing ahead with the proposed pilot schemes.
Sanphet noted that the site visit highlighted both the limitations and opportunities in developing water transport. The Phasi Charoen canal has the potential to serve as an alternative route that could help reduce traffic on Phet Kasem Road and nearby areas, particularly during rush hours, when students, parents and local residents face heavy congestion.
Water transport could also improve connections with main public transport systems, reduce road congestion, lower accident risks and give the public more travel choices. For these reasons, the ministry has selected the Phasi Charoen canal as the pilot area for restoring public boat services.
Two pilot schemes to create a new travel option
The School Boat project aims to develop water transport as a safe, convenient and affordable option for students in the area, where as many as 16 schools are clustered.
A preliminary proposal involves upgrading and redeveloping existing Bangkok Metropolitan Administration passenger boats that previously operated on the Phasi Charoen canal, allowing them to return to efficient daily service for students and parents.
Another key scheme is the Taxi Boat, a tourism-focused boat taxi service designed to create seamless connections between road, rail and water transport.
The initial route would start from Bang Wa station and connect with key sites and canal-side attractions, including Wat Paknam Phasi Charoen, Bangkok Yai District Office, Talat Phlu and Khlong Bang Luang Floating Market. The service would improve convenience for tourists and local residents while promoting water-based tourism in Bangkok.
Agencies told to study demand and feasibility
Sanphet has instructed relevant agencies to accelerate studies on public demand and conduct an in-depth feasibility analysis before jointly reviewing the findings and deciding the most suitable implementation approach.
Planning will cover every aspect of the schemes, including routes, piers, service frequency, timetables and system management, ensuring that operations match people’s actual travel patterns and helping turn both pilots into practical projects.
If implemented, the deputy minister added, the projects could reduce travel costs and save commuting time for students, parents and the general public. They would also expand travel options, ease congestion on main roads, open up a new dimension for Bangkok’s water tourism and help stimulate the economy of communities along the Phasi Charoen canal.
