Plan for 29 new Bangkok train routes finalised next month
Phase two of the Bangkok Mass Transit Master Plan (M-MAP2) will be finalised next month and sent to the new Cabinet for approval, according to the Department of Rail Transport (DRT).
The new Cabinet is expected to be appointed at the beginning of August.
M-MAP2 will expand the city rail network over 20 years from 2030 to 2049, DRT director-general Pichet Kunadhamraks said on Tuesday.
M-MAP2 will succeed M-MAP1, the masterplan to build 10 electric train lines and extensions of existing lines between 2010 and 2029.
The main lines built so far include the MRT Orange Line (Thailand Cultural Centre-Min Buri), the SRT Red Line (Taling Chan-Bang Sue-Rangsit), the MRT Pink Line monorail (Khae Rai-Min Buri), and the MRT Yellow Line monorail (Lat Phrao-Samrong).
M-MAP2 contains plans for an additional 29 train routes serving Bangkok and its surroundings. The plan aims to reduce congestion, support city expansion, and connect with other forms of transport.
The DRT said it has gathered opinions on the M-MAP2 from government and private agencies, as well as residents of Bangkok’ surrounding areas including Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi and Nakhon Pathom.
The M-MAP2 train routes will be finalised in July before being proposed to the Transport Ministry and new Cabinet for consideration, he said.
He said three urgent Red Line extension projects worth a total 23.41 billion baht are ready to propose to the government. These are:
- Rangsit-Thammasat University extension stretching 8.84 kilometres at a cost of 6.57 billion baht.
- Taling Chan-Salaya, 14.8km, 10.20 billion baht
- Taling Chan-Siriraj, 5.7km, 6.64 billion baht
Construction of these routes needs to speed up to serve demand from over 100,000 commuters per day, he said.
The 29 projects in M-MAP2 comprise:
- 8 pending routes under M-MAP1, including Red Line extensions, Light Blue Line (Din Daeng-Sathon) and Grey Line (Lam Luk Ka-Tha Phra)
- 13 new routes, including Bang Na-Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bang Bamru-Din Daeng-Lak Si, Rangsit-Pathum Thani, Suvarnabhumi-Praksa-Sukhumvit, Don Muang-Si Saman and Phra Khanong-Srinakarin
- 8 extensions, including Green Line extension (Bang Wa-Rattanathibet-Pak Kret Intersection), Pink Line extension (Min Buri-Lat Krabang), Purple Line extension (Bang Yai-Bang Bua Thong) and the Gold Line extension (Khlong San-Siriraj).
