New bus terminal to eventually be built in Bang Sue: Suriya
Transport Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit on Thursday insisted that despite criticism of the state of Bangkok’s Mo Chit 2 bus terminal in the Chatuchak area, the terminal has not been neglected – but would eventually move to Bang Sue.
That terminal building was only a temporary transportation home, he told a meeting held to discuss the draft of the fiscal year 2024 Budget Expenditure Act amounting to 3.48 trillion baht.
In the short term, improvements will be made at the terminal, Suriya said. The current state of the terminal was criticised last week on social media by Move Forward MP Suphanat Minchaiynunt, with Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin also weighing in to threaten a senior administrator responsible for the terminal.
For the long term, Suriya said, he had ordered that plans be prepared for a future development of public transportation services to connect all regions. It would converge at the Bangkok Apiwat Central Station, which is envisioned to become the nationwide transportation hub.
The hub would integrate high-speed trains connecting regions, long-distance trains linking various provinces, and the existing mass transit rail system, such as the Purple, Red, Blue, and Green lines.
This integration would also be particularly suitable for the development of the Transport Co Ltd’s bus terminal, he said.
The plan would involve constructing a new multi-storey building to serve as the Transport Co Ltd’s bus terminal, featuring a vertical structure with ramps spiralling around the building for passenger pick-up, resembling airport terminal gates.
Each floor’s central axis would house dining and convenience stores, with a centralised air conditioning system, similar to stations in Japan, such as Yūrakuchō bus terminal near the Tokyo railway station or bus terminals near the Hakata Station in Fukuoka. This project, a collaboration between the Transport Co Ltd and the Transport Ministry, is estimated to take around four years, Suriya said.
However, a significant budget would be required due to the high land values around the central stations in Bangkok, estimated at no less than 500,000 baht per square wah (4 square metres).
Thus, the value of the 1.12 hectares of land currently hosting the Eastern bus terminal (Ekamai) on Sukhumvit Road, which is estimated at approximately 7 billion baht, comes into play. The Eastern terminal will eventually need to be relocated to the future Mo Chit 2 bus terminal at Bang Sue.
Suriya expressed confidence that the Transport Co Ltd possesses assets sufficient to manage investments without disturbing the state budget.
In the meantime, improvements would be made to the current “temporary” Mo Chit 2 bus terminal in Chatuchak district, with the Transport Co Ltd overseeing enhancements such as escalators and the passenger boarding area.
Urgent contracts will be given to consulting firms for quick redesign and improvements, expected to be completed within two years.
Continuous efforts will focus on upgrading restroom facilities to maintain cleanliness standards. Regarding lighting issues, the Transport Co Ltd has been instructed to install lighting and demolish dilapidated structures before the Songkran festival.
Additionally, during the Songkran period, coordination will take place with the National Police to establish a centre to combat illegal activities.
