Thai government plans transport overhaul

Date: 23/1/2013

The government of Thailand has announced that it is to invest 2.2 trillion baht (£400 million) in the country's transport system.

A particular emphasis will be given to train services both in Bangkok and those connecting the capital to other major cities.

Up to 400 kilometres of capacity is to be added to the existing electric rail network, which serves the metropolis, while a high-speed train network is to be put in place linking the city with other provinces across the country.

Thailand's Transport Minister Chadchat Sittipunt will oversee the investment programme, which is hoped will encourage better business and trade.

The plans were announced as the government made preparations to issue a bill to authorise the loans that will finance the improvements to transport infrastructure over the next seven years up to 2020.

Summaries of the finer details are being completed for each project, so that they can be forwarded to ministers to be approved in February.

Further funding is also available with 33.3 billion baht set aside from the government's annual budget, 105 billion baht in loans from other sources, 38.7 billion baht in profits from state enterprises and 106 billion baht from a public-private partnership.

Four main transport networks are involved in the investment: roads, rail, water and air, stated Mr Sittipunt, who also highlighted the importance of such spending on infrastructure in order to boost the economy.

Predictions suggest that by reducing the burden on roads and shifting it onto the railways, logistics costs may be cut by up to 13.2 per cent, making Thai business more competitive.

Passengers in Bangkok itself would benefit from nine more routes on subway and skytrain services, as well as a standard ticket price of 20 baht to encourage greater use of the system.

With only 80 kilometres of electric railway in the city at present, the investment will see the total go up to 464 kilometres by 2019.

Posted by Nick Anderson

International Transport News and Sustainable Transport News