Four key cities, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen and Nakhon Ratchasima, will start construction next year of light rail projects worth a combined THB 161 billion (EUR 4.1 billion). Public-private partnership (PPP) programmes will be applied for the investment in the four projects. The projects are part of the Transport Ministry’s big-ticket transport infrastructure plan in 2018, Transport Minister Arkhom Termpitayapaisith said.
A feasibility study for Phuket’s light rail project has been already completed. The 60 km light rail with 23 stations will require an estimated investment cost of THB 24 billion (EUR 617 million). The rail route will link Tha Nun in Phangnga province to Phuket airport and the inner city. The design plan will be submitted to the Transport Ministry this month.
Chiang Mai University has also completed the study on the Chiang Mai light rail development and proposed two options: a 35km A route or a 40.57 km B route. The A route covers three lines: 12 km Red Line, 11 km Green Line and 12 km Blue Line. The route will be made both on land and underground with a total investment of THB 107 billion (EUR 2.7 billion). The B route, meanwhile, covers 15.65 km Red Line, 11.11 km Green Line, and 13.81 km Blue Line. The project will be built on land, with an investment cost of THB 28.9 billion (EUR 743 million). The development project will be submitted to the Transport Ministry for approval this month before submitting it to the Commission for Management of Land Traffic.
The Khon Kaen light rail project is at the stage of conducting environmental impact assessment. The rail network will have 22.6 km and 18 stations. The project is estimated at THB 15 billion (EUR 385 million).
The OTP has already completed a design for Nakhon Ratchasima’s light rail project worth an estimated THB 15 billion (EUR 385 million ). The agency plans to propose the design for the Transport Ministry’s approval later this year. The OTP is also conducting feasibility studies for similar rail projects in Phitsanulok and Udon Thani.
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