Transport News
Thailand transport news, infrastructure updates, public transit, and traffic reports—stay informed on groundbreaking developments and real-time travel updates. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted source for transport news in Thailand.
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Thailand to modernise railway with 184 new diesel railcars by 2030
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) plans to replace its ageing fleet by procuring 184 air-conditioned diesel railcars, along with spare parts, at a cost of 24.1 billion baht. These new railcars aim to modernise the current fleet, which has been in service for three decades. SRT chief Veeris Ammarapala stated that the new railcars will replace 10 existing long-distance…
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Thailand’s ‘one ticket’ travel plan moves forward
Thailand is one step closer to a game-changing transport upgrade, with the House of Representatives approving the Pheu Thai Party’s draft bill for an integrated ticketing system. The move, passed with 226 votes in favour and 142 against, promises a seamless travel experience for commuters across urban trains and buses. But not everyone is on board. The House ditched a competing proposal from the People’s Party, opting instead…
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Bangkok train ridership surges 60% amid free transport initiative
Train ridership across Greater Bangkok experienced a significant 60% rise on January 26, marking the second day of the government’s week-long initiative of free public transport aimed at combating air pollution, as reported by the Department of Rail Transport (DRT) today, January 28. DRT director-general Pichet Kunathammarak noted that the city’s electric train network saw a 60.90% increase in ridership…
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Critics slam 140m baht quick fix for Bangkok haze crisis
Critics have blasted the government for allocating 140 million baht to fund free public transport in Bangkok for one week, calling it a waste of taxpayers’ money that fails to tackle the root cause of the city’s haze pollution crisis. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra introduced the measure, which began last Saturday, January 25, to combat surging levels of hazardous PM2.5…
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Chinese tourist’s van overturns in Pattaya, sparks traffic chaos
A Chinese tourist’s van overturned, leading to a road blockage on Pattaya Second Road and causing delays exceeding 30 minutes, resulting in minor injuries. The Pattaya Rescue Centre was informed about the accident at 10.06pm on Tuesday, January 21. Upon notification, Pattaya police and rescue teams promptly arrived at the scene. They discovered a white Toyota Alphard van overturned on…
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Red light: Thailand’s car industry caught in hybrid dilemma
Thailand’s car production industry, a powerhouse of the national economy, stands at a pivotal red light crossroads. The decision now looms large: should the focus be on propelling battery electric vehicles (BEVs) into the spotlight, or should there be a concerted effort to guide the internal combustion engine (ICE) sector through a transitional phase towards electric vehicles (EVs)? With the…
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Nakhon Ratchasima to launch electric rail transit after 7-year wait
The government has given the green light to a long-anticipated electric rail mass transit initiative in the city of Nakhon Ratchasima. After a seven-year wait, the northeastern province is eagerly anticipating its own mass transit system, as noted by Sarawut Choedchai, a former city mayor and member of the traffic management committee in Thailand’s third-largest city after Bangkok and Chiang…
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Train station construction closes Ratchathewi flyover for 3 years
Bangkok officials announced the closure of the Ratchathewi intersection flyover for three years to facilitate the construction of the Ratchathewi underground electric train station. The closure, starting today, January 17 at 10pm and lasting until April 30, 2028, is expected to cause significant traffic congestion. City officials are recommending alternative routes to mitigate the impact and are emphasising efforts to…
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Driving Thailand’s economy into the high-tech fast lane
In a bid to supercharge Thailand’s sputtering economy, Industry Minister Akanat Promphan is rallying the manufacturing sector to shift gears and embrace high-tech innovation. With aspirations to increase GDP growth by 1% annually, Akanat is touting cutting-edge products as the next big play, given the triple threat of tech disruptions, geopolitical spats, and looming climate change. Since the pandemic, Thailand’s…
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Fuel for thought: Thailand sees shift in consumer petrol gears
Thailand’s engines are revving as fuel consumption takes a notable 2% leap, in line with the country’s economic growth, which is pegged at a healthy 2.6% to 2.7% for 2024. The Department of Energy Business reveals that from January to November, Thais guzzled an average of 155 million litres of fuel daily. Turning heads in the petrol station queue is…
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Bangkok’s traffic gridlock gets a tech-tock fix
Bangkok’s notorious traffic mayhem is finally seeing a breakthrough, thanks to a two-year tech overhaul that’s got commuters breathing a sigh of relief. According to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), the implementation of Area Traffic Control (ATC) technology has slashed journey times in the city’s busiest areas by a remarkable 25%. This traffic-taming triumph comes courtesy of the ATC system,…
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Bangkok traffic speeds up 25% thanks to smart solutions
Bangkok’s notorious traffic jams are easing, with efforts by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and traffic police delivering a 25% increase in traffic flow speeds over the past two years. The achievement was announced by BMA spokesperson Aekvarunyoo Amrapala, citing a report from the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP). The report identified 127 congestion hotspots in…
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Thailand airports boost biometrics for faster service times
The Airports of Thailand (AoT) is enhancing its biometric identification systems to expedite service times at airports. Yesterday, January 8, AoT Director Kerati Kijmanawat confirmed that this system has been implemented at six major international airports managed by AoT, including Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Mae Fah Luang Chiang Rai, and Hat Yai. However, the system currently does not…
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Orange Line construction closes Bangkok flyover for two years
The flyover on Bangkok’s Charan Sanit Wong Road has been closed to facilitate the construction of the Orange Line electric railway. Motorists are advised to seek alternative routes to alleviate traffic congestion. Mass Rapid Transit Authority (MRTA) Deputy Governor Kittikorn Tanpao announced the closure to accommodate the development of the Orange Line, specifically the Bang Khun Non-underground station. This station…
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Thai airports get safety and check-in boost as travellers rise by 14%
The Transport Ministry has instructed the Department of Airports (DoA) to enhance measures in support of travellers following more than 14% rise in passenger numbers over the new year period. Deputy Minister Manaporn Charoensri announced yesterday, January 7, that from December 27 to January 2, the DoA recorded 319,275 passengers, reflecting a 14.12% increase compared to the previous year. The…
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Transport Ministry plans 319 billion baht rail upgrades
The Transport Ministry is planning to initiate several significant public transportation projects early this year, pending approval from the Cabinet, to enhance national connectivity. Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit stated that the projects involve extending the State Railway of Thailand’s (SRT) Dark Red and Light Red lines and advancing the second phase of double-track upgrades in the north, northeast, and south.…
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Tourists get intimate on tuk tuk despite driver’s warnings (video)
A video involving tourists engaging in intimate behaviour on a tuk tuk has sparked widespread online criticism. Despite being cautioned by the driver to stop, the tourists continued, leading the driver to let the incident unfold. The incident was shared on social media yesterday, January 3, by a Facebook user named Somnuck Chanagune who posted a 34-second clip with the caption,…
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Bangkok gridlock: Holidaymakers return with dried goods
The roads leading back to Bangkok have become increasingly crowded as northeastern Thai residents return after celebrating new year festivities with their families in the provinces. Traffic reporters noted heavy congestion throughout the day on the Friendship Highway, which saw a steady stream of cars heading towards the capital. Although some sections of the road experienced smoother traffic flow, minor…
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