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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Sponsored How to reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses in Thailand?
Managing medical expenses in Thailand is important as healthcare costs continue to rise. The country’s healthcare system includes both public and private options, but even with the Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS) for citizens, many still face high out-of-pocket medical expenses....
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Only one firm bids for Central Terminal transformation project
Contrary to the anticipation of a competitive bidding process for the commercial development of Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal, the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has revealed that only one company has stepped forward with a bid. Three firms, reportedly interested, had initially procured invitations to tender. The disclosure surfaced yesterday after the bidding process culminated earlier this week. Ekkarat…
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EV Market soars as Thailand and Indonesia take the lead in Asia
In a global trend, electric vehicles (EVs) are steadily gaining traction in the worldwide automobile market, with significant growth realised in Asia-ASEAN countries, specifically Thailand and Indonesia. This comes as per a study undertaken by the BloombergNEF research agency. Ideally placed at the forefront of Asia-Pacific transportation, Senior Analyst of BloombergNEF, Allen Tom Abraham, projected a sharp increase in the…
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SRT relocation: Thai railway plans 200km move amid billion baht overhaul
The Thai State Railway (SRT) is shifting gears, planning to relocate its locomotive maintenance and production facilities closer to Bangkok, within a distance of 200 kilometres. The SRT relocation move is sparked by the forthcoming transformation of their current premises in Makkasan into a bustling, mixed-use space which will host a public park, an SRT historical exhibit, and a city…
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Passenger’s botched domestic flight sparks questions about airline accountability
A heated online discussion was sparked when a disgruntled passenger shared his exasperating domestic flight experience. His intended short journey from Don Mueang International Airport to Trang, taking off at 7.35am yesterday and originally slated to land in Trang by 9am, turned out to be a distressing mid-air marathon caused by an unexpected chain of issues springing up. As the…
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Pink Line monorail preps for safety tests ahead of free trial run
Pink Line monorail project safety measures are currently being assessed through initial test runs. According to a spokesperson from Northern Bangkok Monorail (NBM), following this evaluation, a complimentary trial run for the public is set to be initiated. The board director of NBM, Surapong Laoha-Unya, oversees the concessionaire of the Pink Line monorail which operates on the Khae Rai-Min Buri…
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Yellow Line Monorail to face new fare regulations from July 3
In recent developments, government spokesperson Anucha Burapachaisri confirmed yesterday’s Cabinet approval for the initiation of fare collection on the Yellow Line monorail from July 3. The fares, determined by five newly drafted regulations from the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA), will range from 15 baht to a higher limit of 45 baht for the Yellow Line’s extensive track…
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Bangkok traffic: New automatic system launched to ease city congestion
As a strategic initiative aimed at improving vehicle movement, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) recently initiated an automatic traffic-management system. This pilot project focuses on optimising traffic across four significant roads within the capital city. Chadchart Sittipunt, the Governor of Bangkok, divulged that the modern system is to be installed at 13 intersections on key city routes, counting Rama VI Road,…
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Train collision in Ratchaburi injures 3 and disrupts services
A train collision occurred between a freight train and a parked lorry near the Srakosinaray Station in the Ratchaburi province, injuring three State Railway of Thailand (SRT) staff members this morning. The accident caused travel delays on the Thonburi-Namtok line, with some passengers having to be transferred by road vehicles to their destinations. At 5.40am, freight train no. 725 ICD,…
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Bangkok group urges MRTA to protect historic shophouses in station plan
A Bangkok civil group has urged the Mass Rapid Transit Authority (MRTA) to move the proposed entry point for the Phan Fa Purple Line station in a bid to protect historic shophouses located on Phra Sumen Road. Rosana Tositrakul, an ex-senator of Bangkok and president of the Rattanakosin Heritage Conservation Group (RHCG), expressed concern that the century-old shophouses could be…
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Green Line extensions: Operator anticipates 20 billion baht debt repayment
Bangkok Mass Transit System Plc (BTSC) Chairman Keeree Kanjanapas expressed optimism regarding the repayment of overdue debts by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) for the operation and maintenance of the Green Line extensions. Following a meeting with Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt yesterday, Keeree said the discussions were encouraging, and he anticipates a 20 billion baht repayment from the BMA. Keeree…
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Bolt invests 300 million baht in Thai expansion amid ride-hailing competition
Estonian tech firm Bolt is set to invest 300 million baht in Thailand to bolster its presence in the country as part of its Southeast Asian expansion strategy. This move follows Bolt’s recent funding round, which raised 628 million euros at a valuation of 7.4 billion euros, earmarked for geographical growth. The company’s expansion adds to the fierce competition in…
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Bangkok taxi tango: Bad boy driver tries to rip off South Korean tourist
Another bad boy Bangkok taxi driver was caught engaging in unscrupulous deeds, this time attempting to rip off a South Korean tourist, charging the foreigner 700 baht for a 30-minute trip. Fortunately, the South Korean man saw through the taxi driver’s antics and paid him only 300 baht. The taxi driver was furious with this and went into meltdown, cursing…
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Airport Rail Link suffers 70 million baht monthly loss amid 25% commuter drop
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) reports that the Airport Rail Link (ARL) service has been losing 70 million baht per month, as it continues to carry fewer passengers than before the pandemic in 2019. To address long-standing operational issues, the SRT chose to involve a private company, Asia Era One, in managing rail operations during the pandemic. An agreement…
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Free rides on Bangkok’s Yellow Line monorail during June trial
The (MRTA) announced that a one-month trial run of the Yellow Line monorail will start on Saturday, June 3, offering free rides for commuters during this period. The decision was made during a meeting between the Department of Rail Transport and Eastern Bangkok Monorail (EBM), the company responsible for the line’s concession. Staff members working on the Yellow Line will…
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Thailand’s Pink Line monorail project faces third extension, delays completion to 2024
The completion date for Thailand‘s Pink Line monorail project has been pushed back by 345 days, marking the third extension granted by the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA). The new estimated finish date is now set for August 2024, as opposed to the previously anticipated July this year, Bangkok Post reported. Sarawut Songsivilai, Highways Department director-general and MRTA…
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Thai Airways – Thai Smile merger gets green light
Debt-ridden Thai Airways International (THAI) will merge its subsidiary Thai Smile into its main company as part of its overall restructuring plan. The merger is set to be completed this year. THAI reported that their creditor’s committee gave the merger the green light yesterday. Now, the plan will be put before Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob and the Civil Aviation Authority…
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Free shuttle bus services to ease Bangkok traffic on school routes
School routes in Bangkok might soon see a bit less traffic. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is set to offer free shuttle bus services connecting Samsen Road to various areas in Thon Buri to alleviate traffic congestion when schools reopen tomorrow. Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt spoke after a trial run, stating that the shuttle bus services will help mitigate heavy traffic…
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Thai Vietjet launches premium lounge at Suvarnabhumi Airport
Budget airline Thai Vietjet opened ‘The Coral Executive Lounge’ at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, Thailand, where passengers can indulge in a range of premium services while waiting for their journey to begin. Services offered at the lounge include food and refreshments, snacks, a bar, WiFi, flight information services, private rooms, neck and shoulder massages, newspapers and magazines, televisions, and disabled…
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SAS to launch direct Copenhagen – Bangkok flights
Danish flag carrier SAS Scandinavian Airlines will launch a direct route between Copenhagen in Denmark and Bangkok in Thailand in October this year to meet increasing demand, the airline announced on Tuesday. SAS first opened a route from Copenhagen to Bangkok way back in 1949, which was discontinued in 2014. Bangkok was SAS’s first-ever destination in East Asia. The relaunched…
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Unhinged Bangkok taxi driver threatens to murder passenger
A Thai woman took to social media to reveal that a seemingly unhinged taxi driver in Bangkok threatened to murder her because her destination was too far. The woman posted a video on her TikTok account, @toeyly.n, to recount her frightening experience with a taxi driver who threatened to kill her. The video caption said… “Warning! Taxi driver threatens to…
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New bus route connects major malls in Pattaya and Bangkok
For all the shopaholics out there, travelling between three different shopping malls in Thailand is about to get easier. In a joint effort by Central Pattana and Klook, a new bus route is being launched to operate between three major malls in Pattaya and Bangkok: Central World, Central Pattaya, and Central Village, with fares of only 190 baht. Yesterday, Nattakit…
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3 words banned at Thailand’s airports
Unless you want to land yourself a prison sentence and a hefty fine, there are three words you should avoid saying in Thai airports and during flights, warns Airports of Thailand (AOT). AOT took to Facebook yesterday to remind passengers of their policy of what is unacceptable to say and do in an airport following the controversy caused by a…
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Pattaya tourism boom leads to a traffic nightmare
As tourism in Pattaya continues to recover at an incredible pace, the city is faced with a downside – heavy traffic. Two significant bottlenecks were observed this month: one on Thepprasit Road, close to the Kaan and Colosseum theatres, and another on Second Road close to the South Road intersection. Additionally, areas such as Soi Regional Land in south Pattaya…
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Grab Thailand relaunches premium services with ‘The Ultimate 5 Senses Experience’
Grab Thailand is ramping up its premium on-demand ride-hailing service by reintroducing “GrabCar Premium” with the concept of “The Ultimate 5 Senses Experience,” in collaboration with Spotify and Chol Aromatique. This strategic move is aimed at creating an impressive user experience through an astonishing ambience appealing to all five senses, targeting urban people – especially white-collar workers and foreign tourists – who…
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Scat woman: Thai taxi drivers warn of female passenger who poops in car
A Thai taxi driver in Samut Prakarn province near Bangkok took to Facebook to warn fellow drivers of a female passenger who has been known to poop in cars and then flee without paying. The driver shared dashcam footage and his story on a Facebook group called Taxi Drivers (Thailand) on Friday, April 14 with a caption that said… “Warning…
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Nok Air makes final flight to Mae Hong Son in northern Thailand
Nok Air flew from Bangkok to Mae Hong Son Airport in northern Thailand for the final time yesterday, bidding farewell to the route for good. The province, home to the popular backpacker town Pai, is now only accessible by road since Nok Air was the only airline servicing the airport commercially. Governor of Mae Hong Son province Chettha Mosikarat, Tourism Authority…
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Thailand’s DDPM reveals total traffic accident results of ‘Seven Deadly Days’
Thai officials have now revealed the results of traffic accidents from April 11 to 17. This period is known as the “Seven Deadly Days” of the Songkran Festival. Data from the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) revealed that there were 2,203 road accidents, 2,208 injuries, and 264 deaths during this period. On April 17, the last day of…
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Airline industry blames rising costs for expensive airfares, is this true?
Expensive airfares look set to stay for the foreseeable future according to the airline industry. The industry is trotting out the usual excuses that the recent spike in expensive ticket prices is attributed to a rise in operational costs, including surging fuel prices and other factors. Nok Air CEO, Wutthiphum Jurangkool, cited a surge in prices for aviation supply chain…
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Nok Air scraps only route to Mae Hong Son in northern Thailand
Nok Air flights between Bangkok and Mae Hong Son Airport in northern Thailand will be discontinued on April 19. The province, home to the popular backpacker town Pai, will be only accessible by road since Nok Air was the only airline servicing the airport commercially. The airline said they can no longer fly the Don Mueang – Mae Hong Son…
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10-wheelers banned on six roads to reduce Songkran traffic and accidents
In an effort to alleviate traffic congestion and prevent accidents, the use of large vehicles with ten or more wheels has been prohibited on six roads during the Songkran holidays. The national police chief, Damrongsak Kittiprapas, announced his role as head of the traffic police after it was published in the Royal Gazette on Tuesday, reported The Nation. The restricted…
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