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 is a popular destination for expats due to its affordable lifestyle and excellent healthcare system. However, settling in a new country often brings health concerns. To ensure you’re covered for the most common medical needs, understanding what expat health...
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Used car market in a jam as electric vehicles spark trouble
The used car market is in dire straits, with a shocking downturn blamed on the economic slump, soaring non-performing loans (NPLs), and the growing allure of electric vehicles (EVs), warns Tris Rating. In a jaw-dropping revelation, used car hire-purchase firms have reported a staggering 93% plunge in profits year-on-year for the first half of 2024. Motorcycle hire-purchase companies haven’t fared…
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Thailand’s 20-billion-baht airport expressway takes off in 2030
The Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT) is gearing up to launch public-private partnerships (PPPs) next year for the ambitious 20-billion-baht Srinakarin-Suvarnabhumi Airport expressway project. With an anticipated opening in 2030, this project is poised to streamline access to the bustling Suvarnabhumi Airport, enhancing the travel experience for both locals and tourists alike. EXAT Deputy Governor Katpachon Udomthampakdee, recently led the…
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Thailand trains diverted due to severe flooding in northern region
The Northern train route in Thailand is undergoing temporary changes due to severe flooding in the region. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, Suriya Juangroongruangkit, announced yesterday, September 26, that the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has adjusted the starting and ending stations from Chiang Mai to Lampang until the situation improves. Heavy rain and rising water levels in…
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Charged up: Thailand greenlights 7.12 billion baht EV subsidy
The Thai Cabinet has sanctioned the allocation of 7.12 billion baht (US$218 million) from the central reserve budget to support the electric vehicle (EV) subsidy program. This decision was announced following the weekly Cabinet meeting yesterday, September 24. Jirayu Huangsab, an advisor to the prime minister, confirmed that the allocated budget will subsidise buyers of EVs and motorcycles who have already…
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Phuket’s roads get a makeover in time for Vegetarian Festival
Phuket Town is in a race against time to ensure its roads are smooth and festival-ready before the Phuket Vegetarian Festival kicks off next week. The city’s top brass is pulling out all the stops, with Deputy Mayor Suphot La-ongphet leading the charge on a series of urgent road resurfacing projects across key streets. Suphot was spotted inspecting Yaowarat Road…
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Orange taxi carries motorcycle down Rama II Road, sparks outrage
An orange taxi yesterday was seen transporting a motorcycle in its back seat, with a door hanging wide open, driving down Rama II Road in Bangkok. This incident, which took place yesterday, September 24, sparked significant online criticism due to safety concerns. A viral video captured by a passerby revealed an orange taxi with its left door ajar, carrying a motorcycle…
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Thai man causes commotion at busy Bangkok intersection (video)
A Thai man in a red shirt caused a commotion at Pathumwan Intersection, Bangkok, verbally assaulting drivers and raising his hand as if to strike a car. The incident, which occurred yesterday, September 24, was captured and shared on TikTok by user @nin_slamboys. The footage shows a man dressed in a red shirt with a cross-body bag, aggressively confronting vehicles…
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Bangkok’s Red Line to extend 20-baht fare after ridership surge
The Red Line operator aims to extend its popular 20-baht flat-rate fare for another year following a significant increase in ridership during the current trial period, which expires in November. Passenger numbers on the Red Line surged by approximately 50% since the 20-baht fare was implemented in October last year, according to Suthep Punthupeng, CEO of SRT Electrified Train Co,…
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Rail-y bad landslide derails Lampang-Chiang Mai train services
Travel chaos struck the northern rail line today as the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) announced an indefinite shutdown of services between Lampang and Chiang Mai due to a devastating landslide and severe flooding. The dramatic incident unfolded last night, wreaking havoc on the track between Mae Tan Noi Railway Station in Lampang and Tha Chompoo in Lamphun. The rail…
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Throttle trouble: Thai motorists hit the brakes on new car buys
Thai motorists are hitting the brakes on new car purchases due to economic jitters, revealed in a new report by Differential (Thailand) Co Ltd, a data analytics, technology, and research firm. The 2024 Customer Experience Report, which polled over 2,500 Thai car buyers from November 2020 to December 2022, found that a whopping 70% of respondents intend to buy a…
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New SRT governor aims to make Thailand ASEAN rail hub
Veeris Ammarapala, the newly appointed governor of the State Railway of Thailand (SRT), pledged to transform Thailand into a leading railway service hub in the ASEAN region during his four-year tenure. Ready to begin his duties as the 20th governor, Veeris recognises the significance of his role and the SRT’s mission as the nation’s largest state-owned transportation enterprise. The SRT…
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Brakes off: Bangkok’s car free day lets tourists cruise sans traffic
Bangkok is revving up for Car Free Day this weekend on Banthat Thong Road, offering a vehicle-free zone for tourists to cruise around and soak up various activities. The event, dubbed Bangkok Car Free 2024: Connecting for Life, aligns with the annual World Car Free Day on September 22, according to Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) spokesperson Aekvarunyoo Amrapala. In a…
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Thailand unveils transport development policy to boost infrastructure
Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit unveiled an extensive policy for the country’s transport infrastructure development, aiming for improvements across short, medium, and long-term phases. During a meeting with transport organisations under the Paetongtarn Shinawatra administration, Suriya, along with his two deputies, presented a strategic policy guideline encompassing nine key points to be executed in three distinct phases. Suriya emphasised the need…
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Pattaya’s park and spark: New parking plan kicks off on South Road
Pattaya City is preparing to introduce new parking areas, beginning with a pilot programme on Pattaya South Road. Deputy Mayor Wuttisak Rermkijakarn chaired a meeting yesterday with officials responsible for organising parking in the city. The meeting included city council members and traffic police from Pattaya and Bang Lamung police stations. Following the discussions, Wuttisak revealed that the city council…
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Train smash tragedy: Two dead, child miraculously survives
Tragedy struck in Chumphon today when a pickup truck was obliterated by a speeding train at a railway crossing, killing the two adults inside but miraculously sparing a child found alive amidst the wreckage. The horrifying collision occurred around 10.30am, today, September 17, when Special Express train No.40, travelling from Surat Thani to Bangkok, smashed into the vehicle just 30…
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Phatthalung unveils 71 billion baht airport plan to boost tourism
A plot of land spanning 1,496 rai near Songkhla Lake in Phatthalung has been earmarked for constructing a new airport, aimed at boosting tourism and transport in the southern province and its neighbours. Anticipated to become a central hub for Phatthalung, Songkhla, and Nakhon Si Thammarat, the land in Khuan Maphrao subdistrict, Mueang district is owned by the Department of…
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Thailand’s plan to ‘track’ down train costs with 20 baht fare cap
The Government of Thailand is considering taking over seven electric train lines, worth around 500 billion baht, to fulfil a campaign promise from the Pheu Thai Party to cap fares at a mere 20 baht per route. Finance Permanent Secretary Lavaron Sangsnit revealed that the Finance Ministry has been approached by the Transport Ministry, through the State Enterprise Policy Office,…
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Bangkok’s 14 billion baht bailout for BTS debt moves forward
Bangkok is scrambling to settle a colossal 14-billion-baht debt to the Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTSC). The Bangkok Council has taken a crucial step, setting up a special committee to scrutinise a draft ordinance allowing the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) to access emergency funds. Council president Surajit Pongsingwitthaya convened an extraordinary meeting today, putting the spotlight on the hefty repayment…
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Thai Transport ministry to upgrade 29 piers with billion-baht budget
The Thai Ministry of Transport has initiated a comprehensive plan to upgrade 29 piers across the nation into Smart Piers with a budget of 1.214 billion baht. This initiative aims to enhance tourism and support the efficient transport of goods and passengers. Under the directive of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and Transport Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit, the Ministry of Transport is…
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Bangkok Port set for a glamorous makeover: Transport ministry
Bangkok’s iconic port is about to get a dazzling transformation. The Thai Transport Ministry has unveiled plans to turn parts of the port into a buzzing entertainment complex – but there’s a catch. Officials are calling for clearer government regulations before the project can truly set sail. Speaking at a media briefing, Deputy Transport Minister Manaporn Charoensri made it clear…
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Thailand plans 20-baht flat fee for electric rail, 8 billion baht budget
The Transport Ministry has announced plans to allocate an annual budget of 8 billion baht to support a 20-baht flat fee policy for all electric rail services in Bangkok. Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit stated that a dedicated team will be formed to expedite the policy’s implementation, aiming to cap the maximum fare for all electric rail services in Bangkok and…
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Transport Co revives Thailand-Laos bus service in early November
The state-run Transport Co is set to revive the Udon Thani–Nong Khai-Vang Vieng bus service in early November, aiming to enhance connectivity between Thailand and Laos. Vang Vieng, located in the Lao province of Vientiane, is renowned for its stunning landscapes, limestone cliffs, and caves. Transport Co’s Acting General Manager Atthawit Rakchamroon confirmed that the decision to restart the bus…
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New marine route to slash travel time between Phuket and Krabi
To revolutionise marine transport, the Thai Marine Department has been urged to speed up the construction of four piers that will form a new Andaman marine ring route, dramatically cutting travel time between Phuket and Krabi by a staggering 90 minutes. Deputy Transport Minister Manaporn Charoensri said this push aligns with Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s vision to improve infrastructure and…
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Thai PM urged to approve key high-speed train contract
Deputy Transport Minister Surapong Piyachote is pushing for Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s approval of a crucial construction contract for the long-delayed Thai-Chinese high-speed train project. This contract is one of the last two to complete the first phase. Boonchai Panich Co secured Contract 4-5, which involves constructing a 13.3-kilometre section. Despite this, the signing of the contract has been delayed…
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Thailand’s new transport centre boosts regional logistics hub status
Airports of Thailand Ground Aviation Services (AOTGA) anticipates that its newly inaugurated Multimodal Transportation Centre at Suvarnabhumi Airport will bolster Thailand’s position as a regional logistics hub, enhancing goods transportation among Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam (CLMV). The new centre is designed to integrate various transportation modes, including land, rail, sea, and air, with the added benefit of consolidating customs…
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Nine railway projects worth 661 billion baht set for Cabinet approval
Nine railway projects totalling 661 billion baht (US$19.7 billion) in investment are set for Cabinet approval next month, according to Deputy Transport Minister Surapong Piyachote. Among these is the 357-kilometre second phase of the Thai-Chinese high-speed train system. Six of the nine projects are double-track rail routes requiring 298 billion baht (US$8.9 billion). These routes include the 285-kilometre Paknam Pho-Den…
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Thailand drivers’ licences now display organ donor status
Driver’s licences in Thailand will now prominently display whether the holder is an organ donor, the Department of Land Transport (DLT) announced. This update, effective from August 7, aims to make the organ donation status of drivers more visible. The new licence design includes a larger Red Cross emblem with the words “organ donor” at the top right if the holder…
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Pattaya City approves 11km monorail project for 2027
Pattaya City has given the green light to an 11-kilometre monorail project, set to connect the Thap Phraya intersection on the western side to Nong Mai Kaen in the east. During the final public hearing for the proposed Purple Line monorail system on Wednesday, attendees approved the format, blueprint, and environmental impact study for the project’s second phase. Phutthaset Charoenphat,…
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Bangkok’s new electric BRT buses first day issues face backlash
Bangkok’s launch of its new electric BRT buses on the Sathorn-Ratchaphruek route sparked significant criticism online due to numerous issues on the first day of service. These problems include an insufficient number of buses, longer waiting times, and malfunctioning doors. Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) Deputy Governor Wisanu Subsompon provided an update on the progress of the BRT (Bus Rapid Transit)…
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Phuket: 80 million baht study for new Sarasin Bridge underway
A feasibility study amounting to 80 million baht is currently in progress for the new Sarasin Bridge project, confirmed Somkid Kittisopit, the new Director of the Phuket Highways Office. Somkid revealed the update during a meeting with Phuket Governor Sophon Suwannarat at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday. He provided updates on five major transportation projects intended to enhance travel efficiency, reduce…
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