Pattaya

Pattaya officials to examine plans for light rail network

Published

Wednesday, October 7, 2020 10:19

FILE PHOTO: Pattaya Watchdog

The coordinator of a feasibility study into a light railway project for Pattaya says findings will shortly be submitted to officials for consideration. It’s one of those many infrastructure projects that has been long discussed with multiple ‘feasibility studies’ conducted. At this stage, it’s understood a monorail, rather than trams, is being suggested as the best option for Pattaya.

Siraphop Suwannakase says if approved, the light rail network would take shape in 3 stages. The first phase, from 2020 to 2026, would involve the construction of a Green Line route covering over 8 kilometres, with 13 stations. Construction will also begin on a Purple Line, running from the Nong Prue area of the city to Muang Pattaya 8 School. The line would be set for completion in phase 2 of the project, expected to run from 2027 to 2031. The third phase, from 2032 to 2036, will see construction of the Red Line, which will run along Jomtien Sai 2 Road, Pattaya Sai 2 Road, and Dolphin Circle.

Fares on the monorail network are estimated to start at 16 baht for the first kilometre, rising to a maximum of 45 baht.

The project is expected to cost 20.8 billion baht and will also feature a 40 rai park and ride facility. There are also plans to build a shopping mall, condo development and sky park nearby. In addition to the light rail project, the Eastern Economic Corridor Committee wants to build a high-speed rail connection between 3 major airports and expand U-Tapao airport, which serves Pattaya and Rayong.

The EECC is actively pushing to develop the eastern provinces of Chon Buri, Rayong, and Chachoengsao and improve the logistics offering in the region. The EEC’s postcard project is a high-speed railway linking the three main airports in the region – Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang Airports, and the U-Tapao airport servicing Pattaya, and the wider Chon Buri province, and Rayong.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post

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News Categories: Pattaya Transport

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8 Comments

Mike

Wednesday, October 7, 2020 at 11:28 am

More expensive than the Hong Kong MTR

Reply
Glenn

Wednesday, October 7, 2020 at 12:37 pm

Nuts and more nuts! Let’s for the 100th time tear up the roads to make way for a monorail, with money that hasn’t been allocated, for tourists that are not here and questionable if or when they will return. Stick with the baht bus.

Reply
Toby Andrews

Wednesday, October 7, 2020 at 12:40 pm

What happened to the public bus service they had in Pattaya? Was there too many baht buses, and motor cycle taxis to allow it to continue?
This new idea will be dropped, a pity for certain Thais making money from feasibility studies . . .

Reply
- Mike Froment
  
  Thursday, October 8, 2020 at 4:06 pm
  
  Never going to happen just another pie in the sky idea.
  
  Reply
Mark

Wednesday, October 7, 2020 at 4:35 pm

Can’t go forward until they sort out the flooding problems electrical trams madness imaging what will happen when it’s raining

Reply
Henry Ford

Thursday, October 15, 2020 at 9:46 am

Pattaya already has the best public transport system in the world and it costs 10 baht.

Reply
Macaw

Saturday, October 17, 2020 at 6:41 am

I don’t think Thailand realizes that trying to copy Western trams, mono rails is not what tourists want in Pattaya.
Also the council should wake up to the real infrastructure cost and more so the the running costs & maintenance. Every Western city with tram’s is a financial burden. Any fool council person can put tram’s in – we did it here on the gold coast Australia recently. Noisy, traffic chaos, rust from rails on roads, ugly advertising covering entire carriages, expensive to use, most times just about empty of passengers. Our council won’t give the true financial $ loss of maintenance, operating $ losses. ??
Go to mono rail – well Sydney Australia shut theirs down years ago ?
Here’s Asia Thailand councillors thinking the Western world works – well if it works let a private company bear the entire infrastructure cost & financial on going responsibility – and the cost of removing it as it fails to cover costs.
I don’t think Thailand nationals pockets are deep enough to pay for western toys.

Reply
Khun plastic

Sunday, November 8, 2020 at 7:16 am

I think most of you are missing the point here probably because you are applying western logic.
The whole idea is for the opportunity to bid rig scalp and commit out right fraud.
The end result is neither here nor there.

Reply

Maya Taylor

A seasoned writer, with a degree in Creative Writing. Over ten years' experience in producing blog and magazine articles, news reports and website content.

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