Bangkok Moves Ahead With Rail Transit Expansion

8 November 2006 - 11:00am

The five newly approved underground and elevated rail transit projects are aimed at easing the notoriously congested traffic of Thailand's capital.

"Thailand's interim government gave a green light Tuesday to build five new subway and elevated rail lines that will link central Bangkok with surrounding areas, pushing ahead with plans to expand the Thai capital's public transportation system.

The 165.4 billion baht (US$4.5 billion; €3.5 billion) project, scheduled for completion by 2012, includes four elevated rail lines that will be added to Bangkok's Skytrain system and one subway line, said Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont."

The announcement by Thailand's interim government is part of an original proposal by ousted Prime Minister Thaksin, who had planned to add 10 mass transit routes, worth 550 billion baht ($14.9 billion; €11.8 billion). This new proposal prioritizes the most important routes of that plan.