Preparations mapped out for Phaholyothin Transportation Hub in Bangkok

BANGKOK, July 7 (TNA) - The Thai government, through the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTTPP), under the Ministry of Transport, is working out a plan on the development of the Phaholyothin Transportation Hub in Bangkok, in which the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system is considered to be applied to the mass transit system in the area. An OTTPP technical expert, Wijit Nimitrwanich, told journalists on July 6, after opening the third public hearing on the environmental impact assessment (EIA) of the mass transit system in the 930-acre Phaholyothin Transportation Hub, that a budget of more than 1.8 billion baht will be spent on the BRT Project alone, which is expected to be launched for public services by 2020. Wijit said under the EIA final report presented at Wednesday's public hearing in Bangkok, the BRT system is considered suitable for the Phaholyothin Transportation Hub, as its needed special lanes can be constructed in a shorter period with cheaper costs, compared to other supportive transportation systems. Besides, the BRT system can serve up to 18,000 passengers per hour on a one-way 10-kilometre route with a total of 16 stations in the Phaholyothin Transportation Hub. Wijit acknowledged that another 1.5 billion baht budget will be spent on the development of a 1.3-kilometre-Skywalk Project, linking Bang Sue Central Railway Station to the Mo Chit Skytrain Station and the MRT Subway's Chatuchak Station. According to the OTTPP expert, the private sector is welcome to entirely invest in all the planned infrastructure systems in the Phaholyothin Transportation Hub for the commercial purpose based on a long-term concessionary contract. The OTTPP expert estimated that up to 100,000 people should use the mass transit and the skywalk systems in the Phaholyothin Transportation Hub by 2037 when it should be developed to its full potential. The OTTPP expert noted that the EIA final report will be used for a feasibility study, expected to be completed by the end of this month, and will be then forwarded to the Transport Ministry for further consideration. (TNA)