New High Continues! Purple Line Reaches 87,352 Passengers on August 9th, Before Mother's Day Long Weekend
Source - Manager Online
Saturday, August 10, 2024 18:34
The Department of Rail Transport reported that on Friday, August 9th, 2024, which was the last working day before the Mother's Day long weekend, the Purple Line reached a new record high of 87,352 passengers. This is the highest number of passengers since the line opened, and it is attributed to the policy of a maximum fare of 20 baht across all lines. The previous record high was on June 28th, 2024, with 86,639 passengers.
On August 9th, 2024, a total of 1,859,817 passengers used the rail system, including:
1. SRT intercity trains: 212 trains with a total of 98,694 passengers (37,564 on commercial trains and 61,130 on social trains).
2. Bangkok and metropolitan area electric trains: 1,761,123 passengers, including:
* Airport Rail Link: 222 trips (including 7 additional trips) with 81,554 passengers.
* Red Line: 294 trips with 40,763 passengers.
* Purple Line: 321 trips (including 3 additional trips) with 87,352 passengers, the highest since the line opened 8 years ago on August 6th, 2024.
* Blue Line: 503 trips (including 23 additional trips) with 527,474 passengers.
* BTS Green Line (Sukhumvit and Silom Lines): 1,240 trips with 895,951 passengers.
* BTS Gold Line: 219 trips with 9,334 passengers.
* MRT Yellow Line: 276 trips with 47,305 passengers.
* MRT Pink Line: 276 trips with 71,390 passengers.
The Ministry of Transport has instructed relevant agencies to arrange feeder systems to facilitate and reduce travel costs for passengers to the rail system, especially for the Purple and Red Lines. After the 20 baht fare policy was implemented, the number of passengers has been steadily increasing.
In celebration of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother's birthday on August 12th, 2024, which is also Mother's Day, the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) and the concessionaires of the 4 MRT lines (BEM, EBM, NBM, and BTS) are offering free rides for mothers traveling with their children on August 12th, 2024. Mothers can show their ID at the ticket office to receive a free coupon or ticket. Children will pay the normal fare. This is to facilitate travel and promote family bonding.
Department of Rail Transport has made a clear point to those Deputy Minister of Civil Works and Communications (H.E. Ms. Koy Sodany) and corresponding representatives from Cambodian Ministry of Civil Works and Communications that there will be the 174-km double tracking project from Klong 19 junction to Klong Luek Border station.
This is a real progress from the opening of the new railway bridge across Klong Luek border canal in 2019 along with the signing of cross border traffic agreement on 22 April 2019 and the experiment cargo train service from Map Ta Phut railway station to Phnom Penh on 24-29 July 2023 which carries plastic granules and motor oil in 2 container boxes from the PTT refinery at Map Ta Phut. The new custom procedure is in need to reduce the cargo train services from 6 days to 2 days to allow the cargo train carrying fruits and vegetables as well as other food products to cross the border to the customers.
The next on the line is the cross border passenger trains which is to be executed in September 2024.
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On Friday, the last day of August 2023, the "Red-Purple Line" light rail broke passenger records with 42,600 passengers on the Red Line and 87,600 on the Purple Line. The Department of Rail Transport is ready to continue the 20 baht flat fare policy and will propose an extension to the new Cabinet.
On August 30, 2023, there were a total of 1,864,801 passengers using the rail system, including 85,970 passengers on the State Railway of Thailand's intercity trains and 1,778,831 passengers on the Bangkok and metropolitan area's electric trains.
Mr. Picheth also mentioned that since the implementation of the 20 baht flat fare policy on the Red Line and Purple Line on October 16, 2022, passenger numbers have increased significantly. Data from June 2023 showed a 26.32% increase in passengers on both lines compared to the same period last year. The Red Line saw a 51.15% increase, and the Purple Line saw a 17.39% increase.
The Department of Rail Transport is ready to continue the 20 baht flat fare policy and will propose an extension to the new Cabinet. The Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning is also drafting the Integrated Ticketing System Management Act, which aligns with the plan to implement the 20 baht flat fare on all lines by September 2024.
Thailand-Cambodia International Train Service to Launch in September, Starting with Freight Trains from Map Ta Phut to Phnom Penh
Source - Daily News Website
Tuesday, September 03, 2024 13:03
Thailand-Cambodia rail link to open in September with cross-border freight trains from Map Ta Phut to Phnom Penh, covering 691 km. Efforts are underway to resolve the issue of relocating the cargo scanning point to Phnom Penh, eliminating the need to stop and unload goods at Poipet. Passenger transport is expected to start next year, pending discussions on ensuring safe train operations.
Mr. Phichet Khunadhammarak, Director-General of the Department of Rail Transport (DRT), stated in an interview with the "Daily News Transportation Innovation News Team" that around September 2024 (the exact date is being finalized), the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) plans to launch its first cross-border freight train service from Map Ta Phut Railway Station, Muang District, Rayong Province, Thailand, to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on the Map Ta Phut-Khlong Luek (Sa Kaeo)-Phnom Penh route, covering a total distance of approximately 691 kilometers.
Following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Thailand and Cambodia in 2019, the initial service will be a freight train operated by Global Multimodal Logistics Co., Ltd. (GML), a subsidiary of PTT Public Company Limited. The train will run twice a week, transporting petroleum products such as plastic pellets, engine oil, and brake fluid.
Mr. Phichet further mentioned that at the end of last year, SRT conducted its first trial run of a cross-border freight train on this route. GML transported two containers of plastic pellets and engine oil from Map Ta Phut to Phnom Penh. No issues were encountered with the train operation itself, but there were challenges with customs inspections. When the train reached Poipet, Cambodia, the cargo had to be unloaded from the train onto trucks for inspection at the Customs Department, located about 2 kilometers from Poipet Station. After the inspection, the goods had to be reloaded onto the train to continue to Phnom Penh, causing inconvenience and significant delays.
This led to the establishment of a joint working group between Thailand and Cambodia, involving all relevant parties, to expedite the resolution of this issue. The goal is to enable inspections to be conducted solely at the final destination in Phnom Penh. Preparations are underway to ensure the efficiency, convenience, time-saving, and cost reduction of rail freight transport, aligning with the Ministry of Transport's policy to connect Thailand's rail freight transport with the ASEAN rail network.
Regarding passenger rail transport from Thailand to Cambodia, Mr. Surapong Piyachoti, Deputy Minister of Transport, has urged for swift progress. Both sides are in discussions to prepare for the launch of the service, with a particular focus on safety, which is of paramount importance to ensure the comfort and utmost safety of passengers. It is initially anticipated that passenger train services to Cambodia will commence around 2025.
Currently, there are train services connecting Thailand and Cambodia, including the Bangkok-Ban Khlong Luek route (trains 275 and 276), covering a distance of 260.23 kilometers. Two trains operate daily on this route, with a travel time of approximately 5 hours and 22 minutes. Passengers need to disembark at Ban Khlong Luek Station and continue their journey by other means. In the future, the journey from Ban Khlong Luek border station to Poipet and Sisophon in Cambodia, a distance of about 30 kilometers, will take approximately 1 hour.
DRT Meets with Rail Service Providers, Emphasizes Construction Safety Nationwide
Source - Bangkok Business Online
Friday, September 06, 2024 19:05
The Department of Rail Transport (DRT) held a meeting with rail service providers to investigate the landslide incident within the Khlong Phai tunnel. They also urged contractors and consultants overseeing all projects nationwide to ensure construction safety and prevent similar incidents.
Mr. Phichet Khunadhammarak, Director-General of the DRT, chaired the 4th meeting of the Rail Transport Management Committee in 2024 with relevant rail service providers today (September 6th). The meeting discussed various issues affecting the public and rail transport users, as well as ways to improve and resolve problems. Key discussion points included:
* Statistics on train malfunctions in Bangkok and its vicinity from July to August 2024: A total of 12 incidents occurred, with 6 in July (caused by propulsion systems, switches, signaling systems, and other factors) and 6 in August (caused by brakes, door systems, switches, signaling systems, and other factors). The DRT is coordinating with train operators to investigate the causes and find preventive measures.
* Landslide incident within the Khlong Phai tunnel: The DRT conducted an on-site investigation and reported the findings to the Ministry of Transport, instructing the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) to:
* Investigate the incident and report the actual cause, then improve safety measures in accordance with standards, guidelines, regulations, and construction manuals.
* Coordinate with responsible agencies to define assistance measures and a special search and rescue plan based on engineering principles, safety, and legal requirements.
* Review construction contracts regarding liabilities, insurance, and compensation for victims. Instruct contractors and consultants overseeing SRT construction projects nationwide to inspect safety, especially in tunnel excavation projects, and report any risks to relevant agencies for immediate action.
Mr. Surapong Piyachoti, Deputy Minister of Transport, ordered the SRT to investigate the incident, report the cause, and improve safety. Construction of the tunnel is temporarily halted pending the official analysis of the incident's cause.
The Working Group on Analysis of Rail Accidents and Incidents, led by the DRT Director-General, will meet on September 10th to analyze collected technical data, determine the actual cause of the landslide, and find ways to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Thailand and Japan Extend Railway System Development Cooperation
Source - Daily News
Sunday, September 22, 2024 03:46 PM
Mr. Athiphu Chitranukroh, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Rail Transport (DRT), disclosed that he had a meeting with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism (MLIT) of Japan on Thai-Japanese practical cooperation in the railway sector. Relevant agencies from both sides participated in the meeting.
The Japanese side presented a comprehensive study plan for the development of the electric rail network in Bangkok and its vicinity, which currently has 277 km in operation and 71 km under construction. The study examined the current status and challenges of the electric rail system in Bangkok, along with improvement strategies based on case studies from Japan. Key areas covered included promoting the use of electric rail, congestion mitigation, fare policies, service level enhancement, and station accessibility improvements to ensure efficiency, safety, modernity, and environmental friendliness.
The Thai side reported on the progress of the Red Line extension projects, which are currently awaiting Cabinet approval, with 3 projects totaling 29.34 km in length. Additionally, the Purple Line project, Taling Chan-Rat Burana section, is 40.38% complete.
Both sides also discussed the possibility of renewing the existing Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) by updating its content and defining specific areas of cooperation, such as green transportation and disaster management collaboration, including flood response. Further areas of cooperation may be added in the future.
Japan will continue to support the development of Thailand's rail infrastructure to achieve equitable access to public transport, similar to Japan's system.
Source: Daily News Newspaper, September 23, 2024 (Afternoon Edition)
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