DRT proposes transferring Green and Gold rail lines back to MRTA

Khaosod•Economy•1d ago

Reader Briefing

The Department of Rail Transport is coordinating the transfer of the Green and Gold rail lines from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration back to the MRTA.

•The Department of Rail Transport will convene a committee this week or next to accelerate the transfer of assets and debts of the Green and Gold lines to the MRTA.
•A fare policy of 17-45 baht for Thai nationals will be implemented using the EMV system to handle subsidies.
•The Department of Rail Transport and State Railway of Thailand aim to potentially open bidding for a rail link from Chumphon Station to Ranong Port by 2027.

Overview

•The Department of Rail Transport will hold a meeting this week or next with the Committee to Drive Electric Train Fare Policy to expedite the transfer of assets and debts.
•The Gold Line (Krung Thon Buri-Khlong San) and Green Line extensions (On Nut-Bearing, Mo Chit-Saphan Mai-Khu Khot, Bearing-Samut Prakan, and Taksin-Bang Wa) can be transferred immediately as accounting transfers.
•The main Green Line sections (Mo Chit-On Nut and National Stadium-Saphan Taksin) remain under concessions until 2029, with the government seeking to change the contracting party to the MRTA.
•The government will provide subsidies to the public to maintain a 17-45 baht fare, while concessionaires continue collecting fares per existing contracts.
•The Department of Rail Transport is coordinating with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and operators to install additional EMV readers on the Green Line, starting with mobile readers at special gates for the disabled.
•The Department of Rail Transport aims for all rail lines to support a single payment system for a full common ticketing system by early 2027.
•The State Railway of Thailand has completed the design for a rail link from Chumphon Station to Ranong Port and is currently awaiting the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report.
•Construction bidding for the Chumphon-Ranong rail link could open in 2027 if approved, with an estimated construction period of 3 years.

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Key Quotes

Pichet Kunathamrak

"The 17-45 baht fare right will be limited to Thai nationals because the EMV system can verify information via credit or debit cards linked to banks."

สิทธิค่าโดยสาร 17-45 บาท จะจำกัดเฉพาะผู้มีสัญชาติไทย เนื่องจากระบบ EMV สามารถตรวจสอบข้อมูลผ่านบัตรเครดิต หรือบัตรเดบิตที่เชื่อมโยงกับธนาคารได้

Pichet Kunathamrak

"The private sector views that it is not necessary to wait for the Landbridge project, but to accelerate the construction of the missing railway section first."

ภาคเอกชนมองว่าไม่จำเป็นต้องรอโครงการแลนด์บริดจ์ แต่ให้เร่งสร้างทางรถไฟช่วงที่ยังขาดอยู่ก่อน

Key Entities

Person

Pichet Kunathamrak(พิเชฐ คุณาธรรมรักษ์)

Director General of the Department of Rail Transport.

Anutin Charnvirakul(อนุทิน ชาญวีรกูล)ℹ️

Prime Minister and Minister of Interior.

Organization

Department of Rail Transport(กรมการขนส่งทางราง)ℹ️

The government agency overseeing the transfer of rail lines and EMV system implementation.

Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand(การรถไฟฟ้าขนส่งมวลชนแห่งประเทศไทย)ℹ️

The agency that will receive the transfer of the Green and Gold rail lines.

Bangkok Metropolitan Administration(กรุงเทพมหานคร)ℹ️

The entity currently overseeing the Green and Gold rail lines before their transfer.

State Railway of Thailand(การรถไฟแห่งประเทศไทย)ℹ️

The agency that conducted the design for the Chumphon to Ranong Port rail link.

Committee to Drive Electric Train Fare Policy(คณะกรรมการขับเคลื่อนนโยบายค่าโดยสารรถไฟฟ้า)

The committee meeting to accelerate the transfer of rail assets and debts.

Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking(คณะกรรมการร่วมภาคเอกชน 3 สถาบัน)

The private sector body that proposed accelerating the East-West rail network connection.

Place

Chumphon Station(สถานีชุมพร)

The starting point of the proposed 187-kilometer rail link to Ranong Port.

Ranong Port(ท่าเรือระนอง)

The destination of the rail link from Chumphon Station.

Policy

Landbridge(แลนด์บริดจ์)ℹ️

A government plan that previously linked with the East-West rail network project.