Three dual-track rail routes costing more than 55 billion baht will be submitted to the cabinet for consideration on Nov 1, Deputy Transport Minister Ormsin Chivapruck says.
The three rail lines will be proposed to the cabinet along with the draft amendment of the rail transport department act, Mr Omsin said on Sunday.
The lines – the 148km Lop Buri-Pak Nam Pho, the 165km Nakhon Pathom-Hua Hin and the 90km Hua Hin-Prachuap Khiri Khan routes – will be the first to go before the cabinet, with the investment costs estimated at 24.8 billion, 20 billion and 10 billion baht respectively.
They are among seven double-track inter-provincial railway projects planned by the State Railway of Thailand after Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha issued an order under Section 44 of the interim constitution to fast-track the projects.
Mr Omsin added the ministry was considering proposing to Gen Prayut to use his Section 44 power to scrap 111 public bus service concessions held by private operators to pave the way for a service revamp as well as the purchase of 200 electric buses to serve Bangkokians.
The Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand will also ask the cabinet next month to approve the Purple Line extension costing 131 billion baht.
The 23.6km rail line is a mix of subway and elevated tracks. It will run south of the capital from Tao Pun to Rat Burana.
Currently commuters are using two rail lines in the MRTA rail network – the existing 23km Purple Line connecting Nonthaburi’s Bang Yai district to Tao Pun in Bangkok and the 20km Blue Line subway linking Hua Lamphong and Bang Sue.