Bangkok traffic patterns play a profound role in homebuyers' calculations.
Minimising one's commute almost obligates a middle-class buyer
to have a condominium or townhouse. Prefer a detached home with
some private space, perhaps even a lawn for your children and
dog? Then be prepared for early-morning and late-night drives
to avoid long hours stuck on the expressways reaching out to
fast-growing suburban areas.
The reality is that Bangkok, with an estimated population of 10
million, simply lacks the road infrastructure to cope with the
thousands of passenger cars, commercial vehicles and public buses
that crowd the streets each day.
But while Singapore and London might favour draconian measures
such as tolls or outright bans, Thai policymakers have placed their
faith in mass transit.
The cabinet in February approved a sweeping plan to invest 446.6
billion baht in new mass transit routes over the next six years.
By 2009, total coverage will grow to 291 kilometres, an increase
of 247 km from the existing 44 km.
According to the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning,
the new routes could generate 20 billion baht per year in fuel
savings.
Bangkok drivers now consume nearly half of the 24.8 billion litres
of fuel used each year in Thailand. With current fuel economy averaging
around 10 kilometres per litre, policymakers say a 10-20% gain
would generate fuel savings of two billion litres a year, or more
than 40 billion baht. Policymakers say a more efficient, integrated
mass transit system would reduce commutes by 15 minutes for those
using cars and by 40 minutes for those using mass transit.
Part of the problem has been that traffic from long-established
main roads such as Sukhumvit, Phahon Yothin and Phetkasem has been
unable to link with newer roads such Bang Na-Trat, Vibhavadi Rangsit
or Thon Buri-Pak Tho. Instead, the expressway system has been forced
to bridge the main roadways.
Planners say the high building density along many main roads suits
the use of mass transit as a trunk route for inner-city commuters.
Once in place, public buses will then be rerouted away from light
rail routes to lower-traffic routes.
Development will follow two rough patterns: circles around the
city and radial spokes linking the inner city, served by the skytrain
and subway systems, with rail and bus routes to outer suburbs.
Construction on the seven light rail routes is expected to be
completed by 2008-2010, with 181 stations located every 1-2 km.
The seven rail routes are:
- Light green: Phran Nok to Samut Prakan. A 24-km expansion of
existing track to 33 km. Estimated cost 54bn bt, construction from
April 2004 to 2010. Estimated daily ridership of 680,470 in 2010,
rising to 1.09 million by 2021.
- Dark green: Bang Wa to Saphan Mai. A 19-km expansion to 33
km. Estimated cost: 32.8bn bt, construction from May 2004 to Nov
2008. Daily ridership 606,023 in 2010, 1.19 million by 2021.
- Blue: Ratchadaphisek and Tha Phra-Bang Khae
- Purple: Bang Yai in Nonthaburi to Rat Burana, 40 km, estimated
cost 94.5bn bt, construction from November 2005 to Feb 2010. Daily
ridership of 462,895 in 2010, 909,924 in 2021.
- Orange: Bang Bamru to Bang Kapi, 24 km, estimated cost 73.2bn
bt, construction from May 2005 to June 2009. Daily ridership of
319,107 in 2010, 585,292 by 2021.
- Dark red: Rangsit in Pathum Thani to Mahachai in Samut Sakhon,
65 km, estimated cost 71.8bn bt, construction from Feb 2005 to
June 2009. Daily ridership of 797,859 in 2010, 1.38 million in
2021.
- Light red: Taling Chan to Suvarnabhumi Airport, 50 km, cost
54.1bn bt, completion in Oct 2008. Daily ridership of 682,225 in
2010, 1.38 million in 2021.
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