The cabinet has approved a transport plan involving the auction of contracts to build six electric train routes, procure city buses and build new motorways.
Chaiwat Thongkamkoon, deputy director-general of the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning, said bidding for six electric train projects, including the Green Line (Mor Chit-Saphan Mai-Khu Khot), the Orange Line (Cultural Centre-Min Buri), and the Pink Line (Khaerai-Min Buri), will take place next year.
Under the strategic plan, the first lot of 489 of 3,183 natural gas-fuelled buses will be bought between January to March next year. Mr Chaiwat said with the new buses entering service, more people will give up their private cars in favour of public transport.
The cabinet also approved in principle the widening of roads nationwide to four lanes and building four new motorways: Pattaya-Mabtaphut (89km), Bang Pa-in-Nakhon Ratchasima (196km), Bang Yai-Kanchanaburi (96km), and Nakhon Pathom-Cha-am (118km).
Also given the green light by the cabinet was the 1.435-metre standard gauge for rail tracks on three routes: Bangkok-Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Ratchasima-Nong Khai, and Bangkok-Rayong. The new tracks will permit trains to travel at a top speed of 160 km/h.
Meanwhile, Voradej Hanprasert, deputy transport permanent secretary, has instructed agencies under the Transport Ministry to study ways to develop e-freight and e-transport information for transport operators.
The information would lessen paperwork and help sharpen the country's competitive edge in transport as the region prepares for the launch of the Asean Economic Community (AEC) at the end of next year, he said.
The deputy permanent secretary was addressing a seminar on the "Future of Thailand e-Freight and Port Community Systems" for the AEC yesterday.
"The study would require management [of information] via an IT system to reduce the amount of documents and increase transport efficiency, especially by air which is a priority study area. Later, other areas of transport will be studied," he said.