When experts say Bangkok has been developed without urban planning, I couldn't agree more as I look at Google Maps and see how the great sprawl of directionless urbanisation stretches across the city.
Look at how roads and expressways have been built, condos emerging on a small sois, and dozens of housing estates mushrooming along small streets in Bangkok.
As a result, roads and expressways -- not other modes of public transport -- have to be paved to accommodate the rising number of residents in those areas.
Sirinya Wattanasukchai is an assistant news editor, the Bangkok Post.
In many parts of the city, roads have been expanded while the pavements are shrunk, to serve the rise in the number of cars, of course resulting from inefficient public transportation.
But there are signs things are improving. Today, Bangkok commuters have five lines of electric trains running in the city, with many more under construction, and a few more already approved and in the pipeline.
And there's a reason for those living in Nonthaburi to celebrate as they will be able to save about 30 minutes from their commute to the city.
The 1km missing link between the Blue Line's Bang Sue and Purple Line's Tao Poon stations will eventually be connected on Aug 11 after a year of commuter inconvenience.
It has been a major factor that attributes to the operator's daily loss.
It's almost like we don't have city planning. Or to be more specific, we appear to lack a plan at all.
Most of what we had or changed are results of political decisions.
The quick solution to the shameful 1km missing link is only proof of how a problem can be fixed by political power.
As the new rail lines are being developed almost at the same time, there is no excuse for those involved not to make interchange points which will enable commuters to get around the city more conveniently.
As the extension of the Purple Line (Tao Poon to Kru Nai) gained cabinet approval on Tuesday, the Mass Rapid Transit Authority (MRTA) realised one station at Wong Wian Yai will be close to the existing station in the Light Green Line, but decide they will not be connected.
This is a result of a bad planning.
If every rail line had been together in the same city development masterplan, such a problem wouldn't have occurred.
However, it was fortunate enough for Bangkok commuters that the MRTA is aware of the gap beforehand, and crafts a solution before construction begins.
It has proposed a skywalk to link both the stations of the two lines.
This sounds rational. Re-routing the line for an interchange point, though it means more convenience for rail users, will mean more land is to be expropriated, and that may cause not only a delay in service, but will also have an adverse impact on countless families that have long lived in densely populated areas.
Land expropriation means thousands of people will be pushed outside the city where scarce infrastructure is provided.
With the skywalk, at least, commuters will suffer less from the bad planning when the extension is launched. For example, those in Kru Nai who want to travel to Light Green Line's Saphan Taksin can take a walk, without having to make a detour by changing to Red, then Blue and Light Green Line.
Business-wise, such a pedestrian connection will help the operator of both lines improve the chance of making a profit from the connection, unlike the Bangkok Expressway and Metro Public Company Limited that has suffered from a three million baht daily loss on its Purple Line since it was launched and the throngs of commuters wasting their time in the soon-to-go missing link.
Another instance that shows public transport in Bangkok is getting better is the Brown Line which will run between Khae Rai and Lamsalee (Bung Kum).
The proposed line, the first public hearing for which was held on Wednesday, may replace the proposed expressway that has been shelved since 2014 due to staunch resistance.
At least, the state has proposed another rail line as an alternative for the public, after having dedicated only on expressways and roads for private cars in the last few decades.
It is even better when the proposed Brown Line will also link with the Purple Line in Tao Poon, Red Line in Don Muang, Grey Line at Praditmanutham Road, and Yellow Line in Bang Kapi.
I only hope that while these projects are being approved and will soon be constructed, the state is figuring out how to curb the use of private cars, to promote these new public transport services.
My other hope is that, once in full service, all these lines which have their stations linked will share a name to make commuters less confused.
I refer to non-regular users who might want to change trains at Sukhumvit MRT station, and who might be frustrated as the station is named Asoke by the BTS operator.
That too happens at BTS Sala Daeng station and MRT's Silom station.