New 'smart' river piers to open this year

Three new "smart" piers on the Chao Phraya River will be opened this year, deputy government spokeswoman Tipanan Sirichana said on Monday.

The Rama VII Pier, Tha Tian Pier, and Kiakkai Pier will be upgraded to become smart piers to help reduce traffic problems while offering improved transport links between road, rail, and river, she said.

The government planned to upgrade 29 piers into smart piers by 2025, at a cost of about 942 million baht. The smart piers will have a landmark-worthy aesthetic and will connect to other transport platforms, she said.

The smart piers will be equipped with real-time displays to inform commuters of boat arrival times. The piers will also have free WiFi and mobile-phone charging stations, with a design that offers support for wheelchair users.

She added the piers accept digital payments, including prepaid cards and mobile payments.

Six smart piers at Sathon, Memorial Bridge (Saphan Phut), Tha Chang, Nonthaburi, Phayap, and the Marine Department have been opened since 2019–2021.

Two other piers, Bang Pho and Rajinee piers have finished their upgrades during the past 12 months, while the three piers mentioned earlier will be upgraded this year, said Ms Tipanan.

The government expects the number of boat commuters to increase to 53,000 per day in 2027, two years after the plan is completed, she added.