The Transport Ministry is planning to relocate the Eastern Bus Terminal (Ekkamai) and the Bangkok Bus Terminal (Mo Chit 2) to the Krung Thep Abhiwat Central Terminal, Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit, said on Tuesday.
Mr Suriya said the proposed relocation would provide travellers with more convenience as the Central Terminal is easily accessible via the MRT electric rail system. He said both stations in the new location will share a high-rise facility, with each floor serving a different route and an air-conditioned food centre located in the main hall.
No time frame has been given for the planned relocation.
Despite such developments, Mo Chit 2 Terminal in Chatuchak is currently undergoing an upgrade, with parts of the terminal closed for renovation. Mr Suriya said the upgrade, which includes safety measures and a security system, is expected to be completed within 18 months. However, the terminal should be ready to handle Songkran travellers by April.
He also gave an update on construction delays on Rama II Road in Hua Hin, saying he ordered the Department of Rural Roads to use a scorebook system with the contractors to help keep track of construction deadlines. Those low-scored contractors will be blacklisted from working with the ministry and the DRR in the future, he explained.
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin previously ordered the Transport Ministry to speed up the long-overdue construction after a popular online survey found congestion along Rama II Road put tourists off the resort town of Hua Hin.
Mr Suriya said the construction, which consists of 10 contracts, is expected to be finished in June 2025, an extension from the former deadline in January. The contractor's financial difficulties due to the pandemic and the DRR's regulation that allows the construction to be carried out only at night to avoid traffic congestion led to the road construction being delayed, he added.