Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit has ordered all agencies to ensure all future plans to build electric train networks outside Bangkok will not affect important historical sites in inner-city areas.
The order was made in response to the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand's plan to build electric rail networks in other major cities, such as Chiang Mai, Nakhon Ratchasima, Phuket and Phitsanulok, at a combined cost of 77 billion baht.
These projects, according to the MRTA, are meant to provide residents with a public transport alternative that would not only help relieve the chronic congestion in inner-city areas, but also improve access to tourism sites located on the outskirts of the cities.
The plan to build an electric train route in Chiang Mai in particular, which was estimated to cost 30 billion baht, raised a lot of eyebrows, with critics fearing the construction of such a network will put some historical sites in Muang district at risk.
To address these concerns, Mr Suriya urged the MRTA to consider building a part of the line which passes the Old City area underground. The rest of the line could be built at street level, he said.
"This could lessen the impact of train operations on tourism sites while minimising the line's impact on vehicular traffic in inner-city areas," he said.
Mr Suriya said he has ordered a study into the plan, adding he expected the study to conclude sometime next year.
Once the study is completed, the MRTA will move to begin construction as soon as possible, noted the transport minister.
For the construction of the 15.8-kilometre line to actually begin, the MRTA must submit an environmental impact assessment (EIA) report to the relevant authorities.
The line, which runs from Nakornping Hospital in Mae Rim district to Mae Hia-Samakki Intersection, will feature 16 stations in total. Two park-and-ride facility will be constructed for commuters, one at Nakornping Hospital and another at Chiang Mai's Land Transportation Office.
According to Mr Suriya, the MRTA is currently drawing up the investment proposal for the project, which will take about a year to complete. The agency is planning to submit the plan to the cabinet in 2026.
In 2027-2028, the MRTA hopes to conduct a bid to find investors for the project.
The construction is likely to kick off by 2028, and the line is expected to be fully operational in 2031, said Mr Suriya.