Bangkok, July 11 (AseanAll) — On July 10, 2023, Thai Prime Minister and Defense Minister Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha paid an inspection visit to the MRT Pink Line before its trial run.
Accompanying the Prime Minister in this visit were Minister of Interior Gen. Anupong Paojinda, Minister Attached to the Prime Minister Office Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, and Deputy Minister of Transport Atirat Ratanasate.
The MRT Pink Line (Khae Rai – Min Buri Section) project is under the responsibility of Ministry of Transport’s Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) and is implemented with the PPP Net Cost process. The Pink Line is one of the mass transits planned under the Government’s Mass Rapid Transit Master Plan in Bangkok Metropolitan to systematize transport network in the Greater Bangkok area, and promote safe, convenient, and environmental-friendly transport.
Upon arrival, the Prime Minister listened to the briefing on the MRT Pink Line Project by the MRTA Governor, and inspected the Station’s connecting point with the future Orange Line (Thailand Cultural Center-Min Buri), before participating in the Pink Line trial run, starting from Min Buri Station (PK30) to the Government Complex Station (PK12), and getting off at Lad Pla Khao Station (PK18), which took 30 minutes.
According to the Prime Minister, his inspection visit aims to boost confidence on the Pink Line’s readiness to serve the public. He emphasized that the Pink Line, as part of mass transits under the Government’s Mass Rapid Transit Master Plan, would be a prototype for the development of future rail transit network in the country’s other big cities. Public trial run of the Pink Line will take place around the end of this year, and a full commercial launch is scheduled in June 2024.
The Pink Line, together with the Yellow Line, was approved by the cabinet on March 29, 2016. The Prime Minister closely monitored the construction progress of the 2 MRTA lines, and on October 1, 2020, presided over the handover ceremony of the first sets of monorail trains at Laem Chabang port.
The Pink Line (Khae Rai - Min Buri) will be the 2nd monorail line to be operated in Thailand after the Yellow Line. It is an elevated straddle type monorail transit with 30 stations and the total distance of 34.5km. The Pink Line connects with the Purple line MRT (Bang Yai – Bang sue), and the MRT Orange Line (Taling Chan - Min Buri), and there is a park and ride building at Min Buri station. In 2021, the cabinet also approved the 2-station spur monorail route (Impact, Muang Thong Thani - Si Rat station) for the total distance of 3km.
