Thailand's first High Speed train: station designs point to the future

[Mansell]

2 hours ago, hotchilli said:

That very much depends on the price of the tickets... most of the poor will stick to 10 in the back of a pick-up & give the train a miss!
10 people sharing the cost of fuel for one pick-up will be a lot cheaper than 10 paying the full train cost !!

They are also building a multi lane hi-speed highway from BKK to Korat which will join in on the Korat bypass road. Supposedly cut the journey to around two hours......good for the pickups.

[owl sees all]

Forget all this stuff about high speed trains. Let's get back to airships! 

 

Cheap, safe and reliable transport for the future.

 

Don't trust these high speed land machines in Thailand. No! Safer and better in the sky.

[Cadbury]

2 hours ago, dinsdale said:

Money from China. Workers from China. Thailand just another sucker to the most dangerous country in the world. Welcome Thailand to the Chinese debt trap. Won't be long. They'll want the money back. Sorry can't pay. Never mind we'll have the sea port of Sattahip and clear your debt.????

First, the high speed Chinese train workers have to be certified by Thai slow speed train workers to make sure of their credentials and capabilities. It is reported that the fees for such certification will be very high.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

7 hours ago, johng said:

I wonder if these stations will have wheelchair access and lifts designed in from the beginning..and not poorly implemented afterthought ?

 

I likewise was going to ask... are they going to remember elevators and escalators for the multi-level stations in this fictional project, or it'll be like BTS in BKK where they still don't have them systemwide.

 

[madmen]

4 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

I likewise was going to ask... are they going to remember elevators and escalators for the multi-level stations in this fictional project, or it'll be like BTS in BKK where they still don't have them systemwide.

 

They need to get past the Buddhist mentality that disabled people were bad in their previous life so forget them its karma after all.

All the stations getting the lift treatment dont go to street level so how is that wheel chair friendly? Disabled or the very old are stuck on 1st floor. Is there a plan to add down escalators later? I doubt it

[tlandtday]

22 minutes ago, madmen said:

They need to get past the Buddhist mentality that disabled people were bad in their previous life so forget them its karma after all.

All the stations getting the lift treatment dont go to street level so how is that wheel chair friendly? Disabled or the very old are stuck on 1st floor. Is there a plan to add down escalators later? I doubt it

have you never heard of Wheelie Jumping?  Stairdevils?????

[djayz]

8 hours ago, Longcut said:

Must be an artist rendition. I don't see any trash thrown on the ground.

That's 'coz they chucked it out the window en route. ????

[josephbloggs]

1 hour ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

I likewise was going to ask... are they going to remember elevators and escalators for the multi-level stations in this fictional project, or it'll be like BTS in BKK where they still don't have them systemwide.

 

The BTS was a massive cock up on that front.  But to be fair everything built since has lifts as far as I am aware.  All MRT stations have lifts, all purple line stations have lifts, all BTS extensions have lifts, the ARL has lifts at all stations.

 

Not defending them because it was an appalling oversight - many stations didn't even have escalators when it launched - they were added later.  But newer systems are designed with lifts and this will be too.  Of course the pavements are mostly unusable so not sure how disabled people are supposed to get to the lifts, but they are there.

 

 

[ianezy0]

As always, so many negative posts from the usual negative posters!

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

18 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

The BTS was a massive cock up on that front.  But to be fair everything built since has lifts as far as I am aware.  All MRT stations have lifts, all purple line stations have lifts, all BTS extensions have lifts, the ARL has lifts at all stations.

 

 

Apparently, the disability activists aren't so enthused about the MRT's accommodations on the new Purple Line...

 

http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/bangkok/2018/11/26/disabled-commuters-sue-bangkoks-mrt-for-16-8m-baht/

 

Quote

According to a copy of the suit shared by the group, there are not elevators at each of the 16 stations’ entrances, which are about 200 meters to 350 meters apart. Below them at ground level, sidewalks are not navigable for wheelchairs or those visually impaired, it states. It also alleges that some staircase chair lifts can’t be operated without staff assistance, and onboard wheelchair restraints are not sturdy enough.

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

6 minutes ago, ianezy0 said:

As always, so many negative posts from the usual negative posters!

 Go rent a wheelchair for the day, and wheel yourself around all day navigating around Pattaya and BKK, meaning traveling on sidewalks, crossing corners, and actually going in and out of businesses and such.   Then report back on the negativity front....

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

And then of course, there is/was the infamous BTS line extension wheelchair ramp to nowhere!

 

And that's on a recently new-built project -- not the original legacy BTS line that's now many years old.l

 

 

Quote

 

SAMUT PRAKAN — Less than two weeks after a slew of new BTS stations opened in southeast metro Bangkok, netizens pointed a glaring oversight at one of them – an inaccessible wheelchair access ramp.

 

The Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand said Wednesday it would investigate why a ramp connects an elevator at the new BTS Sai Luat’s No. exit 2 to absolutely nothing Wednesday, drawing ridicule online.

 

 

[DaRoadrunner]

Not known for their movement, I wonder what the Thai idea of "high speed" is? And why does it go to Nakhon Nowhere?... Not the most desirable of destinations

 

I recall being on a station platform in Holland when the TGV came through. I soon found out why that yellow line is 20 foot back from the platform edge. Damn thing came through at full speed and nearly blew me over before the vacuum behind it nearly sucked me off the platform. I can think of better ways of being sucked off and have been in Thailand ever since.

[josephbloggs]

15 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Apparently, the disability activists aren't so enthused about the MRT's accommodations on the new Purple Line...

 

http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/bangkok/2018/11/26/disabled-commuters-sue-bangkoks-mrt-for-16-8m-baht/

 

 

Like I said, all stations have lifts but the pavements are so awful I am not sure how you are supposed to get to the lifts.  But they do all have lifts on either side of the road.

 

And yes, the ramp to nowhere is an embarrassing joke.

[ianezy0]

8 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 Go rent a wheelchair for the day, and wheel yourself around all day navigating around Pattaya and BKK, meaning traveling on sidewalks, crossing corners, and actually going in and out of businesses and such.   Then report back on the negativity front....

 

No argument there. I empathise with you and also families with pushchairs. However, if you are not happy then go somewhere else with a more modern infrastructure.

[IAMHERE]

Didn't I read somewhere that the 'high speed' train isn't passenger, it is freight only.

[josephbloggs]

1 hour ago, IAMHERE said:

Didn't I read somewhere that the 'high speed' train isn't passenger, it is freight only.

No. 

[huberthammer]

18 hours ago, nev said:

They have just constructed a dual railway right through the spine of Isaan to Korat passing through Khonkaen, By the way the new Khonkaen railway station has just opened and it is very impressive.

Is the Dual railway finished already? Driving from Saraburi to Khon Kaen we passed huge, very impressive construction sites where they built elevated tracks (I first thought it was a new elevated motorway). Is this already for the highspeed train or the railway you talk about ?

[nev]

5 hours ago, huberthammer said:

Is the Dual railway finished already? Driving from Saraburi to Khon Kaen we passed huge, very impressive construction sites where they built elevated tracks (I first thought it was a new elevated motorway). Is this already for the highspeed train or the railway you talk about ?

Yes the station is open in Khonkaen and trains are running on the new tracks.

[kickstart]

10 hours ago, huberthammer said:

Is the Dual railway finished already? Driving from Saraburi to Khon Kaen we passed huge, very impressive construction sites where they built elevated tracks (I first thought it was a new elevated motorway). Is this already for the highspeed train or the railway you talk about ?

I thought that was for the new rail track, but I have been told it is the new expressway, Bangkok -Korat, why it had to be elevated I  do not know.

 

 

Not a good photo, but a flyover near me that will go over the new high-speed train line, this is midway between Saraburi and Pak Chong. a good few million baht was spent 

It has been built as this road is one on the main approach roads  for sugar cane traffic to our local sugar mill, I hope they will put in a newline and fence. 

30  km up the road at Mortlock Saraburi the new line is all elevated looks very impressive. 

[RJRS1301]

On 3/14/2019 at 3:42 PM, johng said:

I wonder if these stations will have wheelchair access and lifts designed in from the beginning..and not poorly implemented afterthought ?

One can only hope

[RJRS1301]

On 3/14/2019 at 9:38 PM, Older and Wiser said:

Why don't they borrow from the Japanese, their rate is usually less than 1%?

Because the Chinese will supply the funds, the labour, the tracks and rolling stock

It all part of the Belt and Road initiative started many years ago, which has African nations, Pacific Island nations and Asian countries, in debt they can never repay.

It a take over plan with long range views.

 

[geoffbezoz]

I suspect the station design will undergo revisions later so that machine gun posts and watch towers will be added in preparation for the next military coup.

[Cadbury]

21 minutes ago, geoffbezoz said:

I suspect the station design will undergo revisions later so that machine gun posts and watch towers will be added in preparation for the next military coup.

The latest progress report on the Bangkok/Nong Khai link is that in April 2019 they will start on the 11 km section between Sikhiu-Kut Chick (don't hold your breath).

They estimate that it will only take 540 days to complete that section. At that rate of construction it will therefore take another 80 years to build the remaining 597 kms. So the opening ceremony will take place around the year 2100. Buy your tickets now to avoid the rush. 

 

[geoffbezoz]

3 minutes ago, Cadbury said:

The latest progress report on the Bangkok/Nong Khai link is that in April 2019 they will start on the 11 km section between Sikhiu-Kut Chick (don't hold your breath).

They estimate that it will only take 540 days to complete that section. At that rate of construction it will therefore take another 80 years to build the remaining 597 kms. So the opening ceremony will take place around the year 2100. Buy your tickets now to avoid the rush. 

 

By which time there will have been around another 24 military coups no doubt

[Peterbkk99]

How much will the tickets cost? A lot of low-income earners from Isaan would rather spend 12 hours in a bus or a low-speed train rather than paying premium. Even if it is a few hundred bahts (but it will be much more than a few hundred baht).

As for the middle class people of Bangkok, they would rather use their car, or fly. I know some of them also have concerns about the safety of a high speed train in Thailand.

I doubt there is enough market to sustain this expensive project in the long run. This is not Europe.

[monkeycu]

On 3/14/2019 at 3:17 PM, nev said:

These trains will be a blessing in disguise to the rural folk of Isaan, Many will no longer have to ride in the backs of pick up trucks for many many hours to get back on the holidays, And hopefully will help with the amount of cars making the trip back.

It will still be cheaper to load the family into the pick up.

At the end of the day its all about money

[bluesofa]

1 hour ago, Peterbkk99 said:

How much will the tickets cost? A lot of low-income earners from Isaan would rather spend 12 hours in a bus or a low-speed train rather than paying premium. Even if it is a few hundred bahts (but it will be much more than a few hundred baht).

As for the middle class people of Bangkok, they would rather use their car, or fly. I know some of them also have concerns about the safety of a high speed train in Thailand.

I doubt there is enough market to sustain this expensive project in the long run. This is not Europe.

The price has been announced already, even though nothing has really happened regarding the construction.

"Fares will start at Bt195 from Bangkok’s Bang Sue station to Ayutthaya and increase to Bt278 to Sara Buri, Bt393 to Pak Chong and Bt535 to Nakhon Ratchasima."

<Sarcasm mode: on>

You can rely on the government looking after the people's interest.

<Sarcasm mode: off>

See details below:

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1016957-construction-bids-for-high-speed-train-project-in-coordination-with-china-to-be-completed-in-2018/

 

[overherebc]

On 3/14/2019 at 11:42 AM, Cadbury said:

 

Well, everything is just about set and ready to go! 

The ticket prices have been set, the new railways station in Bangkok is upgraded to to take high speed trains and now the Ayuthaya, Saraburi, Pak Chong and Nakorn Ratchasima HS stations have been beautifully and culturally designed. Next to be released will be the design of the tickets.

Now only the easy part left to do like finish loan negotiations with the Chinese then build a 630 km track and if there is any money left they can purchase the trains. 

You missed the lunch menu.

[Fex Bluse]

As a rule, like most Thai-ified ideas, Thai engineering is UNIQUELY TERRIBLE and has the following characteristics that will guarantee a poor high speed railway:

 

1. Preoccupation with looks over function.

Ex. 

A. Crisscrossing escalators in malls forcing high volume traffic to collide 

B. Condo projects that lack proper ingress and egress 

C. Laughable Airport Raillink that could not properly accommodate... passengers with luggage! 

 

2. Lack of efficiency-focused design.

Ex. 

A. ridiculous BTS stations that have ticket purchasing in the middle of where people queue to get in

 

3. Poor quality materials leading to immediate and constant maintenance. 

Ex. 

A. Almost every major project that has unplanned construction occurring immediately after "finishing" because the Thai engineering and construction teams forgot to or could notqconsider critical information. 

 

4. Poor safety 

Ex. 

A. U-turns on high-speed expressways! 

 

 

The high-speed rail will be terrible like most other things Thais touch.