BANGKOK SUBWAY LATEST NEWS - JUNE-JULY 2004
If you need help with the acronyms in these articles,
see Thai alphabet soup
& 2b glossary
Subway ridership figures
& various notes - July 6, 2004
Wisarut reports: The statistics of the first 3 days of
subway service are
July 3 - 45,000 passengers
July 4 - 200,000 passengers
July 5 - 150,000 passengers
Those who have joyrided and hung around the subway without
going out for several hours will find that they have already
inflicted suffering on other people who are waiting in long
lines to get their turns including children who collapsed
due to dehydration while they are waiting to buy a ticket
and grumpy old men who have waited and ranted for generations
to get a subway ride.
Passengers have hoarded many tokens for use in the future
but are not supposed to do since there are 200,000 smart
cards available.
Clumsy old men also complained that the turnstiles close
too fast so they have to rely on the emergency gate to go
in and go out.
MRTA also found that they have to adjust signs because confusing
signs cause many people, especially the elderly, to puzzle
about the gate they should go since to since some sections
have very few sign while the other sections have too many
signs.
SRT and MRTA better construct and finish Bangsue Park and
Ride very soon since I have seen lots of cars at Bangsue
Station blocking BMTA buses from picking up passengers directly
from the gates. The measure to prevent abuses of the Park
and Ride service will have to be imposed.
The installation of touchscreen TVMs which can accept banknotes
will have to become a reality very soon to replace human
exchanges. Additional handles inside the subway cars will
help the passengers from slipping when the subway starts
or stops.
The smart cards imported from Japan have 1 kbyte of memory--ready
to carry data about the fare and ticket cost (from Thaipost
- July 2, 2004). However, MRTA better consider the 30-day
pass option as well as 1-day pass and 3-day pass for tourists
in addition to the construction of new gates and connection
via duct to the business buildings very soon.
Without direct viaduct to connect with the department stores
and commercial buildings, MRTA won't be able to attract
those business people and office ladies.
Without a 30-day pass, MRTA will not be able to fulfill
those regular customers who act like a bunch of crybabies
by asking MRTA to freeze the 10-bath flat rate ticket fee.
Handicapped people delighted
with the subway system - translated
and summarized by Wisarut Bholsithi from Thaipost,
June 12, 2004
The handicapped and the senior citizens feel very delighted
after using the Subway system.
The Ministry of Society and Human Resource Development invited
130 handicapped and the senior citizens from Social Welfare
Houses to try using Subway (photos).
Major Sirichai Subsiri (the head of Thai Handicapped People
Association) said there is no problem using the Subway system.
The restrooms, the fire escape routes, the arrows pointing
to the entrances and the exits as well as the security guards
to assist the handicapped are adequate. It is a very good
beginning compared to the inadequate elevators for the handicapped
at the BTSC Skytrain stations and the red tape involved
in using their elevators.
However, Mr Monthian Buntan (head of Thai Blind Peoples'
Association) tells MRTA that MRTA has not installed the
speaking TVMs to help the blind buying the tickets. The
deaf would like to see running messages on LED monitors
so that they could come to use Subway without asking their
relatives and other passengers to help them. It should be
a law to install facilities inside the bus, Skytrain and
Subway stations for 5 types of people: the blind, the deaf,
the handicapped, the retarded, and pregnant women, senior
citizens, children and foreigners who can speak neither
Thai nor English (Japanese and Korean expats are a few good
examples).
Furthermore MRTA has not implemented reserved seats for
the handicapped yet, thus they have to stand for about an
hour at the platforms and wait to ride the subway. Those
who have no wheelchairs and the senior people will have
very hard time waiting for the subway.
Commentary by Wisarut: This should alert BTSC to
install the elevators for the handicapped and senior people
in all Skytrain Stations and dispense with the hassle of
having to ask officers to turn on the elevators. Furthermore,
the TVMs should be upgraded so that the TVMs can speak to
the customers and accept 20, 50 and 100 baht banknotes.
KL STAR LRT (Malaysia) has smart card readers installed
only in some stations while KL Putra has the smart card
system in all stations. This has created lots of problems
when the passengers try to exit stations on KL Star which
have no smart card system. Therefore, BTSC may have to invest
more on smart card system installation in all stations,
not just the interchange stations.
KL Kommuter stations has station names written in English,
Bahasa Melayu (only Rumi scripts [Romanized Melayu]--not
Jawi scripts used in Pattani circle and Kelantan) and Japanese.
Seoul Subway systems have the station names written in Korean,
English and Japanese.
Therefore, it is logical to add station names in Japanese
and Chinese, but the companies have to install additional
signs to carry Japanese and Chinese characters.
Updated list of subway
feeder busses and vans - translated
and summarized by Wisarut Bholsithi from Thairath,
July 2, 2004 & Dailynews, July 2, 2004
BMTA have rerouted the following lines (without changing
the terminals) to serve the following stations
1) Bangsue Station
BMTA No. 9 - Phaseecharoen Pier - Sam Sen Railway Station
BMTA No. 50 - Rama 7 Pier - Chula Hospital
BMTA No. 52 - Pakkret - Bangsue Junction
[This BMTA No. 52 has monopolized Bangsue Junction terminal
for too long - better have aircon or Euro 2 version to serve
the Subway.]
BMTA No. 70 - Prachanivet 3 - Sanam Luang
BMTA No. 97 - Ministry of Public Health - Sangha Priest
Hospital
BMTA No. 125 - Samsen Railway Station - Rattanakosin Somphoj
School [Salaya]
BMTA No 134 [Special] - Bang Buathong - Bangsue Station
Furthermore, BMTA will set up the new bus lines to terminate
at Bangsue Station:
BMTA No. 9 Phaseecharoen Pier -Bangsue Station
BMTA No. 50 Rama 7 Pier - Bangsue Station
BMTA No. 70 Prachanivet 3 - Bangsue Station
BMTA No. 97 Ministry of Public Health - Bangsue Station
BMTA No. 125 - Bangsue Station - Rattanakosin Somphoj School
[Salaya]
BMTA No 134 [Special] - Bang Buathong - Bangsue Station
2) Kamphaengphet Station
BMTA No 77 - Sadhupradit Depot - Kamphaengphet Station
BMTA No 536 - Chatuchak Bus terminal - Expressway - Paknam
(Aircon)
3) Lad Phrao Station
BMTA No 26 - Lad Phrao Station - Minburi
BMTA No 96 - Lad Phrao Station - Suan Siam (Siam Park)
BMTA No 185 - Lad Phrao Station - Phaholyothin - Rangsit
BMTA No 503 - Lad Phrao Station - Phaholyothin - Rangsit
BMTA No 504 - Lad Phrao Station - Vibhavadee Rangsit - Rangsit
4) Ratchadaphisek
BMTA Van 43 - Ram Khamhaeng U. - The Mall Ngam Wongwan
BMTA Van 43 - Thai Chamber of Commerce U. - Welco Ram Khamhaeng
BMTA Van 81 - Saphan Mai - MCOT
BMTA Van 110 - Chatuchak - Pravet
5) Huai Kwang Station
BMTA No 12 - Huai Kwang - Setthakarn (Ministry of Commerce)
[4 Van lines to Ratchadaphisek will pass Huai Kwang station
as well.]
6) Thailand Cultural center Station
BMTA 137 (Circle line) - Ram Khamhaeng U. - Thailand Cultural
Center
BMTA 517 (Aircon) - Thailand Cultural Center - Lad Krabang
7) Phetburi Station Station
BMTA 93 - Seap Game Village - Phetburi Station
8) Queen Sirikit National Convention Center Station
BMTA 2 - Samrong - Queen Sirikit National Convention Center
Station
BMTA 25 - Sai Luad Depot - Queen Sirikit National Convention
Center Station
BMTA 501 - (Aircon) Minburi - Queen Sirikit National Convention
Center Station
9) Samyan Station
BMTA 45 - Samrong - Rama 4 - Samyan Station
Drinking, spitting and photography
in the subway prohibited - translated
and summarized by Wisarut Bholsithi from Thairath,
July 3, 2004
MOTC has come up with Ministry Regulations for the security
and cleanliness within MRTA areas. The regulations were declared
in Royal Gazette on June 29, 2004:
1. Prohibited
1.1) Noisy and annoying acts
1.2) Firearms and replica of firearms
1.3) Stinking materials
1.4) Heavy Luggage beyond the individual carrying items
1.5) Dangerous material
1.6) Spitting, smoking, drinking
1.7) Pinking plants and flowers around subway gates
1.8) Panhandling and asking for donations
1.9) Sexual harassment and other obscene acts
1.10) Standing or putting feet on the seats
1.11) Leaning on screen doors or subway doors |
2. Activities which
need permission
2.1) Leaving subway cars and walking along the tracks
when the subway cars break down
2.2) Entering prohibited areas
2.3) Taking a pets into the subway stations (except
guide dogs for the blind)
2.4) Hawking or selling materials or services inside
the subway
2.5) Using materials that cause noise (e.g. mobile phones,
soundabout)
2.6) Advertising or making announcements
2.7) Photographing or using video cameras
2.8) Taking bicycles or 2-wheeled vehicles inside the
subway |
Violators of this regulation can face 1
month in jail or a 1000 baht fine or both.
Security inside subway will be provided by the police, security
guards, and other officers who have been empowered by Penal
Codes according to MRTA governor, Ministry Regulations, and
Article 62 of MRTA Act of BE 2543 to arrest violators before
delivering them to the police and other officers.
Further subway notes
- translated and summarized by Wisarut Bholsithi from Dailynews,
June 24, 2004
Parking
...New parking lots at Samyan, Phetburi, Sukhumvit, Ratchadaphisek,
Huai Kwang and Thailand Cultural Center will also opened in
addition to a 2000-car Park and ride at Lad Phrao and 200-car
park and ride at Thailand Cultural Center. The parking rate
for Subway passengers is 2.5 baht/hour, 50 baht for the whole
day form 5 am to midnight (no overnight stay allowed) as the
way to cut down car usage by 30%. 10-30 baht/hour for those
who are not subway passengers.
Mobile phones in the subway
BMCL insists that all mobile phone systems will be usable
inside subway stations by the end of August 2004 despite of
the complaints from DTAC. Furthermore, the new technology
to allow the installation of the system to allow the mobile
phones from all companies to use a single telecom line.
Passengers
The estimated daily passengers is 250,000.
Buying the subway
The price to pay for BMCL stock is nearly settled. However
MRTA refuses to honor the debts owed by BMCL. Therefore the
price for high section will be 4 baht/share instead of 3 baht/share.
After merging BMCL with BTSC, there will be nationalization
and then an IPO followed by bus improvement as feeders.
The allocation of stocks are:
1) Ch Karnchang PCL - 30%
2) Natural Park PCL - 24.7%
3) Domestic creditors - 17.5 km
4) BECL PCL - 15%
Registered capital - 7 billion baht
Debts - 12 billion baht
Note: Comment on the Subway
Opening (in Thai)
18 Feeder buses for 7 subway
stations running from 5am to midnight
- translated and summarized by Wisarut Bholsithi from Khao
Sod, June 23, 2004 and Manager
Daily, June 23, 2004
1. Kamphaengphet Station
Line 77 - Terminal at Sadhupradit Depot via Silom and Pratoonam
Line 136 - Terminal at Sadhupradit Depot via Ratchadaphisek and
Rama 3 Road.
Line 536 - (Aircon - Expresssway) Terminal at Paknam
2. Lad Phrao Station
Line 96 - Terminal at Siam Park via lad Phrao road and Serithai
Road.
Line 179 - Terminal at Rama 7 Pier - via Ratchadaphisek and
Wongsawang Road.
Line 185 - Terminal at Rangsit via Phaholyothin and Saphan Mai
Line 503 - Terminal at Rangsit via Phaholyothin and Saphan Mai
Line 504 - Terminal at Rangsit via Vibhavade Highway and SCB
Park
Line 518 - Terminal at Rangsit via Phaholyothin and Saphan Mai
3. Huai Kwang Station
Line 12 - Terminal at Setthakarn (Ministry of Commerce at Tha
Tian) via Ban Moh
4. Thailand Cultural Center
Line 11 - Terminal at Pravet via Hua Mark and Patthanakarn Road
Line 137 - Ram Khamhaeng Circle Route
Line 206 - Terminal at Sri Nakharin Depot via Seacon Square
Line 517 (Aircon) to King Monkut's Institute of Technology,
Lad Krabang via Rama 9 Road, Phatthanakarn and Onnut.
5. Phetburi Station
Line 93 - Terminal at Seap Game Village - via Phatthanakarn
and Hua Mark
6. Queen Sirikit National Convention Center Station
Line 2 - Terminal at Samrong Depot via Sukhumvit
Line 25 - Terminal at Sai Luad Depot via Paknam and Sukhumvit
7. Samyan Station
Line 45 - Terminal at Paknam via Sukhumvit, Phra Khanong and Rama
4
Cell phone signals in the subway
- Bangkok Post, June 24, 2004
... cellphone users would be able to receive signals only on
the ground level and ticketing floors until a mobile phone network
covering subway platforms and tunnels is completed, probably in
early August.
Buying the subway
- translated and summarized by Wisarut Bholsithi from Khao
Sod, June 23, 2004 and Manager
Daily, June 23, 2004
The settlement on subway purchasing will be as follows:
25% sold at par (1 baht/share)
75% sold at premium (3 baht/share)
The government has to honor all the debts from BMCL. However,
the BMCL Board of Directors and shareholders have to approve this
plan first. MOTC is going to apply the same rule, after successfully
asking KfW to make 40% cuts of BTSC debts.
This is part of the 500 billion baht investment on mass transit
systems (91 km MRTA subway expansion, airport Link) and nationalization.
Fortune Town waiting for the
benefits from the Subway - translated
and summarized by Wisarut Bholsithi from Khao Sod, June
23, 2004
Mr Thaweesak Phoonthanet (the senior manager of CP Plaza Co.Ltd.,
the director for Fortune Town) said Fortune Town and IT City will
receive the benefits from Subway since there will be 350,000 daily
passengers going to Fortune Town via Rama 9 Station. This will
boost the number of customers by 10-20% and IT Mall is the main
target since it is the first time a subway has passes by an IT
center in Thailand.
So far the weekdays customers of Fortune Town is 25,000 customers
a day while the weekends customers are 30,000 customers a day.
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