Blue Ring Extension

[Wisarut]

Blue Ring May Cuase the Collapse of Santa Crus Church in Thonburi
Dailynews - Decemebr 12, 2005

There was a discussion between MRTA and local people of Thonburi on Blue ring Issue
at Thonburi District on Dec 8, 2006 with 100 people Attained the meeting.


There is No station in Thonburi District since the first station in Thoburi is in Bangkok Yai
.... HGowever the track myst go across chao Phraya to pass Thonburi district which
will cause many buildings to collapse .... esp the old Santa Crus catholic Church whcih
is more than 80 years old (built to replace the old one in 1913 - the oldest one can be
dated back to abotu 200 years ago durign the time of Kign Taksin the great).
Sata Crus Church has NO supportign pillars at all.


Assistant MRTA Governor Chookiat Phothiyanuat explained the local people that
MRTA would ensure that NO damage on those buildigns in Thonburi durign the construction
of Blue Ring since it wat construct 30 meter DEEP from the surface - the clay level which
is good to absorb the vibration. Ther Drill headf would have the control system to readjust the drillign pressure to be constant all the time.

Furthermore, ther will be the buildign inspection ... and they will halt the construction if there is a change on the buildigns alogn the route and they will havee to pay the compensation on the damaged buildings.


Note: Now, Many Thai netters have dug into the scandals of Former Governor Praphat .... many accused him of

1) corruptions on the purchase of the special low power fluorescense light bulbs
which require SPECIAL orders to replace every time it was burnt out and

2) incompetency on the handlign of Power Supply Design by letting the power Supply of MRT form bang kapi and Huay kwang to have Series connexction instead of Parallel connection ... so the power outage at either Bang kapi or Huay Kwang would cause power outage at Subway track ... totally UNACCEPTABLE.

To be fair, MEA is to be blame for the power outage sicne they have NOT replaced the good old transformers whcih have been comissioned for 30-40 years. Theerfore it needs frequent inspection and replacement of systems as quaterly basis (every 3 months)

3) The corruption combined with incompetency on the design of the tracks from Thailabnd cultural center to Depot whcih cause the first Subway accident in Thailand.

4) Ther was a rumour that several wrokers of subcontractors were Suffocated to Death durign the plate laying (track laying) due to the incompetency of thsoe who run power supply above by turning off ventilators so they can run the aircon withotu power outage problem.

[Yappofloyd]

I really do find it strange that there are still areas of uncertainty about the Blue line given that it was always intended to be a circle line (when first proposed in the late 90s) and that there were a number of public consultations in late 2005 and early 2006 regarding the extension of the Blue Line. I mean what have people been doing for the last six years.....?

Of course the Blue Line will affect the environment of Rattanakosin Island, most likely it will significantly imporve it, along with the purple line, by reducing traffic and pollution!

Electric train lines put on fast track Bidding on Red Line to be opened in March PRADIT RUANGDIT AMORNRAT MAHITTHIROOK - Bangkok Post 09/01/07

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister M.R. Pridiyathorn Devakula has ordered relevant agencies to speed up five electric train projects, with the Red Line being the first to open for bidding in March. After chairing a meeting of a government committee responsible for following up on the progress of the planned routes, M.R. Pridiyathorn said the panel agreed to call bids for the Red Line (Rangsit-Bang Sue-Taling Chan) in March and for its extension (Bang Sue-Makkasan-Hua Mark) in July.

Bidding for the Purple Line (Bang Yai-Bang Sue) is expected to open in May, and in July for the Blue Line (Hua Lamphong-Tha Phra, and Bang Sue-Tha Phra-Bang Khae) . Meanwhile, the committee is to review and streamline bidding procedures for the Green Line (Mor Chit-Saphan Mai, and Soi Baring-Samut Prakan) so that bids could be called soon. The five lines are estimated to cost about 165 billion baht. M.R. Pridiyathorn said the government would issue bonds and seek loans from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) to finance their construction.

Deputy Transport Minister Sansern Wongcha-um said the Blue Line has run into some land expropriation problems, particularly at Wat Mangkorn Kammalawas community in Chinatown. Further negotiations would be held with local residents to find out if they wanted an electric train route in their neighbourhood or not, he said. Kriangsak Lohachala, chairman of the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) committee, said concerns had been raised over the Blue Line project design.

It is feared that construction of its underground section from Hua Lamphong to Tha Phra would affect the environment of Rattanakosin Island, which is the old city area of Bangkok. The MRTA committee finally resolved that the underground section would be maintained, said Mr Kriangsak. MRTA plans to hold talks with the Rattanakosin Island committee to discuss the controversy and work out solutions by Jan 17, he added.

According to the project design, a subway station is to be built in the old city area at Sanamchai. The Rattanakosin Island committee fears its construction will affect the historic site and wants the station relocated. However, an MRTA source said the agency did not think the subway construction would cause any environmental impact. Sanamchai was considered the best location and Rachinee school, located nearby, was strongly in favour of the proposed site, the source added.

[Pas]

Well they really have no choice but going underground In fact it would facilitate conservation effort of Ratanakosin Island, for example they could turn the metro station into a sort of museum like they did in Athens.

[ncr]

Originally Posted by Pas

In fact it would facilitate conservation effort of Ratanakosin Island

... and maybe they could turn some historical streets into pedestrian zones after an extensive mass transit network has been completed. (Sorry, just fantasizing.)

Seriously, there are other things far more damaging to the cultural/architectonical heritage of this city, not least the horrendous road traffic and the resulting pollution. Yet, did you ever hear any criticism about new roads being built in Bangkok? But when they plan to construct a rail line, people suddenly come up with concerns about the environmental impact and conservation issues?!

[Yappofloyd]

^Khun ncr, exactly! We are on the same track here as I have written pretty much the same thing on the skyscrapercity thread on the same issue of creating more pedestrian and open space by geeting vehicles off the road. Vehicles which obvious pollute the whole area and which you rightly say that no one ever seems to complain about new road construction. Shock, horror but BMA could even close some roads in Chinatown.

Khun Pas and others even wisely suggested a tram network to feed and supplement the trains lines planned.

[Wisarut]

Land Exappriation along Blue Ring - from Royal Garzette
Matichon - 8 July 2007

Bangsue - Tha Phra


Hua Lmaphong - Bang Khae


Royal Garzette Vol. 124 No. 31 - 6 July 2007 has stated the land exappropriation for Blue Ring ... allowign MRTA officers make a survey on these land before makign offical plan for land exppaopriation.

This Hua Lamphong - Bang Khae section will cover Prathumwan, Bang Rak, Pomprab Satroophai, Samphanthawongse, Phra Nakhon, Thonburi, Bangkok Yai, Phaseecharoen, Chomthong, and Bang Khae District ... to get the land for park and ride as well as the track

This Bangsue - Tha Phra will cover Bangsue, Bang Plat, Bangkok Noy and Bangkok Yai to allow the building of Park and Ride alogn with the track

This will be mixed with elevated tracked, at grade section and subway ... accordign to the land condition ...

[Yappofloyd]

I still cannot believe that after all of these years they are still finalising the design of the Blue Line which was originally planned in the late 90s!

Purple Line payments imminent MRTA: Land to be transferred next year
KANANA KATHARANGSIPORN Bkk Post 25/09/07

The Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) will start paying the nine billion baht it owes for land expropriation along the Purple Line next month, according to MRTA governor Prapat Chongsanguan. He expected the payments to be complete within the year so that MRTA can start expropriation, demolition and clearing of land within 60 days of the payment. It expects to transfer lands for construction to the contractor next year.

The lands that were expropriated include 1,014 plots costing about nine billion baht. Most of the smaller plots would be used for the construction of stations, entrances and exits. The largest plot of more than 100 rai is located in Bang Yai, the site of the Purple Line terminal, where the MRTA would build a maintenance and repair centre. It will have an expropriation price of about 2.9 billion baht.

There will also be four large plots for park-and-ride buildings. One will be located at Bang Phai station at the Purple Line terminal in Bang Yai on Kanchanaphisek Road. Another will be located at Bang Yai Intersection station on Rattanathibet Road, Tha It station near the Tha It intersection and Nonthaburi Intersection 1 station near Nonthaburi Bypass Sanam Bin Nam Road.

(Blue Line)
Meanwhile, land expropriation for the Blue Line between Bang Sue and Tha Phra will involve fewer plots than the Purple Line as the traffic islands and footpaths along the Blue Line that will be used for stations, entrances and exits are larger. ''In some parts [of the Blue Line] like in the Yaowarat area, land prices are very high so we have to use a subway instead,'' said Mr Prapat. The largest plot will be a maintenance and repair centre at Phetkasem 48 Station, opposite Phetkasem Soi 48, covering more than 100 rai.

''Land and property owners can appeal to the court if they are not satisfied with the prices,'' Mr Prapat added. Since the construction of the first MRTA subway line from Hua Lamphong to Bang Sue, there have been many appeals from land owners. The MRTA has a budget of 500 million baht for paying them if it loses. ''Our design will be concerned with security first and people's inconvenience second,'' says Mr Prapat. ''Security is the top priority for the mass-transit system. If there is an emergency, we must deliver as many passengers as we can. The world's security system standard determines an evacuation of all people within six minutes.''

Currently, the Blue Line from Bang Sue to Tha Phra is in the process of initial design, with details scheduled for completion next month. As soon as the design is finished, the MRTA will estimate prices before setting up a committee to set the prices. The committee will have representatives from every related district and the Land Department. The MRTA expects to start land expropriation for the Blue Line by early 2008 and finish the process by the fourth quarter of the year.

[mdechgan]

So are the blue and purple lines confirmed for bidding and construction yet?
Purple being PK to Rattanakosin and Blue being Bang Khae- Hualampong.
Has teh budget been approved or is still in the decision stages?

[Wisarut]

Originally Posted by mdechgan

So are the blue and purple lines confirmed for bidding and construction yet?
Purple being PK to Rattanakosin and Blue being Bang Khae- Hualampong.
Has teh budget been approved or is still in the decision stages?

No bidding yet .. just land exappropriation after issuing Royal garzetts

[Wisarut]

Please Speed Up Bangsue - Tha Phra Section to Blue Ring
March Forward and Turn Left (Letter to Editor on BKK Issue)
Dailynews- 3 April 2008

Those who live along Charan Sanitwongse Ring (Part of Ratchadaphisek Ring) has sent the letter to Editor ... The letter sadi that:

Originally Posted by ThonburiPeople

MRTA, Please speed up the Blue RIng (Bangsue - Tha Phra section) as soon as possible ... We have fed up with traffic jam along Charan Sanitwongse Ring
... Furhtermore, the continuing Fuel Hike have already BURNT our wallets to such extend that we want to sell our cars to take Blue Ring ride.

OUR MPs in Thonburi area seem to do NOTHING to speed up the Bue Rign Project.

Please ask for the LOAN from JBIC or so to finance this section as soon as possible ... Those who live in Nonthaburi got the Purple Line ... WHY NOT the Blue Ring for us?

Sure, Taksin extension across Chao Phraya is about to start ... but we need Blue Ring to ensure that people from all corner of Thonburi area got Subway/Skytrain lines.

Please, NO MORE Political Football (PPP vs. DEM - Central Government vs. BMA) ... We have fed up with this kidn of political football whcih delay Subway/Skytrain project and aqdd moire construction cost!