PM: Airport Link opening before April

Thailand Het laatste Thailand nieuws
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Writer: BangkokPost.com
Published: 24/09/2009 at 04:45 PM

The airport link railway is ready to operate and the government will launch it as quickly as possible, Deputy Prime Minister Korbsak Sabhavasu said on Thursday.

The deputy prime minister, who is in charged of economic affairs, was speaking after a test run of the 28.6 kilometre route linking Makkasan train station in Bangkok and Suvarnabhumi airport in Samut Prakan province.

About 1,100 representatives of the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) were present.

“From the test run, I can say that the airport link system is ready to operate,” Mr Korbsak said.

However, more staff needed to be trained before operations could begin.

“The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has not been able to set up a subsidiary for this, and it could take at least nine months, or until mid-2010, for all the staff to be trained,” he said.

Mr Korbsak said he will invite SRT executives and all related agencies to a meeting to speed up the process.

ATTA member Thongyoo Supphawitthayakorn said the government should get the airport rail link operating as soon as possible as it would boost the tourism sector.

“This mass transit rail system will benefit tourism related business operators, as they can reduce their client service costs,” Mr Thongyoo said.

He confirmed the number of foreign visitors had dropped about 30 per cent due, and blamed the ongoing political conflict and the anti-government demonstrations.

“It is not possible that the number of foreign arrivals in 2009 will reach the 14 million target of the Tourism Authority of Thailand . The figure this year is more likely to be 11 million at the most,” he said.

The political turmoil had driven foreign tourists to visit neighboring countries such as Vietnam, Cambodia and China.

The Rail Link will make another test run on Oct 1, in preparation for the planned official commencement of operations on Dec 5.

*Bron: Bangkok Post / www.bangkokpost.com *

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Writer: BangkokPost.com
Published: 24/09/2009 at 12:30 PM

The government should get the airport rail link operating as soon as possible as it will help boost the tourism sector, Thongyoo Supphawitthayakorn, a member of the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA), said on Thursday.

“A mass transit rail system linking Suvarnabhumi airport and Makkasan train station in inner Bangkok will benefit tourism related business operators, as they can reduce their client service costs,” Mr Thongyoo said.

He confirmed the number of foreign visitors had dropped about 30 per cent due, and blamed the ongoing political conflict and the anti-government demonstrations.

“It is not possible that the number of foreign arrivals in 2009 will reach the 14 million target of the Tourism Authority of Thailand. The figure this year is more likely to be 11 million at the most,” he said.

The political turmoil had driven foreign tourists to visit neighboring countries such as Vietnam, Cambodia and China.

*Bron: Bangkok Post / www.bangkokpost.com *

3

Published: 8/10/2009 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News

An overseas company will operate the express rail link to Suvarnabhumi Airport for the first few years of its operation, the State Railway of Thailand says.

The SRT union has opposed a plan to set up a subsidiary to operate the service, so an overseas contractor would be hired instead, SRT governor Yuthana Thapcharoen said yesterday.

DB International GmbH, which is installing the operating system for the railway link and training staff, would be hired to run the service as well, he said.

The link is scheduled to open in April. Mr Yuthana said the SRT would need over 500 million baht from the government as a start-up fund to run the Airport Rail Link.

The sum will cover management costs, insurance for trains and passengers, and the cost of running the railway stations.

The governor was among passengers who went on an unofficial trial run of the rail link yesterday. The SRT handed out free tickets to the public.

Further trial runs will be held on Oct 14, 21 and 28 and Nov 4. Daily trial runs will be held from Dec 5 to April.

Mr Yuthana said passengers on the test run from Makkasan station to the airport gave the service a thumbs up.

*Bron: Bangkok Post / www.bangkokpost.com *

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PM: Airport Link opening before April

Published: 4/12/2009 at 03:27 PM
Online news: Local News

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said on Friday he has been affirmed by Transport Minister Sohpon Zarum that the 28-kilometre Airport Rail Link connecting Suvarnabhumi airport with Phaya Thai and Makkasan areas in downtown Bangkok will be in service before April next year.

At present the State of Railway of Thailand, which runs the project, is in the process of checking various technical systems to ensure readiness, he said.

“The transport minister has affirmed that the Airport Link will be opened before April,” said Mr Abhisit, who on Friday afternoon presided over the opening of a test run of the Airport Link system at the Makkasan station and took a ride to Suvarnabhumi airport.

The opening ceremony was attended by about 1,000 people including cabinet members and foreign diplomats.

Deputy Commerce Minister Alongkorn Ponlaboot (left) and Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva (right) attend the opening of a test run of the airport rail link system on Friday.

A large number of people turned up to for tickets for the test run which will be carried out until Dec 7.

Apart from the Airport Link, Mr Abhisit said the government will push for implementation of the high-speed train project.

There are four high-speed train routes: Bangkok - Chiang Mai (745 km), Bangkok - Nong Khai (615 km), Bangkok - Chanthaburi (330 km), and Bangkok - Padang Besar (985 km).

The prime minister said priority is given to the Bangkok - Chanthaburi route. He had instructed agencies concerned to conduct a feasibility study on the first part of the route between Bangkok and Rayong and the study was set to be completed in 45 days.

Moreover, he said that the Council of Economic Ministers on Nov 11 approved in principle the SRT’s plan to use about 100 bilion baht for improvement of rail tracks throughout the country, purchases of more locomotives and personnel development.

*Bron: Bangkok Post / www.bangkokpost.com *

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Published: 5/12/2009 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, accompanied by top transport officials, took a test ride aboard an Airport Rail Link train on Friday to see if all was going according to plan.

The train, which will shuttle between the inner city and Suvarnabhumi airport, is expected to begin offering its services to the public in another 3-4 months’ time.

Fares have not yet been fixed.

After the trial run, Mr Abhisit quoted Transport Minister Sohpon Zarum as saying that the Airport Rail Link could start its commercial service in three months with a maximum fare of only 150 baht.

The prime minister considers the fare as “very low” for a 15-minute ride on the 28-kilometre-long route.

The government would consider combining the Airport Rail Link with a high-speed train project between Bangkok and Rayong, he added.

Mr Sohpon said the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) was waiting for its safety consultancy to give the green light and the go-ahead should come by April.

The SRT is setting up a subsidiary to run the Airport Rail Link and the minister does not expect any opposition from the SRT labour union.

SRT governor Yutthana Thapcharoen said the SRT will hire the DB International GmbH to operate the new rail link for three years, during which time the consultancy will train SRT staff to operate the system.

About 170 SRT employees will be trained to drive the airport trains from August, Mr Yutthana said.

*Bron: Bangkok Post / www.bangkokpost.com *