Pattaya, Thailand-
The Pattaya Mayor, Sonthaya Khunplume, spoke to the press this weekend about the long-debated and discussed light rail/monorail project, reassuring residents that the project had not been canceled and was still in progress.
According to the Pattaya Mayor, multiple foreign investors and capital companies are still interested in the project and an initial investment of 20 billion baht is likely to take place.
Further discussions and planning and the public/private/partnership (PPP) process are set to take place during the 2022-2023 year, specifically around finalizing routes and types of light rails, such as a propulsion system or magnetic system.
According to the Mayor, the total length of development for the project should be about five years, with at least the first of several planned monorail lines planned to be completed around 2027-2028.
This completion date will be in line and coordination with ongoing Eastern Economic Corridor projects to also expand U-Tapeo Airport and high-speed rail transportation connecting different areas of Chonburi to other parts of Thailand, according to the Mayor.
Based on the current plan, the construction of the first phase of the monorail will start from the Pattaya BTS Station, around Soi Siam Country Club to meet at Bali Hai Pier in South Pattaya by using a route through the Motorway Road, entering North Pattaya Road before turning onto Pattaya 2nd Road and straight to the South Pattaya Pier. The distance is about 9 km, with an estimated investment of more than 20 billion baht.
The Mayor did not expand on where exactly the foreign investors were from. TPN notes the Mayor is also up for election in May, although the final date of the election has yet to be decided, and depending on the results could alter the project.
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