Bangkok—
On December 20th, 2023, Thai national media reported that Mr. Surapong Piyachote, the deputy transport minister, publicly revealed the consideration of the extension of 3 routes to outskirt areas on the Red Line railway project.
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) officials were ordered to consider extending the routes on the Red Line railway to outskirt areas such as from the Rangsit-Thammasat University Rangsit Center station to Ayutthaya and from the Taling Chan-Salaya station to Nakhon Pathom, said Surapong.
Surapong stated the reasons for considering extending the distance were that many people were living outside of Bangkok city, and the Thai Minister of Transport officials must therefore plan to support urban growth and help reduce the amount of population in urban areas.
The SRT officials will present the project after scrutinization at the end of December and will propose the idea to a Thai cabinet meeting within two months as a high budget must be considered as well, said Surapong.
The project will potentially facilitate a way of expanding new communities and decrease the number of immigrants into the city with better public railway transportation, concluded Surapong.
