Bangkok to Hua Hin Skytrain

[JW]

Heard an interesting rumour last night, wasnt drunk - promise. This links to Mr Toxin having bought a huge amount of land to the north west of town on which he plans to build a championship golf course (there are two others planned also which look likely to happen). People will be able to get on a skytrain in Bangkok and go straight to his golf course! The story was from a thai person who does have some good links with police and some big army people, but i could not believe that this would be possible. The effects what be huge, in many areas, does anyone think that this is possible?

[Guess]

I too have heard similar rumours with regards transport to Hua Hin from Bangkok.

The BTS track has already been extended over the river and heads SW.

It ends up at the moment somewhere on Thanon Taksin. I have no idea when services will be run.

This may help.

http://www.bts.co.th/en/btstrain_04.asp

As for the feasibility of reaching Hua Hin. I can not see why not. The Thais are very adept at building elevated roads and railroads. I do not see any geographical obstructions and there is already an existing peice of track running from Thanon Thaksin to Samut Songkran. The final 90 KM should be quite easy.

The down side is that the existing rolling stock has a top speed of 50KM. Allowing for stops along the way, travel times would be about 5.5 Hours from Bangkok to Hua Hin.

Faster trains would be needed to make the journey attractive.

With the recent cancellation of the Gulf project I would think that Khun Taksin has some baht to spend elsewhere.

[JW]

Well researched, who knows what may happen. Would be great for gettin to Nana mind.

[Wanderlust]

At first I though this was a joke but thanks Guess for your info.Any investment in public transportation has to be a good idea. You mentioned the limit on top speed for the rolling stock - is that really as fast as they are able to go or is it a limit of the track, or an imposed limit? I agree they would need to be faster, much faster, to be a viable project - if they could guarantee HH to BKK in 2 hours at a reasonable cost (say no more than 150 baht at current prices) they would be on a winner.

[JW]

Believe me Wanderlust, i pisd myself when i first heard it. As you both say it has to be doing well over a 100kms to be effective. I think if it were comfortable and the journey was no more than 2 hours, they may be able to ask say 300 baht. They would have to keep it a little expensive to stop all and sundry using it, the link to the golf course is a major part of the plan as i understood it. Maybe they are thinking about booking golf in bangkok with transport built into the deal. Who knows what the pm has up his sleeve.

[malcolminthemiddle]

How much does an elevated sky train cost to build?

I have no idea, let's say US$2 million per 100m.

So at 150 Baht a single ticket BKK to HH, how many tickets just to pay for the construction costs?

[Wanderlust]

I would say $2 million per 100 m is way off the mark, as in too much, considering how cheap labour is here. But even if it was, recouping the cost will be dependent on too many factors to be able to calculate it accurately here - seat occupancy per train, how long the train is, how frequent, running costs, etc etc. I pulled the 150 baht figure out as one that would be competitive with other forms of transport (bus approx 130 baht, minibus 160 baht, and train around the same area I believe). If the plan is to make it more exclusive then they only need very small, infrequent trains and very high prices but I wouldn't think that would be a very good idea, and I don't think the PM would get approval to use public funds for it. If the plan is to use it purely for the golfers then it will be very easy to calculate the maximum possible numbers to use it, and there would be easily definable peak times. I can't see a project based on this succeeding - it would be a nice add on but the core business would have to, and should, be the general public.

[Guess]

You mentioned the limit on top speed for the rolling stock - is that really as fast as they are able to go or is it a limit of the track, or an imposed limit?

I am not sure whether it's imposed, either manually or technically, but the net effect is that, that is what is achieved on the existing system. You have to bear in mind of course is that, at present, there is little distance between stations.

If any body has used the underground sytem in London (which is actually two completely different systems that at some points share the same track) they will know that as soon as you get to open ground with longer distances between stopping points the speed can reach as high as 100KM.

Of course the BTS is more modern than any system in London so may have some flexibility built in.

I am sorry chaps, but this is an interesting topic but if I keep on it I will be in danger of being labelled a trainspotter. That means that, on my birthday next year, instead of designer shirts and aftershave I will be presented with Anoraks and note books.

BTW if anybody is planning a trip to BKK will you please look out for car 32691. I need it to complete my spotters book.

[HonoluluJimmy]

BTW to HH.....Yeah, I bet the system will be using levatation or some anti gravity system by the time it gets to HH...Soryy, will that be before or after the new Airport is opem and will the complete the Hopwell project before or after the BW for to Pattaya?