3km Monorail link to Bangkok Transit System (BTS) Green Line planned for Bangkok’s Don Mueang airport
15 September 2019
Airports of Thailand Plc plans to build a 3-kilometre monorail electric train route to link Don Mueang international airport with the Bangkok Transit System (BTS) Green Line on the Mor Chit-Saphan Mai-Khu Khot route in Bangkok’s northern suburb, Don Mueang airport deputy director Flying Officer Sumpun Khutranon said.
F/O Sumpun said the monorail system, which will cost about 3,000 million baht, is to complement a plan to make Don Mueang airport a transport hub to link China with Bangkok and the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC).
The 3-km monorail route will be built from a point on the BTS Green Line into the airport. There are two possible spots on the line for the monorail to start — the Saphan Mai and Air Force Museum stations.
Apart from the BTS Green Line, Don Mueang airport will also be connected to the high speed train linking U Taphao, Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports, the Bangkok-Nong Khai-Laos-Kunming (China) high speed train and the State Railway of Thailand’s Red Line.
F/O Sumpun did not give further details on the monorail plan.
F/O Sumpun said Don Mueang airport’s 39-billion-baht phase 3 development project to be carried out from 2020 to 2025 is currently in the design stage. An environmental impact assessment is being considered and a budget proposal is in the works.
The Transport Ministry is preparing to submit a project proposal to the cabinet for approval. If approved, bidding for construction is expected to be called in late 2019 or early 2020. After the completion of the project, Don Mueang will be capable of handling up to 40 million passengers per year.
The work will include the demolition of the old domestic passenger terminal building and construction of a new facility, to be called Terminal 3, to take up to 18 million international passengers per year.
Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 will be improved to facilitate 22 million domestic passengers per year.
The road system around the airport will also be improved to meet the increasing numbers of vehicles. More car park buildings will be erected, aprons expanded and public utilities improved.
F/O Sumpun said Don Mueang airport’s phase 3 development project will comprise three working groups. The first group is for work in the area north of the airport, the second for work in the area south of the airport, and the third for airside construction work such as taxi ways, power stations and control posts.
Source: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1750634/monorail-link-planned-for-don-mueang-airport
