Pattaya gets 70-million baht to start tram project

[christianpfc]

I have read that headline every year since I started reading the forums in 2009.

[Gaybutton]

The Pattaya News conducted a write-in commentary poll about whether building a monorail or tram is a good idea. Every one of them were opposed. Some said the transportation system in Pattaya is adequate as it is. Some were saying building a high speed rail link between Pattaya and Bangkok is a much better idea.

See: https://thepattayanews.com/2022/09/11/r ... on-system/

Meanwhile, what are your own opinions?

[Jun]

A decent tram network mostly at near ground level would be good. Maybe place it about 1 metre above ground to reduce the flood risk.

That would eliminate the eyesore of elevated tracks and ensure the users don't have to waste time going up escalators.

What about road traffic I hear you ask ?
Well, get rid of most of it with charges. Where the traffic needs to cross the tracks, put in traffic lights and ensure the tram always has priority. If cars block the tracks, the trams should just shunt them out of the way, as happens in certain European countries.
All this is proven with existing tram networks in other countries.

I sometimes wonder if these planners have travelled to other countries and tried some of the excellent public transport systems. They ought to send some of them to Japan, with the instruction that absolutely no expenses will be paid for taxis, as they must use public transport the whole time.

As for the idea of high speed rail "instead" as proposed by one person, well the two need to go together. Put the tram station directly next to the high speed station. Not like the botched Bangkok network, where one new monorail station looks like it's about half a mile from the airport rail link station, at what is supposed to be an interchange.

Obviously they need more than one tram line. They need something all the way from Jomtien up second road and onto the high speed rail station. Have a branch going up to Nakluea. Then add some kind of central and southern east-west link.
Since the planners see the need for a station at Bali Hai, just extend that on down to Jomtien. This might require a short section of tunnel.

Then the baht buses should mostly be banned from operating on the tram routes (there may be a few exceptions). Introduce a proper bus service for the rest of the city, with a map and numbered routes. The nearest example of a proper bus network is just up the road in Bangkok. Again, the bus network needs to connect up with the tram network.

Getting around Bangkok is quite easy. Even if I want to go somewhere off the Skytrain/MRT network, I just get out google maps and it shows me exactly which buses to take.

If none of this happens in Pattaya, I will probably manage with the existing transport arrangements. However, they should try to improve the system.

[Jun]

These people have taken to posting photos of European trams. https://www.facebook.com/PattayaWatchdog
[I'm not sure how to link to specific FB posts, so scroll down].

A well designed tram network would be perfect for Pattaya.