Pattaya City unveils plans for nine-kilometre monorail

[Gaybutton]

Trams similar to the artist's impression would be perfect.

I don't think we're looking at the same picture. What I'm looking at is here: https://www.pattayamail.com/news/new-pu ... wth-471170

[Jun]

I don't think we're looking at the same picture. What I'm looking at is here: https://www.pattayamail.com/news/new-pu ... wth-471170

We're definitely NOT looking at the same artists impression. The Pattaya mail shows the hideous monorail that they seem intent on constructing. If anything, the Bangkok one is worse than the artists impression.

I'm referring to the artists impression in The Bangkok Post. Whilst referring to a monorail in the article, the picture shows the kind of tram system they ought to be building: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... orail-plan

I wonder how many of the politicians and how many of the voters in Pattaya have tried both a monorail and a tram system ?
Probably not many, as to experience a tram, they would have to go to Korea, Japan or further afield.
Do they have any idea how superior a tram is to a monorail ?

Of course, this being Thailand, they are probably more interested in who can make money off the construction project than providing practical and efficient public transport.
Last week, I was in Berlin Main Station. I used to think it was big, but despite containing both north south and east west lines, with fast trains and loads of departures, the building is just 860m long. There are convenient connections to trams, buses, S-bahn and the underground.
The Krung Thep Ahpiwat building is 1.6km long, just to run a mickey mouse rail service. The distance from the MRT to the trains is so far, they almost need a bus. This is in a country where people aren't known for walking.

This mess is OK for occasional travel as a tourist, but surely anyone who has to commute every day must be tearing their hair out ?

[Jun]

There have been comments on what Thailand can build, in another thread on Casinos. (edited)

Well, they have proven themselves to be perfectly capable of building a monorail. Badly.

The yellow line in Bangkok has a poor ride quality. Exactly how difficult can it be to cast a smooth concrete rail ?
Occasionally pieces fall off it, which is dangerous for other road users & disrupts the service.
I've already commented on the stations, but they're in all the wrong places & difficult to access.

Pattaya is taking this one step further, as the initial line will run "from Thap Phraya intersection on the city’s west side to Nong Mai Kaen in the east".
According to the Bangkok Post.
Now isn't the Thappraya intersection the one with the flyover to third road ? Other than a few Indian tourists, who the hell wants to go there ? I imagine most people who use this will need to continue the trip by Songthaew.
It might just be plausible for a trip from Sunee to Jomtien. Just walk down the hill, across the wasteland, climb 2 flights of steps, spend 40 baht, climb an other flight of steps and after taking the train, climb down 3 flights of steps at the other end.
If they follow the Bangkok example, there will also be tortuous walkways and the stations will be about 300m away from the obvious destinations.

There are proven alternatives to provide a better transport solution at lower cost. I suspect they're interested in the construction contract & don't give a damn about the resulting transport solution.

[Gaybutton]

Still talking about it. Maybe within the next century or two they may actually start building it. The proposed routes, at the end of the article, are good, but not far reaching enough. None of the routes cover some of the most congested areas such as Pattaya Tai and Pattaya Klang. None of the routes go to Jomtien. None of the routes run along Sukhumvit or have stations anywhere near "The Dark Side"

In my opinion, just as important, there ought to be established parking areas for cars coming in from Bangkok, especially on holidays, before traffic reaches the city, and monorail stops to accommodate them - with enough cars for the numbers of people and short waits for the next set of monorail cars - 5 minutes max.

But at least they're planning something. I'll believe it's really going to happen if and when they finally break ground to build it.
_______________________________________________________________________

Pattaya Mayor pushes monorail project forward amid traffic woes and land disputes

By Pattaya Mail

August 1, 2025

Traffic congestion in Pattaya continues to worsen, sparking urgent calls from residents and tourists for a faster, more modern public transportation system. The increasing gridlock is not only a daily headache for commuters but also threatens the city’s reputation as a top tourist destination and economic center.

Mayor Poramet Ngampichet chaired a progress meeting on the Monorail Green Line project at Pattaya City Hall, on July 31. The meeting was part of ongoing efforts to study feasibility, design, and environmental impacts for a tramway-style light rail system planned for the Banglamung District.

However, the project has encountered delays due to opposition from local residents affected by land expropriation. These disputes have stalled the submission of the required environmental impact assessment report. To overcome these challenges, the city government held this meeting to explore solutions and engage in negotiations with the community to reach agreements that will allow the project to move forward.

Many locals express a strong sense of urgency for improved transit, noting that nearby cities such as Penang and Johor in Malaysia are already advancing medium-speed train systems. They warn that without modern infrastructure, Pattaya risks falling behind in development. At the same time, there are concerns about the construction phase, including potential disruptions to power lines, bus routes, and worsening road conditions during building work.

Some question whether an extensive train network is necessary for a city smaller than Bangkok, suggesting that convenience and coverage should be prioritized. Accessibility also remains a key issue, with calls for stations to include elevators and easy access for tourists carrying luggage, as long stair climbs would be impractical.

Mayor Poramet reaffirmed the city’s commitment to resolving these obstacles swiftly to ease traffic problems and advance Pattaya’s vision as a smart city with an efficient and comprehensive transportation system.

The project has planned three main routes for the monorail system:

The Red Line, covering 8.20 kilometers, running from Pattaya Train Station through the Motorway, North Pattaya Road, Beach Road, and ending at Bali Hai Pier.

The Green Line, stretching 9 kilometers, running from Pattaya Train Station via the Motorway, North Pattaya Road, Second Pattaya Road, Thappraya Intersection, and ending at Bali Hai Cape.

The Purple Line, running from Pattaya Train Station along the Motorway, North Pattaya Road, Third Pattaya Road, Thappraya Road, and finishing at Bali Hai Cape.

https://www.pattayamail.com/news/pattay ... tes-512229

[Dodger]

.......However, the project has encountered delays due to opposition from local residents affected by land expropriation. These disputes have stalled the submission of the required environmental impact assessment report.

Either the Project Planners have no idea what they're doing - or the person who wrote this article made an error, because for projects like this an environmental impact assessment report is completed and submitted as part of the initial feasibility study...NOT AFTER land appropriation concerns are addressed. The rationale for planning projects like this is that if the Plan is not considered feasible because of environmental concerns it does not proceed any farther.

Thailand is famous for making grand announcements about major projects before they even know if the project is feasible or not. A good example was back in 2023 when they announced the construction of a new ship marina to be constructed in Bang Saray. After a year of residents being totally confused about what was going to happen they finally sent a team of experts out to do the environmental feasibility study. The study failed because at low tide the water wasn't deep enough for a marina and the project was scrapped.

Ready - Fire - Aim

[Gaybutton]

Either the Project Planners have no idea what they're doing - or the person who wrote this article made an error

Three guesses which is most likely . . .

It probably doesn't matter anyway. If constriction ever actually starts I'll be amazed. If it does start I can hardly wait to see all the problems it will cause.

[Jun]

Either the Project Planners have no idea what they're doing - or the person who wrote this article made an error

Three guesses which is most likely . . .

Both. Also, if feasibility work were completed, there should be some very detailed plans that the Pattaya Mail could publish. A proper journalist would seek out such evidence.

Trams would be perfect. Send them on a fact finding mission to somewhere like Vienna to see how well they work.

[Gaybutton]

Trams would be perfect.

Yes they would, which is exactly why I think that won't happen. But if they do anything that actually relieves the traffic problems, and soon, whether it is trams, monorails, buses, flying carpets, or whatever, at least it would be a start.

[Jun]

Yes they would, which is exactly why I think that won't happen. But if they do anything that actually relieves the traffic problems, and soon, whether it is trams, monorails, buses, flying carpets, or whatever, at least it would be a start.

Politicians typically lack the talent to have good ideas and think through the unintended consequences.

So the obvious solution is to look at what works elsewhere and copy it. Unfortunately, politicians often lack the talent to even do that.

A quick fix for Pattaya would involve introducing a proper bus service and dedicated bus lanes so the buses aren't obstructed by other traffic. Since this is Thailand, they would need cameras every 50 metres to enforce the bus lane rules. Then ban the songthaew from the routes with buses.

Also, charge for parking in central Pattaya, including in all the shopping centres. Use the money for public transport.

Incidentally, I believe you can't vote, but I don't recall ever reading anything about local elections on these forums. I wonder what the campaign promises are ?

[Gaybutton]

Incidentally, I believe you can't vote, but I don't recall ever reading anything about local elections on these forums. I wonder what the campaign promises are ?

You're right, only Thai citizens can vote. If you're asking me about campaign promises, you're asking the wrong person. I pay zero attention to campaign promises, especially in Thailand. Even those who win elections, even by a landslide, are not guaranteed to take office - as illustrated by what happened with Pita. No matter what they promise, very little ever changes anyway.

That, however, is a different subject. What you recommend for traffic problem solutions makes sense - which, again, why I believe none of it will ever happen.