Major rail projects 'making progress'

Work on Purple Line to finish 'next year'

PUBLISHED : 8 May 2026 at 05:52

NEWSPAPER SECTION: News

WRITER: Post Reporters

- Small

- Medium

- Large

- 1

The Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) said the southern extension of Bangkok's Purple Line is now more than 70% complete and remains on schedule to open in 2030.

Meanwhile, plans for metro systems in Chiang Mai, Phuket, and Nakhon Ratchasima are also progressing.

MRTA governor Gardphajon Udomdhammabhakdi recently said that construction of the Purple Line's southern extension from Tao Poon to Rat Burana is now more than 70% complete. The 23.6-kilometre section is expected to be completed by October next year, with operations scheduled to begin in 2030.

The MRTA is revising the terms of the project -- which is a public-private partnership (PPP) model -- to align with the government's common ticketing policy.

The revised terms are expected to be submitted to the MRTA board within the next two months.

According to Mr Gardphajon, operating the southern extension together with the northern section would maximise the use of the existing 21 Purple Line trains, although the procurement of additional trains is still under assessment.

The operational cost of the southern extension is preliminarily estimated at 20–30 billion baht.

Meanwhile, electric railway projects in Phuket, Chiang Mai, and Nakhon Ratchasima are expected to begin operations in 2032.

In Phuket, the proposed 42-kilometre light rail transit (LRT) line linking Phuket International Airport with the Chalong Intersection will move forward after the Department of Highways completes road improvement works aimed at minimising traffic disruption during construction. The project is expected to be submitted to the Cabinet by late next year.

Chiang Mai's Red Line tram project is also progressing following a design study for a five-kilometre extension from the Mae Hia Saman Samakkhi Intersection to Royal Park Rajapruek.

Public hearings have already been conducted twice. The study will be combined with that of the main 15.8-kilometre section between Nakornping Hospital and the intersection before being submitted to the Cabinet for approval.

In Nakhon Ratchasima, the Orange Line project connecting Debaratana Hospital and the Chor Hor interchange station has undergone major route revisions, with approximately 30–40% of the route adjusted from the original Green Line proposal.

Subscribe to our newsletters for daily updates, breaking news and exclusive content.

- KEYWORDS

- Thailand rail projects

- Mrta purple line extension

- Chiang mai tram project

- Phuket light rail transit

- Nakhon ratchasima orange line

- Thailand public transport infrastructure

- Bangkok metro expansion