ABOVE: A rendering shows the proposed light rail service.
At best the service will launch in 2021, with a much higher number of polygons.
Phuket’s much-anticipated light rail project is, at best, two years away from breaking ground, according to The Phuket News:
Peraphon Thawornsupacharoen of the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning said yesterday that construction of Phuket’s light-rail project
could start within two years, if everything goes according to plan.
“We hope to open the bidding for corporations and local organizations to join the project at the beginning of next year.
We expect construction to start in 2017 and finish in 2021,” he said.
“The Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand has already expressed interest in joining the project.”
The authority operates the world-renowned BTS Skytrain service in Bangkok.
However, the THB24 billion light-rail project of Phuket has yet to pass its Environment Impact Assessment, Peraphon said.
“And we need to hold public hearings to gather feedback and recommendations from local residents who will be affected by the mega-project,” he added.
A public hearing to gather such feedback was to be held yesterday at Queen Sirikit Park in Phuket Town but was called off due to heavy rain.
“Regardless, we will hold all the required public hearings before the end of this year, and after that we will move ahead with the project,” said Peraphon, who was in town to get feedback on the project.
“The recommendations from locals we received today will be presented to the project consultants to adjust the project plan to best serve local requirements.”
The top concern raised so far was parking spaces, he said:
“I have talked with the Phuket City Mayor about providing public parking for these people.”
Source: http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2015/06/19/pts-phuket-light-rail-project-could-begin-2017
