The Khon Kaen Light Rail Transit Project is a planned
light rail transit system consisting of an initial 16 stations to serve
Khon Kaen Province in north-east Thailand. A Phase 2 five-station extension is also planned. The line will have both at-grade and elevated sections. Fares are expected to be a flat 15 baht.
As of 2020, construction has yet to start.
History
The original plan for mass transit in Khon Kaen consisted of a four line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) network which was proposed in 2012. By 2014, a master plan for the BRT network had been finalised.
However, in early 2015, Khon Kaen Mayor proposed converting the long North-South Red BRT line into a light rail line as part of Khon Kaen's
Smart City
A smart city is a technologically modern urban area that uses different types of electronic methods and sensors to collect specific data. Information gained from that data is used to manage assets, resources and services efficiently; in return ...
development program and to integrate with the future planned North East
high speed rail
High-speed rail (HSR) is a type of rail system that runs significantly faster than traditional rail, using an integrated system of specialised rolling stock and dedicated tracks. While there is no single standard that applies worldwide, lines ...
to
Nong Khai
Nong Khai ( th, เทศบาลเมืองหนองคาย, ) is a city in northeast Thailand. It is the capital of Nong Khai province. Nong Khai city is located in Mueang Nong Khai district.
Nong Khai lies on the Mekong River, near ...
. By mid 2015, a feasibility study was commissioned for a light rail line. In mid March 2016, the Thai government signed a decree approving the project and provided a budget to complete the feasibility study and design of the project. In March 2017, the Khon Kaen Mayor announced that a private company, Khon Kaen Transit System Co., owned by Khon Kaen City and 4 surrounding municipalities would be established to operate the line.
In July 2017, it was announced that the tender for the project was to be issued and awarded by the end of 2017. However, this did not occur as the feasibility study by
(OTP) evaluating the design and operations had not been completed. The OTP study was completed in February 2018 and the project was formally approved by the government in October 2018.
As of December 2018, bidding on the project is scheduled to commence no later than February 2019, with construction beginning immediately after the process concludes within next year.
In November 2021 the Khon Kaen Transit System Co signed an with
CRRC
CRRC Corporation Limited (known as CRRC) is a Chinese state-owned and publicly traded rolling stock manufacturer. It is the world's largest rolling stock manufacturer in terms of revenue, eclipsing its major competitors of Alstom and Siemens.
It ...
to form a joint venture for construction.
Lines
Alignment
The LRT line runs on a north-south axis along Mittraphap Road through the center of Khon Kaen city.
See also
*
List of urban rail systems in Thailand
*
Phuket Island Light Rail Transit
References
{{Urban Rail Transit in ASEAN
Rail transport in Thailand
Proposed rail infrastructure in Thailand
Light rail in Asia