The Mass Rapid Transit Master Plan in Bangkok Metropolitan Region, or M-Map, is the latest version in a series of Thai government plans for the development of an

urban rail transit Urban rail transit is an all-encompassing term for various types of local rail systems providing passenger service within and around urban or suburban areas. The set of urban rail systems can be roughly subdivided into the following categories, ...

network serving the

Greater Bangkok The Bangkok Metropolitan Region (BMR) ( th, กรุงเทพมหานครและปริมณฑล; ; ), may refer to a government-defined "political definition" of the urban region surrounding the metropolis of Bangkok, or the built ...

area. It was drafted under the care of the

Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning The Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning or OTP ( th, สำนักงานนโยบายและแผนการขนส่งและจราจร) is a department of the Thai government, under the Ministry of Trans ...

(OTP) of the

Ministry of Transport A ministry of transport or transportation is a ministry responsible for transportation within a country. It usually is administered by the ''minister for transport''. The term is also sometimes applied to the departments or other government ag ...

Early versions (Old plans)

Mass Rapid Transit Systems Master Plan (MTMP)

The first version of the plan, endorsed by the cabinet on 27 September 1994 and to be implemented from 1995 to 2011, consisted of an extension of to the three systems already in progress (the

MRT MRT may refer to: Transport Rapid Transit Systems * Mass Rapid Transit (disambiguation) * MRT (Singapore) or Mass Rapid Transit, Singapore * MRT (Bangkok) or Metropolitan Rapid Transit, Thailand * Manila Metro Rail Transit System, Philippine ...

Blue Line, the

Sukhumvit Sukhumvit Road ( th, ถนนสุขุมวิท, , ), or Highway 3 ( th, ทางหลวงแผ่นดินหมายเลข 3), is a major road in Thailand, and a major surface road of Bangkok and other cities. It follows ...

and

Silom Si Lom Road (also written as Silom, th, สีลม, ) is a major street in the Thai capital Bangkok, best known for its commercial neighbourhood, which, along with the nearby and roughly parallel Sathon Road, forms one of the city's main bus ...

lines of the BTS Skytrain and the Bangkok Elevated Road and Train System (BERTS)), which would have had a combined length of .

Urban Rail Transportation Master Plan in Bangkok and Surrounding Areas (URMAP)

Following the

1997 Asian Financial Crisis The Asian financial crisis was a period of financial crisis that gripped much of East Asia and Southeast Asia beginning in July 1997 and raised fears of a worldwide economic meltdown due to financial contagion. However, the recovery in 1998–1 ...

and the cancellation of the BERTS, a system totalling to begin in 2001 was proposed, to be developed in three stages: during 2001–11, during 2012–21 and from 2022 onwards.

Bangkok Mass Transit Master Plan (BMT)

Due to the slow progress of development following URMAP, a new plan was drafted consisting of of rail in addition to the then-completed MRT Blue Line, the Sukhumvit and Silom BTS lines, the MRT purple line, and the Airport Rail Link to undergo rapid development during 2010–29. The plan was approved by the cabinet in 2016, and consisted of the following extensions: * Light Green Line: North–south extension of the BTS to Khu Khot and Kheha Samut Prakan * Dark Green Line: West extension of the BTS to Yot Se * Blue Line: Extension of the MRT Blue Line to complete a quasi circle line with a branch to Lak Song * Purple Line: South extension to Rat Burana is under study * ' Orange Line: Running east–west Min Buri to Bang Khun Non * '

SRT Dark Red Line The SRT Dark Red Line, or Thani Ratthaya Line ( th, รถไฟชานเมือง สายธานีรัถยา) is part of the SRT Red Line suburban railway system to serve the greater Bangkok Metropolitan Region running for 26 ...

: Running north–southwest from Rangsit to Bang Sue to Maha Chai * '

SRT Light Red Line The SRT Light Red Line, or Nakhon Withi Line ( th, รถไฟชานเมือง นครวิถี) is part of the SRT Red Lines suburban railway system serving the greater Bangkok Metropolitan Region running for 15 km between K ...

: running east–west from Hua Mak to Sala Ya *

Airport Rail Link An airport rail link is a service providing passenger rail transport from an airport to a nearby city by mainline or commuter trains, rapid transit, people mover, or light rail. Direct links operate straight to the airport terminal, while o ...

: North extension to Don Mueang

M-Map development

Original M-Map (2010)

The first M-Map plan was endorsed by the Commission for the Management of Land Traffic in 2010. It designated eight primary routes, consisting of two

commuter rail Commuter rail, or suburban rail, is a passenger rail transport service that primarily operates within a metropolitan area, connecting commuters to a central city from adjacent suburbs or commuter towns. Generally commuter rail systems are con ...

lines, an

airport rail link An airport rail link is a service providing passenger rail transport from an airport to a nearby city by mainline or commuter trains, rapid transit, people mover, or light rail. Direct links operate straight to the airport terminal, while o ...

, and five rapid transit lines, as well as five feeder lines. The routes, totaling , were to be constructed within a development period of twenty years (2010–29). They were: Development would be divided into three stages, in addition to those lines already open or under construction.

M-Map 2 (2017)

The 2010 M-Map did not reflect more recent changes to the priority of constructing new rapid transit lines in Bangkok. While the Orange, Yellow and Pink lines received approval in the years that followed, the Grey and Light Blue lines remained unapproved at the time of the next M-Map. In March 2017, the Minister of Transport announced the development of the Second Mass Rapid Transit Master Plan in Bangkok Metropolitan Region (M-Map 2). The Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP) was the main agency responsible for this master plan's development, with technical assistance from the

Japan International Cooperation Agency The is a governmental agency that delivers the bulk of Official Development Assistance (ODA) for the government of Japan. It is chartered with assisting economic and social growth in developing countries, and the promotion of international co ...

(JICA). The initial project materials listed the following lines as part of the plan: In 2019, JICA released a ''Proposed M-MAP2 Blueprint'' study, outlining "key policy directions and measures based on which the M-MAP2 will be developed by the Thai Government". The Department of Rail Transport, OTP's successor agency for rail transport planning, is in the process of completing M-Map 2.

Lines outside of M-Map 2

, the Grey and Light Blue line projects remain unapproved; however, the

MRT Brown Line The MRT Brown Line is a 22.1 km rapid transit line in Bangkok, Thailand proposed monorail mass transit line from Nonthaburi Civic Centre, Nonthaburi Province to Lam Sali intersection, Bang Kapi District. 20 stations are proposed for the lin ...

project, which will link Nonthaburi Civic Center with the Lam Sali intersection between Ramkhamhaeng and Srinagarindra roads, has gained cabinet approval. Additionally, a Gold Line from Krung Thonburi to the Memorial Bridge, partially funded by property developer

Siam Piwat Siam Piwat is a Bangkok-based retail and development company. The company is best known for managing Siam Center, Siam Discovery, Siam Paragon, and Iconsiam shopping malls in Bangkok, Thailand. History Siam Piwat Company Limited was first establ ...

, is operational outside of the M-Map framework.

Overview

Current operations

Under construction

Future planning

Notes

References

External links

Mass Rapid Transit Master Plan in Bangkok Metropolitan Region at the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning websiteM-MAP2 Project website, Department of Rail Transport
{{Urban Rail Transit in ASEAN Rapid transit in Bangkok Transport in Bangkok Proposed public transport in Thailand