PHUKET: The Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) organised three public hearings about the first phase of a tram project in Phuket that wrapped up yesterday.
According to project manager Somkiat Triamjeang-arun, the 58.5-kilometre project linking Phuket International Airport and Ha Yeak Chalong Intersection with an extension to Chatchai Port is expected to have 23 stops, with the tram cars along costing at least 10 billion baht.
The new service is expected to be operational in time for the Specialised Expo 2028 and provide a mass-transit option for local residents.
Mr Somkiat said the MRTA signed a contract to hire a consultant group called FSPKT2, led by the Thammasat University Research and Consultancy Institute (TU-RAC), to help research and analyse the mass-transit system on this island province.
During the consultation, it was agreed the line should be extended to Chatchai Port and connect with the expo site, which resulted in the original plan being altered.
The MRTA will focus on the island’s transportation system and is expected to use the research findings in selecting a contractor, he added.
Residents along the construction route were invited to the hearings.
Mr Somkiat said during the forums, three tram systems were suggested: a steel-wheel tram, a rubber-tyred tram with an actual and virtual guide rail, and an electric bus rapid transit (EBRT) tram.
As the latter cannot operate on the tracks, a wider area would be needed to accommodate it, he said.
Potential stops, fares and a tram system that would have the least impact on residents’ lives were all discussed, he added.
The results of the hearings will be incorporated into a report and submitted to the Transport Ministry in May, Mr Somkiat said.
Key figures in Phuket shared their thoughts on the project.
Don Limnanthapisit, president of the Phuket Old Town Community, said this subject had been discussed for a long time, but the system would be a boon.
Chalong Hospital director Dr Chuchart Nijwattana said trams would reduce road fatalities and save commuters time.