National Motorway-Railway Grid Planned

BANGKOK, June 24 (TNA) -- The Transport Ministry plans a national grid of motorways and railways that will be developed in parallel with each other on north-south and east-west directions. Transport authorities discussed the project in a meeting chaired by Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob. The project was aimed at facilitating the development of new urban areas. It includes three north-south routes with a combined distance of 2,610 kilometers. They are on Chiang Rai-Songkhla, Nong Khai-Lam Chabang and Bung Kan-Surin routes. Five routes were designed for east-west directions, on Tak-Nakhon Phanom, Tak-Ubon Ratchathani, Kanchanaburi-Sa Kaeo, Kanchanaburi-Trat and Phuket-Surat Thani routes. Minister Saksayam said he would propose the project to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha after the cabinet meeting next week. In the meeting, senior transport officials said that the government should co-invest with the private sector because the project would be costly. They also warned the government to prevent duplication with some old railway project such as the Den Chai-Chiang Rai-Chiang Khong railway project. The master plan of the project was expected to be done in a year. (END)