Subcenter Development in Bangkok
This article appeared in the March 2020 issue of PowerTALK™ News
The railway network is rapidly expanding in Bangkok, Thailand, the core city of Southeast Asia. The aim is to disperse urban functions that have become severely congested due to urban development and the rapid increase in the number of cars.
New routes will be opened until 2023, including the connection of two major airports in Thailand, and the total distance will be double the current distance. The total project cost is 1 trillion yen, and development along the railway is active.
Originally, in Bangkok, the Chao Phraya River flowed north and south through the city, making it difficult to move east and west. However, the birth of the circular line resolved that problem, and now it is possible to travel with a single train between the business district extending from central Bangkok to the east and the residential area west of the Chao Phraya River.
Source: Nikkei
PSR Analysis: Traffic jams and air pollution in urban Southeast Asia are not limited to Bangkok. Many cities, such as Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur and Ho Chi Minh City, are facing this problem. Several measures have been devised, including plans to relocate the city itself, but many have been stalled due to economic and political problems.
While Bangkok’s progress has been successful, it’s still half completed, and many problems must be solved to complete the project. Today’s economy is starting to decline due to the coronavirus problem. But the policy of developing cities through roads and railroads and dispersing excessive concentration is a move in the right direction. Southeast Asia may be the best place to see the diversification of transportation, with the rise of car sharing, ride sharing and EV bikes. PSR
Akihiro Komuro is a Research Analyst, Far East and Southeast Asia
