BMA to oversee Green lines

City Hall will supervise the operation of the two Green Line extension projects spanning Bangkok while city-owned Krungthep Thanakom Co will find the operator, according to the State Enterprise Policy Commission.

The commission made the decision at a meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak.

Uncertainty has surrounded the question of who will operate the train lines as the operator has to shoulder the cost of projects being transferred from the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand.

The meeting insisted City Hall has the right to supervise the operation of the lines. However, it must find an operator. Bangkok governor Pol Gen Asawin Kwanmuang said yesterday he had assigned Krungthep Thanakom to find the operator to run the services of the two Green Line elevated routes — the one linking Mo Chit and Saphan Mai in Bangkok with Khu Khot in Pathum Thani’s Lam Luk Ka district and the other linking Soi Bearing and Samut Prakan.

The cost of the transfer, which includes construction expenses, is estimated at more than 84.5 billion baht.

The service operator must make the payment because City Hall cannot afford it.

However, it plans to gradually pay back the operator later, according to Pol Gen Asawin.

Krungthep Thanakom director Manit Techaaphichoke said the operator in question should be Bangkok Mass Transit System (BMTS) because it is currently responsible for installing the control system for part of the Soi Bearing-Samut Prakan section.

BMTS has won a concession to run the existing skytrain service, the BTS, which links Mo Chit and Soi Bearing and the National Stadium and Bang Wa, located on the western side of the Chao Phraya River.

Krungthep Thanakom was earlier assigned by former acting Bangkok governor Amorn Kitchawengkul to oversee jobs regarding the two projects.

The installation cost for Soi BearingSamut Prakan route is calculated at 8.8 billion baht while that of Mo Chit-Saphan MaiKhu Khot is 14 billion baht, Mr Manit said.