Twelve canals eyed to ease city transport

>>The Transport Ministry plans to develop and integrate Klong Mahasawat and 11 other canals into Bangkok’s main transport system as part of its long-term plan to solve the city’s worsening traffic congestion.

Bangkokians shouldn’t just rely on one or two modes of transport, according to permanent transport secretary Chaiwat Thongkamkoon.

Instead, they should have a lo-rangruea (wheel-rail-boat) plan of travel to avoid being trapped in traffic.

Travelling along a network of canals linked with the electric railway and bus stations will complete the city’s plan to deal with excessive road congestion, he said.

Of the 12 canals, the one with the most travel potential is Klong Mahasawat, according to Mr Chaiwat.

The 26-kilometre waterway begins at a section of Klong Bangkok Noi, near Wat Chaiphruek Mala in Taling Chan district, and runs westward to the capital’s Thawi Watthana district and Nakhon Pathom’s Buddha Monthon district before merging with Thachin River in the province’s Nakhon Chaisi district.

“This canal links inner and outer Bangkok,” Mr Chaiwat said. He also believes the link will be especially helpful to residents living in western Bangkok.

In the future, he added, passengers on this canal will be able to take electric trains on the 15-km Bang Sue-Taling Chan section of the Red Line.

There are currently eight small piers along the canal, but they need to be improved to serve a larger number of people, he said. Boat services are operated on some of the 11 other canals, including in Klong Saen Saep and Klong Phasi Charoen, but they need more of the boats to increase the carrying capacity of the canals.

Many commuters also avoid traffic jams on Ramkhamhaeng and Phetchaburi roads by travelling through a section of Klong Saen Saep that runs from Phan Fa Bridge to Bang Kapi district, connecting them to the public train lines.