On Tuesday, the cabinet approved the commencement of the western route project of the Orange Line by Bangkok Expressway and Metro Plc (BEM), as announced by government spokesperson Chai Wacharonke.
The Orange Line mass transit system links Bang Khun Non district with Min Buri district, covering a 35.9-kilometer network of underground and elevated rail segments. The route includes a 13.4km western stretch from Bang Khun Non to the Thailand Cultural Centre, and a 22.4km eastern section from the Cultural Centre to the Suwinthawongse area in Min Buri district.
While the construction of the eastern project has been completed, with trains expected to commence operations by January 2028, progress on the western project had been halted due to a previous dispute between Bangkok Mass Transit System Plc (BTSC) and the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) over the concessionaire bidding process.
Following the dismissal of a lawsuit filed by BTSC against MRTA by the Supreme Administrative Court on June 12, affirming the legality of the bidding committee’s revisions to the terms of reference (ToR), BEM was granted the operating rights for the Orange Line. BEM, known for operating the MRT’s Blue and Purple lines, proposed requiring less financial support from the state compared to its competitor, Italian-Thai Development (ITD).
Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit stated that the contract for this 140-billion-baht project will be signed on Thursday, with an agreement to invest under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP)-Net-Cost investment model. The contract will span 30 years, with the western project slated for completion in 2030.
