The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has ordered a review of the 19.6 billion baht Red Line extension from Salaya to Nakhon Pathom, citing concerns about its return on investment.
During a Thursday board meeting, Deputy Governor Anan Phonimdaeng announced that consultants have been instructed to re-examine the project’s feasibility and investment value. The SRT had previously engaged Team Consulting Engineering and Management, a consortium, to review the designs and prepare bidding documents under a 112 million baht contract with a 450-day timeline. While this contract will proceed, the consultants are now tasked with finalizing an initial feasibility study to ensure the project’s cost-effectiveness.
The updated feasibility study is expected to be submitted for board approval by the end of the year. The majority of the 28-kilometre extension will be built on existing railway land, requiring minimal land expropriation. Originally studied in 2007, the project is planned as a ground-level line with a one-metre track width.
Anan indicated that construction is anticipated to begin in 2028, with the line opening to the public in 2032.