Partial demolition of two bridges in the Ramkhamhaeng-Lam Sali area will commence next month, at the earliest, to prepare for the construction of the MRT Orange Line's eastern route, says Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) acting governor Rithika Suparat.
Contractors will begin work at the foot of the Ramkhamhaeng elevated road inbound towards Rama IX, and the inbound foot of the flyover crossing Lam Sali intersection.
Mr Rithika said the bridges are currently in the way of the construction of the Ramkhamhaeng Soi 12 and Lam Sali MRT stations, which are part of the planned route.
The Orange Line's eastern route, from Thailand Cultural Centre to Min Buri, will stretch 22.6km and have 17 stations. According to MRTA reports, the route, valued at 79 billion baht, will be open by 2023.
According to Mr Rithika, the first stage of the demolition, on the Ramkhamhaeng elevated road, will mean one lane will be closed off on both the inbound and outbound sides of Ramkhamhaeng road during this period, leaving two lanes left open on each side.
He said demolition will begin by the end of March, while construction of the Ramkhamhaeng Soi 12 station will take around 30 months to complete.
Demolition of the Lam Sali intersection flyover will commence in October, Mr Rithika said. He added the area's MRT station would take around six months to complete, after City Hall asked the MRTA to speed up construction.
He said the Orange Line's western route, from Thailand Cultural Centre to Taling Chan, is currently awaiting the results of a study on a potential joint investment model between the government and private sector.
According to him, the study will be finished by April, after which it will be submitted to the MRTA board for approval. He added auctioning for both the routes will begin this year.
The Orange Line's western route will stretch 16.4km, and has been valued at around 120 billion baht.
In a similar development, three more trains will be added to the existing MRT Blue Line's Tao Poon to Hua Lamphong route next September to decrease passenger congestion, said Deputy Transport Minister Pailin Chuchottaworn on Monday.
The deputy minister's comments were made after a scheduled visit to Wat Mangkon MRT station, part of the upcoming Blue Line's southern extension.
The station, one of the route's four underground stations, is located on Charoen Krung Road.
The remaining 15 stations are set to be located above ground, while each underground station will be specifically designed according to historical significance and aesthetic value.
According to Pakapong Sirikantaramas, deputy governor of the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA), the southern extension will first be open for public use by September 2019, while the complete route will be up and running by February 2020.
