The Transport Ministry is considering building separate depots for the northern and northeastern inter-provincial bus terminals to ease passenger overcrowding at the Mor Chit 2 depot.
A bird’s eye view of the Mor Chit 2 bus terminal on Kamphaeng Phet 2 Road. (Photo by Pattarapong Chatpattarasill)
Transport Minister ACM Prajin Juntong said yesterday he will ask the Transport Co to conduct a study on the separation of terminals to break up the glut of passengers and traffic flowing into the Mor Chit 2 depot, which currently handles buses to the North and Northeast.
After the terminals are separated, the Mor Chit 2 terminal will be turned into electric train depot.
"The Transport Co is speeding up a survey of the proposed sites that will take the place of the Mor Chit 2 bus terminal," ACM Prajin said.
He said a survey has been conducted to look into possible locations for the northern and northeastern bus terminals.
Candidates will be narrowed at a Transport Ministry meeting this month.
The ministry also has a plan to use part of the decommissioned Mor Chit terminal, which is now a skytrain depot, in Chatuchak district as a temporary pick-up and drop-off point for inter-provincial buses during the heavy-traffic New Year and Songkran festivals.
ACM Prajin said he had asked the Transport Co to talk to the State Railway of Thailand, which owns the land under the old Mor Chit terminal, to seek ways to use the location.
Issues such as traffic problems and passenger convenience of the terminals will be considered, he said.
A thorough study was needed to make sure the ministry maximises the public benefit.
Transport Co president Wuthichart Kalyanamitra said the company will draft a plan to determine the construction costs, including land purchases.
The plan could be wrapped up within the month, he added.
The Transport Co is examining four plots of land for the new bus terminals, a ministry source said.
Two of them are in the north of Bangkok, near the Future Park Rangsit shopping mall in Pathum Thani.
A third location is in Bangkok's western area close to the Bang Pa-in-Ayutthaya expressway and another close to Don Mueang airport.