After many years of delays, we are finally coming a step closer to seeing the BTS Skytrain being extended all the way into Samut Prakan. At the moment, the latest extension which is to BTS Bearing is only as far as the border with Bangkok. Now we will see another nine stations, according to a report in the Daily News, that will take people as far as the Samut Prakan Crocodile Farm. The last stop will also only be a few minutes away from the Ancient City. Once opened, the new skytrain extension will give easier access to tourist attractions in Samut Prakan for tourists from Bangkok.
Building of the extension, which will take at least three years, will come at a cost. Starting from Songkran next month, two lanes along Sukhumwit Road will be closed to traffic so that they can start to build the extension. This will mean major traffic jams between Bearing and Paknam. Traffic has always been jammed in Samrong due to the bottleneck caused by buses stopping outside of Imperial. The closing of another lane will make it worse. But the pain for a few years will be well worth the benefits that we will gain once the sky train extension is opened.
The new extension will go from Soi Bearing (E14) to Samut Prakan (E23). This stretch is 12.6 kms long and will have nine stations. It passes Imperial World in Samrong, the giant three-headed elephant at The Erawan Museum, the Navy Museum, Samut Prakan City Hall, Big C Samut Prakan and finishes near the top of the soi for the Crocodile Farm. I have already marked the proposed sites for the stations on a google map. As you will see, the next extension will take the line all the way out to Bang Pu Seaside Resort which will eventually mean Bangkokians will be able to catch the skytrain to a restaurant by the sea. However, judging by past experience, the first extension to Samut Prakan won’t be open for another five years, and then to Bang Pu maybe another five years after that.
Hi Richard, This is good news for you and the people staying in Samut Prakan but no good news for me as I am going to BKK this Sept.2012. All the food you have tasted makes me want to go there.
but at last, I will have to make another trip to Thailand again. Keep up the fantastic sampling of Thai foods as I am a great follower your FB and TravelBlogs. Thanks for the information.Sawaade krab.
John Ng
John, I am sure you can find the majority of the food that I have been eating for my Thai Street Food Challenge in Bangkok as well.
Yes, new investments in public transport are realy needed. But the way the line is getting longer and longer wll not contribute to a bettter public transport network in Bangkok. If the government keeps on extending the existing lines, the line will be overcrowded in the center. It is time to develop a multi-polar urban network, connected with mass transport in circles. Time for some regional planning in a city of this size!
Thanks Richard for the reply to say that that food found in Samut Prakan can also be found in Bangkok. The trouble is that I will have to go around looking for it. Won’t it be nice if one knows the location? By the way, I am a Malaysian not a local Thai!Sawaade krab!