BANGKOK, THAILAND – Thailand’s transport minister firmly rejected a planned tram project for Phuket, calling instead for major road expansion and bus-based solutions.
Minister rules Phuket tram plan a failure
The deputy prime minister and transport minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn reiterated his opposition to the tram or light rail system proposed by the MRT Authority. He considered the project the wrong approach for the island.
“I do not agree with the project,”
said Phiphat, stressing that the rail line would be built on the central reservation of main roads and consume valuable traffic lanes. Additional pedestrian bridges and infrastructure would, in his view, further obstruct traffic for only very limited benefit.
Low ridership fears and high price tag
Phiphat fundamentally doubted the tram’s success, arguing that expected passenger numbers were far too low because most visitors and residents on the island travelled by private car. The first phase, a 41‑kilometre line from Phuket airport to the Chalong junction, was estimated to cost 35 to 35.2 billion baht. Critics quoted in the debate described this as an enormous sum for a mode of transport planned without sufficient regard for actual demand.
Buses and wider roads as preferred alternative
Instead of fixed rail, the minister said he wanted to invest in flexible dedicated bus lanes. These lanes could be opened to general traffic when needed and, in his view, would be much more efficient.
“A bus system offers more flexibility,”
said the minister, adding that the priority lay in the expansion of roads and the extension of the existing bus network. He argued this would save billions in capital costs and cause less construction disruption in the already congested tourist hub.
Plan to avert traffic collapse on the main artery
Phiphat outlined a concrete plan to massively widen the main road from the airport into the city. By removing the central reservation and using mobile barriers, the current six lanes were to be turned into eight lanes. The Department of Land Transport was instructed to negotiate with private operators on increasing the bus fleet, with more buses running on their own lanes to ease chronic congestion.
Strategic shift away from rail for Phuket
The rejection of the tram marked a clear strategic choice for Phuket’s future transport policy. The government continued to back individual car traffic, seeking to optimise it rather than switch to a new rail system. Critics accused the minister of short‑term thinking, arguing that a modern rail line could eventually shift more tourists from rental cars to public transport and reshape mobility on the island.
Other southern mega-projects remain on track
Despite dismissing the Phuket tram, Phiphat underlined that other infrastructure mega‑projects in the south would move ahead. These included in particular the planned land bridge project, linking the Gulf of Thailand with the Andaman Sea as part of the Southern Economic Corridor initiative. According to the minister, this project retained high priority in Bangkok, with a clear focus on freight flows between the seas rather than passenger transport on the resort island.