TRANSPORT PLAN
Proposal of solutions and implementation of strategies
PRIORITIZATION OF THE NECESSITIES IN A TIME FRAMEWORK
Having analyzed Bangkok`s transport devices under the aspects of the MRT, busses, BTS and ARL, taxis, private vehicles and water transportation devices and looking at the time framework it becomes clear that the environmental solutions have to be implemented immediately due to its importance not only in Bangkok but also worldwide. After successfully implementing and constantly monitoring its success it is necessary to focus on the solution of a Intelligent Transport System that not only includes the digitalization of all the transport devices but also includes them being accessible for people with disabilities as well as them being a great improvement for visitors and the environment.
PROPOSED SOLUTIONS & STRATEGIES DESIGN INCLUDING
ACCESSIBILITY FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
SPECIFIC IMPROVEMENTS FOR VISITORS
ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY PROPOSALS
INTELLIGENT TRANSPORT SYTEMS SOLUTIONS
ACCESSIBILITY FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
The main focus of improving the accessibility for people with disabilities lies in improving the accessibility for people tied to the use of a wheelchair as their mobility is limited the most in transport devices in comparison to people with different disabilities.
The current situation in the public transport system in Bangkok shows that there is improvement in all areas. There are some busses that are equipped with foldable chairs so it is possible to make space for wheelchairs when needed, but most of the busses are mainly not accessible for wheelchair users. The airport rail link on the contrary is fully accessible for wheelchairs, but the level of accessibility varies. Some stations are perfectly equipped with elevators, ramps and personal assistance whilst others have some issues like the gap between the platform and the train which is handled by trained staff when asked for help. In comparison to that the Bangkok mass transit system has a medium level of accessibility. The Sukhumvit line has nine out of 22 and the Silom line has eight out of nine wheelchair friendly train stations. But there is only one station, the transfer station between these two lines, which is fully equipped with elevators and wheelchair access within the whole station. In both, the airport rail link and the Bangkok mass transit system, the elevators are also endowed with braille for sightless people. The metro and it´s stations already have a high level of accessibility for wheelchair users as well as for people without or with limited eyesight. All the stations provide ramps and elevators with braille. As another part of the transport system most of the taxi drivers are trained to assist people in wheelchairs to be able to reach their destination. There are also a few bigger taxis with certain ramps so the customer does not have to switch from their wheelchair to the car seat which is the case in normal taxis. Though the bigger taxis mostly have to be hired privately and therefore are more expensive. For the river boat services the current situation is that they are almost not accessible at all for wheelchairs apart from the bigger tourist boats which are normally connected to the pier by a ramp anyway. The smaller transport boats for passengers are quite hard to access. The slimmer long tail boats are not accessible for wheelchairs and some wider ones can be accessed by a ramp which can be attached to the boat. There are a few systems where people in a wheelchair can be let onto the boat in a type of electronic rope lift but this installation is barely used and intricately. Also, the sidewalks have a very poor quality and are tilted or even have massive holes which makes it impossible for wheelchairs to move freely in the roads.
All the transport devices already have good basic structures for accessibility, they just have to be extended on every part of the network and not just some areas. The most important transport device to make fully accessible for wheelchair users is the busses as they are the most frequently used transport device withing Bangkok. Whilst doing that the focus of improving the train stations should lie in improving the connecting or important stops firstly as these are the stations most needed. Afterwards it is necessary to focus on the rest of the stations. All the adjustments on the transport devices themselves have to be done over night to not interrupt the traffic flow massively. The adjustments at the stations can be done during the day or at times beyond the rush hour. As the metro already has a high level of accessibility there is no need to make improvements just yet. The focus can also be taken of the taxis as they already are the most frequently used transport device of wheelchair users due to its easy accessibility directly from the street and the staff mostly is trained to give help when needed. Looking at the fact of the lack of quality in sidewalks the government is facing a high-cost project. Boats have a very low level of accessibility but as these are rarely used as transport devices the focus can stay on improving the trains and busses. This focusing on certain transport devices has to be done to regulate the expenses and focus them on the most important improvement parts. To monitor the correct implementation of the strategies in the long run it is necessary to have indicators that monitor the success of the implementation. Therefore, it is essential to trace the amount of wheelchair users using the transport devices which will be adapted. This amount recorded before the implementations has to be compared to the amount of wheelchair users using these transport devices after the implementation in selected time intervals. Through this strategy it is possible to create statistics and percental rises in the accessibility. These records can be best received through online surveys as well as physical counting at the adapted stations or within the public transport devices.
Making public transport more accessible for people with disabilities will not just help a lot of people it will also reduce the car usage drastically and result in improvement in the environmental sector.
SPECIFIC IMPROVEMENTS FOR VISITORS
The tourism industry accounts for a fifth of Thailand's economy, leading therefor to its administration being essential for the future of their country. However, Thailand has been struggling for several years with the high demand and arrivals to their airports. In fact, great investments have been made for projects regarding the capacity and expansion of terminals of the Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok. Further investment in infrastructure is crucial for Thailand to stay ahead of the growing industry.
Bangkok is the best-connected city within Thailand, although visitors still deal with many issues regarding the public transport system.
The main improvement that should be made is the adjustment of the quality of the already existing transport options of Bangkok. Solutions for this include the amplification of the mass transit network, improve the quality of river boat services, and tighten measures when it comes to taxis, seeing as they are commonly known to scam tourists. An additional problem, is the multi ticket system they have, creating an inconvenience for both visitors and residents when changing transportation mode. The Thai governments should set as a priority to introduce a single ticket system for the combination of all transportation modes by also including card/ticket readers on board.
A further advancement Bangkok should focus on is the extension of their rail network, in order for it to cover more areas and destinations around the country. This would increase the likelihood for more tourists to come visit Bangkok, knowing they have the option to continue their travels to further destinations around Thailand, such as Phuket. However, the Thai government doesn't only have to invest in its extension but also in the development of its quality. For instance, the trains and the stations need upgrading regarding both safety and hygiene. The stations would benefit greatly from the incorporation of ticket booths, real-time schedules and information in different languages.
When it comes to improvements that can be made within the city, in order to enhance the experience for the visitor, several opportunities for improvement arise. Firstly, the development of infrastructure for bicycles in the inner part of the city or areas with more tourist attractions can be beneficial. Better bike lanes and parking for bikes create a viable option for tourists to get around. Secondly, the general improvement of walkability of the centre part of the city would encourage tourists to see the main attractions by foot. Ideas for the implementation would be to increase pedestrianized zones, create more walking maps and add basic shops such as supermarkets and cafés to the area. This would once again be beneficial for both the tourist and the resident, by avoiding the contribution to traffic congestion.
Improving road signs is an additional element the government could take into consideration. Numerous signs in the areas of tourist attractions should be made available in other languages for the easier orientation and navigation of the visitor.
Regarding safety and security Thailand ranks 111th out of 140 countries in the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report of 2019. This is a very low point and needs assessing as a problem.
The issue with this related to the tourism industry, is that many potential tourists have turned down the idea of visiting due to this. Safety and security means both enhancing road safety and improving the availability of it in tourist attractions. By complying with regulations and norms regarding safer road conduct, such as the implementation of more lighting around rural roads and restrictions on speed limits, road transport can be transformed into a safer transportation mode. However, when it comes to safety and security within the tourism industry, the government should increase the availability of information and assistance points especially in tourist areas. Hotels could have a safety checkpoint for visitors and implement more police stations in small but famous tourist destinations and attractions.
ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY PROPOSALS
How can Bangkokians move sustainably into the future?
There are millions of cars roaming the streets of Bangkok every day. This means that a large amount of carbon dioxide gas is discharged into the atmosphere. The concept of sustainable travel would be a better idea, as it involves various transportation practices that have less impact on the environment. This includes the use of zero-emission vehicles and efficient public transportation, as well as the promotion of circular economy manufacturing systems and infrastructure. Sustainable transportation is the key to the actual development of cities into eco-friendly metropolises. This can be achieved by implementing convenient, cheap and green transportation, such as trains, smart buses, bicycles and walking.
Electric vehicles are the future
“Based on statistics it’s pretty obvious that the plug-in hybrid and EV (electric vehicle) technology is a new trend that’s becoming a substitute to petrol engines,” says Krisda Utamote, director of corporate communications of BMW Thailand. In Thailand, 15,366 new plug-in hybrid vehicles and EVs were registered in the first two quarters of 2019 alone, accounting for 75% of the same type of vehicles registered in Thailand throughout 2018. If you are an EV driver in Thailand where there is a lack of suitable charging stations outside of Bangkok’s city center, this means that you cannot just try new roads or drive to unknown areas, so this problem should be solved. With the development of electric vehicle technology, Thailand will have to increase the number of charging stations and to improve the infrastructure.
Train solutions
Ten years ago, the citizens complained about the lack of functional trains in Bangkok. Now they complain about the simultaneous expansion of the city’s train lines and how the traffic conditions have deteriorated. The urban plan includes high-speed trains connecting Donmuang and Suvarnabhumi airports in Bangkok and U Ta Pao Airport in Pattaya; and high-speed trains to the Isa area. (Then, TransPod proposed a study on super pods, involving pods that travel from Chiang Mai to Bangkok at an airplane-like speed.).
BMA has planned several large and small projects so that everyone can live in the city. They want to build more roads for drivers, to improve the best road range the city should have, including major roads, minor roads and small streets. This idea and project should improve the traffic in Bangkok. They also revealed that in order to encourage seamless road-to-rail commuting, BMA is planning to build some parking and ride spaces near the terminal and support the commercial development of pedestrians around the railway station. BMA plans to adopt the concept of multi-center growth to develop Bangkok from a concentrated metropolis into a city with multiple sub-centers, that is, a suburban town with its own multi-purpose development zone. The train connects these sub-centers together. The short-term goal is to maximize the use of energy; the long-term goal is to improve the living standards of cities.
Buses
The train is efficient in transporting large numbers of people, but in terms of economics, it is not the most efficient. Free-running vehicles such as buses and trams are a way that has lower operating costs and can cross smaller roads that trains can never cross. However, in Bangkok, the buses are very old and covered with dirt and dust. People want to know how bus travel has become more environmentally friendly and pleasant.
At the recently held Movin’On, the world’s largest sustainable transportation summit, manufacturers and inventors demonstrated how to apply electric engines to vehicles of any size. Such an environmentally friendly bus would be a good solution. Residents should also be encouraged to abandon the daily transportation of private cars and use public transportation more. In addition, they founded Mayday in Bangkok in 2016 by young visionaries. They realize that improving public transportation is the key to solving many of the challenges facing cities, including quality of life, economic and social inequality. One of their first projects was to redesign the bus station signs around the old city in a simple and understandable way. Their work was so impressive that BMA commissioned them to redesign the signs of 188 other bus stations in the area. They show that big moves start with small steps.
Ships and Boats
Hydrogen fuel cells and battery-powered vehicles are leading the development of zero-emission technology. However, compared with battery technology, hydrogen fuel cells are considered the first choice for zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles. Frequently used hydrogen fuel cells also have a longer uptime, a lower carbon footprint, and a trend toward lower operating costs relative to an equivalent battery that loses charge.
Bikes, electric bikes
These modes of transportation are very beneficial to the environment, and you don’t have to worry about their harmful effects on the environment by making loud noises due to harmful carbon monoxide emissions into the atmosphere.
INTELLIGENT TRANSPORT SYSTEMS SOLUTIONS
The purpose of these Transport System solutions in Bangkok is making the capital city of Thailand reach the upper list of the Smart Transportation Systems of the world by creating accurate driving information and efficient ITS (Intelligent Transport System) Management.
Smart Transportation Data
An informative data collection with all the useful information regarding transportation in the capital city of Thailand is a necessity in the millennial century. This way, by collecting and integrating smart data the Transport System would run smoothly avoiding congestions.
Smart Traffic Mobility
Bangkok and also Thailand’s Transportation Systems lacks in information regarding traffic data which results in hours spent in congestions. Therefore, a solution would be collecting informative data in an integrated command center for both drivers and pedestrians to avoid traffic jams and find alternative routes in the high seasons. After collecting informative data, the second phase would be integrating this into an informative journey planning accessible to every citizen.
Smart Public Transport
The ownership of private cars in Bangkok counts as 60% from the total of 100%, which means the citizens need to be encouraged to use public transportation in the near future. By implementing assistive public transport, one stop service and making mobility a service, the government of Thailand could be able to attract the people to use the public transportation. This could facilitate the movement of workers and help diminish the congestions as public transportation has a higher capacity than a private car.
Smart Transport Safety
Safety in traffic has never been on the top list of Bangkok’s qualities. The lack of information and effective management of the transport situation made it unsafe to use both private cars and public transportation in Thailand’s capital. By implementing a smart enforcement and smart vehicles, Bangkok could become a safer place to commute to work or spend a holiday in. Thereby, the smart enforcement would help the authorities keep the situation under control.
The development goal of the transport system in Bangkok would be having a Public Transport Information where the citizens can check bus, metro or train schedules, prices and any additional information, a common ticket working as an e-payment for all public means of transport available (including BTS and MRT) in smartphone wallet as well, and also intelligent bus stops as any big capital city should have. This would result in a more reliable and commuter-friendly public transport system.
