On October 7, the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) announced plans to propose the operational format for the Purple Line (South) electric train project. The route, spanning 23.63 kilometers from Tao Poon to Rat Burana (Kanchanaphisek Ring Road), will be presented to the MRTA board once its new members are appointed. The MRTA confirmed its preference for a continuous 46-kilometer route covering both the southern and northern sections of the Purple Line, with the latter running from Tao Poon to Khlong Bang Phai, which is already operational.
The MRTA’s proposed continuous operation would provide passengers with seamless travel, similar to the current service on the MRT Blue Line and the BTS Green Line. This would eliminate the need for a separate tender to find a new operator. Instead, the MRTA is negotiating with Bangkok Expressway and Metro Public Company Limited (BEM), the current operator of the northern Purple Line, to amend the concession agreement, allowing BEM to manage the entire route.
Despite previous suggestions from the State Enterprise Policy Office (SEPO) and the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) to hold a new bidding process for a separate operator, the MRTA found this approach might unfairly favor BEM over other bidders. Additionally, any new operator would need to ensure compatibility between its system and the existing northern Purple Line, which could present operational challenges. Including such specific requirements in the terms of reference (TOR) could also lead to complaints of favoritism.
If the MRTA board approves the proposal, it will then be forwarded to the Ministry of Transport and, subsequently, to the Cabinet for final consideration. According to the project timeline, system installation and train procurement should begin by 2025 to ensure that the southern Purple Line can commence operations by the end of 2028. Currently, construction progress on the southern Purple Line, which involves six contracts, is 40.38% complete.
The northern section of the Purple Line, operated by BEM since August 2016, was established under a 30-year concession signed in 2013, set to expire in 2043. The operating model follows a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Gross Cost agreement, where the state oversees fare collection, allowing for immediate implementation of government policies, such as the cap on fares not exceeding 20 baht per journey.
In the background, various officials, including those from SEPO and the NESDC, have played roles in shaping these ongoing discussions. Further updates will follow pending final decisions from the MRTA board and Cabinet.
