(Photo: 2Bangkok.com)
The sign reads: Developing the new system of transportation – 10 Skytrain lines – 20 baht ticket for round trip – Double track rails to connect all directions in the system – The high speed rail project from Bangkok to Chiangmai-Korat-Huahin – the Airport Link to Chacherngsao-Chonburi-Pattaya – Puea Thai Party
[Thaksin has already campaigned on new mass transit lines for Bangkok in 2004-2005. This included signs all around town telling locals the exact mass transit lines that would be going through their areas. However, once the election was won, all the plans were cancelled. It is likely that there were so many powerful Thai Rak Thai figures with interests adverse to mass transit that the grand plan would never be undertaken and was simply used as a ruse during the election. Below is a scan from a TRT pamphlet with promises for future Bangkok mass transit from January, 2005.]
[Earlier Thai Rak Thai promises included forcible nationalization of the existing mass transit companies. This was primarily to punish these companies which were at that time aligned with the political opposition. However, this plan also fell through: Premier Thaksin stuns Suriya by revoking the plan for Skytrain-Subway nationalization. More mass transit new from around that time is here.]
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