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The list of stations for the trams (actually light monorails)
along the canals proposed in 1996
From Lok Bai Mai (Environmental Magazine), Vol.8
No. 87, September 1996
There were to be three tram lines along Bangkok canals
to act as a feeders for the MRTA blue line
A. Premprachakorn line
(along Premprachakorn Canal - a canal dug during the early period
of King Chulalongkorn from Phadung Krungkasem canal near Mongkutkasat
Temple to Bangsai, Ayutthaya)
1. Muang Ek - a terminal station with a maintenance center,
Muang Ek village in northern suburb of Bangkok. Rangsit University (a
private university) is in that village.
2. Yoocharoen - Yoocharoen village
3. Techatungkha - Techatungkha Road in the RTAF area
4. Songprapha - Songprapha Road another road in the RTAF area - near
Donmuang Railway Station and Donmuang Airport (International Terminal)
5. Donmuang - Donmuang Airport (Domestic Terminal) and Thung Songhong
NHA Housing
6. Chaeng Watthana - near Laksi Plaza and Laksi Railway Station
7. Bang Bua - Bangbua area, near North Park and Thung Songhong railway
stop
8. Namwongwan - not far from Bangkhen Railway Station and Klong Prem
Central Prison
9. Prachaniwet - Prachaniwet 1 NHA Village, Wat Samian Naree
10. Ratchadaphisek - Ratchadaphisek Ring Road near Siam Cement Village
11. Kamphaengphet - near Km11 railway neighborhood and Kamphaengphet
2 Road
12. Chatuchak -Bangsue Junction, near Siam Cement PCL, terminal station
close to Bangsue Subway Station
Note from the magazine: If Hopewell were progressive, this line would
be scrapped--but now neither lines are going to materialize.
There was an experiment of boat service along Premprachakorn
canal from Donmaung Police station to Bangsue in 1996. However, the
company went out of business just a year later due to economic hard
times and too few passengers.
B. Saensaeb line
(a canal dug in 1837 by Chinese labors as a transportation route from
Klongtan to Paedriw district of Chachoengsao)
1. Asok Terminal Station - to feed MRTA blue line at Phetburi
Station
2. Phromphong - near Italian-Thai Development PCL Building
3. Thong Lor - near RCA - a hangout for high school students and businessmen
to get some drinks
4. Klongtan - A junction between Lad Phrao Canal and Saen Saeb canal
5. Rama IX - Not far from Rama IX Temple and Rama IX community - set
up as a royal project for the poor Bangkokians
6. Nawasri - Soi Nawasri of Ramkhamhaeng Road, in Hua Mark area.
7. Thepleela - near Wat Thepleela (a temple founded by Chaophraya Bodindecha
[Singh Singhasenee] - a great commandeer during the reign of King Rama
III), Ramkhamhaeng 39 road, not far from Ramkhamhaeng Road
8. Mahardthai - Soi Mahardthai (Ramkhamhaeng 65 Road and Ladphrao 122
Road) - not far from FBT Sport Store and Hua mark Stadium
9. Lomdamri - Soi Lomdamri - near Bangkapi District Office, The Mall
lad Phrao, Happyland Market, and Lamsalee Intersection
10. Sribunruang - Wat Sribunruang a terminal for Saensaeb line with
a terminal station and the terminal of Saensaeb boat service (Bangkapi
- Pratoonam - Phanfah).
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C. Phaseecharoen Line
(Phaseecharoen canal dug during the King Mongkut period and funded by
the opium tax)
1. Rama IV Terminal station to feed
MRTA Blue line at Sam Yan station (near Wat Hualamphong, and Chulalongkorn
University)
2. Captain Bush - Captain Bush lane near Si Phraya pier, Portugal Embassy,
and River City
3. Charoenrat - the starting point of Charoenrat Road (from Klongsarn
Pier to Wongwian Yai - a road which is the substitute of the removed
section of Thachin Railway (from Klongsarn Pier to Wongwian Yai) - near
Sofitel Hotel
4. Taksin - Taksin Road - a road from Wongwian Yai to King Chulalongkonr
Fort (a part of Bangkok Naval Station).
5. Intharaphithak - Intharaphithak Road a road from Wongwian Yai to
Tha Phra
6. Ratchadaphisek - Ratchadaphisek Road near The Mall Tha Phra
7. Bangluang Noy - near Wat Paknam Phaseecharoen
8. Suan Liab - Suan Liab canal
9. Bang Wah - Bang Wah canal
10. Bang Ranae - Bang Ranae canal
11. Sukhaphiban - Sukhaphiban Road
12. Outer Ring Road - Kanchanaphisek Outer Ring Road from Rama II Highway
to Phaholyothin Road near Carlsburg Brewery (Wang Noy, Ayutthaya) and
becomes a toll road from Wang Noy to Bangna-Trat Highway. The southern
section to complete the circle had not been started yet - a terminal
station with an independent maintenance center
Commentary by Wisarut: It would have been a real
waste of taxpayers' money to have three separate maintenance centers
and unconnected tram lines for tram system along the Bangkok canals.
It should have had an interconnected network which could have been done
by the following ways:
1. Readjust the Phaseecharoen route to end up at Thewet Pier and then
go along Phadung Krungkasem canal to Si Phraya before going across Chaophraya
river to Klongsarn pier so that it would feed MRTA Subway at Hua Lamphong
and connect with Premprachakorn line at Wat Mongkutkasat
2. Extending Premprachakorn to meet Phaseecharoen line at Wat Mongkutkasat
3 Extending Saenaeb line to meet Premprachakorn line at Wat Mongkutkasat--all
three tram lines would be complete at the same time.
4. There should be one maintenance center in Rangsit to deal with the
rolling stock and maintenance.
Also: The
story of the Klong Tramway
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