A boat in Klong Mahasawat in Nakhon Pathom province (Photo: www.bangkokpost.com)Bangkok (VNA) - Thailand’s Transport Ministry plans todevelop and integrate 12 canals into Bangkok's main transport system, as partof a long-term plan to solve the city's worsening traffic congestion.
The Bangkok Post newspaper quoted ministry’s permanent secretaryChaiwat Thongkamkoon as saying that Bangkok citizens should not just rely onone or two modes of transport. Instead, they should have a wheel-rail-boatplan of travel to avoid being trapped in traffic.
Travelling along a network of canals linked with the electricrailway and bus stations will complete the city's plan to deal with excessiveroad congestion, he said.
Of the 12 canals, the one with the most travel potential isKlong Mahasawat, Chaiwait said. The 26-kilometre waterway links inner and outerBangkok before merging with the Thachin River in Nakhon Pathom.
There are currently eight small piersalong the canal, but they need to be improved to serve a larger number ofpeople. In the future, passengers on this canal will be able to take electrictrains, Chaiwat said.
Boat services are operated on some ofthe 11 other canals but they need more of the boats to increase the carryingcapacity of the canals.-VNA
