1. Transportation and its Importance
It is no doubt that transportation is important throughout the world, it connects people in many ways, and transportation also enables the ability to trade between people. According to (Limao 2001) remoteness and poor transport and communications infrastructure isolate countries, inhibiting their participation in global production networks. In Thailand, pollution and traffic congestion is the biggest issue faced while looking into the country's transportation system. That is due to the constant transportation of goods through trucks that causes heavy traffic congestion and has a major negative effect on the environment. Hanaoka, Husnain, Kawaski, Kunadhamraks (n.d.) state that the transport sector in Thailand is considered to be the largest energy consuming sector with a rate of 38%. The aim of this report is to enhance the transport infrastructure in Thailand, at the end of this report recommendations are to be made to the government of Thailand on the best suitable option for this country in terms of cost and the benefits to the environment.
2. Background
Thailand relies too much on road transportation as it is estimated using for road transportation is at 85%. In addition, Bangkok is ranked at number one in relation to traffic. According to the traffic chief Planet he mentioned that the main problem with transportation in Thailand in that insufficient mass transportation. In 2016, the number of registered vehicles in Thailand has increased to more than 37 million. An estimated percentage of 40% is related to cars and trucks, While 50% is illustrated by the use of two-wheel vehicles like motorcycles which may help with avoiding traffic since it is one of the major problems in regards to transportation.
This can highlight that the population in Thailand are relying more on the private transportation rather than using public transports. While 50% are two-wheelers. (Netherlands Embassy in Bangkok, 2016)
3. Options
3.1 Busses
Busses operate on land, according to the National Environmental Management Authority buses are considered as the most commonly used means of transport in the world. They are beneficial as they can move to any part of the world on road transport. Texas in the USA has the highest population of about 375000 and the bus by the name MAX, usually has 15 departures from 5.15 AM and 9.40 AM (Keith Barry Gear 2012). This clearly shows how buses are commonly used in the current world due to the increasing population in the world. Most of the people in the urban regions have stopped using personal cars due to traffic congestion. Currently, buses are the most commonly used means of long-distance transport in Thailand which is not the recommended means as it is uncomfortable.
3.2 Railway
Railways to operate on land like buses. The only difference is that the capacity of passengers or luggage carried by the railway transport is much as compared to busses. The rails are long and do not experience traffic congestion thus are considered as the fastest means of transport. North America has the highest number of kilometers covered by railway in the world that is 375000 kilometers, most of the developed countries in the world use railway transport for transporting luggage and passengers (Railway statistics 2013). Despite that road transport is the commonly used means of transport in Thailand, Thailand has a plan of developing the railway transport as the buses are slower as compared to trains.
4. Requirements
4.1 Cost
As per the current research buses are the most expensive means of transport to establish as compared to trains. This is because the buses have to incur expenses of maintaining the roads and themselves. According to world statistics on transport, Thailand relies much on road transport means which is expensive. For instance, the expense of setting up bus transport can be cheap but the expense of maintaining it is very expensive. Road transport is exposed to accidents at a higher percentage as compared to railway transport that has rare accidents. Therefore the cost of maintaining road transport is higher (Anderson, K 1985)
The cost of developing the railway transport is higher as per the nature of the materials required in its development. The durability of the railway transport is what matters in calculating the cost of transport. Therefore for a country to develop railway transport it needs a big budget to be allocated. For instance, the standard gauge railway built in Kenya in the last few years to an estimate of 350 billion Kenya shillings.
4.2 Environment
According to the United Nations Environmental Program reports done, Road transports need land as part of the environment. Recent research shows that road transport requires a large piece of land for it to be developed. It has an additional expense in development due to land required, cost and time factor being considered. The cost of development varies depending on the kilometers of land required to be built.
Railway transport destroys a small percentage of the land as it requires a thin thickness of land and it can pass at any location. Therefore the geographic nature of land does not affect railway transport (Thailand 1965). Railway transport gauges are thin and for that reason, they can easily occupy a small piece of land.
5. Comparison
5.1 Cost
The cost of developing the road transport is expensive. It is not durable, the cost of starting the road transport is cheap as compared to railway transport but the cost of maintaining road transport is high. Road transport gets spoiled easily due to the heavily loaded vehicles passing through the means. Time is money, therefore the slowness of road transport is the loss to businessmen and women.
Railway transport is expensive to develop but the cost is equally related to its durability. Railway transport can serve Thailand for a period of more than 100 years as compared to road transport that will take less than 10 years to start maintaining and repairing. Railway transport does not need much repair as the gauges are metallic and the means is not exposed to transport accidents.
5.2 Environment
Road transport has the highest effect on pollution in the world as compared to the railway. The lead fuels used in most of the buses have made the environment unfriendly for the human beings to live. The effect towards the environment keeps on increasing because of the increased use of more buses in Thailand.
During the development of road, transport land is lost to the roads needed in the region of construction. The environment has to be destroyed in the name of constructing the roads needed. The hilly and mountainous topography of Thailand has a large effect on the construction of roads as compared to railways that can be constructed at any place (Jones, J. H 1973). The general effect exposed by buses on the environment brings an endless environmental effect as natural features like forests are destroyed to construct the roads.
6. Conclusion
In a nutshell, due to the increasing population at the urban centers in Thailand, there is need to use the railway transport to reduce congestion and environmental pollution impact for better living in the future. The cost and the environmental effect are crucial factors that any government agency should take care of during the process of deciding which channel of transport to construct. Buses are therefore not advisable mainly because they are affected by traffic congestion and road transport is affected by the topographic nature of the land. It is the responsibility of the government and the transport agencies to ensure perfect solutions that are environmentally friendly and durable (Pathomsiri 2013)
7. Recommendation
Due to the increased population and the risk of transport using buses which are caused by accidents and poor roads, railway transport remains the solution to all these challenges. It is the cost is high but worth its durability thus railway is highly recommended as compared to busses.
References
JONES, J. H. (1973). Evaluation of road-rail interaction in Thailand. Transportation: Planning - Policy - Research - Practice. 2, 281-298.
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LONDON, B., " ANDERSON, K. L. (1985). POPULATION DENSITY, ELITES, AND THE DISTRIBUTION OF INFRASTRUCTURAL RESOURCES IN THAILAND. Sociological Quarterly. 26, 235-249.
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Netherlands Embassy in Bangkok (2016). E-Mobility in Thailand.
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