The Yellow Line monorail is set to return to its regular schedule this month, following an incident in March that prompted the Mass Rapid Transit Authority (MRTA) to initiate comprehensive safety inspections across the entire line. MRTA acting governor Witthaya Phanmongkol made the announcement recently.
Currently, the monorail is operating on a reduced timetable for a section of the line, stemming from an occurrence in late March when portions of the track’s conductor rail broke off, causing damage to several vehicles below.
The disruption in the rail’s electrical systems occurred between Kalantan and Si Udom stations, necessitating the line’s temporary closure. Although reopened the following day, the incident had left one of the rails damaged between Hua Mak and Si Iam stations, requiring trains to operate on a single track between these two stations.
Due to the unavailability of necessary repair parts in stock, Eastern Bangkok Monorail Co Ltd (EBM) had to adjust the service’s schedule to ensure continuous operation within the track’s limitations, Mr. Witthaya stated.
Now, with the procurement of the requisite parts by EBM, repairs are anticipated to be completed by the end of May, according to Mr. Witthaya.
In response to the incident, MRTA has instructed EBM to conduct a thorough review of its safety protocols and spare part reserves.
During rush hours, trains depart every five minutes, and during off-peak hours, every 10 minutes between Lat Phrao-Hua Mak and Si Iam-Samrong stations. However, due to the operational constraints, trains only depart every 25 minutes between Hua Mak and Si Iam stations, operating on a single part of the tracks.
To alleviate the inconvenience caused to commuters, Mr. Witthaya mentioned that EBM has implemented a 20% reduction in fares until normal operations resume. He further noted a 20% decrease in ridership since the incident, with daily passengers declining from 40,000 to 32,268.