The bus system scored the highest of all options considered, the first public hearing into a mass-transit system for the northern capital was told yesterday.

The bus system scored a 59.7 per cent rating, said Dr Rangsan Udomsri of Chiang Mai University's Faculty of Engineering, who is leading the team studying the transit project. The options, including a subway and elevated train, were measured according to six criteria - engineering, traffic and transportation, economic, environment, social and land use, and public opinion, he said.

The subway and elevated-train options were the least appropriate, Rangsan said.

The two most competitive options were the bus system and tramcars. The latter, however, scored only a 40.3 per cent rating, he said.

Rangsan said of the bus system: "[It's] more economically viable, cheaper in maintenance and investment, and required less time for construction."

However, the system would cost Bt14.9 billion, if the internal rate of return (IRR) was calculated at 12 per cent, he said. This is double the Bt7 billion estimated by the study team last month.

Prasit Raksayos, a senior officer at the Transport Ministry, said Chiang Mai would face serious traffic and environmental problems within 10 years if it did not build a mass transit system. The study into the system began in January and will end in November, when bidding will start. The study includes both phases of Chiang Mai's mass-transit system.

Rangsan estimated the second phase - which will connect six surrounding districts to the city - should cost Bt17.1 billion, at a 12 per cent IRR.

Administration expert Chatri Ruangdejnarong said the new transit system should be run by a public organisation, rather than local organisations such as the Chiang Mai municipality.

Meanwhile, Chiang Mai mayor Boonlert Buranapakorn said the proposal to build 11 kilometres of flood-prevention walls along the Ping River had been shelved due to opposition.

The mayor said this year's flood-prevention measures would rely on 200,000 sandbags. He also said no budget had been approved for flood prevention this year and the Bt50 million promised by the central government last year had yet to arrive.

Nisanart Katanyutanon,

Khwandao Jitphana

The Nation

Chiang Mai