Bangkok commuters spend hours in gridlock. Scheduling trip time is almost impossible.

A mass-transit system was the only hope for people not wanting to wake hours early to make it to work. However, no one knows when the connecting routes to the metropolitan subway and Skytrain will be started - or completed.

Samut Prakan resident Chettapat Klangburam, 35, is keeping his fingers crossed that mass transit reaches his neighbourhood.

The green line connecting to the Onnuj Skyrain station was expected to run near his street off Sukhumvit Soi 107.

If this eventuates it will be more practical and convenient for him to abandon his vehicle and take the train to work.

However, he hopes fares are not too high and said Bt50 was reasonable for his trip into town.

"Now it is difficult for me to commute by car from my house in Soi Barring to places like Chatuchak Park, Siam and Silom. I have to pay for petrol, tolls and parking, and it still takes a long time to get there," he said.

Once a rail route links his neighbourhood he will be leaving his car at home. "But I am not sure when mass transit will arrive," he said.

Office worker Chettida Wiwatwicha, 30, said mass transit offered more choice in getting about. She lives in Thon Buri. "I have to commute by bus because there's no electric train to my place. It's inconvenient," she said.

But these dreams of rapid, economical commuting have been dashed by a statement from new Finance Minister Chalongphob Sussangkarn that just "one or two" of the five planned line extensions will go ahead this year.

According to a November proposal, the Surayud Chulanont government was to build five routes totalling 118 kilometres. The work would cost Bt165.4 billion. The extensions were designated Red, Purple, Blue, and Green, the last being an extensions to the Skytrain.

Under the November plan, bidding for the Red Line was to open next month, followed by the Blue and Purple lines.

Meanwhile, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has started extending the Skytrain.

The Airport Rail Link - which was slated to be finished by November - will connect with the new routes.

Almost every person questioned in a recent Suan Dusit Poll supported extending the rail routes.

Chalongphob said the previous government's launch of five rail extensions needed to be reconsidered and only one or two could be started this year. The government intends to build the remainder over five to 10 years.

Existing multimillion-baht mass-transit projects were never examined properly and are now losing money, Chalongphob said.

Even without political changes, transit projects take a long time to build. The Skytrain and metro took almost 10 years to finish.

Ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra envisaged 10 new routes in the capital and its suburbs, but after several revisions this was pared down to today's five. No extensions were started while he was in power.

Transport and Traffic Policy Office deputy director-general in charge of systems Pranote Suriya said the existing Skytrain and subway lines were insufficient and had not solved traffic congestion. There is no service to the suburbs.

A total of 600,000 passengers use the services each day. If the government builds more routes the number of passengers will double, he added. More mass-transit lines will increase convenience and allow people more leisure time.

Pranote said: "Agencies are trying to move the projects forward as quickly as they can because mass transit systems are the most effective way to commute in the city.

"Nonetheless, the time line of the projects depends on pressure by the government, regulations and money."

A Transport Ministry source said there were many factors affecting the extensions, including red tape and other complications.

Every action needs Cabinet approval.

The State Railway of Thailand will oversee the Red Line while the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand will be responsible for the Purple, Blue, and Green lines. They have to seek design and construction consultants and arrange for bidding.

A single-ticket system will be needed so passengers can use the two systems seamlessly. All these decisions take time, the ministry source said, and all have to be "transparent". Politics is a hurdle, he added.

Landowners who have lost property to train routes have protested.

A construction source said route changes were made every time there was a government personnel change because the lines came with "huge benefits". "Contractors are confused. It is hard to finalise construction plans," the source said.

"The government should be sincere and look to the public interest so people will use mass-transit trains," he added.

On Friday Transport Minister Theera Haocharoen insisted it was worthwhile for the country to build all five lines.

Theera said fewer lines would draw fewer commuters and result in operating losses.

"Construction is necessary as each line is planned according to travel frequency and the number of potential commuters. Downsizing investment could reduce the coverage area and disrupt the network," he said. He admitted "financial constraints" could force Chalongphob to cut spending on the routes.

A transport- and traffic-policy source said downsizing would reduce the number of commuters. It is anticipated five lines will attract 2.5 million commuters a day.

"The existing subway now accommodates about 200,000 passengers a day, but once the network is complete, the number could double," the source said, adding that commuter volume would affect fares and operating costs.

For now, the two responsible ministers will be discussing their next moves.

Watcharapong Thongrung

The Nation