Sanphet Boonyamanee, Deputy Minister of Transport, is advancing a transformation of water transportation by launching a pilot School Boat project to serve 16 schools and a Taxi Boat service connecting Bang Wa BTS Station to tourist sites in Thonburi, aiming to solve traffic congestion and integrate transport modes—road, rail, and water—seamlessly.
On 25 June 2026, Sanphet Boonyamanee, Deputy Minister of Transport, revealed after chairing a meeting on the School Boat and Taxi Boat pilot projects that Bangkok historically grew through its waterways. However, today’s urban changes have left narrow roads accessing canal communities, making vehicle passing difficult and causing severe traffic jams during rush hours. This affects students and residents who face limited mobility connecting to major mass transit and risk accidents sharing roads with cars and motorcycles. These issues increase travel time and costs, negatively impacting students’ quality of life and learning efficiency.
Therefore, the Ministry of Transport is driving a pilot project on Phasi Charoen Canal with two initiatives: 1. The School Boat project to develop water transport as a convenient, safe, economical, and sustainable travel option focused on students from 16 schools along the canal, who historically used Bangkok’s canal boat services. The plan includes refurbishing and upgrading Bangkok’s former boat fleet to support the pilot.
2. The Taxi Boat project offers a new seamless travel option combining road, rail, and water transport, starting from Bang Wa BTS Station and connecting to key tourist destinations such as Wat Paknam Phasi Charoen, Bangkok Yai District Office, Talat Phlu, and Khlong Bang Luang Floating Market.
Sanphet concluded that the meeting will expedite in-depth studies of public demand and project feasibility, coordinating with government agencies and state enterprises. Comprehensive planning will cover routes, schedules, and safety systems to realize the pilot effectively, with plans to expand to other canal networks in Bangkok to restore water transport as a convenient, fast, safe, and sustainable public travel option in the future.
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