The Cabinet has approved in principle the draft royal decree designating provinces where the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) may operate monorail services in Songkhla Province.
On 5 Aug 2026 GMT+7, Ms. Ploytale Laksamee Sangchan, Deputy Spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office, revealed that the Cabinet approved in principle the draft royal decree to authorize MRTA to operate monorail services in Songkhla Province, as proposed by the Ministry of Transport. The draft will be submitted to the Office of the Council of State for review and further action. The Ministry of Transport will also consider feedback from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council, and the Budget Bureau. The Ministry of Interior will take into account comments from the National Economic and Social Development Council for further proceedings.
The route covers 12.54 kilometers.
Ms. Ploytale stated that the draft royal decree authorizes MRTA to expand its monorail operations to Songkhla Province. Previously, MRTA operated monorail services in Chiang Mai, Phang Nga, Phuket, Nakhon Ratchasima, and Phitsanulok provinces. The proposed project is a rail transit monorail system spanning 12.54 kilometers with 12 stations. There will be one depot and maintenance center at Khlong Hwa Station, and three main transfer points at Khlong Hwa, Kho Hong, and the van terminal stations. The stations are designed as three-story buildings built over the road median, providing space for passengers and linking various types of transport. The system will accommodate passenger volumes from Hat Yai city and neighboring provinces, with designed connectivity points for seamless travel.
Parking and pick-up/drop-off areas, as well as park-and-ride facilities, will be provided, along with the depot and maintenance center at Khlong Hwa Station. The MRTA Board has approved the project, and it aligns with the resolutions of the Land Traffic Management Committee.