Thailand advances plans for Hat Yai monorail amid airport extension prospects

Thailand moves closer to realising a new 12.54-kilometre monorail in Hat Yai, aiming to improve regional connectivity and pave the way for an airport extension that could transform travel for visitors and residents alike.

Thailand has moved a step closer to adding a new monorail in the Hat Yai area of Songkhla, a project that could eventually make travel easier for visitors heading through the country’s far south. According to reports from Thai media, the Cabinet has given initial approval to a draft royal decree that would allow the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand to run the 12.54-kilometre line, which is intended to improve links across one of the region’s busiest transport corridors.

For travellers, the most relevant detail is where the line would run: from Khlong Hwa in Hat Yai district, close to the Malaysian border, to the Van Terminal. The route is planned to include 12 stations, with three major interchange points, while some stops would offer park-and-ride facilities. That suggests the line is being designed not just for local commuters but also for easier connections between buses, vans and other transport options that visitors commonly use to move around southern Thailand.

The proposed system is also expected to serve practical destinations. Thai reports say Kho Hong station would cater to the university area, while Khlong Hwa would be the main hub, with the depot and maintenance centre located there. Officials are now expected to update feasibility and design work, carry out site surveys and prepare tender documents, which means the project still has several steps to go before construction can begin.

There is also a second phase under study that would extend the line by 9.87 kilometres to Hat Yai International Airport. If that goes ahead, it could matter more directly to holidaymakers and business travellers by making airport transfers simpler and reducing time lost in road traffic. For now, though, the immediate impact is mostly on planning: the monorail remains a future convenience rather than a present-day option.