At the very least, the one-kilometre so-called “missing tooth”, which will link the end of the recently opened MRT Purple Line at Tao Poon station with the far end of the underground MRT Blue Line at Bang Sue station, should be in service byAugust.

This is due to the special power invoked under Article 44 of the interim charter by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, who is also chief of the National Council for Peace and Order, as the article can be used to enable the authorities to short-cut all the red tape in getting construction of the missing link completed faster than previously expected.

This would enable commuters to travel smoothly between the capital’s inner areas and Nonthaburi, a northwestern suburb, although the cost of travel remains an issue.

Once a subsidy for fares on the Purple Line comes to end, the combined fare throughout the two connected lines will be a maximum of Bt84 per trip.

However, there are good signs for commuters in that another 10 pending mass-transit lines – part of the government’s first-phase infrastructure investments worth more than Bt440 billion – could be in the pipeline to open services as scheduled from next year through to 2022.

If the missing link between the MRT Purple and Blue lines is completed smoothly and on time, the Blue Line’s two route extensions – from Hua Lamphong to Bang Khae via Tha Phra, and from Bang Sue to Tha Phra – will be available for service in 2019 as planned.

Commuters will then enjoy the utmost benefit, being able to travel throughout the MRT Blue Line as a loop with no added fares or transit, as the entire route will be run as a single line.

For certain, we will see the results of a major facelift from the State Railway of Thailand (SRT), including revamped services providing eight Express Railway trains, running at speeds of up to 120km per hour from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, Ubon Ratchathani, Nong Khai and Hat Yai.

This forms part of the SRT’s biggest revamp in a century of operations.

Each train will comprise first-class seating and sleeper cars, second-class seating and sleeper cars – with one specially fitted out for handicapped passengers – a dining car, and a power car.

Private television screens will be available in first-class carriages, and electrical sockets will be provided in all sleeping berths.

All 115 carriages set for first- and second-class seating and sleeping berths on these trains are newly built, while 20 out of 148 third-class compartments on existing rolling stock have already been renovated as a New Year’s gift from the Prayut administration.

The remaining third-class carriages are gradually being renovated, with work expected to be completed in March next year.

Meanwhile, the new boat service along Khlong Phadung Krung Kasem for a distance of 5.5km – which was opened a few months ago – is a good choice for commuters, who can now travel from Dhevet Pier to connect to rail transport at Hua Lamphong station.