The CEO Magazine Asia — January 2018

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service that can be used on its transit system
as well as in the retail, service and tourism
sectors. The company is now in the process
of extending this to become an e-wallet,
giving BTS information on people’s activities
to feed its advertising operations. Operating
a Chinese fine-dining restaurant chain, an
electronic payment solutions provider, the
Rabbit Rewards loyalty program, and a
construction contractor, BTS’s services arm
supports the rest of the business and provides
a potential source of future revenue growth.
Although lagging behind other ASEAN
cities in mass transit, Bangkok is catching
up fast, with both BTS lines and the
underground Metropolitan Rapid Transit
expanding rapidly. Over the next 15–20 years,
the Thai government plans to increase the
current 109.6
kilometres of
mass transit
lines to 515
kilometres.
According
to Kavin, the
future of
BTS’s four
core businesses
looks promising
thanks to
Thailand’s
ambitious
infrastructure
and mass transit
development
plans, changing
lifestyles,
budding
property
development,
and growing tourism.
As a mass transit-focused business,
BTS plans to secure new transit lines and
capitalise on the opportunities that filter
down to its other businesses in media,
property and services. The current BTS
Skytrain network runs for 36 kilometres
through the heart of Bangkok’s commercial,
business and tourism districts. Kavin says the
target for the next five years is to add an
extra 178.6 kilometres to the 95.7 kilometres

already secured by the contract, a figure that

will continue to grow as passenger demand

increases and the rail system expands.

In Thailand’s largest single order of trains,

BTS recently procured 46 four-car trains

from Siemens and Changchun Railway

Vehicles to accommodate increasing

patronage. BTS is eager to become involved

in the dual-track project, and plans to secure

the upcoming Green line extension and

targeted new line – a total of 82.9 kilometres

in the next five years. In property, BTS has

formed a strategic alliance with Sansiri –

Thailand’s leading property developer – to

develop 25 projects close to transit lines over

the next five years, worth approximately

THB100 billion. Through its media subsidiary

VGI, BTS plans to continue its evolution

from a Bangkok-

focused entity

into a nationally

integrated media

platform. BTS

is clearly in the

driver’s seat,

thanks to the

foresight,

leadership and

perseverance

of Keeree

and Kavin

Kanjanapas.

Few private

companies can

claim experience

running mass

transit lines,

yet BTS has

demonstrated

unrivalled

expertise in operation, management and

procurement, ultimately transforming

Thailand’s mass transit sector into an

efficient and fully integrated system.

AT BTS, STRATEGIES

ARE BASED ON FIVE

FOUNDATIONS:

1. EXPERIENCES IN RAIL
   MASS TRANSIT


2. SYNERGY ACROSS ALL FOUR
   BUSINESSES WITH RAIL MASS
   TRANSIT AT THE CORE


3. FINANCIAL STRENGTH


4. INNOVATION


5. CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

“Siemens Mobility Division has decisively developed and

shaped Bangkok’s urban transport system over recent

decades. With the fifth mass transit railway project in

Bangkok it has received, Siemens is delighted to support

the further economic development and sustainable growth

of the city.” – Tomasz Mazur, Mobility Division Lead,

Siemens Limited

Interview | INNOVATE